Berks Business Education Coalition

HIGHER EDUCATION CAMPUS VISITSOVER THE COURSE OF 20 YEARS, 2003-2022, MORE THAN 36,000 STUDENTS FROM EACH OF THE 18 BERKS COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICTS HAVE VISITED ON THE CAMPUSES OF THE FIVE (5) BERKS COUNTY BASED COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES FOR WHAT FOR MOST WAS THEIR FIRST-TIME SETTING FOOT ON A HIGHER EDUCATION CAMPUS. DURING THE SPRING OF 2023, 3,448 9TH GRADE STUDENTS FROM 16 OF THE 18 SCHOOL DISTRICTS VISITED FOUR (4) CAMPUSES: ALBRIGHT, KUTZTOWN, PENN STATE BERKS AND RACC.INSIDE BERKS BUSINESSFOR MORE THAN 20 YEARS THE INSIDE BERKS BUSINESS PROGRAM HAS BROUGHT EDUCATORS INTO THE WORKPLACE EACH SUMMER TO EXPERIENCE FIRST-HAND THE RANGE OF BUSINESSES IN BERKS COUNTY AND THE CAREER AND EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES IN THE WORKPLACE. THE EDUCATORS PARTICIPATE TO UNDERSTAND HOW THEIR SUBJECT PREPARES STUDENTS FOR FUTURE CAREERS. THIRTY-SIX (36) EDUCATORS SELECTED A CAREER PATHWAY TO FOLLOW OVER 3 DAYS. EACH DAY ALLOWED THEM ACCESS TO 1 OR 2 BUSINESSES TO LEARN ABOUT THE INDUSTRY, CAREER OPPORTUNITIES AND THE SKILLS/EDUCATION REQUIRED. A TOTAL OF EIGHTEEN (18) FOR-PROFIT AND NON-PROFIT ENTERPRISES PARTICIPATED FROM AUGUST 3-5, 2023. STUDENTS INTERACTING WITH BUSINESSSINCE 2013, MORE THAN 29,000 NINTH GRADE STUDENTS AND 1,130 TEACHER CHAPERONES HAVE VISITED PARTICIPATING BERKS COUNTY BUSINESSES FOR A "BOOTS ON THE GROUND" EXPERIENCE TO LEARN FIRST-HAND ABOUT A BUSINESS, CAREER AND EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES, AND THE SOFT SKILLS THAT EMPLOYERS VALUE IN A GOOD EMPLOYEE. IN SPRING 2023, 700 STUDENTS FROM FIVE (5) SCHOOL DISTRICTS VISITED THIRTEEN (13) BUSINESSES. THE FALL PROGRAM IN 2023 WAS EXPANDED OVER THREE (3) WEEKS TO OFFER FLEXIBILITY TO BOTH SCHOOLS AND BUSINESSES. FROM NOVEMBER 1-16TH, 2,090 STUDENTS FROM 14 SCHOOLS VISITED THIRTY-ONE (31) BUSINESSES. PLEASE NOTE THAT IN THE FALL, SCHOOLS WERE ALLOWED TO CHOOSE THE STUDENTS THAT WOULD BENEFIT MOST FROM THE PROGRAM. SOME SCHOOLS STAYED WITH THE 9TH GRADERS, BUT OTHERS SELECTED UNDECIDED UPPERCLASSMEN.HIGH SCHOOL INTERNSHIPSTHE BERKS BUSINESS EDUCATION COALITION IS A STRONG CHAMPION FOR HIGH SCHOOL INTERNSHIP PROGRAMS. IN 2023, SEVENTEEN (17) OF THE 18 BERKS COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICTS INCLUDED INTERNSHIPS AS PART OF THEIR SENIOR (AND SOMETIMES JUNIOR) YEAR CURRICULUM. THE PROGRAMS HAVE GROWN MARKEDLY IN THE DIVERSITY AND BREADTH OF THE PROGRAMS, ALL OF WHICH RECOGNIZE FOR CREDIT STUDENT PLACEMENTS WITHIN THE COMMUNITY OR WITHIN THE SCHOOL DISTRICT WHERE STUDENTS EXPLORE POSSIBLE CAREER DIRECTION AND GAIN VALUABLE ADULT-LIKE SKILLS BEFORE GRADUATION. THE SPRING OF 2023 SAW 985 SENIORS GAINING VALUABLE CAREER READINESS BY INTERNING IN THEIR FIELD OF INTEREST. THIS REPRESENTS ALMOST 21% OF THE SENIOR COHORT. IN THE FALL OF 2023, 934 SENIORS SPENT TIME IN THEIR FIELD OF INTEREST. THIS REPRESENTS 19.4% OF THE SENIOR COHORT.