Our Workforce Development Academy, Career Works, is a full service program that takes teens and young adults on a formalized journey from filling in academic gaps, career exploration and soft skills training to relevant occupational skill building, work experience and a formalized plan for their future. Students can explore the ways their passions can fit into their career path with individualized success plans to fit each students’ needs in making choices for their future. We make sure that our youth will be fully ready to succeed within today’s fast-paced job market!
The rapidly growing and high demand industries that our youth will learn about include careers in Information Technology, STEM, Healthcare, trades and construction. All youth who complete the program will earn industry-recognized credentials and/or a pre-apprentice certificate from the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry, as well as a stipend for their regular participation.
You may wonder how Career Works fits into the lives of our busy high school students? The program model offers a blend of interactive classes at our Career Works Centers with hybrid, virtual, and off-site immersive work experiences. We work with each applicant to ensure that our classes and placements will fit into your academic commitments throughout the school year.
As a Career Works student you will be able to take advantage of:
- Online training to remediate basic math/writing deficiencies or credit recovery
- Hands-on project-based learning focused on building soft skills and tech literacy
- Gamified training and simulations
- Job shadowing and internships during the summers and throughout the year
- Mentoring and career coaching/case management services
- Dual enrollment programming
- Community service experiences and personal and professional development classes
- Boys & Girls Clubs of America’s evidence based CareerLaunch and Money Matters curriculums
- Individualized support for high school matriculation and graduation
- Opportunities to expand your social network and have fun while exploring Pittsburgh and the surrounding communities
By hiring an internal staff of BGCWPA career coaches, partnering with corporations, training intermediaries and higher-educational institutions, we connect youth and young adults with viable career options and expose them to high demand industries. Youth will also learn about building confidence, health esteem and reducing risky behaviors through our Healthy Lifestyles Program and support of our mentoring success coaches.
Click here to see a visual representation of the program, its tracks the knowledge, skills and attitudes youth gain while participating in the program.