Jeffco Schools Career Pathways Program sets up Colorado students for professional life
It's a busy morning at Colorado Credit Union, and Chatfield High School senior Charlie Franzel is already getting to work as an IT intern.
"I think getting to actually learn within a business... school can only teach you so much," he told CBS Colorado. "Businesses and industries change and schools adapt to those businesses and industries to teach you that."
He, like his fellow interns at CCU, are students from local school districts trying to figure out what they want to do with their professional lives. Josh Harden, who is the Director of Training and Human Resources for the Credit Union, was once like Charlie.
"This [internship] helped reaffirm what I wanted to do and helped me pave my direction when I went to college," Harden explained.
Thirteen years ago, he was one of the first high school interns in the building. Now, he helps oversee a proud line of students like Charlie who walk through the doors of CCU looking for experience.
"We've had many that transformed into legitimate positions and got hired on and stuck around and grown and it's been really fulfilling to see that," said Harden.
It's a part of Jeffco Schools Career Pathways Program. In addition to the practical experience at schools like Warren Tech, the district has worked over the last few years to reinvent its educational approach.
"In high school, really reimagining high school to be an opportunity for students to have coursework that's aligned to a career," Jeffco Schools Superintendent Tracy Dorland said.
Sometimes, it shows students what they might not want to do, but they would. Other times, it becomes an affirmation of their interests and opens doors for future careers.
"Work-based learning was helpful for students to decide what they wanted to learn in college, what kind of career they wanted to do, what kind of training they might need," said Jeffco Schools' Rachel Almond.
As Josh and Charlie walk through the upper office floors of CCU's building, the HR Director has come to enjoy his new role as a guide for students.
"I love to pass that forward to other students," he said.
He mentors younger prospective employees like Charlie, who is ready to get the chance to try and be a part of the workforce.
"I jumped at the opportunity, and it's just great to meet students with similar interests," said Franzel.
As the days roll on and the school year gets set to start anew, more students are aiming to become interns in their selected field of choice, hoping that one day, maybe that first internship could be the door to open and walk into a career.