Chancellor Fariña Announces 600 Students Participating In Internships in New CTE Industry Scholars Program

NEW YORK – Schools Chancellor Carmen Fariña today announced 600 students from 74 high schools have participated in the first year of the Career and Technical Education (CTE) Industry Scholars Program, a new initiative that has connected CTE high school students from all five boroughs with paid internships at 189 employers in various industry settings. This summer, 397 students are participating in six-week internships. 203 students participated in internships this spring.

The new school-year and summer internships are part of a larger investment in CTE high schools, including opening 40 new high-quality CTE programs and strengthening and expanding work-based learning, including new apprenticeships and internships. 

CTE Industry Scholars aims to expand, with the goal of providing 3,000 school-year and summer internships in 2019.

“Through the CTE Industry Scholars Program, we’re preparing students for their future beyond high school, and giving them an opportunity to practice and hone the valuable skills they’ve learned in the classroom,” said Schools Chancellor Carmen Fariña. “Equity and excellence means giving our students pathways to success after high school, and Career and Technical Education, internships, and industry partnerships connect our students with resources and experiences that will serve them well in college and careers.”

“Connecting students to instructional paid work experiences is an effective strategy for both deeply engaging students in high school and graduating them ready for college and careers,” said City Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito. “The Chancellor’s new CTE Industry Scholars program, the Council’s CTE initiative, and the recent work that’s revamping our CTE offerings provide great opportunities to students across New York City.”

“The CTE Industry Scholars program represents Chancellor Fariña and the City’s commitment to rigorous, high-quality Career and Technical Education that prepares students for careers in the 21^st century,” said Kathryn Wylde, President and CEO of the Partnership for New York City. “These new internships and investments by employers in work-based learning expose New York City students to real-world job opportunities and skills. Employers are excited to continue partnering with the City as the CTE program expands.”  

The Industry Scholars program is a key ingredient to putting our students on a path to a successful future.  Without early exposure to the world of work, opportunities to build skills, and connections to employers, far too many of our young people are left on the sidelines,” said Gabrielle Fialkoff, Senior Advisor to the Mayor and Director of the Office of Strategic Partnerships. “By partnering with growing industries in the private sector, we are able to ensure our students  receive real-world grounding and context for their academic education, exposure to industry norms and skills training, and that they graduate and go on to find good paying jobs.”

The CTE Industry Scholars also receive resume writing, interview prep, and other job readiness support over the course of their internships to ensure their success. In the first year of the program, CTE Industry Scholars are participating in internships in the following sectors: Automotive and Transportation, Business and Finance, Construction and Engineering, Culinary, Hospitality and Tourism, Information and Technology, and Media, Technology, and Design. Employers include the MTA, South Street Seaport Museum, Birch Coffee, Nobu 57, Square, Next Step Pictures, Metabronx, Karma Media, and the New York City DOE’s Division of School Facilities, which the Chancellor visited today.  

The Chancellor met with some of the 39 high school students participating in the Division of School Facilities’ paid summer internship programs. Students are participating in Construction & Engineering internships, in fields from HVAC to the Division’s Energy Management Unit, where interns are developing a capstone project to make their high school more energy-efficient.

“We are delighted to be part of CTE Industry Scholars, supporting our students’ development of career skills as they make valuable contributions to the Division of School Facilities’ work to provide safe, clean, and welcoming learning environments for all our students,” said Deputy Chancellor Elizabeth Rose. “We look forward to continued participation in this program that benefits our students and schools.”

During the spring of this school year, the CTE Industry Scholars program also supported work-based learning at CTE high schools and program across the City, engaging more than 2,000 students in career days, work readiness training, mock interviews, site visits, and employer tours.

CTE Industry Scholars is a new addition to the existing set of internships supported by the DOE – including the Bank of America CTE Summer Scholars which provides 125 annual summer internships in IT and Media; Youth Career Connect which provides 150 annual summer internships in IT, Media, and Pre-Engineering; and the Computer Science for All Pathfinders Mentorship Program which provides internships in computer science-related fields. In future years, CTE Industry Scholars – which is supported by Grant Associates, a workforce development organization – will engage with these existing programs.   

The City Council is a crucial partner in our work to expand and strengthen Career and Technical Education and apprenticeships and internships, including supporting 1,000 paid student internships through the Young Women’s Initiative in various sectors.

 “We’re thrilled to kick off the CTE Industry Scholars program, empowering our students to see the world beyond their classroom walls. Students will be able to gain invaluable access to the life of our City, and work within thriving industries. In turn, our industry partners will come to know the intellect, passion, and worldview of our extraordinary students. Together, we are working towards our vision of equity and excellence and ensuring our students can see the end of their hard work in our schools not merely as a diploma, but as real options for their future,” said Phil Weinberg, Deputy Chancellor for Teaching and Learning.

“We are thrilled to be working with the NYC Department of Education, Partnership for New York City, and NYC Center for Youth Employment to increase the quality and quantity of work-based learning opportunities for the students of New York,” said Doug Cotter, President of Grant Associates. “We look forward to strengthening and scaling employer partnerships to provide thousands of high school students with exposure to work experiences and help build the future of NYC’s workforce.”

“The CTE Industry Scholars Program is an exciting addition to the many school/career partnerships available to our students,” said Council of School Supervisors and Administrators executive vice-president, Mark Cannizzaro. “It not only gives students an opportunity to explore a career they may choose to make their own, it gives them marketable experience and skills that will transfer to any workplace. In addition, employers are given the opportunity to see that the future is bright due to the high caliber of students being educated in New York City Public Schools. I call that a win-win.”

 “Our continued commitment to the Bank of America CTE Summer Scholars program has been instrumental in helping youth gain invaluable skills and confidence in the workplace,” said Jeff Barker, New York president, Bank of America. “We’re thrilled that our initial investment and ongoing partnership have helped build a foundation for the expansion of new internship opportunities for NYC public school students.”

“The CTE Industry Scholars Program will provide our students with the quality hands-on training they need to succeed,” said City Council Education Committee Chair Daniel Dromm. “Thanks to support from industry leaders, these young people will be compensated while applying classroom learning in a work setting and honing their skills. Programs like these make public education more robust, and I will continue to support them.”

“The CTE Industry Scholars Program is an effective way to fully engage our city’s Career and Technical Education students. Paid summer internships will help prepare CTE students for career pathways in high-wage, in-demand fields, and learn invaluable skills through real-world experience,” said City Council Member Mark Treyger. “I commend Chancellor Fariña for supporting equitable educational opportunities for all of our City’s students.”

CTE Industry Scholars is aligned to the Mayor and Chancellor’s Equity and Excellence for All agenda, which aims to ensure that by 2026, 80 percent of students graduate high school on time and two-thirds of graduates are college ready. Building on record-high graduation rates, record-low dropout rates, and a high-quality pre-K seat for every New York City 4-year-old, Equity and Excellence for All is creating a path from pre-K to college and careers for every child in every neighborhood in New York City.