Mount Prospect, District 214 team up to give students work experience

Mount Prospect will invest $300,000 into a new partnership with Northwest Suburban High School District 214 to provide high school students from the village a chance to explore careers through internships with local businesses.

The village board Tuesday voted to contribute $100,000 annually over three years to the Workforce Innovation Partnership, part of the district's Center for Career Discovery and Career Pathways program.

Village Manager Michael Cassady said the idea emerged from recent discussions with the board and staff of District 214.

"Early on, we thought that we could be working very closely with them in their Career Pathways initiative," he said. "It gives real-world experiences to students in a work setting."

At the same time as they take part in internships or apprenticeships, the program will help the students take college-level courses associated with their career paths.

From an economic development perspective, Cassady said, businesses are making decisions about where to locate based on the accessibility of a skilled workforce.

"This definitely creates a pipeline to achieve that accessibility," he added.

Lazaro Lopez, associate superintendent for teaching and learning at District 214, told village trustees that the district's goal is to ensure that every graduate leaves with work experience.

"We know from the research that if we can get students identifying a career area of interest before they step across that stage in high school, they're about 80 percent more likely to actually achieve that post-high school credential, that college degree or credential for employment, within six years," he said.

"It's one thing being in a classroom and learning engineering - and we have students that are building high-mileage vehicles and robots, for example, in engineering. But that's different than actually having something you actually have to design for a client. And we want to make sure that they get that full experience, both in a classroom and with a work employer," Lopez added.

All but one village trustee voted in favor of the partnership.

"I personally had an internship in high school with the city of Chicago. It started my interest in government," Trustee Colleen Saccotelli said. "So I'm glad that we are giving our students the ability to find their passion."

Trustee William Grossi, who cast the no vote, said he supports the program, but doesn't believe the village should be involved.

"We have enough bills to pay, things to do, as a village on our own," he said. "Right now, we are in the process of building a new police and fire station. We have other pressing needs for funds. I think the program is really good and it has been used in conjunction with the Chamber of Commerce and companies. I think that's where it should stay."