December 1, 2023

Students Explore Their Career Interests & Aptitudes

Work-Based Opportunities

Helping students find local employment with passion is the goal of SEP’s partnership with schools across Stark County. As we expand career-connected learning, we continue to utilize YouScience Brightpath to measure students’ career interests and aptitudes – then discover top areas where they intersect. Based on those results, students are matched to work-based experiences for exploration during high school. Opportunities range from career cafes, job shadowing, and "experienceships" (micro-internships) to company tours and classroom speakers. Stark's participating schools offer students more opportunities than ever to meet face-to-face with over 47 active business partners from various career fields and pathways.  

Since Fall 2022, we've had 2,895 students complete the YouScience Brightpath assessment, and nearly 5,400 career-connected student experiences occur among partner schools. SEP’s long-term goal is to have all students participate in a work-based experience and for each student to graduate with a meaningful career plan – one that is personally informed by YouScience Brightpath results and their own career-connected experiences.

What Our School Partners Say

"The mission of East Canton Schools is to educate, empower, and cultivate the potential within every individual. Our partnership with SEP helps us advance this mission by exposing students to career connected learning that connects to their interests and aptitudes. We desire for all students to have a vision of success for themselves. By partnering with area companies and exploring careers that require certifications, degrees, and advanced degrees, we are guiding students to take ownership of their future. Dr. Richard and his team have added great value to the experience of East Canton students." – Kevin Finefrock, Osnaburg Local Schools Superintendent 

"Our goal is to guide each student towards their own "E" – enrolled, employed or enlisted – prior to graduation. The partnership with SEP is an essential tool to meet the needs of individual students, and we are excited about the opportunities and connections that are coming out of this endeavor. We're really excited about the implementation of YouScience in our high school. The results allow our school counselors to have specific conversations with each student about college and career options. We are hopeful that this tool will help guide each student in making decisions for high school and beyond." – Adam McKenzie, Tuslaw High School Principal 

"More than ever, our students need guidance from us to help them find a pathway that will lead them to successful careers. It's become evident to us that we need to adjust our approach to this and form real and practical partnerships with local business leaders to structure experiences for our students. The Stark Education Partnership has served as the perfect catalyst and liaison for these efforts. Seeing students who are making plans for their future that not only will set them up to have a satisfying career and lifestyle, but will also contribute to on-going economic development of Stark County." – Rob Gress, Alliance City Schools Superintendent