• Cooperative Education

    Recent figures from the Bureau of Labor and Statistics show a projected job growth for 421,900 culinary workers, 218,200 carpenters, and a demand for 526,800 registered nurses for the years 2012 - 2022. The need for career and technical training continues to grow and so does the need to supply our future workforce with employees who possess the necessary skills and technology to be a successful employee. The role of Cooperative Education at the Schuylkill Technology Center is to provide the bridge to transition student-learners into the workforce through job shadowing, internships and other cooperative education opportunities. STC students who meet specific qualifications are placed out in the business community and continue to learn the skills associated with their occupation under the supervision of an employer/mentor. Each Co-op placement is established with a training agreement, training plan, and is supervised by the STC Cooperative Education Coordinator. An effective work-based partnership with business and industry and career and technical education is the goal of the STC Cooperative Education program. Through a Cooperative Education experience, STC students continue to develop the required job skills and employee responsibilities to become a productive member of the regional workforce.
     
    Cooperative Education Programs 

    • Job Shadow: All STC students may observe (shadow) an employee in a business, industrial, or professional job setting for one day (per POS job title). The Job Shadowing experience provides the student learner with specific information related to an occupation. This is a non-paid program with no hands-on work activities. Students are required to complete a daily log for each job shadow experience.
    • Internship: All students who have completed 50% of their STC Program of Study tasks, are eligible for an internship experience. This short term work-based program provides specific hands-on training related to the student’s occupational studies. An internship may be a paid or unpaid experience, and one to two weeks in length.
    • Clinical: Students in designated STC programs participate in a clinical experience which is a component of the PDE Program of Study course curriculum. The Clinical program is offered at a live work site location, and is supervised by certified staff. Transportation is provided by STC. Some clearances and physical tests are required. 
    • Cooperative Education (Capstone): Students cap off their formal in-school career and technical education with a related employment experience at a school approved work site. STC students must be recommended for a paid Co-op (Capstone) job experience by their Instructor, Home School and STC staff. A minimum of 80% POS tasks must be complete before applying for Capstone. The Capstone program is recommended for grade 12 (Level 3) students who are competent and demonstrate the responsibility to proudly represent STC out in the workforce. However, a student may be eligible for Capstone / Co-op in 11th grade during the last 45 days of a semester if specific criteria is met.