MassHire Cape and Islands Workforce Board | Guide to Connecting Activities

Guide to Connecting Activities

GROWING OUR FUTURE WORKFORCE

CONNECTING ACTIVITIES

The MassHire Cape and Islands Workforce Board (CIWB) is one of sixteen workforce boards in Massachusetts charged with supporting work-based learning and career development activities through the Connecting Activities initiative.

Connecting Activities is a statewide network led by DESE and organized through sixteen MassHire Workforce Boards, charged with supporting work-based learning and other career development education activities for students.*

Connecting Activities offerings in the region are made possible through meaningful engagement with employers, strong school relationships, and connectivity with district administrators who partner with the CIWB on a variety of career development opportunities, including:

 Credit for Life events

 Financial Literacy Toolkit Modules

 Informational interviews with industry professionals

 Internships virtual, hybrid, and in-person

 Mock Interviews to support career and college readiness

 Resume and job search participation

 Workplace readiness skills training

*Source: Mass. Dept. of Elementary and Secondary Education

An ambulance simulator at Mashpee Middle-High School encourages a hands-on learning environment in health services.

Student robotics teams flourish on the Cape and Islands, with many entering competitive events.

Massachusetts Work-Based Learning Plan (WBLP)

The MassHire Cape and Islands Workforce Board utilizes the Massachusetts Work-Based Learning Plan (WBLP) as a tool to help document student progress and development as part of the internship experience.

Each WBLP contains the following important information:

 Identification of current skills and skill development needs;

 Conversation starters about potential learning opportunities;

 Structured evaluation criteria;

 Specific short- and long-term goal setting;

 Job descriptions;

 Skills to be explored.

Importantly, these plans serve as a tool through which future skill development can be tailored to help individual students meet their full potential, providing them with greater access to employability and potential career pathways.

The Massachusetts Work-Based Learning Plan (WBLP) is designed to provide structure and depth to work-based learning experiences: to identify the skills to be focused on in the work experience; to open conversations about learning opportunities; and to encourage reflection about short-term and long-term goals. The Work-Based Learning Plan includes a job description, list of skills, and reviews. It can be completed as a pen-and-paper document, Word document, or through online and mobile screens.*

*Source: Massachusetts Connecting Activities

Innovation Pathways

Innovation Pathways are designed to give students coursework and experience in high-demand industries, which include information technology, engineering, healthcare, life sciences and advanced manufacturing.

The CIWB supports regional school districts with the Innovation Pathway process, from application to designation. This joint partnership leverages employer engagement to expose students to career pathways, helping them develop knowledge and skills in chosen fields of study before they graduate from high school.

Innovation Pathways are designed to create strong partnerships with employers in order to expose students to career options and help them develop knowledge and skills related to their chosen fields of study before they graduate from high school.*

*Source: Mass. Dept of Elementary and Secondary Education

Collaboration between academic, non-profit, and employer stakeholders is a key to success in the Cape and Islands region.

Connecting students with industry professionals encourages strong career pathway development.

The CIWB is grateful to our dedicated school partners for their commitment to Connecting Activities in the region.

MASSHIRE CAPE AND ISLANDS WORKFORCE BOARD: CONNECTING STUDENTS TO OPPORTUNITIES

The CIWB works diligently to enhance its Connecting Activities offerings on the Cape and Islands by incorporating impactful signature programs in the region.

ArtWorks

ArtWorks provides students in grades 9–12 with the opportunity to explore career pathways within the arts. ArtWorks has become a premier program within the region, exposing students to the creative economy through hands-on learning. Students work alongside a professional artist mentor, receiving dedicated instruction and feedback in their chosen medium through an intensive internship that coincides with the traditional school year.

 Students grow as artists and entrepreneurs through the guidance of mentors, building self-esteem, self-confidence, and soft skills that transfer beyond their artistic endeavors.

 The ArtWorks experience is available via in-person, virtual, or hybrid models, serving as an equitable offering that can be accessed by diverse populations of students while helping to eliminate barriers of accessibility.

 ArtWorks culminates with an annual exhibit at a community-based gallery where students and mentors can highlight the work achieved during their partnership.

 ArtWorks provides students with an opportunity to create a portfolio to showcase for college admission.

“The ArtWorks Program continues to be an invaluable link between our young artists and the creative economies in our region. I am extremely grateful for MassHire Cape and Islands Workforce Board and volunteers from the artist community who put in countless hours to help our students enhance their skills and discover new talents.”

Michael Looney, Director of Career and Technical Education at Mashpee Middle-High School

The annual ArtWorks Exhibit is a celebration of skill development and personal growth for students.

ArtWorks students participate in a hands-on internship that exposes them to the Creative Economy in the region.

The student-mentor relationship is at the core of the ArtWorks experience.

Accessible Virtual Internships

The use of virtual job shadow software allows the CIWB to offer students accessible internship opportunities by eliminating barriers that may exist due to socioeconomic factors, transportation challenges, or geographic constraints. This virtual delivery is made possible through an innovative resource that assists students in their ability to explore, plan, and prepare for their future career pathways.

The online platform consists of a variety of job shadowing videos that mirror the 21st century workplace. The virtual platform is interactive, engaging, and user-friendly. Students have the opportunity to learn firsthand from industry professionals about the skills, knowledge, and character that they need to be successful in their chosen career. Alongside the thousands of job shadowing videos are extensive career planning tools such as resume and cover letter building, goal setting, and more.

“The CIWB has been such a positive relationship for our students. From the ArtWorks program, Leadership Academy, Career Construction Day, Youth Council, mock interviews, and having access to Virtual Job Shadowing software, our students have gained skills and made connections that they would not otherwise have made. Sturgis Charter Public School East and West are very lucky to have a strong partnership with the CIWB.”

Lee Moynihan, Special Education Teacher, Sturgis Charter Public School

CIWB Internship & Youth Council

CIWB interns are selected through an application and interview process. In addition to participating in Youth Council (YC), interns gain experience working with CIWB staff on regional initiatives.

 YC spearheads opportunities for young adults to contribute to their local communities through enrichment activities held throughout the school year.

 CIWB Interns engage with local leaders including academic partners, local stakeholders, and employer partners, allowing them to build a professional network on Cape Cod and the Islands.

 YC Interns enhance and strengthen their employability and career readiness skills through work-based learning experiences. These partnerships forge powerful connections in the region, resulting in an intergenerational network of community leaders.

The list of mediums offered through ArtWorks continues to expand each year.

Presentation at the National Association of Workforce Development Professionals Youth Symposium, November 2022. Executive Director Kara Galvin (left) & Program/Data Manager Samantha Fonseca (right).

Early exposure to career development has proven to be valuable in future employability.

Cape Cod Maker Faire*

The CIWB partners with a variety of individuals and entities across the region to organize the Cape Cod Maker Faire, bringing together artists, crafters, woodworkers, builders, engineers, tech enthusiasts, and hobbyists in the spirit of creativity and invention on Cape Cod. The faire is conducted in a festival-type environment and features projects and hands-on demonstrations from an array of participants, including school children, professional technicians, and weekend warrior innovators.

A robotics competition is held at the event, with local school districts entering teams of student engineers, preparing the students to become future innovators.

High School Senior Internship in Education Program*

The High School Senior Internship in Education Program (HSSIEP) provides paid work-based learning experiences in the field of education to highly motivated high school seniors in good academic standing. This initiative assists in accelerating the growth of the teacher pipeline in MA with a particular focus on increasing racial/ethnic diversity. HSSIEP also supports the goal to improve the educational outcomes for underserved students.

HSSIEP is a collaboration and partnership between the Connecting Activities school districts throughout the Commonwealth and Regional MassHire Workforce Boards including the CIWB.

Residential Construction Career Day*

A collaboration between the CIWB and the Home Builders & Remodelers Association of Cape Cod, Residential Construction Career Day (RCCD) encourages high school students across Cape Cod and the Islands to explore the construction industry through a series of interactive activities. Myriad hands-on activities such as scaling trees with an arborist, taping and mudding drywall, and installing residential windows – set the stage for a day full of on-site exploration. This exposure links students with industry partners and employers within construction and STEM fields, providing opportunities to learn more about career pathways in Engineering, Advanced Manufacturing and Green Building, among others.

Construction is one of the priority sectors within the region, leading to full-time, year-round employment and selfsufficient wages. RCCD raises awareness about the career pathway available to students within this sector.

*Funding dependent

Local events, such as the Maker Faire, introduce students to innovative thinking in the region.

Former Secretary of Labor and Workforce Development Rosalin Acosta addressed an enthusiastic group of Cape and Islands students.

CONNECTIONS THAT MATTER

Internship opportunities made possible through Connecting Activities reflect the wide variety of employer partners that exist in the region. The CIWB is sincerely grateful to all our employer partners in the region for their continued and enthusiastic support.

A sampling of recent opportunities have included

connectivity to:

Barnstable Clean Water Coalition

Cape Coastal Physical Therapy

Cape Cod Chamber of Commerce

Cape Cod Children’s Museum

Cape Cod Gateway Airport

Cape Abilities

Chatham Bars Inn

Falmouth Chamber of Commerce

Hyannis Fire Department

MassHire Cape and Islands Workforce Board

MSPCA

Mid-Cape Home Centers

SencorpWhite

State Representative Kip Diggs

Stonewood Products

True North Event Rentals

Wareham District Court

Whiteley Plumbing and Heating

CA Growth in the Cape and Islands Region

Growing Our Future Workforce!

Teamwork makes the dream work.