Career and Professional Development Component of the TPSID grant

The Professional and Career Development Component is an integral part of the REACH curriculum. This comprehensive component is designed to ensure that students become competent workers and that they will be able to secure and maintain meaningful and competitive employment when they graduate from the program.

REACH students participate in classes and seminars that focus on developing fundamental tools as well as the soft skills that are so critical to employment success. Some of these trainings include business and interpersonal communication skills, such as relating appropriately to coworkers and supervisors, understanding and changing perceptions and behaviors, and accepting supervision. Other topics include work attire, hygiene, time management, attendance, employer expectations and dealing with boredom and frustration on the job.

A strong focus on career assessments, career exploration and informational interviewing assists the students in determining their internship choices and with developing their career goals. Concrete interviewing skills along with resume, cover letter and portfolio development provide the student with the tools essential to a successful job search.

REACH students enhance their academic training with on-the-job skills that are gained through internships. These internships are supervised learning experiences that provide the student with an opportunity to explore a career field and gain work related skills. The internships take place in professional environments, in real jobs with duties and responsibilities typical of the industry. The interns report to supervisors at the job site and Career Coaches are provided when additional supports are needed.

The internships allow the students to explore what they can do, test drive their career choices and decide what careers are good matches for them. They also serve as an opportunity for the students to develop professional contacts, earn money, develop a work history, learn specific job related skills, and add career related experiences to their resumes.

Students complete internships each semester beginning in the second semester of their freshman year.

Their first internship is on campus in a typical student-worker position (e.g. Admissions Office, Library, etc.). This gives the student an opportunity to develop basic work skills and it provides the Career Coordinator with an opportunity to assess the studentís skills and to provide individual career coaching in weak areas. Students may have one or more semesters of on-campus internships depending on the individual studentís readiness to work and/or the ability of an additional on-campus internship to further enhance career-specific skills.

REACH partners with public and private businesses in the community to provide further internship opportunities where students gain valuable work experience, hone their interpersonal skills, and develop concrete job skills.

The first few internships are designed to develop basic work skills and for exploratory purposes. Each studentís unique skills, abilities and interests are taken into consideration.

As the students move into their Junior year, the internships are targeted to their chosen career field. This ensures that when the students graduate, they will have relevant work experience that will give them a competitive edge in the workforce.

REACH Interns work approximately 6-10 hours a week throughout the semester and their wages are paid for by the TPSID grant.

Internships provide invaluable experiences for the students. The Internship Site also benefits from the experience by not only helping to train and guide the future workforce, but also by enhancing their own work culture through the additional diversity and inclusion that the REACH Intern inherently brings to the work place.

An outline of a typical internship progression follows. Please note that individual on and off the job career coaching may occur throughout the process.