Looking Ahead

• In support of the Superintendent's vision, the Career Development Team will continue to focus on engaging BIPOC students, multilingual learners and students receiving special education services in work-based learning programming. New initiatives may include increased access to short term training leading to credentials and immediate employment opportunities, leadership development, strategic WBL partnership support to better serve students with increased needs, and expansion of affinity focused mentoring.

• After a successful pilot year, the full implementation of the Spark elementary-level program will take place in the 2022-23 school year. The program will be rolled out in three phases at schools and will focus on exploring strengths, interests, and values while making connections between school, careers and work.

• In late spring 2022, the DPS Career Development Team was awarded a Scale Up Grant to build and sustain capacity to launch its first registered youth apprenticeship program. In the 22-23 school year, seven new registered Administrative Services Manager youth apprentices will begin an extraordinary learning journey. Apprentices will be hired and trained to master with relevant and transferable business competencies through on-the-job learning within DPS. In the spirit of leading by example, apprentices will work for the DPS Cabinet offices: the Office of Schools, Office of Operations, Office of Chief of Staff, Office of Chief of Talent starting in fall 2023.