Loudoun County Public Schools held its annual workforce summit today at the National Conference Center, highlighting career and technical education opportunities and programs to help students get on-the-job experience.
Superintendent Aaron Spence, School Board Chair Melinda Mansfield and County Administrator Tim Hemstreet opened the program, followed by a panel of students discussing their experiences with workforce programs offered by the school division. In breakout sessions, students exchanged ideas and did mock interviews.
Several representatives of employers and businesses that support the programs also attended.
Among the most touted of programs was “Job for a Day,” which will take place Nov. 19. Spence said it offers a great way for students to connect with local businesses and explore their interests. The program gives students in 10th and 11th grades a chance to shadow a workplace for a day. Enrollment in the program double compared with last year.
Spence urged parents to encourage their children to participate.
“When a student walks into a workplace, collaborates with professionals, and sees that their ideas matter—that’s belonging,” he said. “It’s the powerful sense of being seen, valued and included in something larger than themselves.”
Marella Batu said she took advantage of Job for a Day last school year and shadowed at the Loudoun Education Foundation.
“I had never had real-world experience looking into nonprofit management or anything of the sort, and I didn’t know much about LEF in general either, but looking into that one day it was the greatest experience,” Batu said. “It made me realize that it was something I wanted to do in the future and could do for the rest of my life.”
She interned with the foundation over the summer, working in media and design.
She said talking to counselors and career advisors is a good start for any student looking to get experience.
LCPS Director of the Career, Technical and Adult Education Division Michael Grubbs said students and parents can connect with work-based learning resource teachers if the next career-related event is too far away. He said work to help students set up a call and connect with business partners is happening “any day of the week.”
The school division’s Career Technical Advisory committee, which grew to 21 members this year, works to keep workforce-related programs current, responsive and aligned with industry standards. The Pathway Expansion plan includes 83 career pathways, in 17 clusters, for students to strive towards through career-based learning.
Spence said IB programs, Academies of Loudoun, the planned Global and Linguistic Studies Academy and the Health and Medical Sciences Academy all offer different career opportunities, as well.
LCPS is also planning to expand its career-related programming with jobs fairs and trade shows in the spring and to host a Career and Technical Education Fair in January.
Learn more about LCPS’s Career and Technical education curriculums at lcps.org/o/dtl/page/cte-curriculum.