Apprentice Learning

Thank you to everyone who made Apprentice Learning's annual Future of Work: Nurturing the Talent Pipeline event a success! Special thanks to our incredible panelists, Dr. Carlene L. from National Grid, Jean Eddy from American Student Assistance, and Brenda Kirouac, PHR, SHRM from Federal Home Loan Bank of Boston, for their invaluable insights and commitment to intentionally nurturing young people's growth as they become deft orchestrators of their own trajectories. Jean Eddy, author of "Crisis-Proofing Today's Learners" reminded us why engaging middle school youth is crucial: "Research shows that middle school is primetime." This is the time to equip young people with durable skills like problem-solving, critical thinking, digital literacy, self-awareness, and the ability to see their purpose and place in the world. As Jean put it, "You can't aspire to be something if you don't know what's out there," highlighting the need for early career exposure. Our panelists emphasized authentic engagement and the importance of instigating joy and curiosity in youth. Giving students a glimpse into a variety of opportunities helps them discover not only their passions but also what they want to avoid—what we affectionately call their "nope list." Brenda Kirouac inspired us all with her strong bias toward action. As she said, "We can't just sit back and worry about it, we need to do something about it," which reflects Federal Home Loan Bank's commitment to hosting 8th graders and high schoolers. Dr. Carlene Lacey shared her insights on the power of authentic connection and the importance of integrity when working with young people. One thing that resonated was the importance of "exploring your career journey every minute of every day." When creating exploratory career program models for young people, opportunities that keep them primed and eager are essential. Young people need space to both showcase their talents, skills, and knowledge and to be vulnerable and curious enough to attempt new things. We were shown how National Grid's Clean Energy Tech Academy (high school), and Clean Energy STEM Academy (middle school) welcome and celebrate youth choice, curiosity, agency and joy. We’re so grateful for the partnerships, like the one we’re growing with National Grid, that help light the path for our youth. Finally, a heartfelt thank you to Federal Home Loan Bank for hosting this year’s event! Mark your calendars for Wednesday, October 1, 2025 when we hope to see you at the next Future of Work gathering! Together, we are creating opportunities and shaping a brighter today in preparation for marvelous tomorrows! Are you a business ready to share your career passion to help us teach skills, nurture dreams and ignite passion? If so, reach out @ www.apprenticelearning.org. We're eager to meet you! #CommunalWealthForBostonsMiddleGradeYouth #NurturingTalent #YouthEngagement #ApprenticeLearning #Partnerships #CareerExposure

Ready set go! I remember as a young person, watching the first of which proved to be many launches into space and the countdown for the astronaut to launch the space shuttle. I remember being curious at that time… what will it look like to be in a different space , where will they live while there, and when will they return. It was interesting that I remembered that thought, after serving on the panel for Apprentice Learning on October 2, which was exhilarating! Our discussion centered around the purpose and passion of working with young people and young at heart to help them find their desired career path. I’m appreciative to Letta Neely for asking the question “what was my first job?” This insightful question afforded me the opportunity to reflect on my middle school years, as a volunteer Candy Striper at a hospital in Oxford England and recognize all the skills (e.g. leadership, financial management, customer service and resource management) that I gleaned from that volunteer role. Serving on The Future of Work career panel, helped encourage Young and Young at heart to recover the inner voice that can catapult them into opportunities they might not have thought possible. As panelist we shared our insights on how we deal with young people, the strategies and which we implement to create opportunities and space for young people to learn grow and thrive. Thank you, Brenda Kirouac, PHR, SHRM - CP (she/her) and your FHL Bank team for hosting a wonderful event. Thank you, Jean Eddy for all the contributions and insights, particularly your book on how to reshape the mind of middle schoolers is certainly a win! Special thanks to #StrategicWorkforceDevelopment team and the leadership at National Grid for allowing us to be trailblazers of innovation, reaching middle school, high school, college university, students and work ready adults through our suite of four clean energy Academy training and developing tomorrow’s leaders today. Special thanks to Amanda C. Downey, LLM, JD, MBA , Stephanie Chery-Winder thanks for the cleanpiece of paper that provided the opportunity to create! I continue to nurture purpose and passion with within. Apprentice Learning continue to shoot for the stars with your phone and our future leaders. Check us out…

Did you get a chance to register yet? This year’s focus is on Nurturing the Talent Pipeline—a crucial topic as we all consider the practices and mindsets needed to support and empower the next generation of talent. Sign up here: https://lnkd.in/ecN5vHZu Join Apprentice Learning as we dive into strategies for cultivating young talent with authenticity, recognizing their autonomy and potential, and creating a pathway for lasting success. If you’re passionate about preparing young people for future careers, this event is for you! Let’s shape a future-ready workforce together. 📅 Date: Wednesday, October 2, 2024   ⏰ Time: 8am-10am   📍 Place: Federal Home Loan Bank, Prudential Tower #FutureOfWork #TalentPipeline #WorkforceDevelopment #CareerReadiness #YoungTalent

Join us for Apprentice Learning's Annual Fall Future of Work gathering, where this year’s focus is on Nurturing the Talent Pipeline. Sign up here! https://lnkd.in/ecN5vHZu Date: Wednesday, October 2, 2024  Time: 8am-10am  Place: Federal Home Loan Bank in the Prudential Tower This crucial discussion will explore mindsets, attitudes, and practices needed to care for and encourage the growth and development of young talent, ensuring they are well-prepared for future careers. We ask each other and ourselves: What has worked well and what needs to change so that businesses and individuals can authentically cultivate and sustain a young person’s capacity for achievement or success? What are the recipes for achievement and success that includes a young person’s joy and autonomy; and acknowledges that they are not blank slates upon which the labor sector must have full imprint? Our panel of experts will share insights on best practices for investing in and upskilling emerging talent, emphasizing the importance of providing a broad educational foundation that allows for continued skill development and adaptation throughout one's career. This event is essential for anyone interested in shaping a future-ready workforce and ensuring that young people are equipped with the skills and opportunities they need to thrive. Panelists include: Jean Eddy, President and CEO of American Student Assistance and author of Crisis-Proofing Today's Learners: Reimagining Career Education to Prepare Kids to Tomorrow's World. Jean develops and drives the overall strategic direction of ASA. Working with the Board and her Senior Management Team, she has successfully shifted ASA’s focus and direction to help kids, as early as middle school, make informed choices about their education and career goals. Dr. Carlene Lacey, DM, MBA, Director, Strategic Workforce Development, Governance & Partnerships, National Grid; Carlene leads National Grid’s Workforce Development programs that include a suite of four Clean Energy Academies that aim to build a diverse pipeline of talent to secure wealth building roles in the energy industry. She is responsible for shaping, implementing and sustaining transformative workforce development initiatives across National Grid’s US service territory. Brenda Kirouac, PHR, SHRM CP, Vice President of Talent and part of the Human Resources team at Federal Home Loan Bank of Boston, a role that primarily includes talent acquisition, development and management. Brenda has experience in banking, professional services, advertising, engineering/manufacturing, and the staffing industries. She is inspired by and engaged with organizations that are developing our future workforce. Under her leadership, FHLBank Boston has expanded its workforce development efforts beyond college internships to include high school students via the Boston PIC, and sponsored their engagement with 8th grade student apprentices with Apprentice Learning. 

Check out these lessons learned from our worksite partner, American Student Assistance! Thank you for the continued support of our students!

Thank you so much to National Grid for hosting our City Summer Interns! They had such an amazing time!

Join us for Apprentice Learning's Annual Fall Future of Work gathering, where this year’s focus is on Nurturing the Talent Pipeline. Sign up here! https://lnkd.in/ecN5vHZu Date: Wednesday, October 2, 2024  Time: 8am-10am  Place: Federal Home Loan Bank in the Prudential Tower This crucial discussion will explore mindsets, attitudes, and practices needed to care for and encourage the growth and development of young talent, ensuring they are well-prepared for future careers. We ask each other and ourselves: What has worked well and what needs to change so that businesses and individuals can authentically cultivate and sustain a young person’s capacity for achievement or success? What are the recipes for achievement and success that includes a young person’s joy and autonomy; and acknowledges that they are not blank slates upon which the labor sector must have full imprint? Our panel of experts will share insights on best practices for investing in and upskilling emerging talent, emphasizing the importance of providing a broad educational foundation that allows for continued skill development and adaptation throughout one's career. This event is essential for anyone interested in shaping a future-ready workforce and ensuring that young people are equipped with the skills and opportunities they need to thrive. Panelists include: Jean Eddy, President and CEO of American Student Assistance and author of Crisis-Proofing Today's Learners: Reimagining Career Education to Prepare Kids to Tomorrow's World. Jean develops and drives the overall strategic direction of ASA. Working with the Board and her Senior Management Team, she has successfully shifted ASA’s focus and direction to help kids, as early as middle school, make informed choices about their education and career goals. Dr. Carlene Lacey, DM, MBA, Director, Strategic Workforce Development, Governance & Partnerships, National Grid; Carlene leads National Grid’s Workforce Development programs that include a suite of four Clean Energy Academies that aim to build a diverse pipeline of talent to secure wealth building roles in the energy industry. She is responsible for shaping, implementing and sustaining transformative workforce development initiatives across National Grid’s US service territory. Brenda Kirouac, PHR, SHRM CP, Vice President of Talent and part of the Human Resources team at Federal Home Loan Bank of Boston, a role that primarily includes talent acquisition, development and management. Brenda has experience in banking, professional services, advertising, engineering/manufacturing, and the staffing industries. She is inspired by and engaged with organizations that are developing our future workforce. Under her leadership, FHLBank Boston has expanded its workforce development efforts beyond college internships to include high school students via the Boston PIC, and sponsored their engagement with 8th grade student apprentices with Apprentice Learning. 

Hello from Apprentice Learning! After wrapping up our successful summer programs, we are now recruiting for our Fall 2024 Apprenticeship program. For over 10 years, Apprentice Learning has partnered with thousands of 8th-grade students throughout Boston Public School, connecting them with businesses that provide valuable experiences. Together, through experiential learning, we bridge the gap between opportunity and imagination. We would love for you to get involved! We welcome partnerships with small businesses, corporations, organizations, and local government offices. We have successfully placed interns in all of the above! We would love to know if you are interested in hosting one or more eighth-grade students for a career experience at your workplace. Apprenticeships begin the week of October 28th. Over six weeks, you will host the same young person for two hours in the early afternoon. This will be an opportunity for the apprentices to learn about your business and develop skills you believe are essential for their future success. This is a great opportunity to give back and help guide the next generation of leaders within Boston. Our work is designed to equip students with experiences that inspire them to think bigger and work smarter. This is only possible through partnerships like yours and your support! Please let us know by September 10th if you are interested. We hope you will join us in this important work. Feel free to contact me with any questions or to confirm your participation at Jlewinski@apprenticelearning.org.

Apprentice Learning Summer Book, Part 4 “The way Paige explained the repair process made everything so much clearer, and her patience and support during the hands-on practice were truly appreciated.” – Ady (Activate: City Summer Intern, 2024) “We appreciate what you all do in your company and how you all work hard to help all your clients. GMO is a great place for interns to learn about because it can teach them about investing and stocks. Interns who are interested in finance in their future can learn a lot and get a head start with their passion”. Natalie (City Summer Internship Intern, 2024) On July 23rd, ACS and CSI interns further expanded their knowledge by attending the following workplace explorations: ⭐️ Estela Rosario from Dahlia's Garden educated both ACS and CSI interns about gardening and ecosystems. This experience not only enriched their knowledge but also offered valuable insights for potential future careers involving gardens or environmental work. ⭐️ Alfonso Hidalgo, MPP from the #TownBoxingClub hosted our ACS interns and taught them the many techniques a boxer does to ensure peak performance. His guidance provided the interns with valuable insights into the discipline, strategy, and mental focus required in boxing. ⭐️ Paige Whalen hosted a Bike Repair workshop where interns not only learned the different components of a bicycle but also gained hands-on experience in fixing bikes that needed repair. The workshop was a practical opportunity for interns to enhance their skills in bicycle maintenance and repair. ⭐️ Maguire Dalporto and his amazing team from GMO expertly taught CSI interns about stocks using interactive methods. A Kahoot Quiz and Stock Game helped simplify complex topics, allowing interns to gain practical understanding. This engaging approach made financial concepts more accessible and memorable for the participants. ⭐️ Tyler Cosma, PE Cosma from Stantec taught CSI Interns about structural importance in architecture. The session included hands-on activities like building the tallest model with marshmallows and spaghetti, making learning fun and practical. Interns appreciated Cosma's approachable style and the chance to learn about diverse engineering careers. ⭐️ Stephanie Chery-Winder from National Grid introduced utilities to CSI Interns through engaging hands-on activities. The session highlighted National Grid's role in energy distribution and fostered teamwork skills, giving interns practical insights into the energy sector and group collaboration. Thank you so much to everyone who contributed to this work place exploration visit. Apprentice Learning and the Summer 2024 Interns are beyond grateful for your partnership. Interested in hosting an apprentice this fall/spring? Contact us! #ApprenticeLearning #InternshipPrograms #BostonYouth #CommunalWealth #TheFutureisNOW #HostAnApprentice