School and Business Partnerships
A common thread in many of Andrew Hickey's science programs at Holy Heart High School in St. John's is the important role that businesses in the community play in his students' learning. He has a relationship with a rental company that lets him borrow power tools to demonstrate science concepts (see The Jelly Doughnut and The Jackhammer). Other companies come forward with sponsorships for a handful of kids, who otherwise couldn't afford to, to go on a four-day field trip to a national park.
Another key attribute in this regard is the co-operative education program Hickey runs, which sees about 85 students a year take term-long placements at businesses in and around St. John's.
"More and more companies know that they have to step up and give something back to the community," Hickey says.
The biggest initial challenge, Hickey says, was making contact with the businesses and convincing them that having a high school student work for them for a few months would be a positive experience for all concerned. As the years have gone by (Hickey has been involved with the program since 1999), this has gotten easier, as the school has developed a track record. After all, he says, "Our name is on the line."
Hickey's success stems from a couple of things. First is his perception of what a co-op program should be. He sees the program as a "personal development course" for students of all capabilities to learn about different occupations. It's also a way for students to excel in non-academic environments.
Second, he ensures his students are well prepared before they step out into the work world. They have guidance counselling beforehand and, in the first few weeks of the term, take a pre-employment module, during which they learn about interview skills, preparing a résumé, workplace etiquette and safety, and the role of unions, among other things. He also emphasizes personal skills, such as self-confidence, time management, teamwork, responsibility, respect and communication.
Business people, in turn, see students coming out of high school who have some understanding of what it means to be a good employee and make a contribution to the workplace.
Of course, students also get a head start on figuring out what sort of career they would like to have. Hickey remembers one girl who was convinced that she wanted to be an accountant, but she found out during her co-op term that it was not what she expected. "This actually turned out to be a very positive learning experience for her."