Career Connected Learning - Program Foundation

Career Connected Learning  (CCL) is a critical part of our NexTech STEM mission to inspire students toward their desired careers and build professional ties for future learning and career experiences. We achieve this through career mentors, career preference assessments, and intentional inclusion of career exploration in the various programs we deploy.

Career mentors empower students by sharing their school and career pathways. High school students are carefully paired with a STEM mentor (younger students meet with mentors in groups), and conversation opportunities are created so that teams can learn from their mentors through presentations and discussions.

Essential career skills training (leadership, communication, collaboration) are emphasized across our programs, and are provided the opportunity to participate in STEM Exploration workshops for closer study of STEM subjects through hands-on activities and interaction with STEM professionals.

Participants are also offered interest assessments through tools like the Hawaii RIASEC Career Explorer.

The above activities are incorporated into our Camps, Exploration Days, and FishTank Design Competition.