Summer Intern Program 20231 | P a g e
EmPOWER Proposal
Pittsylvania County
Overview
EmPOWER (formerly ExperienceWorks) is an employer- driven work-based learning (WBL) system that
connects students and young adults to careers through a variety of career awareness, engagement, skill
development and WBL experiences. EmPOWER (Attachment A) aligns existing talent pipeline programs
and adds capacity, providing multiple opportunities for employers to engage with students and offer
hands-on, career-relevant learning and mentoring. The goal is to scale WBL efforts, allowing 100 percent
of high school graduates to access a high-quality WBL experience and creating a sustained pathway that
connects employers to their emerging workforce.
EmPOWER objectives include:
1. increased student awareness of career opportunities in strategic industry sectors;
2. improved student and young adult work readiness skills aligned with business expectations;
3. increased opportunities for safe and meaningful work experiences for students and young
adults in strategic sectors;
4. increased teacher and counselor awareness of careers and business needs;
5. intentional focus on equity and access whereby inclusive programming supports the vision;
and
6. a work-based learning system that is sustained and supported by employers, local
government and economic development.
The EmPOWER system is supported fourteen K12 divisions across southern Virginia, including
Pittsylvania County Schools. To date, funding support has been committed by GO Virginia, the Tobacco
Region Revitalization Commission, Danville Regional Foundation and numerous employers.
The Pittsylvania County EmPOWER team, comprised of Pittsylvania County Schools (PCS), the Institute
for Advanced Learning and Research (IALR), Virginia Career Works- West Piedmont (VCWWP), and
Pathfinders Resources, is committed to providing an equitable platform for 16-18-year-olds to engage in
a robust way with businesses. Utilizing a systems approach, the team is requesting $76,765 from
Pittsylvania County to support five strategic programs. Working together, the EmPOWER team will
leverage $118,250 in additional funds to support the coordinated effort.
Summer Internships
Thanks to the generous support of the Pittsylvania County Board of Supervisors, the 2022 program
impacted 27 PCS students. The experience connected participants with hands-on training, job coaching
and customized support services leading to successful outcomes. The 2023 program will maintain the
success of last year’s experience, supporting 28 internship placements. Student interns will have the
opportunity to complete a three-day bootcamp, participate in a paid internship of up to 280 hours, and
engage in facilitated peer learning and mentoring.
STRATEGIC PROGRAMS
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Bootcamp Structure
Pathfinders Resources provided mentorship for the Danville Summer Internship program participants
last summer. They became an integral part of the program- facilitating small group discussions during
the bootcamp and Friday debriefs, and providing additional 1:1 coaching and/or support services as
needed. Pathfinder’s will be assisting with the Pittsylvania County program this summer; the Bootcamp
structure will be modified to include more small group facilitated discussion and practice, paired with
guest speakers. Additionally, Students who have not earned an ACT National Career Readiness
Certificate will take the necessary assessments to earn that credential. The EmPOWER team will
coordinate with Pittsylvania County Government internship hosts and the HR department to have
students working in local government offices complete all necessary onboarding tasks during the
Bootcamp.
Weekly Debriefs
Participants will spend between seven and eight hours each day, Monday - Thursday, at their internship
sites. Two hours on Friday will be reserved for virtual debriefs with the students’ Pathfinder’s mentors
with support from IALR staff. A portion of the time will be dedicated to processing the week and
reviewing important job skill benchmarks. Staff will also provide time for an activity designed to enhance
student learning and work-readiness skills. All activities will be tied to learning outcomes that support
the long-term success of the participants.
Ensuring Equity
All partners agree that reaching young people who would otherwise not connect with this type of
program is a priority. The EmPOWER team is committed to ensuring that the community and families
understand the benefits of the program and have the support necessary to participate. All program
partners will provide assistance in publicizing the internships to youth and the broader community. All
internship opportunities will be posted to the MajorClarity WBL learning platform. All middle and high
school students in Pittsylvania County have accounts in this platform through their school. Students can
apply to internships and even conduct their interviews directly in MajorClarity.
Sector-focused Camp: Local Government
IALR will partner with Pittsylvania County to offer a one-week summer camp for rising 8th – 10th grade
PCS students, addressing a current pathway gap for Career and Technical Education programming. A
target of 15 students will attend the camp, focused on career opportunities with local government.
AspHIRE & Career ChoICE
AspHIRE is a one-day event targeting approximately 100 Pittsylvania County high school seniors in CTE
programs and those who have not made plans beyond high school graduation. The event includes a 20-
minute mock interview with a local professional, six work-readiness sessions and a business lunch,
where students will be coached and have an opportunity to practice networking communication skills.
The event is hosted at IALR.
Career ChoICE is a career exposure event open to ALL 7th & 10th grade students in Pittsylvania County.
Students engage in hands-on activities with regional employers, learning about the career opportunities
available here at home. Career ChoICE is an opportunity for the region to build a pipeline of students in
strategic sectors, aligned with economic development interests.
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EXCITE (Exploring Careers through Industry Teacher Externships)
A critical effort designed to expose educators (teachers and counselors) to local business and industry,
EXCITE is a week-long externship where businesses host educators to share information about their
company and respective industry along with employment opportunities. Educators have an opportunity
to visit four - six companies, shadowing employees and talking with company leaders about their
business in order to bring this information back into the classroom. The educators meet as a group to
share experiences and develop lesson plans where they integrate this information. For every EXCITE
participant, 50 students will be impacted. The goal is to answer the “why do I need to know this”
question for students and create relevancy within the standard curriculum based on real-life
experiences provided by local industry. Educators are paid an $800 stipend for their participation and
delivery of this new content in the classroom.
The Pittsylvania County EmPOWER Team commits to the following shared responsibilities:
1. Community engagement and marketing of programmatic opportunities across agency networks
2. Bi-weekly partner meetings to assess process and progress
3. Outreach to employers to share opportunities, with a commitment to coordinate efforts and
avoid duplication
4. Identify opportunities to leverage resources and add capacity, affording more students and
young adults a high-quality WBL experience.
5. Given that a majority of the participants will not be 18-years-old, partners will work together
with employers to follow best practices and Department of Labor standards to ensure
participant safety and activities adhere to legal requirements.
The Institute for Advanced Learning & Research commits to:
• Project Management for EmPOWER system
• Coordinate employer engagement – internship sites, training agreements (task, projects,
schedule, etc.), workplace evaluations (in collaboration with PCS & VCWWP)
• Coordinate use of the MajorClarity platform to support internship postings and student
applications in collaboration with PCS
• Work with partners and employers to coordinate interviews with appropriate applicants
• Coordinate Meet & Greet and Celebration events
• Coordinate bootcamp agendas, curriculum, logistics (facility, meals) and evaluation tools for
bootcamp & Friday debriefs
• Serve as the lead agency for the EXCITE program
• Serve as the lead agency for the AspHIRE & Career ChoICE events
• Partner with Pittsylvania County to develop and offer the Local Government camp
• Lead marketing efforts for the EmPOWER programs
Virginia Career Works- West Piedmont commits to:
• Purchase Intern Supplies (Polos, Nametags, etc.)
• Coordinate intern timecards
• Process intern stipends
• Disburse student incentives
• Disburse funding for student support services as needed
AGENCY RESPONSIBILITIES
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• Contract with Pathfinder’s Resources
Pittsylvania County Schools commits to:
• Support the student application process in MajorClarity
• Develop and use rubric to select applicants based on school records such as attendance,
behavior, grades
• Share opportunities with teachers, students, and parents
• Provide space and meals (through School Lunch program) for the Bootcamp
• For internships that will receive school credit and/or count towards PCS’s CCRI data; PCS will
follow all applicable VDOE WBL Guidelines (which may include, but is not limited to, cosigning
training agreements and conducting site visits).
Pathfinders Resources commits to:
• Collaborate on the development of bootcamp agendas, curriculum, logistics, and evaluation
tools for bootcamp and Friday debriefs
• Monitor student progress including student attendance/performance
• Facilitate bootcamp sessions and Friday debrief sessions
• Serve as the primary point of contact for students throughout the internship experience
Financial and in-kind support from each partner agency, combined with leveraged funding from
Pittsylvania County, GO Virginia Region 3, the Danville Regional Foundation, and local businesses will
support the EmPOWER system.
The attached budget (Attachment B) details the funding requested for each program, leveraged
funds/in-kind support, and the number of participants for each of the five programs included in the
request. In addition to program funding, we are requesting 10% for indirect support services.
The internship stipend amount is based on $12 per hour for up to 280 hours. The stipend is competitive
and aligns with the current minimum wage standard. The recommended internship schedule will be 34
hrs per week, with 32 hrs being worked Mon-Thurs, and a two hour debrief on Friday. The exact work
schedule will be established by the employer with the intern.
March 2023
- Engagement with employers to identify internship and EXCITE externship placements, along
with participation in AspHIRE
- Internships and application process posted in MajorClarity
- Info sessions with parents and students for summer internship programming
- Develop daily plans for camps
- Recruit mentors and staff to support interns
EmPOWER TIMELINE
Funding Support
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April/May 2023
- Resume and cover letter workshops
- Recruitment and student application period for internships and camps
- AspHIRE event and student internship interviews
- Intern placements confirmed
- Teachers and Counselors selected for EXCITE
- Meet and Greet event at IALR
- Camp registrations and notifications
June/July 2023
- Bootcamp June 6 -8th
- Local Government camp
- Internships begin with virtual debriefs on Friday along with coaching and mentoring supports
- Teachers and counselors complete EXCITE program
- Celebration event at IALR
August/September 2023
- Evaluation of programs
- Debrief with partners
- Report to Board of Supervisors
October 2023 – March 2024
- Planning for Summer 2024 EmPOWER programming (repeat of timeline activities from
2023)
An Employer-driven system to empower and connect students to careers Career AWARENESS GO TEC™ Career ChoICE (Youth Expo) MajorClarity SKILL READINESS Certifications Clubs/ Extracurriculars CTE Coursework OST Learning Dual Enrollment NCRC Work-readiness Bootcamps Career EXPERIENCE ExTRA (Apprenticeships) IGNITE (Internships) Externships Job Shadowing Jobs (PT/FT) NOW (Next generation Of Work) Career EXPOSURE & ENGAGEMENT AspHIRE (Mock Interview Day) EXCITE (Teacher Externships) Sector-focused Camps EMPLOYMENT Public-Private Collaboration supports the system + + = POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION & TRAINING *Model adapted from Jobs for the Future’s Center for Apprenticeship & Work-based Learning, Work-based Learning Framework **The EmPOWER System, a custom work-based learning system, is the intellectual property of the Institute for Advanced Learning and Research (IALR) in Danville, Va., and, as such, may not be used without express permission from IALR.
Attachment BProgram/Item2023 Requested County FundingLeveraged Funds/ In‐Kind SupportIALR WPWDB PCSHS Internships (28) (16+ yo)HS Intern Stipends ($12/hr for 280 hrs) $55,440 38,640.00$ XBootcamp ‐ space3,000.00$ XBootcamp ‐ meals2,000.00$ XBootcamp/Intern Supplies (Polos, Nametag, Portfolio, etc.) $1,120Staff ‐ site visits/student timesheets ‐ attendance 12,685.00$ XCommunity Mentors‐ Pathfinders$2,500support services $2,500incentives $500meetings $2,000 1,000.00$ Xtravel ‐ mileage reim $950Digital Time Tracking System (ROSS)‐ NEW2023 $756 3,125.00$ XLess Roll‐Over from Previous Year's Program($3,405)sub‐total$62,361 60,450.00$ Career ChoICE & AspHIRE Sponsorship (Gold) (ALL 7th & 10th graders in PCS/ 100, 11‐12 graders)Gold Sponsorship $2,000 55,000.00$ XSub‐total$2,00055,000.00$ EXCITE Teacher Externships (7 educators/ 350 MS & HS students)Teacher Honorarium $2,800 2,800.00$ XSub‐total$2,800 2,800.00$ SECTOR CAMP ‐ Local Govt (15, 8‐10th graders)Meals $1,650Travel$600Supplies ‐ binder, tshirt $375sub‐total$2,625 ‐$ Sub‐total All Programs$69,78610% Administrative Fee$6,979TOTAL $76,765118,250.0$ Partner Providing Lev. Funds/ In‐Kind