Philadelphia Inquirer, 76ers, Flyers, And More Participate In 2021 Career Week
HARRISBURG—Attorney General Josh Shapiro today met virtually with more than 200 Philadelphia School District students from 27 high schools for the Office of Attorney General’s Second Annual Career Week, which partners with Philadelphia schools and businesses to introduce students to potential career paths.
From April 27 – April 29, students will engage with professionals from the Office of Attorney General (OAG) to explore career options throughout the city and Commonwealth. Career Week was created with the goal of exposing students to options for their future and showing them pathways to success. Equal access and exposure to career and educational opportunities plays an instrumental role in stopping the school-to-prison pipeline and increasing the school-to-work and school-to-college pipelines.
“We set up Career Week in 2019 to help students build connections with professionals all across Philadelphia. While the onset of COVID-19 prevented us from doing Career Week last year, it is a priority and we thought it was important to bring it back – because students in all of our schools deserve access to these opportunities,” said Attorney General Shapiro. “Despite the barriers put in place by the ongoing pandemic, students and community leaders were still able to connect and inspire each other. We know that through education we can empower our students, and when we help connect young people with opportunities: students get to learn and explore exciting career paths, and our communities grow stronger, safer, and more prosperous.”
Students were matched by the School District with a site visit that corresponded with their expressed interests and career goals. Groups spoke to representatives from the Office of Attorney General, GSK – ViiV Healthcare, SOUTHCO, Inc., The Barristers’ Association of Philadelphia, National Instruments, Naval Surface Warfare Center Philadelphia Division, The Philadelphia Inquirer, Four Seasons Hotel Philadelphia, Harris Blitzer Sports: Philadelphia 76ers, Comcast Spectacor: Philadelphia Flyers, Complex Networks, Greater Philadelphia Film Office, and The Mann Center for the Performing Arts.
“We are thankful for the collaboration with the PA Office of Attorney General to make this event possible for our students,” said School District of Philadelphia Superintendent William R. Hite, Jr., Ed.D. “Introducing our high school students to various careers through the opportunity to connect and engage with workplace professionals helps them better plan for their future.”
The following departments facilitated Career Week on behalf of the School District of Philadelphia: Office of Strategic Partnerships, Office of the Arts, and Office of Postsecondary Readiness.
Students from the following schools participated in Career Week:
- Academy at Palumbo,
- Arts Academy at Benjamin Rush,
- William Bodine W. High School,
- George W. Carver High School of Engineering and Science,
- Central High School, Constitution High School,
- Creative and Performing Arts (CAPA) High School,
- Murrell Dobbins Career and Technical Education High School,
- Thomas A. Edison High School,
- Samuel Fels High School,
- Frankford High School,
- Franklin Learning Center (FLC),
- Benjamin Franklin High School,
- Horace Furness High School,
- Hill-Freedman World Academy,
- Kensington Health Sciences Academy,
- Abraham Lincoln High School,
- Jules E. Mastbaum Area Vocational Technical High School,
- Northeast High School,
- Philadelphia Military Academy (PMA),
- Paul Robeson High School for Human Services,
- Roxborough High School, Walter B. Saul High School,
- South Philadelphia High School,
- Strawberry Mansion High School,
- Swenson Arts and Technology High School, and
- George Washington High School participated in Career Week.
José Quiles, a senior at Science Leadership Academy at Beeber, participated in the OAG’s first career week in 2019, and spoke about his experience during today’s kickoff. This fall, José will attend Drexel University’s College of Engineering.
“Because of Career Week, I had the opportunity to take tours of Drexel and the Philadelphia Inquirer and look at a whole new set of careers I hadn’t even thought about. I had always wanted to go to Drexel for college and that tour changed everything,” said Quiles. “I want to make sure that the students today understand how much of an opportunity they have in front of them, and to know that by showing up today they’ve already opened up their futures to a whole new path of success.”
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