Brown County Schools is committed to offering a number of work-based learning opportunities across the PK-12 continuum. These opportunities include career and interest exploration in the elementary schools, projects that engage students in solving corporate problems at the middle school, and internship and job shadow experiences for high school students.
To see how students are interacting with the world of work, check out our monthly Career-Connected Learning Newsletter.
Career Exploration Internship is an opportunity for high school students to have valuable career experiences that develop employability skills and connect classroom learning to the world of work. An internship allows you to explore a career field that you are interested in while working within a local business. You will earn high school credit while getting on-the-job experience alongside business professionals. Internships can last for one or two semesters and typically require two to three periods a day. This is an excellent opportunity to take the first step in building skills towards your future career. If you’re interested, you’ll find the current openings and application below.
Job shadows are a way to get a quick glimpse at a career of interest. For a job shadow, you will spend a full or half-day at a business or organization with one of their employees. You will learn about that person’s daily life and responsibilities within their career and join them as they go about their job. This is a great opportunity for you to explore a career that you may be interested in before committing to it long-term.
If you would like to set up a job shadow, please contact Mrs. Connelly at mconnelly@browncountyschools.com for assistance.
Job Shadow Teacher Notification Form
Job Shadow Parent Permission Form
An apprenticeship is a long-term learning opportunity that combines classroom learning with on-the-job work experience. Brown County High School partners with the Regional Opportunity Initiative’s Upskill Work & Learn program to offer high school juniors and seniors apprenticeship opportunities around the Uplands region. These apprenticeship opportunities align with the BCHS programs of study in order to ensure that students have the fundamental knowledge needed to excel in their apprenticeship placement. Upskill then provides additional support through resume and interview preparation, weekly cohort discussions, and individualized training plans. Apprenticeships last for one to two years, and require at least two to three free periods within your schedule for the entire year. New opportunities are typically shared in the spring for the following school year.
Check these postings to see which businesses are hiring Brown County teens for part-time or summer work.
Use the Career Interest Assessment on Indiana Career Explorer to learn more about your strengths and interests. Then, receive a personalized list of suggested careers to explore! If you already know your RIASEC code, use O*Net to discover careers that align with your strengths.
Brown County Schools has a number of ways to get involved. We are on a mission to help students PK-12 identify and explore their interests and have valuable experiences that connect these interests to the world of work. To learn more about the different ways to get involved, please see the documents below.
Business & Community Involvement
If you or your business would like to partner with our schools, please complete the interest form or reach out to mconnelly@browncountyschools.com.
Students are available for internships and apprenticeships during the school year from early August to late May. They can participate in a semester or full-year internship. Students typically have two to three periods available (approx. 1.5 – 2 hours) each day depending on their individual schedules.
Career exploration internships have a number of benefits for both students and businesses.
Parent/Business internship overview letter
As a mentor, your primary responsibility is to introduce your high school intern to your career field in a way that promotes growth and an understanding of the various roles within your business.
To begin, you will complete the Internship Employer Profile and share it with the Work-Based Learning Coordinator, Megan Connelly, at mconnelly@browncountyschools.com . From there, Megan will contact you to create a posting detailing the position, then share it with students. Once students have applied, you will help interview them to determine who is the best fit for your business. After a student has been selected, you and your student will create a training plan to guide their work and set goals for their time with you. Students will track their hours on a weekly timesheet to be signed by year and turned in to the internship coordinator. Additionally, you will assist with quarterly evaluations for your student intern.
Thank you to the businesses who partnered with us for the 2023-24 school year!