Connecting Activities (CA) is a Department of Elementary and Secondary Education initiative that leverages a statewide infrastructure to support college and career readiness for all students. The CA line item (# 7027-0019) in the state budget, establishes public-private partnerships through the 16 local MassHire Workforce Boards to connect schools and businesses. The initiative provides structured work-based learning experiences for students that support both their academic and employability skill attainment.
Connecting Activities enables staff to recruit employers; prepare and place students in brokered work-based learning opportunities; and structure those experiences through the Massachusetts Work-Based Learning Plan. Through CA, students participate in a range of career-related activities that increase their career readiness and support their academic skill gain. For a more in-depth review of Connecting Activities, please visit this website.
The Board of Higher Education and the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education voted to adopt a common definition of "college and career readiness" which established that workplace readiness is essential in preparing all students for success in a 21st century economy.
More recently, a task force report from the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) called "Opportunities and Options: Making Career Preparation Work for Students," established recommendations for advancing the career readiness component of the college and career readiness proposition. CCSSO took the findings of that report and created the national New Skills For Youth initiative in which Massachusetts has been an active participant since 2016. Through the New Skills For Youth initiative, CCSSO emphasizes the critical importance of providing students "with a much richer set of experiences in high school that expose them to different career options; help make better connections between classroom learning and professional application; and support planning for the future."
The CA network has persisted in its delivery of these critical experiences for students for over 20 years. During fiscal year 2018, Connecting Activities generated the following outcomes:
12,277 students participated in work-based learning experiences in FY2019.
5,027 employer sites hosted these work-based learning experiences.
3,232 employers sponsored career awareness and exploration activities for students including career days, job shadowing, guest speaker programs, STEM industry awareness events and more through the Connecting Activities initiative.
195 high schools were partners in the CA initiative.
Kerry Akashian Career Development Education Lead MA Department of Elementary and Secondary Education 75 Pleasant Street Malden, MA 02148 Phone: (781) 338-3948 Fax: (781) 338-3090
For additional information, including tools and resources visit Massachusetts Connecting Activities.
Last Updated: June 10, 2019
Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education 75 Pleasant Street, Malden, MA 02148-4906
Voice: (781) 338-3000 TTY: (800) 439-2370
Disclaimer: A reference in this website to any specific commercial products, processes, or services, or the use of any trade, firm, or corporation name is for the information and convenience of the public and does not constitute endorsement or recommendation by the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.