A r c h i v e d  I n f o r m a t i o n

Well-Prepared for College: Students should see college as an option and be prepared for some training or education past high school.

Businesses can help students stay on the right
track and find jobs by preparing them for college

Working with ten inner-city high schools, the Shell Oil Company is partnering with the Los Angeles Unified School District to help students graduate from high school, continue on to college, and gain valuable career skills. Students participate in an 80-hour after-school program that covers such topics as job searching and interviewing, career planning, computer training, and effective communication. Students receive school credit for this classroom-based program. At the completion of the classroom component, students are placed into paid after-school jobs sponsored by a network of local businesses. Student salaries are paid half by the local business and half by Shell. Employers also commit to serve as mentors for the students and advise on career planning. Over 900 students have participated in this program, with over 80 percent continuing onto college after high school. Shell has expanded the program to Chicago and Houston, and hopes to continue to work in additional cities in the coming years.

Benefits

• Business: Ensures a college- educated workforce by working with students who may not have continued past high school

• School: Reduces high school dropout rate and increases achievement scores and number of students continuing on to college - all indicators of school success

• Teacher: Teaches to students who are better prepared and motivated to continue onto college

[Mathematics]

[After-School Programs]

This page was last updated January 3, 2002 (jca)