Business & Education Partnership

The Business and Education Partnership Program assists schools, youth organizations, and community groups in making critical connections with the business community in Pima County through student career shadowing, career expos, externships, internships, educator externships, and educator career exploration summits. We also work with Pima County Departments, including Pima County Economic Development and Community Workforce Development, to help align student career exploration opportunities with Pima County's six priority economic sectors.

Director: Andrew Bevington, [email protected]

Tucson Youth Leadership Academy, in partnership with Greater Tucson Leadership and The Pima County Workforce Investment Board

This 30-hour program introduces students to executives who work in the industries that drive the Tucson Rural Metro economy. Our students complete 20 hours of leadership training with Tucson Greater Leadership and are paired with industry leaders for an eight-hour career shadow experience that allows our students to network and build social capital with local employers.

Pima County Pathways Career Exploration Program

The Pima County Pathways Career Exploration Program aims to enable every student in Pima County to gain awareness of and exposure to a wide array of careers, develop employability skills, increase self-awareness, and form their occupational identity. The program also aims to develop foundational skills, position students to make more informed educational choices, and transition to high school and postsecondary with an actionable plan to achieve their career goals.
Pima County Aviation Alliance

The Pima County Aviation Alliance is a partnership between The Pima County Office of Economic Development, The Pima County School Superintendent's Office, Pima Community College, Bombardier, Ascent Aviation, SkyWest, and several public-school districts. The program's goal is to expand our aviation workforce pipeline to fill close to 1000 job openings and provide additional workforce capacity to recruit additional aviation employers to Tucson. The program provides opportunities for students to enroll in aviation coursework and develop a working knowledge of aviation industry fundamentals that will lead to employment via apprenticeships with participating employers and further education through Pima College. Additionally, the program connects high school students with industry professionals to help them develop career readiness for the jobs of the future in Pima County. Students meet industry leaders, explore the career pathway opportunities in the aviation sector, and learn about further educational options at Pima Community College.

Virtual Educator Externships in partnership with CFA, ABEC, and ElevateEdAZ

The Virtual Externship is a structured three-day program for educators across Arizona, including middle school, high school, and community college teachers and counselors. During the externship, educators will rotate through various industry experiences provided by multiple businesses. This experience is designed to provide educators with industry awareness and acumen to maximize their ability to help students develop career awareness and enhance career pathway exploration. The virtual externship model maximizes connections between industry and educators to improve student outcomes and meet workforce needs. Externships are offered four times each year.

In-Person Educator Externships in partnership with CFA

The In-Person Externship is a structured three-day program for 45 educators in Tucson, Arizona, including middle school, high school, and community college teachers and counselors. During the externship, educators will have an in-depth experience in one employment field through industry experiences provided by a single partner business. This experience is designed to provide educators with industry awareness and acumen to maximize their ability to help students develop career awareness and enhance career pathway exploration. The in-person externship model maximizes connections between industry and educators to improve student outcomes and meet workforce needs. Offered during select fall and spring breaks.

Fall/Spring Student Externships in partnership with CFA

Each year the Pima County School Superintendent's Office partners with the Center for the Future of Arizona (CFA) to offer 20-hour externships for rising sophomore, junior, and senior students, in the fields of Law, Engineering, and healthcare.

High School Enrichment Academy Law Summer Camp

Each summer, the Pima County School Superintendent's Office partners with the Pima County Attorney's Office and Center for the Future of Arizona (CFA) to offer a 40-hour law summer camp for rising sophomore, junior, and senior students. The camp is designed to familiarize students with the court system and introduce them to various legal careers.

El Rio Summer of Community Health Exploration Academy

Each summer, the Pima County School Superintendent's Office partners with El Rio to offer the Summer of Community Health Exploration Academy (SOCHEA). It is a one-week program designed to give high school students in Pima County insight into health careers, specifically the role of health providers in a community health center. The program also includes financial literacy, a UA campus tour and activities, and an opportunity to engage with peers with similar goals.

Workforce Investment Board Youth Council Career Expo

Each year, the Youth Council presents a Youth Career Expo series that features a different industry sector and showcases the various career opportunities available.

SheTech Career Explorer Day in partnership with The City of Tucson, CFA, PCED, UA, and many more

SheTech is a no-cost event for rising 9th - 12th-grade girls that features hands-on activities in science, technology, engineering, and math alongside professional women in these industries. It takes place each March. Schools may send up to 15 students with a teacher to chaperone.


High School Manufacturing Day

Each October, the Pima County School Superintendent's Office, Pima County Workforce Development Department, Pima County Economic Development Department, The City of Tucson, and Pima Community College host students from across Pima County for a tour of SAMP manufacturing businesses and the Pima Community College Downtown Campus Center of Excellence in Applied Technology. The students spend time at each manufacturing tour location and then listen to presentations on available manufacturing career programs at Pima Community College. Instructors at PCC provide hands-on demonstrations in automotive maintenance, welding, machining, and robotics.

Middle School Manufacturing Day in partnership with PCCWD and PCEDD

Each spring, middle school students destined for high school with precision machining programs can tour local manufacturing businesses and then tour their respective high school programs. While there, a guidance counselor provides information on high school enrollment, the Southern Arizona Manufacturing Partnerships student program, Pima Community College's Precision Machining Program, and local employment opportunities. This experience is followed up in early summer with a one-week boot camp at PCC that includes a math refresher, college and career exploration, information on two NC3 credentials and machining basics, and general information on career opportunities within the advanced manufacturing field.

Pima Cycle Breaker in partnership with Potoff Private Philanthropy, CFA, PCC, Pipeline Az, and many others

Pima Cycle Breaker assists Pima County youth and adults by re-engaging them with job placements, wrap-around services, and support in helping them achieve an educational degree or certification. PCB is designed to educate, employ, and support in a variety of fields. Individuals who commit to the program receive assistance with housing, transportation, food, tuition, and other needed benefits.


Middle School Career Exploration Summit

Each Summer, the Pima County School Superintendent’s Office hosts an eight-hour Middle School Career Exploration Summit in partnership with CFA, PCEDD, ABEC, PCC, and Pipeline AZ. The summit serves 25 to 50 principals or 50 to 100 teachers, counselors, and CTE Directors annually. Program highlights include CFA’s Possible Futures career exploration curriculum, Pima County’s Priority Economic Sectors, High Skills, High Wage, High Demand (H3) jobs within those sectors, high school and college readiness 101, professional industry panels, and tours of PCC’s Centers of Excellence.

 

Resources and Partnerships

 

Contact
Andrew Bevington
Director, Business & Education Partnerships
[email protected]
520.724.8213