TroyStrong and the Bison Gunslinger
December 19, 2018Why do we need Special Education?
February 11, 2019
Student internships have been a valued part of the Great Falls School District for many years, and last year the program got a major boost thanks in large part to grant funding, the direction of the Superintendent’s Advisory committee, and Mark Yaeger, Great Falls Public Schools’ Pathway Career Advisor.
Mr. Yaeger states, “The goal is to provide meaningful, real-world work experience and develop well trained, long term employees. Not all students are college bound. Local employers have told us there is a need for skilled workers to fill many gaps. We can get these students into a job experience that gets them started down a career path and fills the need of the employers.”
Any student enrolled in a Career and Technical class with an open period is eligible for placement in an internship. By providing a training tool for students who may not continue onto higher education, Great Falls Public Schools are ensuring the continued success of students, while providing a valuable service for the community.
This type of innovative rethinking of traditional education benefits both students and the surrounding community. The response so far has been phenomenal. In its first year, approximately 70 interns were placed in various businesses. However, demand for student interns is ever increasing, and as a result, Great Falls Public Schools currently has internship arrangements with the following, but not limited to, businesses:
Automotive Machine
City Motors
Sports City Cyclery
DA Davidson
GFPS Foundation
Sletten Construction
Johnson Distributing
Talcott Construction
HANDS
First Interstate Bank
Montana Club
Great Falls Police Department
Connecting GFPS with community businesses has been proven to benefit all involved.
