Des Plaines Valley Region has worked closely with our nine High Schools and Community College to create an Innovative Cohort that prepares students for post-secondary success. The Triton Cohort Program consists of three career clusters: Welding, Certified Nursing Assistant, and Criminal Justice. To make the program truly innovative, we decided to pilot a Work-Based Learning Program within the Cohort for Criminal Justice students. The Criminal Justice Cohort Program itself offers students 12 hours of dual credit. In addition, our customized Friday Pilot Program highlights 2 career exploration activities, 2 Team-Based Challenges, and Work-Based Learning Preparation and Practice. The Fall Friday Program focuses on preparing students for work-based learning, and the Spring Friday Program has students engaging in authentic work-based learning experiences. The program has been created to develop students and prepare them for post-secondary success. Some of the program highlights include career panels, resume building, mock interviews, mock trials, personal branding, and mental health in careers. In order to offer an authentic experience, we have brought in Industry Professionals to assist in activities throughout the program. Examples of Industry Professionals are the following: Ex Secret Service agents, Detectives, Lawyers, Police Officers, Crime Scene Investigators, Homeland Security, the DEA, and so much more! This session will discuss how the program was created, highlight the program itself, and discuss the benefits of the program. This innovative program checks all the boxes for our students!
