FloridaACE2025

At New College of Florida, a small, public liberal arts institution, students become experts in their academic discipline and many students have an interest in becoming teachers, yet do not have the classroom management skills. To meet the industry demand for teachers and help students transition to full-time teaching roles, we developed the Pathways to Teaching program, a collaborative initiative designed to enhance internship experiences through on-the-job training, mentorship, and industry-aligned learning objectives. The pathways to career model is now being expanded into other high-demand industries and career interests for our students. Attendees will gain insight into key components of this successful internship model that fosters skill development and increases conversion from internship to full-time hire. Through a focus on the successes of this internship program model, we will discuss strategies for building partnerships between industry professionals, career center staff, and faculty with presenters representing all stakeholders in the experience. Participants will leave with actionable steps to implement or refine internship pathways at their own institutions or businesses, fostering stronger workforce connections and student success.

Objectives:
1. Identify key components to a successful, collaborative model for internship pathways that center on-the-job training, mentorship, and intentional learning objectives focused on industry-specific skills for entry-level jobs to increase internship to full-time hire conversion.
2. Apply insights from the Pathways to Teaching pilot program to create customized internship opportunities in collaboration with industry partners, career center professionals, and faculty.
3. Develop action steps to provide similar opportunities at your institution/business through discussion of the pilot Pathways to Teaching Program.