Baltimore, Md., August 4, 2020 – Cristo Rey Jesuit High School (CRJ) has received a grant award from The Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation in the amount of $120,000 over a 2-year period. These funds will allow CRJ, which serves students from Baltimore City, to strengthen its college and career preparedness program.
According to research from Georgetown University, 65% of jobs created through 2020 will require a post-secondary degree or training beyond high school. In a study of Baltimore specifically, The Abell Foundation noted that “skilled workers are in great demand, and a unique prospect exists to open doors to quality jobs, particularly for those who have faced intractable barriers to such opportunity.”
CRJ is addressing these barriers by providing education and real-world workforce training through its Corporate Internship Program, which uniquely prepares its graduates to develop skills and competencies to pursue post-secondary education and skilled work opportunities. Every CRJ student works one day each week of the school year to earn a portion of their tuition, learn 21st century workplace skills, and connect to a network of professional mentors within their community. This workforce experience is complemented by a robust, four-year college and career counseling program.
This grant from The Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation will build on the Corporate Internship Program to fund exploratory, high-demand work and training opportunities in essential industries like healthcare, IT, and engineering. The Foundation’s support, combined with the partnership of Baltimore-area employers, will provide training and mentoring to students, creating and strengthening pathways for students to pursue their own career goals. Additionally, this grant will support college and career counseling services. Each CRJ senior will work with College and Career Counselors to develop a specific and individualized plan to pursue post-secondary education, career training, or the military. An Alumni Support Counselor, as well as teachers and parents, will work with graduates to help them pursue and persist in their pathway to success.
Our innovative program continues to grow and evolve. We have a responsibility to prepare our graduates with the credentials and experience to pursue success, whether that’s college or a skilled career pathway.
Bill heiser, President
John Busse, Director of the Corporate Internship Program, added, “We are excited to expand professional work-learning opportunities for our students. Now more than ever we need intentional investment from the business and philanthropic community so that our students can reach their full potential.
