Career Connections

Welcome to Career Connections

Career Connections - Career Connections - Westbrook High School

Our students' careers will begin after high school whether they choose to continue career preparation through two- and four-year colleges, trade or technical schools, apprenticeships, on-the-job training or military service or enter the workforce directly after high school.  The Westbrook High School Career Connections initiative aims to provide students with opportunities to apply academic learning through workplace experiences and help them focus on realistic career choices and preparation for those future careers.  

Westbrook High School invites parents, industry, business and community partners to assist the school in building the talent pipeline and preparing students for their future careers.   Scroll down for a list of our current partners.

Leslie Carson

Career/College Readiness Coordinator

lcarson@westbrookctschools.org  

860.399.6214

 

 

Career Pathways of Westbrook High School

Every Westbrook High School graduate will seek a career beyond high school.  Some may exit high school to further their education and training at a two- or four-year college or university before entering a career.  Some may choose to exit high school and enter a trade school to further their education.  Others will further their education through apprenticeships or the military, and some may choose to exit high school and go directly into a sustainable career where they will experience on-the-job training.  The Career Pathways Program is an extension of the school's Career Connections and is designed to enhance student school experiences and career preparation no matter which exit strategy they choose.  For more information about the Career Pathways Program, please visit the Career Pathways webpage.  Click here to learn more.   

Newsworthy

  • Seniors Learn Career and College Readiness

    At Westbrook High School, we take advantage of PSAT testing time for Grades 9 through 12 to bring career and college readiness activities to our seniors.  Thank you to Bo Bradstreet, Human Capital Services @Connecticut Innovations, for leading workshop for our seniors on how to leverage LinkedIn as a personal branding tool, for professional networking, and for job seeking.  Thank you to Gabrielle Spash, Ava Kuluski, and Isabel Araya for serving on a college student panel to share insights, experiences, and tips for successful college life.  

    Career Connections

  • Junior Achievement Job Shadowing at the Regional Water Authority in Hamden, CT

    On Monday, May 22, 2023, Westbrook HS students participated in a job shadowing event at the Regional Water Authority in Hamden, CT.  This day-long event was sponsored by Junior Achievement.  Students learned about the importance of conserving Connecticut's watersheds and how the Regional Water Authority (RWA) is working to protect watersheds to ensure quality drinking water for CT residents.  Students learned about the importance of forest conversation to protection of the watersheds and learned about native and invasive plants and trees.  Students engaged in water quality testing from Lake Whitney at a variety of water depths and tested for oxygen, pH, and temperature.  Finally, students toured the water treatment plant and learned about the variety of careers available with the water authority.   

    Career Connections
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Happenings

  • Middlesex Chamber of Commerce Career Expo

    Students in Grade 10 are invited to participate in this Career Expo which focuses on career exploration.  Over 100 business and industry partners will be on hand to share information about careers in their industry.  Permission Forms will be distributed to 10th graders during the first weeks of April.  

    Career Connections

  • Middlesex Chamber of Commerce Career Expo

    Sophomores are invited to attend the Middlesex Chamber of Commerce Career Expo at Wesleyan University.  Over 100 professionals from all career pathways will be on hand to share information about their careers/jobs, training or education required, and the job outlook.  Several of the Westbrook High School business/industry partners will be on hand.  The bus will leave the high school at 9:00 a.m. and return by 12:15 p.m.  There is no cost to attend.  Permission forms will be given to students on Monday, April 7 and must be returned by Friday, April 11 before the April break.  

    Career Connections

  • Project MFG Maritime Welding Competition and Discovery Zone

    Students from Mr. Pessoni's technology education classes will attend this welding competition and career discovery zone.  Four Westbrook High School students will represent the school in the competition.  All other participants will engage with manufacturers from the submarine industrial base to learn about career options and training possibilities beyond high school.  The bus leaves at 8:30a.m. and returns to the school at approximately 2:00p.m.

    Career Connections
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Westbrook High School Career Connections Framework

  Career Connections experiences are aligned to the three components of the Westbrook High School Career Connections Framework:

1.  Alignment of Classroom and Workplace Learning.  Industry and higher education partners assist teachers in integrating employability skills and All Aspects of An Industry into academic learning activities through:

  • Teacher externships
  • Assistance from industry professionals in development of project-based learning and curriculum.

2. Support from Classroom or Workplace Mentors.  Industry and high education partners visit classrooms so students can begin early to build a professional network and learn from experts in career fields through:

  • Senior project industry mentors and judges
  • Science Fair industry mentors
  • Classroom guest speakers
  • Facilitated industry-specific panel discussions for students (and parents) focused on learning about occupations within the industry, education requirements, jobs outlook and efforts  students should take while in high school to prepare for career success

3. Application of Academic, Technical and Employability Skills in the Work Setting.  Students explore industries and careers through:

  • Credit-bearing internships for Grade 12
  • Half-day structured job shadowing for Grades 9 through 11
  • Industry-led workshops on creating quality resumes and successful interviewing
  • Class field trips

 

THANK YOU BUSINESS, INDUSTRY AND COMMUNITY PARTNERS

The Westbrook High School students, parents and staff would like to thank for the following business, industry and community partners for supporting the Career Connections initiative.   These partners are providing leadership and advise on implementation in addition to opportunities for our students to participate in a large variety of Career Connections activities.  

ACMT

Adelman, Connors, and Krevolin LLP

Aerospace Components Manufacturers

Alta Vision Systems LLC

American Red Cross

APRN Nicole Marfino

Attorney Bradford J. Sullivan

Attorney Colin Heffernan

Bausch Advanced Technologies

Beach Club Fitness

Bushy Hill Nature Center

Andrew Calderoni, retired engineer

Career Resources

Centerbrook Architects

Central Area Health Education Center, Inc.

Child and Adult Orthodontics

Civil Air Patrol

CT Army National Guard

CT Air Guard

CT Clinical Research

CT Department of Education

CT Department of Labor, Manufacturing Apprenticeships

CT River Area Health District

CT River Museum

CT State Troopers

CT Students for a Dream

Dignity Home Care and Care Management Solutions

Essex Asset Advisors

Essex Meadows

Essex Savings Bank

Eversource

Fly the Whale

The Full Circle Real Estate Group

General Dynamics Electric Boat

Goodwin University Advanced Manufacturing Mobile Training Lab (Manufacturing in Motion)

Ivoryton Alliance

Julie's Cup of Joe

Junior Achievement of Southwest New England

Key Bank, Old Saybrook Branch Office

Elizabeth Kressley, M.D.

Liberty Hill Investigations

Louis Marine

Mazzotta Employment 

Medtronics

Merle Norman Cosmetics

Middlesex Chamber of Commerce

Middlesex Community Foundation

Middlesex Health Hospital and Shoreline Clinic

Mind Alliance Films

MSE Public Relations

Muse Medical Aesthetics

New Haven Orchestra

OceanArt Studio

Old Saybrook High School

Oxford Academy

Pfizer Pharmaceuticals

Physical Therapy & Sports Medicine Centers

Piper Veterinary

Principle Wealth Management

Project Courage LLC

Project Paws

Radiall USA

Region #4, Valley Regional High School

Reynolds' Subaru

Safety Matters LLC

SARAH Inc.

Select Physical Therapy

Six Summit Gallery

Shoreline Arts Alliance

SLB Photography

Stewart McKinney Wildlife Refuge

Superior Auto

The Lee Company

Tower Labs

Town of Westbrook Board of Finance

Town of Westbrook Senior Center

Town of Westbrook Town Planner

Valley Shore Community Television

Valley Shore YMCA

US Army

US Marine Corps

US Coast Guard

US Air Force

US Navy

Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art

Water's Edge Resort and Spa

Webster Bank

Westbrook Democrat Town Committee

Westbrook Economic Action Initiative (WEAI)

Westbrook Honda

Westbrook Inn

Westbrook Public Library

Westbrook Republican Town Committee

Westbrook Youth and Family Services

Whelen Engineering

Workforce Alliance

Yale New Haven Health