Career EXPLORATION program

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In the district of Shrewsbury, we remain committed to identifying opportunities that will help our students to be college, career, and life ready. We strive to support the whole child by ensuring that all students are drivers of their own learning, and have diverse learning opportunities. This critical work aligns with and supports SPS’s newly adopted 2023-2027 Strategic Plan that includes the following goal: Advance Career and Technical Education: Strengthen all students’ postsecondary preparedness by expanding access to career and technical education, evaluating course offerings, and exploring pathway opportunities, through the following actions:

● Expand opportunities for career exploration, job shadowing, and internships.

● Create multiple career and technical pathways for high school students, including coursework sequences followed by authentic field training experiences.

Going forward our career exploration programming will include a more extensive Career Fair with post-secondary education options, guest speakers and alumni mentors. We will expand our partnerships with local businesses to provide additional opportunities for our students to explore a variety of future occupations, including the trades, military, STEM, Healthcare, Medical and Manufacturing, etc. Local jobs for students will also be posted on our Jobs for Students site.

2023-24 School year

Oak Middle School Career Day, April 25th

50 community partners from dozens of professional fields and trades were welcomed by Oak Middle School staff and students. 450 7th grade students chose two professionals with whom they interacted during a series of 20-30 minute informational sessions. Each professional spoke with (2) groups of 8-15 students about the day-to-day work in their field, the training and skills that are required to be successful in their field, and answer students’ prepared questions. This experience was so memorable and valuable for students. Career day is what makes their research “come alive”, and helps to reinforce the importance of communication, perseverance, and critical thinking that makes an individual successful regardless of their chosen profession.

(l to r: Principal Hallie Burak with "Blue" the bard owl, Marine Biologist Todd Callaghan zooming from his state office, Superintendent Dr. Sawyer engaging with students learning about Photography)

(l to r: retired dentist Dr. Bryan, realtors Whitney Andrews and Kathy McSweeney. Entrepreneur Chris Tinsley and Mr. Arteca, Marital Arts director)

"Senior Scoop" program, April 23rd

In April, Blackstone Valley Hub welcomed over 300 students to their "Senior Scoop", including 16 Seniors from Shrewsbury and 4 students from the RISE program. This collaborative event, unites high school seniors from across central MA who are still considering their post-secondary options, with nearby businesses eager to recruit fresh talent. The gathering took place on the Concourse at Polar Park, where students, schools, businesses, and organizations came together for a morning dedicated to exploring career options, networking, and conducting interviews.

Senior Scoop youth attendees were provided the opportunity to explore and engage in conversations and interactive activities led by some of our prominent MA business and workforce professionals. These sessions highlight the top 10 “most in-demand” workforce skills and emerging job opportunities, providing participants an opportunity to not only thrive in today’s workforce, but to help them prepare for and influence the workforce of the future. See more details on the Senior Scoop website.

According to the Community Advocate Article, May 4, 2024 written by Evan Walsh (SHS '21), for Shrewsbury High School students like senior Michael O’Toole, the event was the perfect opportunity to look at different career options and potentially find a career path.

“I don’t really have much of a plan in terms of college or a job after high school that will push me forward in life. I’m just trying to see what’s going on. There’s definitely some interesting companies there. I’m not really too sure what to expect to be honest with you, but I know there’s a lot of different companies, and I expect to find some that I’m maybe interested in,” he told the Community Advocate prior to attending the event.

O’Toole also said he was grateful to Shrewsbury High School for providing him with the opportunity.

(l to r: Polar Park concourse full of businesses eager to high soon-to-be-high school grads)

(l to r: workshop for Analytical Thinking (robotics), workshop for Curiosity and Lifelong Learning)

"Youth in Motion", March 22nd

SHS Physical Education teacher and Springfield College alum, Ms. Lauren Silbor, brought 23 SHS students to Springfield College for their semi-annual Youth In Motion program. The “Youth in Motion” program is open to Springfield College alumni who are high school physical educators (like SHS’ Lauren Silbor), who bring interested students to Springfield’s East Campus for a career exploration in adventure education, physical education, coaching, career exploration, nutrition, health promotion, sport management, and recreation management.

According to Ms. Silbor, "The trip was amazing! The students participated in several different workshops in leadership and sport performance. This included going to the training room and learning how to use the equipment, creating a PE lesson, and talking with current students and student athletes about the school and what programs they are in. Some of our students [were tagged in] a post from Springfield!" Ms. Silbor attended a Professional Day training session on cooperative learning with some of her former classmates who also brought their students on the trip. Ms. Silbor "My former professors [said] great things about all of the students".

(from l to r: SHS student group, SHS student using exercise equipment, students working PE skills)

(from l to r: Springfield alumni and professors, students practicing drills, storyboard of photos and comments from students)

March "Lunch and Learn"

During the month of March, we had 3 Lunch and Learn sessions and 4 different guest speakers, spanning careers in AI, Theater, Real Estate and Drug Development.

(from l to r: Martha Deering SHS '67 actor/directory/costum design, Castinetti Realty with Nick Panarelli SHS '06, Abhinav Garg, AI Prod Mgr.)

Career Fair, February 6

On February 6th, we held our third Annual Career Fair in the SHS Commons. over 500 high school sophomores, juniors and seniors participated in the event, where they had the opportunity to interact with over 40 diverse organizations (click link to see brief descriptions of each), including businesses, trade schools, community colleges, and our very own alumni. The businesses span a wide range of professions, with numerous opportunities aligning with high school Career Pathways programs, trade contacts, and alternative post-high school pathways.

(l to r: SHS Commons at the peak; Baystate Health, Hanover Theatre and Conservatory)

(l to ri: Ideal Video Strategies, MA Army National Guard, MA Association of Insurance Agents)

(l to r: MA Attorney General's Office, Shrewsbury DPW, Maple & Main, featuring RISE students)

(l to r: Marvell's Ryan Chatrieux, Neuroscientist from UMass Chan Medical School, New England PGA)

(l to r: Patrice Peris Voice Studios, Realtors Association, registered nurse, Diane O'Connor)

(l to r: Rockland Trust, Shrewsbury Electric Co (SELCO), Shrewsbury Federal Credit Union)

(l to r: Shrewsbury Police, The Learning Experience, The Peterson School)

(l to r: Tim Halley from Munq, Woo Sox, Worcester Public Health, Yatco)

Manufacturing Tour, Component Sources International (CSI), Westboro, Feb 1

SHS Students toured CSI's manufacturing facilities to learn more about the metal components made there, for F-35 aircraft, Boeing 787 planes, submarines, trains and even Space X rockets. The facility runs just 1 shift, and employees are treated like family. Steve Doody, the CEO, personally met the students and led the 2 hour tour around the company he had built, sharing that he had difficulty with college but always had a mechanical aptitude. His advice to students, and the qualities he looks for in his employees was "Be ambitious, not lazy or looking at your phone; Continuous self improvement - learn things; Commitment to the company - be here for more than just the money. We want to advance you!; Be a Team Player - working as a team, you get more done." His favorite quote is "There are no bad teams. Just bad leaders".

(l to r) Watching AI robotic arm testing newly manufactured pieces, on the manufacturing floor, listening to CEO Steve Doody

(l to r) component for submarines, trains and planes; SpaceX Rocket component; titanium component for F-35 aircraft

"Lunch and Learn"

Since October, Shrewsbury High School has implemented a unique "Lunch and Learn" program, offering students the chance to engage with guest speakers during their Friday lunch period. This innovative initiative aims to expose high school students to a diverse range of career possibilities and foster exploration of future career paths.

The program is carefully designed to create a relaxed and interactive setting, allowing students to comfortably interact with professionals from various fields. Through these sessions, students can gain valuable insights, ask questions, and establish connections with experts in different industries. For more details about this program, please see this document.

Carlos Garcia, '15, career local govt. Jessica Card, '03, social media Kaleigh Keohane, '15 Environment

Tanner Walling, '20 Author. Dan Quinlivna, '15, CPA. Patrice Peris, '99 Music

Chief Anders, Shrewsbury PD. Lisa Steele, Criminal Defense Atty. Ragoo, Neuroscience

STEM Day at Olympus, Westboro, December 5, 2023

Like the STEM Day at Olympus last April, students from SHS spent 5 hours learning about the various careers offered at the Westborough campus, touring the facilities and learning life lessons from their employees. They also each had the experience to use a laser to break up "kidney stones", virtually explore a heart and laprascopically perform "surgery". See more about their visit in this Community Advocate article. At the end of the visit, students' reactions were clear:

The students personally met, and engaged with, several Olympus employees, including:

Richard Reynolds - President, Medical Systems Group

Holly Nguyen – Software Engineer II

Connor Tower – Global Product Manager

Edwin Encarnacion– Test Engineering Manager

Stewart Wallace– Sales - EndoTherapy Territory Manager II

Victoria Breitenfeld – Associate Product Manager, Surgical Solutions

Charles River Labs, November 9 & 16, 2023

On November 9th (a Professional Development day and day off for students) and November 16th, Charles River Labs on South Street in Shrewsbury, held a 3 hour Open House for Junior and Senior students to learn more about the variety of careers available in their building. Students rotated through each of the 7 stations, where staff told students who they were, what their role was in the company, what their training, background and education were, and then prompted students to ask questions. Engaging staff provided tours through the labs and animal care areas, to give the students a look into how well the animals are cared for and what types of tests and research are done with each type of animal. It was a very extensive tour, with plenty of engaging staff who genuinely seemed to love what they were doing. One student commented, "Going to CRL helped make [biomedial] jobs seem more realistic and attainable for me. I got to hear from a lot of the staff, who had a variety of jobs within the site. There were so many opportunities to ask questions from what each of them studied to questions about the animals that they test on. The staff were really kind and open to all of my comments and questions."

From L to R: Open house flyer, list of career available at the Shrewsbury building, retired beagle with animal techs who care for her.

From L to R: rack of rat cages, Environmental, Health, Safety and Sustainability procedures, lab sample management procedures.

Job Fair, November 16, 2023

The third annual Job Fair was attended by a record number of students who were anxious to apply for jobs at Jersey Mike's, Ski Ward, Salmon Health & Retirement facilities, Parks & Recreation, Goldfish Swim Schools, National Guard, CSI, Crest Technologies, DCR, Continental Pools, and the YMCA. See descriptions of all 11 employers.

2022-23 School year

Career Fair

On February 7th, we held our second Annual Career Fair in the SHS Commons. A total of 350 high school juniors and seniors participated in the event, where they had the opportunity to interact with over 30 diverse organizations, including businesses, trade schools, community colleges, and our very own alumni.

See this Community Advocate article for more details.

(above left: a packed SHS Commons, right: Cytiva Lifesciences of Shrewsbury sharing with students about careers in biopharmaceuticals)

(above left: Continental Pools hoping to find lifeguards for the season, right: MA Firefighting Academy offering opportunities in fire training.)

Our SHS alumni made our Career Fair something special! We are grateful to the following alumni for making this possible for our students: Ron Whittle '66, Darius Corcoran ’12, Lauren Buckley, ’14, Megan Downing, ’15, Tony Ngo ’00, Gabby Demac, ‘10, Brendan Hicks, ‘13, Rita Paparazzo ‘98, Michael Campbell ‘19, Ken Mongeon ‘91, Tim Hally ‘15.

For a live view of the Career Fair, check out this video, created by our very own SHS TV Production students!

Worcester Sports Management Summit - February 10, 2023

On February 10th, 16 SHS students attended the Worcester Sports Managment Summit to learn more about a career in sports. Students met with representatives from Worcester Bravehearts, Worcester Red Sox, Mass Pirates, Holy Cross Crusaders and other Worcester sports teams. They also had the chance to hear key note addresses from Boston Celtics, Boston Red Sox, New England Patriots, Boston Bruins, ESPN and NY Mets.

Job Shadowing - February 2023

During February break, 7 students pursued their interests in Construction and Interior Design (Lofty Homes), banking and finance (Shrewbury Federal Credit Union), sustainability, energy, electrical & civil engineering (SELCO).

(From left:Arju Kataria and Arnav Sharma exploring SELCO, Stephanie Xiao learning more about interior design at Lofty Homes (2 pics))

Job Shadowing - April 2023

During April break, students had the chance to visit Stepping Stones Learning Center (early childhood education and childcare), Component Sources International (machinist, quality inspector, engineering, sales (Buyer/Planner), Olympus STEM Day, April 18th 11am-2:30 (medical technology innovation, Marketing, R&D, Testing & Quality Assurance and Innovation) and Shrewsbury Federal Credit Union and Clinton Savings Bank (marketing, customer service, banking, finance).

Top row from left: employee panel, Victoria, Edwin, Connor. Richard Reynolds. Student using probes in operating room. Students listening to presentation on the various elements of the operating room.

Bottom row from left: students using exploratory probe on real human lungs (pic 1 & 2). Student using cauterizing probe on sheep's heart. All 12 students who attended STEM day.

Olympus STEM Day

During the visit to STEM Day at Olympus, students were invited to a day learning about the various careers offered at Olympus in Westboro, and to have individual, hands-on experiences with their equipment. The Juniors personally attended breakout sessions with:

- Richard Reynolds, President, Medical Systems Group, Olympus Corporation of the Americas

- Edwin Encarnacion, Manager, Test EngineeringCustomer Solutions Group,

- Holly Nguyen, Software Engineer II

- Victoria Mayler, Surgical Solutions Territory Manager

- Victor Khelemsky, Sr. Product Manager, Customer Solutions

During the sessions, every employee shared their individual career journey, provided insights into their day-to-day responsibilities at Olympus, discussed the products they were testing or developing, and even gave the students a chance to operate some of their probe devices.

At every opportunity, Olympus employees emphasized the significance of various skills, including adaptability, clear communication, active listening, time management, and openness to feedback. They also offered words of encouragement, such as “Be true to yourself”, “Always have a Plan B”, “Network!”, and “Don’t underestimate your ability to do the things that scare you.”

Job Fair - April 27, 2023

Ten different companies offered 15-20 different summer job openings to students 15 years and older. Approximately 200 students attended tthe job fair after school.

Top row from left: Lofty Homes (SHS Alum Tony Ngo, '00). Central One Federal Credit Union. MA Dept of Conservation and Recreation. Creedon and Co., Catering (SHS Alum Jeff Abbott, '98).

Bottom row from left: Lutco and Charles River Labs. Goldfish Swim. Crowd at the peak.

Marvell (Semiconductor) Career Day and Job Shadow

On July 25-26, 12 students attended Career Day and job shadowing at Marvell in Westboro, MA. Both days were full, running 10:30am - 3:30pm. The program agenda and overview, created by Marvell employees, can be found here.

On the first day, students

learned the history of Marvell
met employees from Engineering, Development, Verification and Marketing
toured the facility
ate lunch and interacted with interns and new-hires, learning about their educational backgrounds, suggestions for obtaining an internship and their journeys to the jobs they currently held
listened to panelists tell their stories of how they became employees

From L to R: Marvell employees sharing career stories, Engineer sharing Development and Test procedures, Marvell employee welcoming students

From L to R: Engineering lab setup , Engineering lab equipment, students meeting with an intern.

On the second day, students

reviewed the previous day’s events
participated in 3 activities:
- Verification exercise, where students had to develop a “test plan” and implement it for finding “bugs” hidden around the conference room.
- Design activity, where students encrypted words and “sent” them to another team for deciphering. The deciphered word was then evaluated for accuracy upon return.
- Communication activity, where students had to write a specification plan to build a simple piece of furniture, and give their plas to another team who had to build that item, sight unseen, using only the specification.
played a trivia game, with prizes for the most correct answers
heard closing remarks from employees
took a survey requesting feedback about the 2-day event

From L to R: Team 1 strategizing a "test plan" to find "bugs"; why verification is important before manufacturing, Success finding bugs!., Team 2 strategizing receiving network packets

From L to R: What is a network packet?, Team designing a "network packet", Design Engineer giving advice on writing specifications, students creating designs based on specs written by another team of students.

From L to R: Team 1 writing specifications on how to build a chair, Team 2 writing specifications on how to build a table, finished products built by students based on other students' specification. Well done!

Overall, it was an incredible 2-day experience for students. Most students commented that they really enjoyed the experience and wished it were longer: "I think it would nice if the program was made one day longer to do more experiments. I feel like we met everyone and then the next day was our last day with them, so I would have liked more time to work on projects with people!", "I think a 5-day program would be really cool", "I appreciate the opportunity very much.", "This was a really great experience. The building and the people are so nice. I really enjoyed getting to know what daily life looked like for engineers!"

MA Firefighting Academy

On May 5, a group of 7 SHS students went to the MA Firefighting Academy to spend a day learning what it was like to be a firefighter. In the words of one student, Adam Harris, "I always dreamed of being a firefighter and now I know I want to be one!" Adam is going to Anna Maria College to study fire sciences.

(L to R: breaking through a door, propane fire, search and rescue drill, burn building to learn hose techniques, SHS students)

2021-22 school year

Starting in 2022, Shrewsbury High School's Career Pathways programming has resulted in real life learning experiences for SHS students.

During April break, 41 students attended job shadowing opportunities at 6 different locations: Woo Sox (5 students), Shrewsbury Credit Union (1 student), Shrewsbury Building Commissioner (1 student), NyLa Labs (24 students), Charles River Vet Lab (7 students), Stepping Stones Childcare (3 students).

In April 2022, we held our first ever Career Fair (covered by the Community Advocate) and job shadowing events.

Pictured above left: Nate Bachelder '18 and Matt Hull '18 talking to current students about their careers as electricians. Above right: Lauren Buckley '14 discusses her career in hair and makeup, while Gina Kennedy '07, a dental hygienist looks on.

During their job shadows, 41 students learned about careers in sports (Worcester Red Sox), childcare (Stepping Stones Learning Center), lab testing (Nyla Labs), veterinary medicine (Charles River Labs), banking and finance (Shrewsbury Federal Credit Union), zoning and building (Shrewsbury Building Commissioner) and being a firefighter (MA Firefighting Academy). Students enjoyed their explorations, commenting: "I loved interacting with the children and playing games with them.", "I enjoyed learning about how unity and communications play a key role in things such as the Woo Sox marketing team.", "I enjoyed learning about how exactly COVID tests work and all the biological processes that go into it."

In October, business partners, SHS faculty, and SHS students participated in our annual Business and Community Partnerships Summit.

SHS Senior, Drew Conant, speaking to business partners. In attendance, Salmon Health and Retirement, Shrewsbury Credit Union, LaMacchia Realty, Component Sources International, Worcester Red Sox and Creedon & Co. Catering, Inc.

In November, we held our first Job Fair to support students seeking employment and local businesses seeking employees. Jobs available to students include: Dining servers, front desk, Kidzclub, table bussing, host/hostess, ski and snowboard instructors, cashiers, cooks, lift attendants, lifeguard/swim instructors, child watch, after school care.

In attendance at the Job Fair: Ski Ward (above left), Creedon & Co. Catering (above right), A.J. Tamiolo's Restaurant (directly above), YMCA Westborough, Continental Pools, Salmon Health and Retirement.

The Career Fair, Business and Community Partnerships Summit and Job Fair were well-attended events, designed to provide a first glimpse into experiential learning and career exploration. These efforts aim to support students as they seek internship, summer employment and potentially long-term employment opportunities.

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