Turners Falls and Athol high schools will benefit from the state’s expansion of its Innovation Career Pathways internship program, adding new fields of study for students with professional aspirations.

The announcement came on April 13 from the office of Gov. Maura Healey. With 19 schools adding altogether new Innovation Career Pathways designations and another eight adding Innovation Career Pathways to existing programs, this expands the number of participating schools to 78. With this addition, one in five schools will be offering Innovation Career Pathways.

Innovation Career Pathways give high school students the opportunity to take courses focused on a particular field, while allowing them to enroll in post-secondary courses to earn industry-recognized credentials at no cost to them. The program also allows students to serve in internships in that field.

“When it comes to our students, we want to give them a leg up in preparation for key industries — like health care, computer science, manufacturing and engineering — which is exactly what Innovation Career Pathways achieve,” Healey said in a statement. “That’s why we’re thrilled to expand this program and award 27 schools new Innovation Career Pathways across the commonwealth, and why we’ve proposed a $14.4 million increase in our [fiscal year 2024] budget for Innovation Career Pathways and early college for further expansion next year.”

A key component of Innovation Career Pathways is setting up partnerships with industry partners and local MassHire boards to foster these work-based learning experiences for students. This year’s 27 pathway schools will be partnering with 13 of the 16 local MassHire boards across the state.

Students at Turners Falls High School can now embark down the Environmental and Life Sciences Innovation Pathway, which “provides students with the foundational understanding of biology, chemistry and environmental science,” the school stated. This is the third Innovation Career Pathway established at the school, joining pathways for health care/social assistance and manufacturing.

“This pathway will provide students with engaging and relevant knowledge and experience, which can be applied in the workplace and in college upon graduation,” Turners Falls High School Principal Christopher Barnes said in the school’s statement. “We are thrilled to be able to provide this opportunity to our students.”

“It is exciting to have programming that directly connects high school students to the regional labor market,” added Brian Beck, superintendent of the Gill-Montague Regional School District. “These programs are really helping students, families and the school take a more contemporary approach to post-secondary planning.”

Students in ninth grade and above can apply in May to join the Environmental and Life Sciences Pathway. Those enrolled will complete coursework in preparation for an 100-hour internship in their senior year. Internships will be in partnership with Red Fire Farm co-owner Ryan Voiland, according to the school. Students will receive certifications such as CPR, first aid and Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), while also preparing for their internship through a preparation program focused on resumes, cover letters, interviewing and other career-related skills.

Meanwhile, Athol High School will be offering the Manufacturing Pathway. Opportunities include job shadowing, field trips and learning from guest speakers connected to the industry. Sign-ups will begin soon for the 2023-2024 academic year.

Athol High School Principal David King noted that the experience students have in the program will connect them with real-world industries.

“All of the programming is connected,” King said. “Some includes certification.”

King said joining the Innovation Career Pathways program has been a goal for some time, as it allows students to see how what they learn in the classroom connects to future goals and plans. He said some may not want to pursue a traditional four-year college education and Pathways provides another option. He hopes to expand this program following its first academic year.

“We wanted to add one to get good at this and are so committed to adding additional pathways in the year after,” King said. “Health career, business and finance fields, and then the science world.”

In addition to offering new classes, an additional science, technology, engineering and math teacher has been hired at Athol High School with expertise in computer programming and electrical engineering. There won’t be a limit to how many students can apply, and King encouraged parents to monitor the school’s social media pages for further updates.

Reach Julian Mendoza at 413-930-4231 or jmendoza@recorder.com.

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