Work Based Learning
HHSME Work-Based Learning Information Sheet
The goal of HHSME work-based learning component is to best prepare our students for college and or career opportunities they will have in the future. Through the use of field trips, guest speakers, career fairs, mentorships, internships, and other opportunities available to the academy, students will go through the work-based learning continuum. This continuum includes Career Awareness, Career Exploration, Career Preparation and Career Training.
HHSME Field Trips:
The focus of the academy is to align the monthly field trips to the four areas of the Work-Based Learning Continuum of Linked Learning; which include Career Awareness, Career Exploration, Career Preparation and Career Training. As a result, field trips during the school year were categorized within one of these areas and a grade level was chosen to be the group targeted for the excursion. In most of the field trips, students were given an assignment to complete as part of evaluating their learning and educational benefit from the excursion.
The Engineering Academy usually has about ten field trips every school year, which equates to one per month. Each grade level will have two unique field trips that are chosen based on the level of engineering training the group of students have been exposed to. For example, 9th grade students go to the California Science Center to see the Space Shuttle, which is a general awareness of space crafts. 12th grade students go to SpaceX to witness the manufacturing of rockets and space crafts.
HHSME Internships
A total of ten academy students were granted internships during the 2017-2018 school year. Six seniors received an internship to Northrop Grumman’s High School Involvement Program during the spring of 2017. Four students received internships to Boeing’s Satellites Systems in El Segundo for the summer of 2016.
In addition to these field trips, HHSME offers on-site internships to students as an after school program. During this time students receive more in-depth and hands-on training in the school lab, which includes state-of-the-art machines like those in the region's engineering companies.
Mentorships
Applied Imagination Program with Mike Gordon:
This after school program is an introduction to the theme park design process. Students meet before or after school and study mathematics, science, English and history of Disney theme park design. The team collaborates on the concept design of an entire theme park, including the engineering involved with roller coasters. One of the attractions will be developed into the schematic phase, with a massing model as the final deliverable. The program is provided by a volunteer industry professional, Mike Gordon.