Associate Deborah Perez leads one of the key components at Cristo Rey St. Viator College Prep in North Las Vegas: its Corporate Work Study Program. Students work one day a week in a corporate setting, where they learn workplace readiness skills, build confidence and make valuable connections.
In this latest, 15-minute podcast episode of Viatorian Voice: Conversations on the Way, Perez and Principal Melissa Gruenhagen talk about this workplace model and how it empowers their students.
“Not every organization fits,” Perez says of their search for corporate partners. “Our goal for our students is to find entry level, clerical work, where they can learn about jobs that require higher education.”
Gruenhagen brings 10 years of experience at a Cristo Rey school in Tucson to her role at CRSV. She adds that students can work in a multitude of fields, from nonprofit, law and medical fields, to entertainment and the arts, and all so they can make informed choices about their college paths.