Students at several NAF (formerly National Academy Foundation) academies in the Queens area recently had the opportunity to become college and career ready at an event co-sponsored by the American Management Association and the New York Institute of Technology.
The schools that participated included Richmond Hill High School, Long Island City High School and the Academy of Finance and Enterprise in Long Island City.
The local New York City schools that participated in this event are all part of NAF, a national network of education,
business and community leaders who work together to ensure that high school students are college, career, and future ready.
“When the students hear things from a person in the professional work force it takes on a diff erent perspective,” said
Sharon Fine, an Industry Partnership Coordinator for the NYC NAF academies.“They realize the insights are coming
from someone that’s been successful in the real world of business.” She added that NAF’s focus on making students college and career ready gives it a leg up on many other programs designed to reach students from lower income urban areas.
NAF’s approach to work-based learning experiences beginning with career awareness activities, progressing to career exploration activities, and culminating in career preparation activities, including internships.
“The internship is a key element in the NAF educational design, that helps to build the skills that students will need in the workplace,” Fine said.
But getting that internship and then an eventual full time job is not always easy and takes preparation.
“By showing the students how important it is to prepare, such as building your resume and handling a one-on-one interview we give them the confi dence to know they can stand out,” Fine said. “They know they’ll be able to present themselves in a polished way.”
The NY Institute of Technology’s Academy of Hospitality and Tourism hosted approximately 300 students for the day and provided professional guidance that students can apply to their own lives and experiences. The American Management Association is a premier management training organization and includes Operation
Enterprise, their non-profit division.