Working with ten inner-city high schools, the Shell Oil Company is partnering with the Los Angeles Unified School District to help students graduate from high school, continue on to college, and gain valuable career skills. Students receive school credit for this classroom-based program. At the completion of the classroom component, students are placed into paid after-school jobs sponsored by a network of local businesses. Student salaries are paid half by the local business and half by Shell.
Employers also commit to serve as mentors for the students and advise on career planning.
Over 900 students have participated in this program, with over 80 percent continuing onto college after high school. Shell has expanded the program to Chicago and Houston, and hopes to continue to work in additional cities in the coming years.