The team may include probation officers, business representatives, and service agency representatives. The components of the program include implementation of an integrated curriculum, delivery of Applied Career Awareness modules, interaction with professional mentors, job shadowing and internship opportunities, and additional support services provided by case managers and social workers. The Career Awareness Preparation modules are offered during the ninth grade. Job shadowing offers students opportunities to meet professionals, to experience the actual worksite, and to make decisions about their future. Hands-on experience is provided through internship placements which typically last 15 hours per week for nine weeks.
Interns assist in the actual operation of a business.
These experiences often lead to summer jobs or entry-level positions after graduation. Recognizing the crucial role that parents play in their children's educational aspirations, the program staff work diligently to involve parents in all aspects of their children's program. The state believed that ownership and responsibility for finding solutions to children's problems belong to local communities. District and regional planning boards offered a broad base of citizen representation, including concerned citizens and professionals from private organizations and agencies, local and state government agencies, and local school districts. The district boards serve as the working body of community leaders while the regional boards serve as coordinating bodies.