Its enrollees have an average GPA of 2.2. Students get paid for their work and also can earn school credit. They attend class at the academy one afternoon a week and work at a partnering company where they must first pass an interview the other four afternoons. To attract employers, Shell pays half the students' salaries and helps in covering transportation costs. Participating firms include Bank of America, United Parcel Services, the University of California at Berkeley, Trak Auto and a number of law firms, hotels, health-care and retail businesses.
Students sign an agreement expressing their commitment to the program.
We want the students to succeed and we want the partnering company to feel like they have received a good student who is doing the work that they need done. The partnering company also signs an agreement to pay attention to the students, coach them and have its employees serve as mentors. The contract also requires mentors to attend a two-hour training class to ensure that students receive proper supervision and attention at the job site. Sometimes the program is a victim of its own success. Filling a need The experience opens students' eyes to various jobs at the companies where they work and the education needed to reach those positions.