Businesses in every industry need workers with strong skills, but employers often struggle to find these workers. One critical way to help bridge the skills gap: supporting Portland Public Schools in offering Career Related Learning Experiences (CRLE’s) for our high school students.

This toolkit is aimed at helping our partners better understand what it means to partner with PPS. The goal of this toolkit is to help ensure that Career Related Learning Experiences are optimized effectively and provide students with high-quality career learning opportunities that excite them and expand their understanding of the knowledge, skills (both technical and soft) and dispositions workers need to succeed.

Throughout this toolkit you'll gain valuable insight into what career related learning experiences are, why they’re important, and how professionals can work with PPS to support our schools and teachers. The Toolkit also offers descriptions of various career related learning experiences, as well as insight on how to design and implement engaging activities and develop mutually beneficial programs that our partners and students find rewarding.

Career Related Learning Experiences 
Experts generally divide Career Related Learning into three categories and PPS has embraced these designations as we map the vision for College and Career Readiness:

Career Awareness. These activities are designed to help students develop basic awareness careers by interacting with professionals. These activities help students understand the education and skill requirements for success in various fields. Examples of these activities include career fairs and classroom visits by working professionals.

Career Exploration. These activities provide students with more in-depth opportunities to learn about careers in specific fields. Students interact with professionals in the work environment. Examples of career exploration activities include job shadows, informational interviews, mock interviews, and company tours.

Career Preparation These activities provide students with opportunities to gain actual work experience that support the development of key job skills. Examples of career preparation activities include internships, apprenticeships, and paid summer employment.