Educating 6th – 12th Grade Students. In School, After School and in Summer Programs.
- Proven curriculum – Tailored to meet your school’s needs. Customizable topics and program lengths. Select the topics and Number of Weeks.
- Educational programming – for students to connect with vital business resources. Job and resource fairs for employment “on the spot”
Entrepreneurs and businesspeople, along with the non-profit organization Building Bridges for Business, are giving local students the chance to see what life is like after high school and college.
- Entrepreneurship
- Trades and Careers in the Trades
- Technology – Website design and SEO
- Technology – Careers in IT and web design
- Technology – Graphic Design and Animation
- Film, Television and New Media
- Science – Green and Sustainable practices and careers
- Science – Veterinarian Study and Animal Related Careers
- Science – Healthcare and Careers in Healthcare
- Government and Politics
- U can B – Career Preparation and Networking
- U can B – Softskills and Leadership
- and More!
The program further engages the students with our proprietary Coffee With Film series, which showcases industry leaders and politicians with a variety of insight in those careers. The program is further augmented with In person speakers and experts that share real world experiences and advice in career development and planning.
Here are a few profiles of schools currently enrolled within the U can B program.
Clayton Academy High School
Scott Albert of #UcanB led an 8-week Job Readiness class at Clayton Academy High School. All of the high school students participated. Topics included Job Search, Networking, Career Research, Resume Writing and Career Fair Preparation. This was the third year for the #UcanB Job Readiness class at Clayton High. Students participated as a means of preparation for the 3rd Annual #UcanB Career Opportunity Fair at Clayton High School.
The Career Opportunity Fair took place at Clayton High School. Participating organizations included Local 5 Electricians Union, The City of Pittsburgh Department of Personnel, Bidwell Training Center, Brightwood Career Institute, US Probation & Pretrial Services, New Century Careers, Western Pa Carpenters Union, Career Training Academy, Sheet Metal Workers Local #12, Rosedale Technical College, Laborers’ International Union and Propel Schools. All students in grades 6-12 participated. A cookout and celebration followed! Clayton students, families and teachers celebrated with #UcanB staff, employers and community partners.
All Clayton students 14 and older also had the opportunity to meet with Partner4Work’s Learn ‘n’ Earn staff. Several students applied to and work accepted into the Learn ‘n’ Earn Summer Employment Program.
This was #UcanB’s second third year at Clayton Academy High School.
Clayton Academy Middle School
#UcanB returned to Clayton Academy Middle School for a third year as well. The 7th and 8th grade students at Clayton Academy were treated to a wide variety of guest speakers throughout the school year. Lee Davis of Lee Davis & Associates visited the kids to talk about Careers in Sports & Entertainment. Other speakers included Julius Boatwright of Steel Smiling and Scott Albert of #UcanB.
The goal for Clayton Middle School speakers was to hopefully teach and inspire. While the primary purpose of the program was to expose kids to potential career options, the secondary purpose was to provide guidance and direction. Many Clayton students come from poor neighborhoods and broken homes. #UcanB speakers did a wonderful job of speaking personally to students about alternatives, personal responsibility and choices.
All of the middle school students were invited to the Career Opportunity Fair at Clayton Academy. Even though these students are not old enough to work, Clayton staff, the #UcanB team and the participating employers believed it was a valuable experience to let the middle school students participate.
This was #UcanB’s third year at Clayton Academy Middle School.
Sto-Rox High School – Sto has partnered with UcanB for 3 years.
Two programs at Sto-Rox High School!
The first of two #UcanB Programs at Sto-Rox High School focused on an 8-week series of guest speakers which gave students the opportunity learn about various career options. Speakers from organizations such as Salvation Army, Rosedale Technical College, Musuneggi Financial, and Pittsburgh Combat Club visited 9-12th grade students who participated in a career planning class at Sto-Rox. Topics included Entrepreneurship, Careers in the Trades, Financial Services, Careers in Social Service, and STEM Careers. All participating students received free STEM Premier accounts, were trained to use STEM Premier, and received tutorials using O*Net software. The #UcanB staff taught students to use online career tools such as those available at O*Net Online and at Career Talk on KDKA.
The second round of #UcanB at Sto-Rox High School began in February. When the semester changed, so did the students participating in Sto-Rox’s Career Planning Class. As such, #UcanB coordinated a second series of guest speakers for the second group of students. These speakers included Joe Martelli of Boss Labor Group, Dennis Albert of Knepper Press, and Scott Albert from #UcanB. Students in the second class also received free STEM Premier accounts and instruction using O*Net tools.
Building Bridges for Business also participated in a two-day Community Resource Fair at Sto-Rox High School. Dozens of community agencies visited the school to share resources with students, parents, community members, and other service providers. This event was organized by Coro Pittsburgh.
Finally, the #UcanB Year at Sto-Rox High School concluded with a week-long hiring event. Several #UcanB employers visited Sto-Rox juniors and seniors during the week of May 8th. Students had the opportunity to apply and interview for jobs right at the school. Participating employers included The Pittsburgh Pirates, IBEX Global, Building Bridges for Business, Amazon, Burns & Scalo, McDonald’s, 5 Generation Bakers and FedEx. The week long hiring event was a coordinated partnership between #UcanB, Coro Pittsburgh and Sto-Rox High School. Coro and Sto-Rox HS staff coordinated the schedule and logistics for the week while #UcanB lined up all of the participating employers.
This was #UcanB’s second year at Sto-Rox High School.
FEATURED SCHOOL – Keystone Oaks
What the Students are saying from Keystone Oaks
Kira, a Keystone Oaks freshman, said she was “glad we got the opportunity” to hear the speakers. “I feel better now when I think about what I want to do (as a career),” she said. She said she is already beginning to shadow professionals in the sports medicine and physical therapy fields. “It really reaffirmed everything I have heard,” said sophomore Max of advice he has heard from his parents and teachers. “It was illuminating,” said freshman Melissa. “It was enlightening to hear actual people rather than teachers and parents,” talk about “real life.”
Keystone Oaks High School hosted a take on the program called “U can B.” The series involves one-on-one interviews with successful people from in and around Pittsburgh. Coffee with… brought its informal format students from the school’s gifted program. They listened attentively and participated in a discussion with Pittsburgh City Councilman Corey O’Connor and jazz singer/songwriter Jessica Lee. The program was the second in the series at Keystone Oaks. Last month, Pittsburgh City Councilman Dan Gilman and entrepreneur Max Miller spoke to students. 
While there was no coffee served at the school, the speakers did offer advice and insight to students. Students shared with the panelists their goals for the future, such as going into the medical field or some type of engineering. Jessica Lee, who is originally from Franklin, Pa., is an artist and entrepreneur. She started playing the piano at age 5 and has loved music ever since. Lee went to Duke University for college and then on to Duke Law School, where she studied and received a law degree in entertainment law. “I practiced law for seven years while I was singing at night,” Lee said. Eventually, Lee gave up law to pursue music and entrepreneurial ventures. She started her own record label as well as collaborated with the non-profit Pittsburgh Gateways Corporation and co-founding the America’s Arts and Music Crossroads Center. The latter organization connects professional artists and musicians with underprivileged youth for creativity and career coaching. She has released four albums and is on seven compilation albums. “I really have a blend of a creative and entrepreneurial career,” Lee said. At 29 years old, Corey O’Connor is the youngest serving member of Pittsburgh City Council. He represents District 5, which includes Greenfield, Glen Hazel, Hays, Hazelwood, Lincoln Place, New Homestead, part of Regent Square, Squirrel Hill South and Swisshelm Park. He was sworn in at age 27, exactly 20 years to the day after his father, the late Bob O’Connor was sworn in as a member of City Council. Bob O’Connor went on to become mayor of Pittsburgh until his death in 2006. “The city really embraced our family,” O’Connor said. O’Connor graduated from Central Catholic High School and earned a degree in elementary education from Duquesne University. In addition to his duties as a councilman, O’Connor is also the golf coach for Central Catholic High School. As a councilman, he is chairman of the parks and recreation commission.As far as advice, O’Connor told students not to let their young ages hold them back from anything. “You have to fight to say, ‘Yes, I’m young, but I have the qualifications to get the job done,’” he said. Lee advised a hands-on approach to finding out one’s career path. “You have to be in motion doing something – trying something – to get a feeling of what you want to do,” Lee said. She referred to a time when she shadowed her mother, a physical therapist, for four hours to see if that was something she wanted to do after college. She said after that short period of time, she knew that physical therapy wasn’t the field for her. “You want to move toward the things you really like,” she said. “Go and spend a day or half a day shadowing someone in that industry.”
U Can B Case Study
O’Connor agreed that job shadowing is important. “As long as you love it, keep doing it.” He added that it’s good to also know that there are some stresses with working that “you don’t see.” He referred to some nights when he has a hard time sleeping, thinking of whether he made the right vote. Lee was also realistic in stating that there’s a “boring, tedious part to get to the good part,” in your career. She referred to a time when she was young and had to take years of classical piano lessons, which at the time she did not like, but now knows she learned valuable skills from those classes. “If I didn’t go through those piano lessons, I wouldn’t be the musician I am today,” Lee said. O’Connor offered another piece of advice to students: “Don’t let people pressure you into a decision you’re not comfortable with.” He said he felt the pressure to run for city council when he was 21 years old, but he wasn’t ready to do it at that time. “You have to make that decision,” he said. “Trust your gut reaction over everybody else. Your gut is always right and will not give you the wrong answer.”
U Can B Case Study #2
Kira, a Keystone Oaks freshman, said she was “glad we got the opportunity” to hear the speakers. “I feel better now when I think about what I want to do (as a career),” she said. She said she is already beginning to shadow professionals in the sports medicine and physical therapy fields. “It really reaffirmed everything I have heard,” said sophomore Max of advice he has heard from his parents and teachers. “It was illuminating,” said freshman Melissa. “It was enlightening to hear actual people rather than teachers and parents,” talk about “real life.”
