FAQs for Students and Families
Yes. Students must be at least 14 years old to work for a corporate job partner.
Yes, all students are required to participate in the Corporate Work Study Program (CWSP). Through CWSP, students fund the majority of the cost of their education, in addition to acquiring valuable work experience and skills.
Through the Work Study Program, students earn a significant portion of the cost of their education. In addition, students learn the value of work, and acquire real-world contacts, experience, and skills that will help them through college and beyond.
No. Students are interviewed and evaluated by Work Study Program staff, who then assign student teams to job sites, taking into consideration both the skill-level required for the job and the particular interests and skills of each student.
Most students perform entry-level clerical work. They answer telephones, maintain files, sort and deliver mail, scan and fax documents, perform data entry, and create documents with Microsoft Office. Specific job descriptions differ on a partner-by-partner basis. Students are expected to meet or exceed the level of professionalism and dedication demanded of their adult colleagues at the work place.
All incoming freshmen and transfer students attend a rigorous two-week Summer Employment Foundations Academy (SEFA) before beginning their first corporate work assignment. Returning students attend an intensive three-week refresher course at the beginning of the school year. Students also receive ongoing feedback and training from employers and the CWSP staff throughout the school year.
An on-site supervisor at the Corporate Partner company will guide and support students at work. De La Salle North Catholic / CWSP staff will coordinate with on-site supervisors to provide the necessary guidance, training, and care that students need to succeed in the workplace. All disciplinary actions are conducted by CWSP staff.
No. All communications to Corporate Partners are made through the CWSP Office at De La Salle North Catholic.
De La Salle North Catholic staff transport all students to their jobs each morning and afternoon. On rare occasions, students may also take public transportation when convenient, with written permission by a parent or guardian.
A team of four students share one full-time job. Students rotate their schedules, each working five full days every four weeks. Work days are scheduled Monday through Friday. The program runs concurrently with the De La Salle North Catholic school year, from mid-August through early June. During the year, students work according to the Corporate Partner's calendar, except for the following holidays: Thanksgiving, Christmas Break, and Spring Break.
No. Corporate Partners pay an annual fee to the De La Salle North Catholic / CWSP office for each team of 4 students. This fee is then applied directly and proportionately to each student’s educational costs. Students may have the opportunity, however, on a partner-by-partner basis to work during school holidays and in the summer, in which case De La Salle North’s CWSP office will process the payment, and pass on the earnings directly to students.
Yes. All students are required to wear their school uniform to work, and must adhere to the dress code at all times. For more information about the school’s dress code, please refer to the School Policies and Procedures portion of the website and open the 2016-2017 Family Handbook, section "XIV. Student Uniform Dress Code“