New York, NY (PRWEB) June 22, 2017
NAF announced today that its latest initiative, NAF Future Ready Labs, will kick off this summer in Dallas, Texas; Eden Prairie, Minnesota; and New York, New York.
This new and innovative internship concept, in its pilot phase, is designed to scale the quantity of meaningful internship experiences for high-school students preparing for future careers. Nearly 100 NAF students will participate in these internship experiences in these cities.
NAF Future Ready Labs provide high-school students an opportunity to put their education into practice in a unique work environment with support from a corporate partner. Through a multiweek experience, student interns complete a project of value on behalf of the corporate partner, participate in professional skill-building workshops, connect with professionals who serve as project mentors, and more.
NAF provides a strategic structure to scale internship experiences that addresses obstacles companies often face in providing these opportunities – be it location, supervision, project management, or even a human resources challenge. NAF Future Ready Labs enable NAF’s corporate partners to play a more flexible role throughout the internship process while still meeting their need for building a diverse and skilled talent pipeline. They also enable students to participate in internships in a condensed timeframe, giving them more time for school and other work commitments.
NAF Future Ready Lab powered by Capital One will be the first in finance, hospitality and engineering. The lab kicked off on June 12th and will continue through June 30th at the University of Texas-Dallas (UTD) and Capital One campuses and is hosting approximately 20 student interns. This partnership is a part of Capital One’s Future Edge, an initiative launched in 2015, and that pledged $150 million over five years to help prepare more Americans with the skills, tools and resources they need to succeed in an ever-changing digitally-driven economy. As part of this initiative, Future Edge Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) symbolizes Capital One’s commitment to make DFW a destination for top talent, spur growth as a world-renowned technology hub, and nurture leaders of tomorrow.
“More than 8,000 students in the Dallas area are a part of NAF, and Capital One is proud to have engaged with hundreds of them over the years through our paid internships and other initiatives,” said President of Capital One Financial Services, and Treasurer of NAF, Sanjiv Yajnik. “At Capital One, we’re passionate about developing the leaders of tomorrow. We’re aligned with NAF’s efforts to provide students with real-world work opportunities through the Future Ready Labs, and are excited to host the program in Dallas.”
NAF Future Ready Lab powered by Optum will be the first in health care. It will take place July 17-August 9 at Optum’s headquarters in Eden Prairie, Minnesota, and will also host approximately 20 interns. Each of the corporate partners has worked with NAF to determine the projects that will be completed during this time.
The NAF Future Ready Lab powered by NYC Academy Foundation, with support from corporate partners, including KPMG and Verizon, will take place in New York City from July 17 – August 18. The lab will serve dozens of students studying finance and hospitality & tourism, and NYC NAF academy advisory board members and partners will also be on hand to offer assistance with mentoring and work-based learning activities.
NAF President JD Hoye said, “NAF Future Ready Labs may be the answer we have been looking for in closing the internship gap. It will provide an additional avenue for students to obtain internships and make it easy for companies to play an active role in building the talent pipeline. This endeavor would not have been possible without the buy-in and support of our corporate partners who have not only shared our vision, but also offered their space, resources and talent to make Future Ready Labs a reality. We thank Capital One, Optum, KPMG, Verizon and Lenovo, as well as the NYC Academy Foundation for their involvement and creative solutions that will prepare students to be tomorrow’s industry leaders.”
NAF corporate partner Lenovo has generously offered a substantial discount on purchasing laptops for the NAF Future Ready Labs in all three locations. Being equipped with the proper technology is essential for students to complete their internship tasks, and NAF is grateful to Lenovo for its commitment and service that are instrumental in the continued growth and success of these future leaders.
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About NAF:
NAF is a national network of education, business, and community leaders who work together to ensure that high school students are college, career, and future ready.
NAF works with high need communities to transform the high school experience through an educational design that includes industry-specific curricula, work-based learning experiences, and relationships with business professionals, culminating in a paid internship. NAF academies fit within and enhance school systems, allowing NAF to become an integral part of a plan for higher achievement at a low cost. NAF academies focus on one of five career themes: finance, hospitality & tourism, information technology, engineering, and health sciences. During the 2016-17 school year more than 96,000 students attended 675 NAF academies across 36 states, including D.C. and the U.S. Virgin Islands. In 2016, NAF academies reported 96% of seniors graduated with 92% of graduates with post-secondary intentions. For more information, please visit: http://naf.org/