Cristo Rey Oklahoma City students drafted to work with local businesses
Published: August 3rd, 2021
Cristo Rey Oklahoma City Catholic High School will graduate its first senior class next spring.
Cristo Rey OKC President Chip Carter says, “Our school focuses on closing the growing gap between education and our workforce by preparing our students for their future careers with hands-on experience."
CapitolBeatOK Staff Report
As a part of a unique Corporate Work Study Program, Cristo Rey Oklahoma City Catholic High School (Cristo Rey OKC) will celebrate Draft Day on Friday, August 6.
Cristo Rey OKC’s Draft Day matches students to an employer for the upcoming school year. The Corporate Work Study Program offers an opportunity for students to understand the value of hard work while helping stabilize high-turnover positions, reduce burnout in full-time staff and bring community engagement into workplaces.
“The local businesses we’ve partnered with provide an opportunity for our students to earn their tuition, gain valuable work experience and begin developing in-demand skills that our workforce needs today,” Cristo Rey OKC President Chip Carter said. “Our school focuses on closing the growing gap between education and our workforce by preparing our students for their future careers with hands-on experience. That opportunity for experience is possible through or Corporate Work Study Partners.” (https://www.cristoreyokc.org/work-study)
Cristo Rey OKC opened its doors in August 2018 and is one of 38 nationwide schools that make up the Cristo Rey Network. (https://www.cristoreyokc.org/ )
The Corporate Work Study Program includes several Oklahoma City businesses from a variety of industries such as Love’s Travel Stops and Country Stores, Integris, The Boldt Company, Chesapeake Energy, and more. A full list can be found at https?//cristoreyokc.org/work-study .
“When a business becomes a Cristo Rey OKC Corporate Work Study Partner, they are provided with a team of four students that work on alternating days to cover one full-time equivalent position,” Carter continued. “Since our students are employees of Cristo Rey OKC, they are on our payroll. Therefore, we handle taxes, workers comp, the Department of Labor and other employer issues, while businesses receive reliable and productive employees at a highly-competitive rate in return.”
Assuming the role of an employee-leasing agency, the Corporate Work Study Program has streamlined the process for employing students. Through a fee-for-service contract, paid quarterly, annually or monthly by the Corporate Work Study partner, our students are employed through the Corporate Work Study Program and assigned jobs at our individual partners. Students work in a four-person, job-sharing team to fill one full-time equivalent position during standard daily business hours, Monday through Friday, for the entire academic year. Academic schedules are structured so that students work without ever missing class.
Corporate Work Study applications and donations are accepted year-round to help support the mission of Cristo Rey OKC and its students. Businesses interested in becoming a Corporate Work Study Partner or donating can visit CristoReyOKC .
The returning class of senior (grade 12) students will be the first graduating class at Cristo Rey Oklahoma City Catholic High School .
About Cristo Rey Oklahoma City: Cristo Rey OKC Catholic High School is an independent Catholic school that educates young people of limited economic means to become men and women of faith, knowledge, purpose and service. A member of the national Cristo Rey Network of 38 schools, Cristo Rey OKC combines rigorous academics with real-world work experience, seeking to prepare their students for success in college and life. As part of Cristo Rey’s unique Corporate Work Study Program, students work one day a week in professional settings, earning a majority of their own tuition.