Strengthening Partnerships & Advancing Career Readiness
To advance Washington, D.C.’s Career and Technical Education (CTE) goals of expanding real-world learning for opportunity youth, a CTE Director sought a partner to design a meaningful industry engagement experience. Global Solutions DC facilitated a partnership with the Urban Land Institute’s Women’s Leadership Initiative (WLI), creating mentorship opportunities and real-world exposure that strengthened career readiness for students in an alternative high school program.
Year
2025
Client
Maya Angelou Public Charter School (MAPCS)
The Challenge
The CTE Director at Maya Angelou Public Charter School (MAPCS) needed to connect disconnected young adults with high-demand careers in Real Estate and Construction. The program faced a scarcity of professional role models, a disconnect between theoretical curricula and industry application, and the failure of traditional career fairs to engage students. Crucially, the initiative required a shift from standard instruction to a personalized, mentorship-driven approach.
The Solution
We identified the Women's Leadership Initiative (WLI) of the DC Urban Land Institute (ULI) as the ideal strategic partner. Recognizing ULI as the premier organization for real estate professionals, we leveraged WLI’s specific mission—elevating women leaders—to secure the authentic industry access and mentorship the students required.
We engineered a workforce development ecosystem, bridging the classroom and the boardroom.
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Implementing a structured, one-on-one and small-group mentorship program over the academic year, pairing WLI members with Maya Angelou PCS CTE students.
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Organizing exclusive, behind-the-scenes tours of active D.C. development projects, allowing students to see the direct application of their CTE skills in a professional setting.
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Co-designing workshops with WLI focused on soft skills critical for the industry, such as networking, professional communication, presentation skills, and financial literacy.
Our Impact
By designing the partnership as a sustainable workforce pipeline, we delivered meaningful impact and measurable ROI.
Solution Highlights
Informed Career Choices: Students moved from having a vague interest in "construction" to understanding specific roles like Civil Engineer, Project Manager, and Sustainability Consultant, directly influencing their post-high school plans.
Elevated Program Profile: The high-profile partnership with ULI/WLI significantly elevated the reputation of the CTE program at Maya Angelou PCS, making it a model for how alternative education can successfully engage with the private sector.
Meaningful Connections: The mentorship fostered authentic relationships, providing students with powerful advocates and networking connections within D.C.'s competitive real estate ecosystem.