Future Focused Education
Project Title
For general support
Date
Jun. 06, 2024
Duration
15 months
Description
The X3 Internship program, launched by Future Focused Education in 2017, addresses the need for better academic and career readiness in New Mexico. The program offers paid, school-linked internships, especially in healthcare, to help students explore local career paths. Partnerships with healthcare providers have been pivotal, allowing the program to create customized experiences for each intern based on their skills and interests. Despite pandemic and systemic racism challenges in 2020, the initiative grew, extending its reach to diverse students. The program has been successful in improving career attitudes, skills, and connections for the interns, breaking down negative stereotypes and promoting civic engagement. Plans are underway to scale and align this initiative with larger statewide workforce development strategies. Support for this work comes through the Education Programs Profiles in Collective Leadership initiative, which seeks to support organizations that are delivering learning opportunities that consistently put young people on a path to thriving futures and engaged citizenship.