REALWork is part of an early college and work based learning program through the Springfield Empowerment Zone (SEZP). SEZP is a portfolio of college partners and work-based learning opportunities curated to create a “laboratory ecosystem” to shepherd employability development in area schools. The ecosystem includes colleges, industry partners, and community-based organizations to provide a suite of college degree pathways, micro-internships, industry credentialing, mentoring opportunities, advising, and applied career learning. Students in this cohort are in a degree pathway for Advanced Manufacturing and Technology with a focus on the following: 

• Cybersecurity
• Optics and photonics
• Mechanical engineering
• Computer systems engineers
• Programmers
• Digital media and graphic arts
• Low voltage technology

Springfield Empowerment Zone and Riipen are partnering to ensure learners gain exposure to real-world scenarios through projects with companies on Riipen’s platform. 

Details include: 

• Enhance Learner Employability: Provide learners with tangible experiences that strengthen their skills, in such areas as communication, teamwork, and time management. 
• Support Industry Collaboration: Facilitate meaningful engagement between learners and employers, enabling businesses to benefit from fresh talent while mentoring future professionals. 
• Industry-Specific and Adjacent Projects: Hands-on experiences with academic program-specific and adjacent projects to expose students to diverse cultures and opportunities to develop skills, while potentially crossing through industry silos. 

Post a project by using our template library and provide details of everything you need to get assessed and streamlined. This could be as detailed as possible to get the most comprehensive outcome within 40 hours.