NYC Department of Education and Partnership for New York City Launch City’s First Career Discovery Week, February 10-14

Thousands of tenth graders will spend a day at company worksites, learning about career opportunities.

Today, the NYC Department of Education and the Partnership for New York City are launching the city’s first Career Discovery Week. More than 6,000 high school sophomores from approximately 140 schools will have the opportunity to learn about the diverse and exciting future job opportunities available to them in the city’s corporate, financial and cultural sectors.

Throughout the week, over 180 companies will host up to 100 students each for a full day of career exploration in one of the world’s most diversified employment markets.

Examples of Career Development Week activities include:

• ABM Industries and the 9/11 Memorial & Museum – A ‘back of house’ tour of the 9/11 Memorial & Museum offering students an inside look at the mechanical, engineering and maintenance services that ABM provides at this iconic New York City landmark. Students will learn how the critical work performed by ABM team members keeps the site pristine and accessible to millions of global visitors every year.
• Brooklyn Navy Yard – Site visits of the Steiner film studios, New Lab technology hub, Lafayette 148 New York luxury women’s fashion label and other Brooklyn Navy Yard facilities, as well as panel discussions featuring the CEOs of the Brooklyn Navy Yard, Steiner Studios, Boston Properties and others.
• Deutsche Bank – A career panel hosted by the bank’s Multicultural Partnership and interactive sessions covering the “Future of Work” in financial services including AI, cybersecurity, ESG and key areas of expertise for the next generation of industry professionals.
• JetBlue – Immersion session in JetBlue’s command center in Long Island City, Queens, featuring a tour of system operations and Q&A with pilots and engineers.
• JPMorgan Chase – A workplace tour covering the bank’s many functional areas followed by financial literacy training, and social media personal brand exercises for career building.
• M&T Bank Corporation – Interactive career panel session with executives representing the major business lines for M&T Bank in NYC, followed by an interview workshop and branch tour.
• Macy’s – A behind-the-scenes look at Macy’s corporate headquarters and showrooms, where students will learn about how retail companies operate and how private-label fashion brands are conceptualized, designed and managed.
• PwC – Lessons in creative computing and technology delivered by a life-sized robot named CODE-E, as well as virtual- and augmented-reality experiences.
• The Shubert Organization – Students will tour a Broadway theatre and participate in panel discussions featuring leading industry professionals speaking about the wide variety of careers available in the theatre.
• Via – Students will participate in team challenges that give them the opportunity to develop creative ideas for new service launches, growth initiatives, and marketing campaigns that spread the power of on-demand public transit to communities around the world.
• Zurich Insurance – Students will participate in a case study based on Superstorm Sandy to develop an understanding of the variety of roles involved in helping customers before, during and after a natural disaster.

A full list of participating companies is available here.

New York City high schools from all five boroughs are participating in this year’s Career Discovery Week. Priority was given to schools in under-resourced communities that do not have strong existing relationships with employers. Schools have been matched with companies based on alignment between curricula and company sector; students from the Bronx Academy of Letters will visit Hearst to learn about consumer and business-to-business media; students from the Business of Sports School are visiting Peloton; students from the Theatre Arts Production Company School are participating in programming by the Shubert Organization.

“Many young New Yorkers are unaware of the wide spectrum of good jobs that are available to them if they study hard and plan ahead,” said Kathryn Wylde, President and CEO of the Partnership for New York City. “We hope Career Discovery Week will introduce students to new possibilities for their future and encourage companies to build stronger relationships with our public schools.”

“New York City employers are about to discover the untapped pipeline of talent in our high schools through Career Discovery Week,” said Schools Chancellor Richard A. Carranza. “This first-ever, week-long opportunity gives students the chance to learn from professionals across a variety of industries and gets them ready to fill the talent needs of the companies that make our city thrive. Congratulations to the students, schools and local employers participating in this innovative public-private partnership and thank you to our industry, labor, philanthropy and community partners from across the city for making this possible.”

“As employers, we are excited to partner with the Department of Education to help build a strong local pipeline of well prepared and highly motivated future job candidates, who are aware of the myriad opportunities available to them,” said William E. Ford, CEO of General Atlantic and Co-Chair of the Partnership.

“Career Discovery Week is a great example of how educators and businesses can work together,” said Steven Swartz, President and CEO of Hearst and Co-Chair of the Partnership. “We are all looking forward to offering students an inside look at our organizations and we hope that they will be inspired by the opportunities that exist for them in our city.”

“Connecting our students to the city’s current job market is an invaluable experience. It helps our students understand the professional opportunities available after graduation, and to see themselves in those jobs and careers. We thank the Partnership for New York City for linking our students to an impressive range of businesses and industries. We hope to help make “Career Discovery Week” an annual event in New York City,” said Michael Mulgrew, president of the United Federation of Teachers.

“At CIT, we’re committed to serving the communities where we do business and call home,” said CIT Chairwoman and Chief Executive Officer Ellen R. Alemany. “Our volunteer employees, who have a diverse range of backgrounds and roles, are excited about the opportunity to provide insights on the careers at our company and their own professional journeys.”

“As a global company with a vision of unlocking the potential of each learner, we’re excited to participate in Career Discovery Week to help students develop crucial 21st Century skills and prepare for the careers of tomorrow,” said Simon Allen, CEO of McGraw-Hill.

“Working with local businesses to create opportunities for young adults to explore so many pathways during Career Discovery Week is a win-win,” said Doug Cotter, president of Grant Associates. “Not only is it perspective-changing—and in some cases life-changing—for the students, it gives businesses throughout New York City an opportunity to connect with their next generation of employees.”

“Career Discovery Week is a milestone opportunity for the diverse organizations represented by the Partnership to educate and immerse future leaders in the variety of career paths. As architects and designers, we are dedicated to introducing the next generation to the successes they can find pursuing career opportunities in the design field; to open their eyes to possibilities or spark a passion,” said Todd DeGarmo, CEO and Principal of STUDIOS architecture.

“A&E Real Estate is very proud to be working with the NYC Department of Education and the Partnership for NYC to host these ambitious high-schoolers at the historic Riverton Square complex in Harlem,” said A&E Real Estate founder and CEO Douglas Eisenberg, “Participating in Career Discovery Week means making sure our city’s young people get in-person, accessible and practical insight into the many possible careers that exist, including under the umbrella of real estate.”

“Training our future workforce, improving educational outcomes and building a diverse talent pipeline are among the most important ways businesses can create lasting social and economic impact,” said Joe Ucuzoglu, CEO, Deloitte US. “Deloitte is proud to support Career Discovery Week to help future generations realize their full potential.”

“Barclays is proud to participate in the first-ever Career Discovery Week with the Partnership for New York City and the NYC Department of Education,” said Deborah Goldfarb, Managing Director, Citizenship, Barclays. Our colleagues are thrilled to share their experiences and insights with students as they explore career opportunities in the financial services sector.”

“During their visit to New Lab, students will have the opportunity to see firsthand the exciting innovations emerging from our member companies,” said Shaina Horowitz, Vice President of Product and Programs at New Lab. “By engaging NYC’s best and brightest young minds, we hope to inspire the next generation of leaders and innovators.”

“The New York City Department of Education and the Partnership for New York City are leading the way and opening doors for the next generation of workers,” said Karen Ignagni, President and CEO of EmblemHealth. “We are proud to partner with them and provide opportunities to talented young people from the communities we serve.”

“As every company’s future becomes increasingly powered by software, it’s important for young people to get meaningful exposure to the tech industry. MongoDB is proud to help drive New York’s transformation into a leading technology hub and we’re thrilled to participate in Career Discovery Week to meet the next generation of New York’s tech workforce,” said Dev Ittycheria, President & CEO, MongoDB.

“We know that preparing the workforce for a digital future starts while they are students,” said Kathryn Kaminsky, PwC’s New York Market Managing Partner. “We are thrilled to help introduce our city’s students to the technologies that will transform the way we live and work as part of PFNY’s Career Discovery Week.”

“Cantor Fitzgerald is excited give students the opportunity to think about their career paths and futures. It is the responsibility of all business leaders to give back to the next generation,” said Howard W. Lutnick, Chairman and CEO of Cantor Fitzgerald.

“Participating in the inaugural Career Discovery Week is an opportunity to show students the professional opportunities they have in their own backyard,” said Fran McGorry, Co-owner and CEO, Liberty Coca-Cola Beverages. “We make it a priority to invest in our local communities and provide creative educational experiences that can spark ideas for creating pathways to rewarding careers.”

“We look forward to participating in Career Discovery Week to support the learning journey of NYC students and inspire the next generation of leaders in our community,” said Gil Mermelstein, Senior Managing Director of West Monroe Partners.

“JPMorgan Chase is proud to open its doors and give our future generation a glimpse into what life at the firm is like. Our day with the students also involves financial education classes, designed to set up our young people for success. We want to help them make healthy choices when it comes to money management and career setting goals,” said Ed O’Donnell, Executive Director, Chase Business Banking, member of the Brooklyn Market Leadership Team.

“Partnership for New York City’s Career Discovery Week offers a multitude of opportunities to both the city’s employers and students,” said M&T Bank Regional President Blair Ridder. “As a community bank, we intend to illustrate how students can give back to and support their communities through their careers.”

“As the financial services industry moves forward rapidly with innovations in technology and evolving business models, we are proud to be part of this program as it helps students prepare for a wide array of exciting opportunities,” said Christiana Riley, CEO, Deutsche Bank, Americas.

“At WilmerHale we strongly believe we have a responsibility to help strengthen the communities in which we practice and live. We are proud to support the first Career Discovery Week and look forward to hosting New York City’s next generation of ambitious and talented 10th grade students,” said Anjan Sahni, Partner-in-Charge, WilmerHale New York Office.

“We’re thrilled to support this great new initiative that will encourage and inspire students in New York City to explore career opportunities in the real estate facilities industry,” said Scott Salmirs, President and Chief Executive Officer of ABM Industries. “We take tremendous pride in our amazing team members and in our commitment to building the future talent pool for our industry.”

“Zurich North America is excited to host local students at our New York offices during Career Discovery Week,” said Zurich North America CEO Kathleen Savio. “The insurance industry offers many opportunities to build a meaningful career.”

“Participating in the City’s first Career Discovery Week reflects our strong commitment to giving back to the communities in which we work and live,” said Mike Schmidtberger, Chair of Sidley Austin LLP’s Executive Committee. “Through their own personal stories, our staff and lawyer volunteers will offer a first-hand look at the variety of career paths available at a law firm to these future members of our workforce – everything from IT, marketing, HR, facilities and accounting to the practice of law itself.”

“We help make the world more resilient and to do that, we rely on the skill of professionals that come from an array of backgrounds and areas of expertise. Programs like Career Discovery Week are instrumental in helping us reach the next generation of talent and get them excited about a career in insurance,” said Philip K. Ryan, Chairman, Swiss Re America Holding Corp.

“We are pleased to participate in Career Discovery Week and share insight into the variety of opportunities available within the real estate industry with students,” said Owen Thomas, CEO of Boston Properties.

“As the world’s knowledge marketplace, we believe everyone deserves the chance to bring their unique insights into the workforce,” said GLG CEO Paul Todd. “That’s why we’re proud to participate in Career Discovery Week to inspire and motivate young New Yorkers at the start of their career.”

“Participating in the launch of Career Discovery Week is a great way to share the many opportunities that New York offers with the next generation of job seekers,” said Michael S. Zetlin, Senior Partner at construction law firm Zetlin & De Chiara LLP.

Career Discovery Week builds on a 2018 research report developed by the Partnership and Oliver Wyman, which identified key ways business can work together to address some of the drivers of structural inequality and expand access to opportunity for all. Helping to close the opportunity gap for minority and low-income students was identified as a key area for collaboration.