Educators at the Watson Institute’s Friendship Academy actively and creatively prepare students for life beyond the classroom. Students can begin signing up for In-House Vocational Experiences (IHVE) as early as 8th grade, giving them a chance to explore real workplace roles within our school setting.
In-school positions span a wide range of interests and cover all areas throughout the school building, ensuring there are opportunities for students to explore a variety of career options. Some of the IHVE jobs include:
- Equipment Manager in the gymnasium
- Family and Consumer Science Culinary Assistant
- Student Mentor for an Elementary Classroom
- Music or Art Room Assistants
- Junior Librarian
- Cricut Craft Worker
- Media Designer
- Morning Announcement Maker & Breakfast Cart Aide
- School Photographer
This variety ensures that each student can discover their strengths, grow their independence, and experience success in a supportive environment with staff on hand to offer guidance as needed.
Learning Hands-On Job Skills in Familiar Environments
Through In-House Vocational Experiences, students apply and interview for a position, then work once per week for 45 minutes, earning “market money” that can be used in the school store. Students gain hands-on experience and build responsibility while learning vital job readiness skills, including financial literacy, how to follow instructions, and job-specific skills.
Educators at Friendship volunteer to supervise the students in these job roles, overseeing them during their IHVE shift, providing constructive feedback, and completing an evaluation of the student’s performance at the conclusion of their time in that role.
Receiving guidance and feedback from educators with whom the students have already built a rapport can give students the confidence to perform the tasks assigned to them with more assurance.
Rebecca Martis, the Transition Coordinator at Friendship Academy, asked several student workers and their supervisors to share their experience participating in the IHVE:
- Jeremy, a 10th-grade student at Friendship Academy, did not originally apply to work in the school’s snack shop, but has grown to love his job and now thrives in his role! He even shared with his staff supervisor that he enjoys working in retail and has hopes of owning his own business someday, possibly a sporting goods store. Jeremy is happy to gain customer service experience working in the snack shop at school.
- Nizai, a 9th-grader, has been a snack shop worker since the 2024-2025 school year and has become a leader amongst his peers. Not only has Nizai taken on greater responsibility in the snack shop, but he’s also the first student to be asked to substitute in the shop when a worker is needed, and he’s grown very independent during his work shifts, completing tasks without needing to be asked or reminded by his supervisor.
Jeremy and Nizai are just two of many students participating in In-House Vocational Experiences in the 2025-2026 school year, learning to navigate in-school jobs with greater independence and building vocational skills that will benefit them throughout their lives and as they transition into adulthood.
In-House Vocational Experiences serve as a starting point for 8th through 10th-grade students, building the foundational skills necessary for entry-level part-time jobs. When students transition into 11th grade and beyond, they can participate in Community-Based Vocational Experiences (CBVE), which take place outside of the school in local area businesses with whom the Watson Institute partners to provide real-world work opportunities.
Students take the vocational and interpersonal skills they learned throughout their time working in-house and can implement those in a community-based setting, with continued support from Friendship Academy educational staff. These opportunities help students explore career interests and prepare them to take steps to establish employment connections in their local community.
Through CBVE, a former student of Rebecca’s worked at Eat ‘n Park, learning a number of valuable vocational and interpersonal skills while on the job. The student was subsequently offered a job to work at Eat ‘n Park at the conclusion of their Community-Based Vocational Experience and is still employed there!
Are you interested in learning more about how you can integrate in-school jobs into your classroom and daily routine? Check out our resources to help you get started!