Work-Based Learning Program

Our Workplace Learning Program is a holistic training approach to high school students that provide an employer-driven technical curriculum and extensive work-readiness training, including interpersonal and business skills and financial literacy.

Each student must choose one or two career pathways from the seven job sector areas that ASA offers.

• Culinary Arts and Hospitality: The Culinary Arts Certificate Program provides hands-on training in Food Preparation. Participants earn State and Nationally recognized certificates in Food Safety and Food Production. The Food & Beverage Certificate Program provides participants with an overview of the cultural and ethnic bakery foods, cooked items, tourism and hospitality industry and an introduction to basic catering skills. Students are introduced to the various components of the Food Service Industry, including fundamental cooking terminology, techniques and theories. Workforce opportunities include operating own business, food delivering at various locations in the community.

• Food & Beverage Certificate Program: The Food & Beverage Certificate Program provides participants with an overview of the various organizations/agencies that make up the Tourism and Hospitality Industry. Participants focus on "front of the house" operations, the role and importance of proper wait service and an introduction to basic catering skills.  Participants who successfully complete this program earn MRAEF Customer Service Certification and MRAEF Servsafe Alcohol Certification. Credits earned during the Career Pathways- Hospitality Program can be applied to a Tourism and Hospitality A.A.S. Participants carter food for individuals in their community including various cultural and ethnic events.

• Manufacturing: Participants who choose to pursue CareerPath in this field receives one –on-one rigorous college prep courses (English, math, skills for college success). ASA staff provide on-going academic advising, therapeutic services, tutoring, mentoring and access to open-lab. Students are referred to Credit-bearing Industry Recognized Credentials (8-12 month program) leading to an Associate Degree in the field of Green Advanced Manufacturing or other areas. The students are mentored and monitored regularly for progress report, completion of program and job placement.

• Business-The Entrepreneurship Program: prepares individuals to develop a small business and/or manage an existing small business. This program targets students and adults interested in opening their own business- barber shop, hair salon, hair braiding, jewelry arts and crafts, basket-making, shoe designs, necklaces, and cultural and ethnic fashion designs and cultural and ethnic bakery shops. Participants have varieties of choices -- operate own business, but must produce items for distributions to needed areas, or finding employment,  enrolling in college for educational advancement.

• Health Care: Participants will choose between several CareerPATH programs in  Healthcare: Nursing, Psychology, Community Health Worker, Direct Care Counselor, EMT- Emergency Medical Technology, or Medical Office Assistant, and Professional Person Care for Elderly, and or  CTSS- Behavioral Aides (Children’s Therapeutic Support Services Behavioral Aides). This full-time training program, offered Monday-Friday from 9am-5pm for 3 months prepares participants to work in the health career dealing with individuals with Developmental Disabilities, Mental Health Issues, Deaf and Hard of Hearing, PCA for Elderly. Students trained and certified have the option to move to the rural communities in Minnesota to help people especially, elderly people living in the rural communities.