Employer Checklist

The Pipeline Partners program is a collaborative effort among three key partners:

• Employer/scholarship donor. Employer partners join the partnership for a longer-term way to stop getting crunched between decreasing pool of talent and increasing economic demand for workforce. These employers are experiencing the widespread turnover of today’s economic boom and they are looking for a longer-term solution.
• High school(s). High School partners join the partnership to provide guidance and a clear, connected career path along with a great financial package for their students.
• Paul Smith’s College. Paul Smith’s College coordinates the partnership which serves its mission to educate students and provide each student with a highly experiential education that provides a seamless transition to their career.

Key Considerations:

• Scholarship program amounts & employer requirements
• Timeline from the launch event through enrollment & beyond
• On-site visits that bring prospective students to the campus and your workplace
• PSC Center for Career & Academic Success for post-enrollment support

Tips For High School Selection

Choose the optimal partner high school(s) based on your criteria. There are a few key considerations in selecting a high school who will be a great partner for your program’s success. It’s important to weigh which of these matters the most to you:

• Proximity to your company.  Proximity considerations: when working as interns for your company, the students will need a place to live. Recruiting from a high school near you relieves the burden on you and the student to find housing. It may also win family support at the prospect of the student coming back home for their career. Your company is likely to command more name recognition in the market where you are physically located. That should help attract more candidates from which to choose.
• Field of study. Not every profession has high schools teaching in that field, but it is becoming more common. We may already be partnering with high school programs in your field (culinary, restaurant, forestry, science.) If not, we can research and look for them. Having students who have already started their training in high school can be a great foundation for a great workforce.
• Dedication & commitment by the high school. It is a tremendous asset to have a high school partner that appreciates what this opportunity means for their students and guides students through the application & interview process. A great high school partner will recommend candidates who are well-suited to your needs and who have the greatest likelihood of success.

We are currently partnering with a small number of public and private high schools in New York City and around New York state. For more information, please contact Judy McCoy.

Tips For Candidate Selection 

The candidates for scholarships are graduating high school seniors who meet the admissions criteria; who apply for financial support and who are interested in pursuing a career in the field.

We encourage the high school to select & recommend candidates to us based on the their knowledge of the students. We typically invite several students to apply and offer scholarships to as many as possible.

We find that the selection process works best & fastest when the employer hosts a small dinner or other event at which they can meet all the candidates in a relaxed setting. After private review, the selection is made and the selected candidates are notified that they have won a scholarship.

Pipeline Scholar Candidates are required to have made application and financial aid application (FAFSA form) prior to the dinner/interview event.

Confirm scholarship amounts, all requirements; then execute letters of agreement and prepare scholarship offer letters.

This includes scheduling & hosting a recruiting dinner; campus visit, and workplace visit.

Select scholars and issue offer letters. Note: students are required to apply & make deposit by May 1.

Students selected to the program receive a formal Welcome Letter from our Center for Academic & Career Success. Once students arrive on campus, this team will help them draft a Success Plan to share with you for review. This includes the proposed work/study schedule for the coming year or years.

The Center for Academic & Career Success will serve as the academic liaison between the pipeline partner, the student and the program faculty. They will help the student work to develop the necessary skills to be an effective employee upon graduation. After graduation the pipeline partner will make the final selection and hiring decision.