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Local High School Students to Experience Careers at AT&T Through Job Shadow Program

Posted on: Tuesday, 10 November 2009, 11:00 CST

SAN DIEGO, Nov. 10 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- With an average state dropout rate of 20% -- even higher in some communities -- AT&T* and Junior Achievement of San Diego & Imperial Counties are partnering to hold five job shadow events in the San Diego area, giving students the opportunity to experience firsthand what it's like to work in corporate America. Designed to inspire kids to stay in school, the first event kicks off today and will be attended by approximately 30 students from El Cajon Valley High School.

The AT&T/JA Worldwide Job Shadow Initiative is part of AT&T Aspire, AT&T's multi-million dollar, multi-year education initiative launched in 2008 to help strengthen student success and workforce readiness. In this second year of the program, nearly 200 students from the San Diego area will shadow AT&T employees during their regular work days in roles including Construction & Engineering, Project Management, Sales, Network Operations, IT, and Maintenance/Repairs. The remaining job shadow events are scheduled through early December:

• 11/12 -- Rancho Bernardo High School (San Diego)
• 11/17 -- San Pasqual High School (Escondido)
• 11/18 -- Point Loma High School (San Diego)
• 12/3 -- Mission Bay High School (San Diego)
  

"AT&T is working to make a real impact on student success here in the San Diego area, and across the nation," said Mark Leslie, AT&T Vice President, External Affairs - San Diego. "We believe that job shadowing is a great way to inspire kids to stay in school, and we're looking forward to meeting with local teens to discuss how they can make a difference in their lives and in their communities by advancing their education."

"Junior Achievement of San Diego's partnership with AT&T is significant in making sure young people understand the relevance of their education and how that applies directly to the workplace," said Joanne Pastula, President & CEO of Junior Achievement of San Diego and Imperial Counties. "The AT&T job shadows are a valuable experience in San Diego to ensure students future success."

Recent findings from a report evaluating students who participated in the first year of the AT&T / JA Worldwide Job Shadow Initiative show the program is making an impact and changing attitudes about staying in school:

• All students felt that it is important to graduate from high school, and ninety-nine percent felt confident in their ability to do so months after participating in the program.
• Eighty-nine percent of students felt that participating in Job Shadow made them realize the importance of staying in school.
• Ninety-four percent indicated that they had improved their ability to set goals as a result of Job Shadow and 90 percent reported that they utilized this skill months after the program.
• Ninety-four percent agreed that their ability to identify occupations that interest them had improved as a result of Job Shadow and ninety-two percent had researched careers that interest them months after the program.
  

Many students dropping out of high school today are leaving despite the fact that they have passing grades. They simply don't see the relevance of their school work to their future life success.

That's why the $5.5 million Job Shadow initiative is a key pillar of the AT&T Aspire program, one of the largest-ever corporate commitments to high school retention and workforce readiness. It provides a chance for students to explore potential future careers and connect classroom learning to real life opportunities.

AT&T's Job Shadow initiative will reach 100,000 high school students nationwide over 5 years, and its participation is coordinated by the AT&T Pioneers, AT&T's volunteer network. During the 2008-2009 school year, over 13,000 students in over 100 cities participated in the initiative.

*AT&T products and services are provided or offered by subsidiaries and affiliates of AT&T Inc. under the AT&T brand and not by AT&T Inc.

About AT&T

AT&T Inc. (NYSE: T) is a premier communications holding company. Its subsidiaries and affiliates, AT&T operating companies, are the providers of AT&T services in the United States and around the world. Among their offerings are the world's most advanced IP-based business communications services, the nation's fastest 3G network and the best wireless coverage worldwide, and the nation's leading high speed Internet access and voice services. In domestic markets, AT&T is known for the directory publishing and advertising sales leadership of its Yellow Pages and YELLOWPAGES.COM organizations, and the AT&T brand is licensed to innovators in such fields as communications equipment. As part of their three-screen integration strategy, AT&T operating companies are expanding their TV entertainment offerings. In 2009, AT&T again ranked No. 1 in the telecommunications industry on FORTUNE® magazine's list of the World's Most Admired Companies. Additional information about AT&T Inc. and the products and services provided by AT&T subsidiaries and affiliates is available at http://www.att.com.

About Philanthropy at AT&T

For 25 years, AT&T and the AT&T Foundation have been committed to advancing education, strengthening communities and improving lives. Through its philanthropic initiatives and partnerships, AT&T supports projects that create learning opportunities; promote academic and economic achievement; and address community needs. As the AT&T Foundation celebrates its 25th anniversary in 2009, more than $160 million was contributed through corporate-, employee- and AT&T Foundation-giving programs in 2008 alone.

© 2009 AT&T Intellectual Property. All rights reserved. AT&T, the AT&T logo and all other marks contained herein are trademarks of AT&T Intellectual Property and/or AT&T affiliated companies.

About Junior Achievement of San Diego & Imperial Counties

Junior Achievement of San Diego and Imperial Counties prepares students for economic achievement and success through its local in-school and hands-on programs. Junior Achievement of San Diego and Imperial Counties reaches more than 40,000 students in grades K-12 annually. For more information on programs in San Diego and Imperial Counties, visit www.jasandiego.org.

SOURCE AT&T Inc.

Source: PR Newswire

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