Cristo Rey hosts 'Draft Day,' matching students with businesses for yearly work study program
MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) — Milwaukee's Cristo Rey Jesuit High School hosted their annual Draft Day tradition Friday, Aug. 21, in the school's gym.
The celebration is a kick-off for this school year's Corporate Work Study Program, where all Cristo Rey students are paired with real companies in the area to work one day a week throughout the school year.
"They do everything from working in hospitals, working in banks, working in all kinds of businesses, with the goal of them learning about different pathways and opportunities they have available to them after high school," explained Everette Fernandes, the vice president of the program.
Draft Day is a high-energy, fun way for the kids to find out where they're headed next, with employers and staff treating it like a sports team draft.
Cristo Rey alumni also attend Draft Day to share how their Corporate Work Study experience helped them land jobs after school.
"I was given an opportunity to be part of so many meaningful projects around the city," said Bryan Ramirez, a 2020 graduate. Ramirez worked with Mortenson Construction while at Cristo Rey, as they built Fiserv Forum. Now, he's a project engineer for Mortenson, helping build the new Milwaukee Public Museum.
"I was able to build connections through the program that help me up to this day," he said.
The students are polled ahead of each year to gauge their interests, so they can be matched up with certain companies.
More than 90 area businesses participate in the program.