Career Coaching Fellowship
A program to connect and grow educators as they help students prepare for life after graduation.
The Career Coaching Fellowship connects school counselors and educators from across our region with employers, peers, and practical tools to strengthen career advising in their schools. Hosted by the South Bend Regional Chamber, the Fellowship focuses on helping school teams build career coaching systems to benefit students.
Who’s Invited?
The Career Coaching Fellowship is designed for school counselors and educators who:
- Support students with career and postsecondary planning
- Are navigating new diploma and career coaching expectations
- Want clearer connections to local employers and pathways
- Are collaborative and interested in learning from and sharing with other educators
Schools at all stages of career coaching readiness are welcome.
How the Fellowship Works
Time Commitment: Monthly in-person program sessions (approximately six hours each) throughout the school year.
Session Structure: Sessions combine experiential learning, collaborative work with peers, and Chamber-led training. Behind-the-scenes, real-world experiences with regional employer, military and post-secondary partners are included to broaden understanding and advising capacity.
Collaborative Network: Work alongside Fellows from other schools and districts to share ideas, strategies, and insights
Implementation Support: Fellows leave with practical tools and processes to strengthen career coaching in their schools.
Incentives: A stipend is provided for session attendance and program completion. Additional opportunities may include performance-based stipends and mini-grants to support school implementation.
What Might You Implement?
Fellowship graduates have put real career coaching systems in place, including:
- Career assessments and activities to help students identify interests and career pathways
- 1:1 career coaching sessions to meet state expectations and provide consistent, personalized guidance
- Expanded menu of exposure opportunities, from enhanced classroom displays, lessons and projects to hands-on workshops, field trips and clubs
- Updated four-year plan templates and advising processes for clearer, more effective student planning aligned to new diploma and readiness seals
The Fellowship is designed to support schools at different stages- intention, foundation, school-wide implementation, and district-wide alignment- so every school can make meaningful progress.