Abigail Alabre is a case manager for the After-School All-Stars New Jersey at Newark Vocational High School.

When Newark Vocational High School opened in 2019, its mission was to give local students direct pathways to good careers. At the ribbon-cutting for the high school’s renovated, state-of-the-art facility, the principal called the new school a “lighthouse” whose beacon would alert students, parents, and the community of the great things happening there.

Newark needs a school like this to light the way for its youth. Only about half of the graduates of the city’s public high schools go straight to college, according to a 2018 study — and only about a quarter of those students earn a college degree or certificate within six years. In New Jersey alone, there are more than 100,000 opportunity youth — young people between ages 16 and 24 who are neither working nor in school. We can, and should, do better.

Already, Newark Vocational is showing promise. In June, its first class of four-year graduates will receive their diplomas, career certificates, and strong job opportunities in culinary arts, hospitality and tourism, graphic design, and other fields. These graduates are proof that this school is fulfilling its mission to prepare students to achieve career and college readiness — that is, allowing them to explore paths that lead directly from high school to a good career or to college.

Multiple factors have contributed to the success of this inaugural graduating class — from caring adults who created a safe and inclusive learning environment to state-of-the-art technology from Transfr that enabled them to envision and launch their careers.

In my role with After-School All-Stars New Jersey, I work with students from many different backgrounds. Nearly all of my students are Black and Latino from historically underserved neighborhoods. They are far too familiar with systemic barriers not present in other neighborhoods — things like racism, poverty, and limited access to resources — that have held them back. 

But my students are also bright and resilient. Their hometown, though unfairly stigmatized as impoverished and dangerous, is rich in culture and history. My students are curious about their community and the world, and they’re eager to do better for themselves and their families. 

With funding from Workforce Pathways for Youth, a U.S. Department of Labor grant, and support from After-School All-Stars New Jersey, students at Newark Vocational are encouraged to explore careers that align with their interests and strengths and receive multiple support services that put them on a path toward future success. 

They get help practicing for interviews and building their resumes. They are connected to mentorships and internships at local businesses that can let them gain experience in a field that interests them. For students who decide they want to go to college, the program helps them and their families fill out the complicated FAFSA. 

These traditional supports are teaching students how to navigate the labor market and prepare for job searches. But the program offers a high-tech tool that has given these students an edge by expanding their sense of what’s possible: virtual reality.

The virtual reality platform gives them a glimpse into numerous different careers and allows them to gain some hands-on experience in each one. The firefighting module is popular, largely because it’s exciting for a generation that grew up playing video games. A lot of my male students constantly repeat the automotive module, but I’m always pushing them to explore other virtual possibilities. Hospitality students use a module to prepare for internships at nearby hotels. 

For all the students we serve, the VR modules broaden their horizons by exposing them to multiple opportunities and matching their personal interests to potential careers. Because the modules allow students to experience virtually any job ahead of time without pressure or judgment, students gain comfort and confidence that carries over to when they do show up for work. And when students aren’t able to secure internships because of time or distance, the modules provide some virtual hands-on experience they would not otherwise receive.

Perhaps most importantly, the VR technology encourages communication and active listening skills and gives students positive reinforcement. Students often follow up on the modules by talking with me or other adults about how to find and apply for jobs in a particular field and what kind of skills and knowledge they need to enter that field. The VR experience prompts students to discuss with one another and their teachers their hopes and goals for their lives after high school. By providing students a path toward what could be and the support to get there, these virtual experiences can show students how to steer around the barriers that might previously have held them back. 

A beacon from a lighthouse usually serves as a warning to ships to steer clear of a rocky coastline. But this bright light also can illuminate a path forward, one that might not have been visible otherwise. 

Newark Vocational, thanks to caring adults who have provided intentional opportunities with an assist from technology, is lighting the way for a new generation of Newark’s youth. Now that these young people have clearly visible paths in front of them, there’s no telling what they will accomplish.