Since it opened in 2008, Detroit Cristo Rey High School has provided each of its students with valuable work experience and a quality Catholic education. The school has established positive reputations with partners like General Motors, DTE Energy, and Beaumont Health Systems, and has attracted many more. This year, DCR is celebrating the addition of ten new work partners, including Continental Automotive Systems, the Detroit Public Library, and Delta Airlines.
“I feel great that we’ve added some new industries and that our Corporate Work Study Program is growing,” said Fred Lumpkin, director of Detroit Cristo Rey’s Corporate Work Study Program. “Ten new companies have joined the Cristo Rey family this year. We’ve had existing companies like General Motors and Detroit Edison grow their existing student teams. We’re seeing more and more companies in Detroit hiring our students.”
The income generated through the work partnerships helps pay for student tuition and operational costs of the school. The additional partnerships are not only a financial benefit for the school, but are also an excellent way for students to experience diverse work environments.
“It’s a really good transition to have different jobs,” said Landon Borrego, a senior working at Motor City Industrial. “I feel that it enhances us by giving us more skill-sets. Having four different jobs all four years of my high school career, I can say that it’s a very great experience to have.”
Students aren’t the only ones who gain from these work partnerships.
“It has been a pleasure working with the Cristo Rey students,” said Gerald Dacin, a supervisor from Continental Automotive Systems. “They have been very helpful and picked up tasks and processes very quickly.”
According to Lumpkin, the effort students expend is what makes the work study program a success.
“Our students are doing really great work,” he said, “so I am excited about the future of the Corporate Work Study Program.”
