ince 1992, Johnson & Johnson’s Bridge to Employment (BTE) program has provided educational experiences and career preparation to more than 5,000 young people at 80-plus locations in 19 countries. Now that we’ve launched our newest BTE site in Las Piedras, Puerto Rico, it’s a good time to reflect on what each site has in common and what makes each site unique as a vital link in one of Johnson & Johnson’s signature initiatives.
Local and Global
Each site around the world is tailored to its location, customizing its offering to best serve the needs of the local community. For instance, BTE – Cork, Ireland—the first such program that Johnson & Johnson launched outside of the United States—specifically focused on creating pathways for students to enroll and succeed in Cork Institute of Technology (CIT) and the University of Cork College (UCC).
BTE – Mumbai, which was the first program of its kind in India, began by targeting at-risk students and helping them with professional development opportunities to support a career in healthcare. At BTE – Cape Town, South Africa, Johnson & Johnson partnered with the National Business Initiative (NBI), three separate institutions of higher education, various community partners as well as government agencies to launch a program that provided tutoring in math and science, career coaching and training opportunities.
Shared Common Goals
Each site is unique, but all BTE locations share important features in common. For starters, prior to launch, every BTE location must develop a coalition of four partners: a local operating company, a secondary school, an institution of higher education and a community-based organization. Together, these partners work to develop and execute programming for 35 to 50 students, all of whom are in their last three years of secondary school.
The goal is to provide participants with real-world professional experiences, increase their academic horizons and expose them to a variety of career paths. In practice, this could mean on-site visits to our facilities and shadowing our team members. It could mean visiting institutions of higher education. Or it could mean training and workshops to improve skills like public speaking.
Our Commitment to Doing Good
With the launch of the new BTE site in Las Piedras, Puerto Rico, we’re demonstrating our ongoing commitment to helping those whose lives have been impacted by natural disasters. For instance, we recently launched an initiative in Haiti, which gave babies a safer place to sleep in the aftermath of Hurricane Matthew.
And this isn’t our first foray into Puerto Rico, either. In 2003, we launched BTE – Caguas, Puerto Rico, an outgrowth of our School-to-Career initiative targeting at-risk youth with Notre Dame High School. The School-to-Career Learning Center engaged more than 100 young people. Three years later, teachers at the center reported that 100% of students graduated from high school and were accepted into universities.
Expect other sites to join the BTE family this year, including East London, South Africa and Mexico City. Finally, we’re also working on an initiative to connect BTE alumni so they can network and share stories and opportunities. It’s just another example of Johnson & Johnson’s commitment to making a long-term difference.
If you’re looking for a fulfilling career that makes a real difference, Johnson & Johnson has many positions available at locations around the globe. Apply today. We can’t wait to meet you!