Woburn, MA (1/8/02) - Charrette Corporation's ProGraphics division has teamed up with The Metropolitan Regional Career & Technical Center (the Met School) of Providence to take part in a mutually beneficial work and learning arrangement through the school's Learning Through Internship (LTI) program. Carlos David, a senior at the school and sophomore William Gonzales, are assisting at Charrette's Providence production location while learning in their field of interest in a "real world", professional environment. The Met School's philosophy is based on personalized teaching and educating "one student at a time". LTI programs are an important element in this learning process for each student and are a springboard for further, academic work. Host companies, such as Charrette, benefit from the extra help while also playing an important role in these young people's education. Rich Bernhardt, digital services manager at Charrette's Providence facility, serves as the student's "mentor", directing their daily activities, advising and answering questions. Regional manager Charlie Francis of Charrette states "Carlos and William have been a great addition to our work team. It gives us satisfaction to know we are providing a positive, learning experience for these kids during a crucial period in their education. It's a win-win arrangement!" The two students work from 9 am to 3 pm at the Eddy St. shop twice a week in addition to their other activities at the Met School. Currently, they are assisting with production on an important new company project that requires attention to detail, organization and self-motivation to successfully pursue. Joe Battaglia, student advisor at the Met School, states "I'm delighted with the internship experience Charrette is providing. The students are performing real work and are therefore very gratified by what they are doing. Charrette has also provided a supportive, team atmosphere for the students that enriches the whole experience." Charlie Francis adds, "It's so important for a company to realize it is a member of a larger community. Of course, sales and profits are always the bottom-line, but being a good business is more than that." Charrette, founded in 1964, is dedicated to providing products and reprographic services to the design marketplace. It employs over 900 staff in 17 states. Charrette's ProGraphics division is a technology-based, reprographics management and services group that serves business and design professionals. It provides value-added reprographic services and web-based tools to the professional marketplace through its web site and over 200 On-Site Services (OSS) programs and twenty-one service centers in the United States.