Work-Based Learning

There is an emerging consensus among students, parents, communities, educators, business leaders and elected officials that academic proficiency alone is no longer enough to prepare students for success in the 21st century economy. In response, the Board of Higher Education (BHE) and the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE) voted to adopt a common definition of “college and career readiness.” These efforts will support a more seamless transition for students beginning in elementary through the secondary level and on to post-secondary education, with educators at each stage sharing an aligned vision of what the end goals are for all students.

These end goals are organized around students acquiring knowledge, skills and experiences in three domains: Learning (academic), Workforce Readiness, and Qualities and Strategies (personal/social), with the ultimate goal in each domain being competency attainment. With respect to the workforce readiness domain, it is no longer enough to merely expose students to career information. They also need to explore career options, and then experience them through some form of work-based learning. They need an opportunity to process and reflect on these experiences with adult feedback and support. Accountability for students’ competency attainment must become an expectation of influential adults responsible for organizing and delivering career development activities whether in traditional school settings or in the community.