Work-Based Learning
What?
Work-based learning at the HIGH SCHOOL level stresses career preparation and application. Career preparation activities integrate academic and technical skills learned in the classroom with work-based skills. Many students select a career cluster and/or area of emphasis. Application is public education's last stage of student transition from school to work. Students will prepare for further training and/or a career. Activities may include:
- Computer aided career exploration (E-choices) or Virtual Job Shadow
- Career seminars
- Internships
- Apprenticeships
- Cooperative work experience
- Project-based/problem based learning
- Community service learning
- Job shadowing
- Entrepreneurial projects
Why?
Work-based learning helps answer the questions often posed by students: "Why do I have to learn this?" or "When will I ever use this?" Students perform better academically when they see relevance and application of what they are learning. Some of the benefits of work-based learning activities are:
- Exploration of career options
- Better decisions and plans
- Application of classroom learning
- Improvement of scholastic student motivation
- Exposure to state-of-the-art practices and technology
How?
Listed below are several ways to incorporate work-based learning into high school curriculum:
- Career Fairs - speakers that support career awareness and exploration focused on a specific career cluster.
- Service Learning - a strategy in which students learn and develop skills through active participation in thoughtfully organized service experiences. These experiences are coordinated between the school and community.
- Field Studies - a great awareness and exploratory strategy used with students. Field studies support student identification of skills necessary on a particular work site.
- Guest Speakers - provide well planned reinforcement of activities and core concepts currently being taught.
- Job Shadows - students make a brief visit to a workplace during which time students observe and ask questions of individual workers.
- Internship Course - activities in which students engage in learning through practical work-site experience.
- Apprenticeship Assignment - formal system of training supervised by the Bureau of Apprenticeship and Training. These work-based learning experiences combine training and work-site experience in a program similar to a college education.
Lori Lingwall is your Work-Based Learning Coordinator and will gladly help you implement any of these activities! You can contact her at 256-5833 or 256-5134 or e-mail her at llingwall@jatc-wj.org.
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