Schools seek to strengthen work-based learning opportunities
Categories: US Education News
Interest in middle and high school work-based learning programs is growing at the state and local levels, allowing students more opportunities to earn workplace skills and gain exposure to careers before high school graduation, say educators and advocates.Incentivizing the participation of students and employers in work-based learning programs, such as internships and apprenticeships, is one of the most common approaches to this growing movement. Other activities include setting policies and practices around opportunities, sharing evidence-based practices, securing funding and managing logistics, experts say. A summary of 13 academic papers on summer youth employment programs in four major cities shows these programs have positive impacts on student employment and earnings, academic outcomes, social-emotional skills, reduced involvement in the criminal justice system and more, according to a report released this month by the Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.According to an ASA survey from 2020, 79% of high school students stated they were interested in an internship either during the school year or during the summer, but only 3% actually had internship experience. The survey had 840 student respondents. One reason for low participation is lack of awareness about potential work-based learning opportunities. In the ASA survey, only one-third of students said they had heard about potential workplace learning programs.The guide builds on a 2021 report from ASA and Bellwether Education Partners that analyzes states’ work-based learning supports for school districts and communities. That analysis found very few states had explicit policies aimed to support “high-need” secondary students and remove barriers to equitable access and success in work-based learning opportunities. Taking what they learned from the analysis, ASA created the new guide to promote effective state programs. Some of the states highlighted in the guide are Delaware, Massachusetts, Rhode Island and South Carolina.“Early exposure to career development education awareness, exploration, and immersion activities increases a student’s ability to make sound college and career decisions that can impact the trajectory of their lives,” Akashian said.