This study was conducted to determine if there is a difference in learning between a required career preparation course without a client-based project (Class A) and one with a client-based project (Class B). Members of each course took a pre and post survey where they answered 59 items from Caballero et al.'s (2011) Workplace Readiness Scale…

Work-based learning (WBL) is a form of education that combines classroom learning with practical work experience. This approach is becoming increasingly popular as it helps students develop a range of skills employers highly value, such as communication, teamwork, problem solving, and leadership. This professional practice dissertation (PPD)…

Students come to college with expectations that their experiences will help them secure a career after graduation (Eagan et al., 2016; Stolzenberg et al., 2020). Institutions offer work-integrated learning (WIL) experiences, which directly connect students' coursework to future careers (Cooper et al., 2010). Extant literature provides an abundance…

This paper aims to understand the marketing workplace soft skills gap and address the possibility of closing that gap through the implementation of a student-run marketing agency at institutions of higher learning. A 2016 report from Payscale.com suggests that employers feel like new graduates lack the ability to think critically, to work in…

Within Career and Technical Education (CTE), some students have the opportunity to participate in Work Based Learning (WBL) as a third-level course to achieve CTE completer status. Participation in WBL has proposed benefits beyond students learning technical skills to the more substantial development of employability skills. Although employers…

The underlining purpose of all career and technical education (CTE) strives to prepare students for the world of work. Schools throughout the country offer CTE programs, yet manufacturing, healthcare, and STEM industries struggle to fill entry-level employment vacancies. This exploratory narrative qualitative study aimed to explore the stories of…

The purpose of this single descriptive case study was to describe how an externship program in the central United States impacts K-8 teachers' investment in and integration of work-based learning (WBL) practices in the classroom. The need to investigate how best to encourage teachers to buy into WBL is driven by misalignment among teacher…

The purpose of this case study was to describe the processes used by a high school vocational program to provide vocational training and preparation for postsecondary employment to students with disabilities. This research addresses the deficient circulation of qualitative research regarding vocational training practices used by functioning…

Globalization, technology, labor market demands and economic growth have created the need for a skilled workforce. Community colleges serve as a pivotal player in the fight to meet workforce development needs through their offerings of Career Technical Education (CTE) courses. So doing, community colleges play a key role as a developer of human…

A well-built manufacturing industry is essential to a nation's economic affluence and improved economic conditions. The problem addressed in this study involves inadequate training preparedness programs which lead to several unfilled jobs in the manufacturing industry. By providing appropriate educational programs and industry-specific training,…