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)…

Despite substantial interest in Career and Technical Education (CTE) courses in U.S. high schools--and associated scholarship on this topic--very little is known about characteristics of CTE teachers who are a critical resource for program implementation and expansion. Using eight years of statewide data from Maryland, we document key facts about…

Some students learn better if they can apply skills and knowledge to their lives. Youth apprenticeships are a way for students to work and gain skills in a chosen career field and earn money while still in high school. Youth apprenticeships are on a continuum of work-based learning that includes job shadowing and internships. Apprenticeships…

This essay analyses the implementation of a work-based learning policy in upper secondary schools in Italy. The policy aims to improve student orientation and enhance their soft skills. Based on two ethnographic research studies in Italy, this essay utilises Pierre Bourdieu's theoretical framework, particularly the 'field' concept, to examine how…

Linked Learning is a school reform model for K-12 education, primarily high school, designed to make school engaging through real-world, hands-on learning that integrates college and career preparation. Linked Learning is an equity-focused approach with a focus on the achievement of underrepresented groups such as African Americans, Latinos,…

Teacher apprenticeship programs are a new and exciting structure that help strengthen and diversify the educator workforce by offering an alternative approach to teacher licensure. Often providing financial assistance, mentorship, and classroom experience, these programs help pave the way for high-quality candidates, benefitting schools, students,…

Work-based learning experiences (WBLEs) are an important part of vocational programming for students with extensive support needs (ESN); however, the development and implementation of these experiences can present challenges for special education teachers. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the challenges that special education…

Career and technical education (CTE) is revolutionizing the United States education system. These modern programs are being created across the country, and there is a need to ensure they are designed in a way that leads to students successfully graduating high school. The problem was a lower rate of students graduating from secondary education in…

The purpose of this study was to gather the perspectives of community partners regarding the work experiences for youth with disabilities to provide an understanding of (a) the community's role and (b) how connections in rural communities were formed. This study provided a deeper understanding of the processes that influence the phenomenon of…

Work-based learning programs in the United States are designed to prepare adolescents for their first jobs and to develop the soft skills to be successful in in the classroom or the workplace. Historically these programs have neglected how work, education, and training in the local context are connected to issues on national and international…

Colorado is a state primed for blurring the lines between secondary, postsecondary, and workforce policies and programs to serve Colorado's young people better. The state has a growing economy, political leadership committed to advancing innovative, affordable education pathways, and a commitment from state agencies and state-based advocates that…

Ascend Indiana is a nonprofit intermediary organization that connects Hoosiers to in-demand careers and regional employers to skilled talent, fostering cross-sector partnerships, building capacity, and developing insights that enable system-level change to transform the career trajectory of youth and adults in the community. As part of their…

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 purpose of this study was to describe the extent to which students with intellectual disability participate in work-based learning experiences and determine whether student characteristics (e.g., gender, race/ethnicity, grade level, and support needs) relate to student participation in these activities. An online questionnaire was emailed to…

There is currently a heavy emphasis on career-connected learning for high school students in New York City. ExpandED Schools' science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) Options (ES Options) program predates the newest of these initiatives. Launched in 2019, ES Options combines a credit-bearing STEM apprenticeship in the spring with a…