This overview provides an introduction to the principles of Quality Work-Based Learning and lays the foundation for developing any Work-Based Learning experience. The WBL Quality Standards and the WBL Essential Elements presented in this toolkit serve as an easy reference of things to pay attention to when creating high-quality, learning-rich experiences across the full continuum of Work-Based Learning activities.

These experiences can have powerful impacts on students as they build their knowledge of potential careers, explore areas of interest and develop, practice and demonstrate new skills. They can also help provide relevance and help refocus attention and effort on academic and occupational learning in the classroom.

Work-Based Learning is an authentic learning experience that allows students to explore their career goals, abilities, and interests while applying their academic and technical knowledge and skills in a real-world context. These experiences are planned and supervised by instructional staff in collaboration with business, industry, or community partners.

Students learn by observing and/or actually doing real work. Learning in the workplace or from industry professionals, in person, supports academic learning and promotes the development of broad transferable skills.

Quality Work-Based Learning includes related virtual activities for most WBL activity types. Virtual Work-Based Learning Activities are defined as those that promote “live” student contact with adult professionals and front-line workers through the use of technology.  Other Virtual Activities are defined as those that are generally simulations or classroom activities and provide employer exposures through recordings, online research and related activities. Hybrid activities are defined as those that combine both virtual components

When offering virtual options to students, it is important to pay attention to technology access and equity in the distribution of opportunities in addition to ensuring the necessary permissions, protections and guidance are in place to promote student safety.

High-quality Work-Based Learning provides opportunities for the acquisition of academic, technical and workplace professional skills among students engaged in career-related programs or course of study in New York City Public Schools. Regardless of industry, employers consistently underscore the fact that new workers must have experience and mastery in all three skill areas, with a growing priority on the development of core employability skills. To support students in developing these skills, authentic workplace experiences are important when combined with academic study, classroom training and other college and career-readiness activities. Mock Interviews, Career Days, Workplace Tours, Guest Speakers, Informational Interviews, Job Shadowing, Work Experience, Career Mentoring, Workplace Challenges, Work Experience, Internships and Apprenticeships provide real-world context and the opportunity to learn about the workplace and prepare for the future. Providing authentic workplace experiences and bringing employers into the classroom as part of the career development process can create powerful learning experiences and deepen the educational experience for students.

Work-Based Learning activities engage the employer as both a customer and a partner, providing developmental experiences for students in the workplace while helping build the future workforce. These experiences augment school-based classroom activities and offer the opportunity to learn about potential careers and to practice and demonstrate professional and defined work-readiness skills.

This toolkit has been developed to address the need to provide a range of high-quality opportunities to students in New York City, and to help schools, workforce intermediaries and their employer and community partners deliver educationally rich and authentic Work-Based Learning experiences to students.

NEW YORK CITY PUBLIC SCHOOLS supports Work-Based Learning (WBL) as a key activity that allows students to build a bridge from adolescent roles in the classroom to adult roles in professional settings. WBL activities include exposure to a range of occupations and career options, and classroom or community activities that incorporate employers as speakers, advisors, instructors or career mentors. Students learn by observing and/or actually doing real work. Learning in the workplace or from industry professionals supports academic learning and promotes the development of broad transferable skills.

Through Work-Based Learning activities, students build awareness of potential careers in a particular industry and can explore options and start preparing for their future. Work-Based Learning provides opportunities for hands-on learning and the development of relationships with professional adult role models. Participating students acquire experience and build core employability and occupational skills while learning about the training or education required to succeed in specific careers. They are better able to understand real-world applications of academics and occupational training, and can answer the question, “Why do I need to learn this?”

By integrating a range of workplace exposures and experiences with school-based activities and guidance over time, students will often set their sights higher than an immediate job and are likely to remain committed to their education though completion of their personal and career-related goals.

Participation in Work-Based Learning offers an effective and appropriate vehicle for employers to help build and retain their future workforce. Employers report increasing mismatch between the skills required for entry into their industry and those of the emerging workforce. By opening their place of business to students and providing high-value Work-Based Learning opportunities, employers can benefit from productive student work or gain a new perspective on an issue or a problem. Employers can observe potential future employees in a “long-term interview” context and participate in shaping their future workforce. Students also provide access to a customer resource and point of view.

An employer’s existing workforce benefits from more productive and engaged employees and from the opportunity to offer leadership and supervisory skills development to its current workers. Participation provides an opportunity for companies to support local schools and help develop a highly skilled and productive future workforce. It builds awareness in the community of the employer’s role in the local economy and offers a public relations benefit.

Work-Based Learning extends the classroom to the workplace and brings employer volunteers into the school and classroom. It helps build awareness of industry-identified skills to incorporate in the classroom curriculum among educators and validates curriculum instructional models.  It provides touchstones in authentic workplaces to help make classroom learning relevant and helps schools and programs build relationships with the community. WBL also provides opportunities for networking and relationship-building to promote future collaboration with employer partners.

Work-Based Learning activities connect the community to schools and local economic development efforts, promote civic engagement and help address community priorities and issues. Students complete community projects and are visible as productive and contributing community members of society. WBL also helps grow a more productive and committed workforce, and demonstrates a commitment from schools and employers to provide opportunities for local citizens.

Quality Work-Based Learning is:

• Designed to promote enhanced learning, skill development and workplace awareness
• Structured to be effective, safe, legal and measurable
• Supported by appropriate planning, tailored training and efficient processes
• Connected to classroom learning, individual career development plans and sequenced education, training and workplace activities

Quality Work-Based Learning is Designed to promote enhanced learning, skill development and workplace awareness.

Work-Based Learning supports and enhances classroom instruction by providing a context for learning. It provides unique opportunities to practice and demonstrate new skills, and assists in the development of workplace awareness. It helps build the skills required for specific occupations by exposing students to the multiple career options available at a workplace. Work-Based Learning engages students in their own learning and provides multiple opportunities for reflection on the experience, both verbally and in writing.

Quality Work-Based Learning is structured to be effective, safe, legal, and measurable.

Work-Based Learning provides authentic and relevant learning and doing experiences that are safe, legal and in compliance with state, federal and local regulations. Learning objectives are met through ongoing assessment and continuous improvement activities. Systems are in place to support teachers and program staff in designing and implementing quality WBL experiences and to make it easy for employer and community partners to participate.

Quality Work-Based Learning is supported by appropriate planning, tailored training and efficient processes.

Work-Based Learning has defined services and procedures to manage expectations and foster communication among all partners. Students are served through individualized work-based learning plans defined for each experience and are sufficiently prepared and supported throughout the experience. Part of this preparation is providing appropriate safety and health training for young workers and helping them understand their rights and responsibilities as employees. Employers and community partners receive support and appropriate training to enable their participation, and school staff are trained in how to design and deliver high-quality experiences.

Quality Work-Based Learning is connected to classroom learning, individual career development plans and sequenced education, training and workplace activities.

Work-Based Learning supports a community-wide vision and collective expectations for both academic and occupational learning. Experiences are designed to directly support academic and occupational learning, build core employability skills and provide a planned sequence of experiences that links academic concepts to real-world application. Students are guided and supported by an individualized career development plan, where Work-Based Learning activities are sequenced and connected to the student’s next step.

Adapted from “Creating Quality Work-Based Learning”, New Ways to Work – 2002, 2010, 2016.