Community-driven WBL to address workforce shortages
School districts can be a hub for community-driven, work-based learning. They represent the potential growth and economic success of a community. But districts sometimes struggle to bridge the gap between students and the companies within their communities.The objective of a community, or a school district, is not a diploma or degree. It is about what those credentials represent: jobs and careers. Communities throughout the country want their people and those jobs to stay local. Un.fortunately, 43% of people in the United States move away from home to attend college (Ethier, 2021).
To correct course and encourage more people to invest in their local communities, career and technical education (CTE) programs can act to help students understand the options and careers that exist around them. Currently, many students only experience the careers of their parents or what is directly in front of them, yet there are many different pathways to follow. Farms, breweries, wineries and other niche sectors found in rural communities have a lot to offer.
Market these opportunities to students:
- Accounting
- Finance
- Supply chain and logistics management
- Marketing
- Operations
- Hospitality and tourism, and more
Work-based learning increases interest in postsecondary CTE.
K–12 school districts should incorporate local work-based learning (WBL) initiatives into their curricula to fit the needs of their communities. In a study published by the Educational Policy Institute, almost half of participants said that high school work-based learning activities furthered their interest in higher education (Swail & Kampits, 2004). WBL presents an effective solution to workforce shortages. But the caveat is, teachers need support from administrators and district leaders to bring WBL experiences into the classroom.
Given teachers’ already heavy workloads, asking them to build relationships and coordinate with partners may be too much. So, districts should seek out contacts from local businesses who are willing to invest time in offering student experiences. Success also requires establishing a reliable feedback loop. How are the WBL experiences helping students as well as the companies? CTE leaders can then use this feedback to adjust and improve upon high-quality programming.
SchooLinks bridges the gap.
Technology offers a scalable method to sustain work-based learning. Districts need a way to capture K–12-specific opportunities and experiences offered by local industries. They need to be able to manage partnerships, track requirements, communicate, and ultimately bring WBL into the classroom. SchooLinks bridges the gap between school districts, local companies and national industries. Designed specifical.ly for K–12 school districts, SchooLinks makes it easy to identify companies, designate contacts and communicate with partners. These tools enable districts to focus on the relationships and partnerships rather than the manual, administrative tasks. SchooLinks comes with a national database of partners to help districts get started. Every contact within the network is K–12-specific.
Once in SchooLinks, districts can easily bring local and national business into their schools. They can segment companies by industry in order to invite them to events — virtual or in person — or have companies opt in via the Industry Portal. Every company can publicize itself to students via Company Profiles. All profiles are customized for a K–12 environment and can include information requested by the district: values, culture, scholarships, internship opportunities and more.
Conclusion
Students also need a safe place to find opportunities: internships, job shadowing and employment. SchooLinks will allow students to find those on their own based on their interests and experiences. This makes it more efficient for students than searching the internet or being connected to opportunities through their immediate family. Districts can also match students to opportunities they know are right for them based on data and personal experience.
By inviting everyone — students, families, districts and companies — to join a single platform, SchooLinks offers an efficient and reliable form of communication and feedback. Companies can send comments to students, which are visible to the district, ensuring proper feedback. Likewise, companies and districts can sign off on experience hours and ensure that students are gaining valuable experience as desired.
Districts cannot operate in siloes. They are the bedrock for the future growth of communities. To train the workforce of tomorrow, they need to build solid relationships with local industries. And that can only come from developing high-quality WBL experiences that benefit everyone.
