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Wisconsin Guide to Implementing
Career-Based Learning Experiences
2
This publication is available from:
Division of Academic Excellence
Career and Technical Education Team
dpi.wi.gov/cte
January 2022
Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction
Jill K. Underly, PhD, State Superintendent
The Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction does not
discriminate on the basis of sex, race, color, religion, creed,
age, national origin, ancestry, pregnancy, marital status or
parental status, sexual orientation, or ability and provides
equal access to the Boy Scouts of America and other
designated youth groups.
Contents
Acknowledgements...................................................... 3
Foreword ................................................................ 3
Opening Letter........................................................... 4
Purpose .................................................................. 4
Background ............................................................. 5
Bringing It All Together:
Connecting CBLEs to Career Readiness Programs ...................... 7
Work-Based Learning Program Accountability .........................8
Building a Quality Local Work-Based Learning Program ...............11
Legal Considerations ...................................................16
Equity and Access.......................................................21
Types of Career-Based Learning Experiences ..........................23
References..............................................................42
Appendices .............................................................42
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Acknowledgements
The Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction (DPI) would like
to recognize and thank the individuals and organizations that have
contributed to the development of the Wisconsin Guide to Implementing
Career-Based Learning Experiences.
Specic content contributors include:
• James Chiolino, Deputy Division Administrator and Director, Labor
Standards Bureau, Equal Rights Division, Wisconsin Department of
Workforce Development (DWD)
• Matthew White, Director, Bureau of Investigations, DWD
• Heather Curnutt, Attorney, Ofce of Legal Services, DPI
Special thanks to Amanda Langrehr, Career Exploration and Planning
Director, and Jessica Sloan, Director of Instructional Services, both from
CESA 4, for their research, focus group outreach, and writing. Also, the
guide would not have been possible without the funding provided by the
J.P. Morgan Chase New Skills for Youth 2017-2019 grant.
Foreword
Welcome to the Wisconsin Guide to Implementing Career-Based Learning
Experiences. This guide describes the wide variety of career-based
learning experiences, including work-based learning experiences, that
Wisconsin school districts may offer as part of their Academic and
Career Planning (ACP) programming.
The Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction’s understands the
need for schools to help students explore where life will take them
after graduation, and the challenges that accompany that process.
ACP programming makes it possible for Wisconsin students learn about themselves and
potential careers while also integrating into academic classroom instruction.
Career-based learning experiences (CBLEs) are uniquely positioned to bring a student’s
career exploration into focus and to give students a deeper understanding of the world of
work. A CBLE might act as a bridge between academic instruction and career programming
by inviting a career speaker to talk about construction, job shadowing with a local doctor,
or pursuing an internship at an area computer business. Whatever form it takes, embedding
CBLEs into a district’s ACP programming provides students with experiences they need to
make informed decisions about their future career.
CBLEs offer benets beyond career planning, such as improving student motivation and
attendance. Career and technical education can increase graduation rates by an average
of 10 percent, and it is especially important for students who nd it difcult to engage
successfully in school. CBLEs offer students the opportunity to put all the pieces of their
education together, and to see the purpose that all this preparation offers them for post-
secondary endeavors. In addition, not all students have adult mentors to help explore
careers. CBLEs offer a school-supervised, safe way for students to interact with adult
mentors at a crucial time in their lives.
As educators, we must be intentional about identifying and addressing the barriers
preventing our students from fully participating in experiential learning. Addressing these
barriers will help ensure that all students have fullling work lives and that Wisconsin’s
businesses and community organizations have the talent needed to drive our economy and
support our communities.
I encourage K-12 teachers and leaders to use this guide to implement or enhance career-
based learning experiences in their schools and districts.
Jill K. Underly, PhD
State Superintendent
Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction
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Purpose
The purpose of this guide is to describe the most common career-based
learning experiences (CBLEs) available to students and teachers in
Wisconsin schools. CBLEs, such as classroom speakers, company tours,
and job shadows, familiarize students with the nature of jobs and help
them determine the general direction they want to take their learning and
possibly their careers.
In addition, this guide will assist educators and employers differentiate
between CBLEs and work-based learning opportunities (WBLs). A
subset of CBLEs, WBLs include experiences such as internships, Youth
Apprenticeships, and cooperative education programs. High-quality WBLs
allow students to experience work environments, learn new skills, build
a career identity, and better chart a path to and through postsecondary
education and training that aligns to their career goals.
The hands-on nature of most WBLs also helps young people develop
employability skills. These include forming positive relationships with
adults, developing social capital, and building networks within their career
pathway. Employability skills are assets that benet students beyond high
school, regardless of the career pathway they choose.
Finally, this guide provides school districts with the detailed criteria needed
to ensure the WBLs they offer fulll the reporting requirements of the
federal Perkins V legislation.
“[Work-based
learning] is a
vital part of
our students’
education
journey. This is
an opportunity
to nd out if they
like or do not like
things in their
career path.”
—Cheryl Kothe
Retired from
Kenosha Unied
School District
$
$
Amy Pechacek
Secretary-designee
Wisconsin Department of
Workforce Development (DWD)
Melissa Hughes
Secretary and Chief Executive Ofcer
Wisconsin Economic Development
Corporation (WEDC)
Opening Letter
Wisconsin has long been recognized nationally for the education of our youth for
future success. Preparation for academic, college, career, and life readiness is part of
the vision of “every child a graduate, college and career ready” with the knowledge,
skills, and habits to succeed after graduation. The Academic and Career Planning (ACP)
process, implemented statewide in 2017, further reinforces the importance of a school-
and community-supported delivery system. ACP assures that students connect their
classroom learning to information, experiences, and opportunities, assisting them and
their families in making decisions about next steps after graduation.
As part of ACP, a major component of college and career awareness, exploration, and
planning includes access to career-based and work-based learning experiences for
students while still in school. The guide provides educators, students, families, and
community members with information necessary to navigate the often confusing mix of
available programs and offers links to specic programs or recommended resources.
Working in partnership with the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction (DPI),
the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development (DWD) and the Wisconsin
Economic Development Corporation (WEDC) recognize the importance to Wisconsin’s
future of connecting and supporting youth talent development through these
experiences.
The school community, which works directly with families, Wisconsin businesses, and
community members, is a critical part of a student’s life and directly impacts their
success and growth as students mature and transition into their next steps. Our state
agencies continue to collaborate and cooperate through these efforts to provide
students the chance to realize their goals.
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Background
Through the Academic and Career Planning (ACP) process, students
participate in a variety of career-based learning experiences (CBLEs) that
involve direct employer engagement. The engagement between employers
and students may be short, as with classroom speakers, or may be in-depth,
as with Youth Apprenticeship, but all CBLEs include participation from an
employer or industry partner and are generally school-supervised.
Wisconsin Career-Based Learning Experience Continuum
KNOW CBLEsEXPLORE CBLEs PLAN & GO CBLEs
Classroom speakers
Company tour
Career fair
Career-related
project
Part-me or
summer job
Job shadow
CTSO or
career-related
out-of-school acvity
Career-related
volunter or service
learning
Informaonal interview
Career mentoring
School-based enterprise (SBE)
Student entrepreneurial
experiences (SEE)
Simulated worksite
Internship or local co-op
State-cerfied co-op program
Supervised Agricultural
Experiences (SAE)
State-cerfied Yo uth
Apprenceship
ACP ACTIVITIES
Lessons, acvies, and
soware tools that guide
K-12 students through the
ACP process.
They can take place in the
classroom, out of school, or
virtually, but do not involve
employer engagement.
CAREER-BASED LEARNING
EXPERIENCES
An ACP acvity that involves
a business or employer
partner.
ACP PROCESS
ACP COMPONENTS
KNOW
Who am I? Get to know your interests, skills, and
strengths.
EXPLORE
Where do I want to go? Explore careers and
educaonal opportunies.
PLAN
How do I get there? Set your career, educaon, and
financial goals. Choose courses and acvies to
further develop the academic and technical skills
you will need.
GO
What support do I need to succeed? Idenfy
resources and supports that will help you achieve
your plan. Develop success skills.
It is important that districts offer a continuum of CBLEs as students
progress through the stages of the ACP process. We recognize that the
CBLE continuum may not include every possible type of CBLE. Further,
CBLEs may look slightly different in each school district to best meet
the needs of local students and employers. Regardless, we encourage all
Wisconsin educators to embrace these CBLE terms in order to build a
common language among educators and employers.
Career-based learning experiences (CBLEs) – These include the universe
of business-connected experiences and opportunities that allow K-12
students to participate in career awareness, career exploration, or career
development.
Work-based learning experiences (WBLs) – WBLs are a subset of CBLEs
that meet the quality and rigor requirements for career and technical
education (CTE) as dened in the federal Strengthening Career and
Technical Education for the 21st Century Act (Perkins V).
Table 1. Career-Based Learning Experience Types*
EXPERIENCE TYPE
1. Classroom speaker CBLE
2. Company tour CBLE
3. Career fair CBLE
4. Career-related project CBLE
5. Part-time or summer job CBLE
6. Job Shadow CBLE
7. Career-related volunteer or service learning CBLE
8. Career and technical student organization (CTSO) or Career-
related out-of-school activity
CBLE
9. Informational interview CBLE
10. Career mentoring CBLE
11. Simulated worksite CBLE or
WBL
12. School-based enterprises (SBE) CBLE or
WBL
13. Student entrepreneurial experience (SEE) CBLE or
WBL
14. Supervised agricultural experience (SAE) CBLE or
WBL
15. Internship or local co-op CBLE or
WBL
16. State-certied employability skills co-op WBL
17. State-certied occupational program co-op WBL
18. State-certied youth apprenticeship WBL
*Table 1 lists the category most often assigned to a specic experience.
Note that some CBLEs may be counted as WBLs, depending on how closely an
experience ts within the parameters of the Perkins V denition.
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For the purposes of state reporting, DPI follows the federal Strengthening
Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century Act (Perkins V)
legislation denition of work-based learning. Therefore, for a school district
to report a CBLE as a WBL, the CBLE must meet the following criteria:
1. Involves sustained interactions, either paid or unpaid, with industry
or community professionals.
Sustained: This means a minimum of 90 hours that can be rotated
among employers or positions. The employer is engaged throughout
the experience, which can take place in one semester, an entire year,
the summer, or even a six-week period. Note: There are exceptions
in which the 90 hours could be spread over multiple years for some
special populations, such as for vocational training in postsecondary
transition planning (PTP) for students with disabilities.
Interactions: This means more than just observing; WBL is
performance-based.
2. Takes place in real workplace settings as practicable or simulated
environments at an educational institution.
3. Fosters in-depth, rsthand engagement with the tasks required in a
given career.
4. Aligns with a course (minimum one semester). Providing credit for
both the work-based learning experience and the course is highly
encouraged.
5. A training agreement between the student, employer/business,
and school denes the roles and responsibilities of the student, the
employer, and the school. (See Appendix 1.)
6. There are regular, periodic oversight and interactions with employers
or community members from the industry related to the assigned
work.
Two accountability standards—the Perkins V performance measure and
School and District Report Cards—rely on districts to accurately report
WBLs that meet all six criteria.
Because experiential learning is delivered primarily outside the local
school district, it is important for the local school to work closely with the
community organization or work-based mentor to establish policies and
procedures. Students, schools, parents, community-based organizations,
and employers are required to follow all state and federal child labor
regulations (if applicable) pertaining to WBL programs.
A student is released from
school to go to a job for one
period a day as part of the
school district allowance for
the at-risk credit recovery
program. The student
independently nds the job, which has no connection to
classes taken at school or supervision by school staff. The
student receives no class credit for leaving and working, and
works hours set by the employer.
To turn it into a CBLE
• Assist the student in nding a job that connects to the student’s
ACP plan.
• The focus of the work experience can be on developing skills relat-
ed to a potential career area of interest or learning about careers
that may be of interest.
To turn it into a WBL:
• School partners with the employer to mentor the student.
• School supervises the experience and ensures the employer-
mentor provides a mechanism for skill attainment and reection
according to the DPI State-Certied Employability Skills program.
• School, employer, and student ensure a minimum of 90 hours of
paid work occurs as required by the Employability Skills program.
• Release period is classied as a course with high school credit.
Note: All six WBL criteria still need to be met.
CBLE vs WBL?
7
Bringing It All Together:
Connecting CBLEs to Career
Readiness Programs
Now that we understand what a CBLE is, let’s look at how CBLEs relate to
the larger components of an integrated career readiness program.
Academic and Career Planning (ACP)
In Wisconsin, the ACP process bridges academic classroom learning
with the steps needed to identify a potential career choice. Through
ACP, students set goals to dene their interests, skills, preferences, and
aspirations. As they learn more about themselves, students are better able
to recognize career possibilities and educational pathways that match
their interests. In addition, ACP enables students to explore their career
preferences and learn if a career is compatible and worth pursuing. In fact,
exploring careers through CBLEs is a critical component of ACP. These
experiences connect academic coursework to career opportunities in
school, at a workplace, or in partnership with business mentors.
Learn more more about Academic and Career Planning on the DPI website.
CBLEs provide students with a rsthand look at:
• what careers are like,
• how school-based learning is relevant,
• what skills are needed, and
• how they can use their skills in a real-world setting.
Most importantly, students can evaluate how interested they are in a given
career and adjust their plans accordingly.
Career Pathways
For many students, the ACP process leads naturally to a career pathway.
In K-12 education, a career pathway is a series of connected career and
technical courses and training opportunities that ow seamlessly into a
post-high school education for a specic career area. A career pathway
includes:
• A sequence of career and technical education courses
• An industry-recognized credential
• Work-based learning experiences
• Opportunities to earn college credit at the high-school level
• Related career and technical student organization activities
For districts that offer a career pathway for high school students, it is
critical that they also offer CBLEs related to the pathway starting in middle
school, if not earlier. Because CBLEs are highly engaging, they are the
best way to get students excited and interested in careers, and are most
effective at creating a pipeline into a high school career pathway program.
In addition, for students participating in a career pathway program, CBLEs,
particularly WBLs, are a key way to develop skills for the pathway. Students
who participate in CBLEs in earlier grades are more likely to have successful
experiences in WBL placements later on.
8
Academic Courses
Further, connecting the classroom to careers is an effective way to engage
students and reinforce educational relevance. CBLEs, such as a guest
speaker, a career-related project, or a virtual job shadow, can help students
see how their learning can be applied in a variety of careers, often igniting
an interest and passion for learning that would not exist otherwise. It helps
answer the eternal student question, “Why do we need to know this?”
Because of this, every student is encouraged to participate in at least one
CBLE every year as a part of the ACP process.
Xello
In many regions of the state, students can access CBLE opportunities
through Xello, the state-supported ACP software tool. Often referred to as
“Inspire,” companies create proles in Xello that can include CBLE or WBL
“opportunities” they offer. Educators and students can request to engage
with companies in their desired CBLE or WBL directly through their Xello
account. To learn more, go to Xello.
Out-of-School-Time Programs
Although many CBLEs take place during the school day, out-of-school-time
programs should play an important role in providing CBLEs and WBLs for
students. We encourage school districts to partner and collaborate with
out-of-school-time programs, such as community learning centers, pre-
college programs, libraries, youth workforce development programs, and
other youth-serving organizations. These programs can support CBLEs and
WBLs, and enhance your ACP program.
Social and Emotional Learning
As previously mentioned, CBLEs help students develop stronger
employability skills. And many employability skills, such as communication,
collaboration, and critical thinking, are based on social and emotional
competencies. Thus, CBLEs are an ideal way for students to practice and
develop these skills. Learn more about this connection in “Wisconsin’s
Guide to Social and Emotional Learning and Workforce Readiness: A
Powerful Combination.”
Work-Based Learning
Program Accountability
Student participation in WBL programs is a metric that is used for state
and federal accountability. For state accountability, it is an indicator of
postsecondary preparation. For federal accountability, WBL serves as
the additional quality indicator chosen by Wisconsin as outlined in the
Wisconsin Perkins V State Plan. Specically for federal reporting purposes,
the denition is as follows:
5S3: Work-based Learning Participation
Denition: The percentage of CTE concentrators* graduating from high
school having participated in work-based learning.
*A CTE concentrator is a secondary student who has completed (passed) at least
two CTE courses in a single career pathway throughout high school.
As a result, the program quality indicator relies heavily on WBL data
collected under the larger Career Education data collection in Wisconsin’s
Information System for Education, otherwise known as WISEdata. WBL
data collected under Career Education is used to satisfy both Perkins V data
reporting requirements and college and career readiness accountability.
Under Career Education, WBL may be reported as either a certied or non-
certied career education program.
Districts should determine and map their WBL experiences with a certied
or non-certied career education program based on the career education
program name denitions. Once identied, districts should report the
appropriate program names and students associated with the programs in
their individual student information system (SIS). To help districts determine
if and how they should be reporting WBL using certied or non-certied
career education program names, please refer to the owchart on the next
page.
9
DPI has established a set of recommended School Courses for the Exchange
of Data (SCED) course codes for WBL experiences. Districts submitting WBL
data at a course level are strongly encouraged to use these codes for their
WBL courses to ensure accurate and consistent data at the state level for
WBL accountability reporting.
The suggested state or SCED codes are based on the National Center for
Education Statistics (NCES) SCED rigor level definitions as follows:
Rigor Level Use for the Following Experience:
General/regular
• Local internships and co-ops
• State-certied Employability Skills
Co-op
• CBLEs (SAEs, SBEs, SEEs,
volunteering, simulated worksites,
entrepreneurial businesses) that
qualify as WBLs under the quality
criteria outlined in the Denitions
section
Advanced
•
Youth Apprenticeship, Year 1
• State Co-Op, Year 1
Honors • Youth Apprenticeship, Year 2
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Students participate in a classroom to learn how to
build sheds for the community. The CTE-licensed
teacher provides training, management of daily tasks,
and assessments of learning as part of the high school
elective course. (CTE Course)
To turn it into a CBLE:
A CTE course can become more connected to industry as a CBLE by incorporating regular
interactions and training with industry construction professionals, including classroom
speakers, worksite visits, mentoring, and certication training.
To turn it into a WBL:
School-Based Enterprise (SBE):
• The teacher ips the class around and acts as a facilitator “CEO,” setting up the class
with regular employer mentorship and interaction to run the shed-building as a business.
• The students lead in various business-dened roles for shed-building, such as order-
taking, building, quality control, and marketing.
• Students are mentored and trained by employers as part of running the business.
• Monies from the sale of the sheds go to the school for maintaining and operating the
business according to quality SBE program principles.
Entrepreneurial Business:
• A student or group of students starts their own business to build sheds with an employ-
er-mentor.
• There is a progressive outline of tasks and a training agreement between the employer
mentor, school, and student(s).
• The school ensures that the student business follows quality principles of business op-
eration and provides credit for the experience.
• Monies from the sale of the sheds are part of the
business model.
When WBL is incorporated into a classroom, time spent learning must be separated from
time spent working (even if it is work simulation). A student must log at least 90 hours of
working to count as a WBL experience. Some courses, especially year-long courses, may
include 90 hours of work directly into the class period and still have adequate time for
learning. In shorter courses, students may need to work some hours outside of class to
meet the 90-hour minimum. Thus, some students may participate in the full WBL experi-
ence while others will qualify for a CBLE. These conditions may determine whether you
report WBL as a course or as a student characteristic (see page 8).
Note: All six WBL criteria still need to be met.
In addition, please note the following for WBL SCED coding parameters
when structuring data accountability settings:
• Use the recommended WBL SCED codes only for the student’s
workplace experience portion, not the related classroom instruction
courses.
• Select the appropriate SCED code from the designated rigor level (see
columns) and cluster/career pathway (see rows) in the Work-Based
Learning (WBL) Roster Coding Chart, which can be found under the
Training, Support, and Documentation Links section of the Career
Education Help page.
• If one of the CBLE types in Table 1 is considered a WBL experience
because it meets the quality criteria, then code it as “General/regular,”
but only if it meets the denition for a WBL experience as detailed in
the “Denitions” section.
• The recommended WBL SCED codes, with the exception of
Employability Skills, are already encoded as CTE courses.
DPI continuously makes revisions and improvements for assistance with
SCED coding and program data denitions. Please stay informed.
“Work-based
learning is sustained
interactions
with industry
or community
professionals in real
workplace settings
... that foster in-
depth, rsthand
engagement with the
tasks required in a
given career eld.”
—Strengthening Career
and Technical Education
CBLE vs WBL?
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Building a Quality Local
Work-Based Learning
Program
A national review of WBL literature reveals one common nding:
experiential learning works! Research has shown that tying classroom
curriculum to the real world through WBL helps students make the
connection between relevant learning and future careers.
In particular, work-based learning programs can provide:
...personal, educational, and career-related benets to learners as well as
to employees in the businesses who participate in these programs (Taylor
2001). Engagement in their own learning through personal involvement
in the real-life activities at the worksite, resilience developed by learning
to work independently and with others to solve problems that have
a number of viable solutions, and success in applying academic and
technical knowledge in the workplace serve to increase student self-
condence and motivate them to pursue learning (Luft 1999; Taylor
2001).
Strong partnerships with business and industry enable students to
learn about careers and the workplace and gain job-related skills.
They help students become personally aware of the standards that
employers expect and lead them to reect on the in-school learning that
complements the achievement of those standards (Brown 2003)…
Work-based programs are linked to career-themed pathways through
community college and four-year programs. Many students drop out
of high school and college programs in part because they are unable to
see any connection between what they are learning and what they may
one day be doing professionally. They ask, “Why do I have to learn this?”
By linking student learning to career pathways, work-based learning
programs can lower the dropout rate (NAF, 2011). Indeed, research has
found that students in work-based learning programs complete related
coursework at high rates and have higher attendance and graduation
rates than those not enrolled in such programs (Colley & Jamison, 1998).
(Rogers-Chapman, Felicity, and Darling-Hammond 2013)
Quality WBL programs are built around a series of activities that exceed a
stand-alone career exploration experience. Implementation of this approach
must consider the following quality components:
School-based Learning
• Career development through the district Academic & Career Planning
(ACP) process
• Identication of a career pathway
• Integration of academics and CTE
• Evaluation systems
• Secondary/postsecondary partnerships
Work-based Learning
• Employability skills development
• Work experience
• Workplace mentoring
• Technical competency
• Instruction in all aspects of an industry
Connecting Activities
• Matching students with employers/mentors
• Student mentoring programs
• Recruitment of employers
• Community and employer relations
Benets
As mentioned, there are many benets to be realized by all stakeholders
involved in WBL experiences (Iowa Department of Education 2017;
Nebraska Department of Education 2019; Tennessee Department of
Education 2017).
“There is not a
better method to
prepare students
for what is beyond
this school.”
—Harley Greisbach,
Shiocton High School
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$
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For students, participating in a WBL experience can:
• Connect classroom learning to the real world
• Offer a chance to observe professionals in action
• Help to network with potential employers
• Understand the connection between school, postsecondary
education, and career goals
• Practice professional behaviors with professional expectations
• Develop good work habits
• Develop leadership skills and a sense of responsibility
• Practice technical skills in real-world scenarios
• Solve problems cooperatively and creatively
• Access opportunities for economic and social prosperity
For schools and educators, WBL program partnerships provide
opportunities to:
• Hear information directly from industry professionals that enriches
classroom experiences
• Add career training techniques used in businesses
• Develop ongoing relationships with the business community
• Stay informed of industry trends and changes in workplace
expectations
• Promote skills that support student ACP goal attainment
• Ensure students are ready and prepared to meet the needs of the
labor market and postsecondary education
For employers and the community, mentoring in WBL programs can:
• Shape a pipeline of knowledgeable, motivated talent
• Increase brand awareness and loyalty
• Gather input on the next generation of workers
• Build strong relationships and lasting partnerships that benet
everyone
• Broaden community impact and contribution
• Support strong learning experiences for students
• Provide students with exposure to opportunities outside their
immediate environments
• Increase visibility of the industry/business
• Provide access to young workers who are eager to learn and have
interest in the profession
• Address future hiring needs in a cost-effective and timely manner
• Provide input on classroom curriculum
• Offer a chance to shape skills, expectations, and habits of youth
Implementing Quality Work-Based Learning Experiences and Programs
No matter which experiences are offered (CBLEs or WBLs), successful
quality career-based learning experiences are rooted in a system that
embraces collaboration, communication, and continuous improvement.
Crafting experiential learning is not a one-time activity, nor can it be
accomplished in educational silos. Educators must work collaboratively with
industry and community leaders to develop lasting partnerships that benet
everyone.
The following quality components should be represented in any WBL
program. However, given the numerous and competing priorities that
constrain a single school district, it is recommended that districts connect
By acting as the conduit between our education and business part-
ners, we create continuity in the quality of CBLEs [career-based
learning experiences] offered. Our school and business partners
understand that providing these quality experiences for students
adds direct application and value to what the students are learning
in school, which helps prepare the future workforce.
— Nikki Kiss, Former Executive Director, INSPIRE Sheboygan County
“
“
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with each other across counties and regions to identify an intermediary to
leverage common goals for implementing and providing quality WBLs that
involve the greatest number of students.
In order to realize benets, WBL programs must support quality
experiences that foster career exploration and skills-based learning. High-
quality WBLs provide structured learning opportunities and authentic
experiences. By interacting directly with employers and businesses in
workplace settings, students are able to adapt to current academic,
technical, and employability skills in a new setting.
More specically, a local or regional WBL program of quality features
the following (Nebraska Department of Education 2019, Tennessee
Department of Education 2017):
• Is part of an overall continuum of experiences that provides students
with meaningful career development opportunities
• Is part of the school’s instructional ACP programming, not an add-on
or extra-credit activity
• Focuses on applied learning in preparation for postsecondary
education and careers
• Includes predesigned experiences that connect to the student’s ACP
• Is broad enough to ensure exposure to multiple careers within a
career pathway
• Offers regular interaction with professionals from industry
• Is supervised by both teachers and employers
• Offers opportunities for reection and feedback
• Is aligned with postsecondary and career opportunities regionally or
statewide
• Requires documentation of learning through skill assessment,
artifacts, and/or portfolios
To implement quality experiences and programs, it is recommended
that districts and regions consider the following components to ensure
successful delivery (Nebraska Department of Education 2019, Tennessee
Department of Education 2017):
• Procedures for program and student participation, management, and
evaluation
• Student recruitment and selection processes that do not create
obstacles to equitable access by special populations
• Employer selection, recruitment, and training for youth mentorship
and legal considerations
• Employment preparation protocols for students
• Training agreements for students, school, employer, and adult family
members to sign (see Appendix 1)
• Resources for student reection, documentation, and feedback
during the course of the WBL experience
• Outlines of training and instruction that will occur on the job,
including required safety instructions (see Appendix 2)
• Support services to assist all youth in employment, but particularly
youth with disabilities or disadvantaged youth, for employability and
transportation
• Related instruction that helps students develop appropriate worksite
skills and behaviors, and reinforces aspects of learning that occur at
the worksite
• Collection and analysis of student and employer follow-up
information to make program improvements
• Informational and promotional materials, access to community
resources, and communication with the media to publicize program
events and accomplishments
• Engagement with employers in other CBLEs to promote greater
industry involvement
• Engagement with families that seeks feedback and promotes the
program
• Connections with other groups and agencies for resources:
Department of Workforce Development, the Division of Vocational
Rehabilitation, regional workforce development boards, regional
economic development organizations, county services, chambers of
commerce, and other organizations
• Encouragement of active participation of students in career and
technical student organizations at the local, state, and national
levels, as appropriate, including leadership and competitive skill
events
“Career exposure
and experiences
help students
determine the best
path ... by explor-
ing interests and
allow[ing] students
to build important
employability skills.
In turn, there is a
return on invest-
ment for employers
when they engage
our students in
WBL experiences.”
—Amie Farley,
Elmbrook School
District
$
$
14
Roles and Responsibilities
An effective WBL program involves the active participation of many
partners (Iowa Department of Education 2017; Tennessee Department of
Education 2017).
SCHOOL DISTRICTS AND ADMINISTRATORS
• Provide DPI-licensed teacher-coordinators who work with students,
their families, community organizations, and employers to implement
a quality WBL program.
• Provide assurance that the WBL program(s) offered are operated as
intended.
• Ensure that the WBL program and learning becomes part of the
student’s ACP portfolio.
• Are informed of student achievements, placements, employer
evaluations, and other activities.
• Are informed of developments in the WBL programs, including
improved attendance, dropout reduction, increased employability,
and real-world relevance for education.
• Understand program challenges and needs to ensure continuous
improvement of the WBL program.
• Use WBL and other career readiness data to build a more detailed
picture of student and school accomplishments in the district.
In addition, the WBL program selection process should not be limited to
high-ability students only. Rather, WBL is a means of serving all student
populations based on individualized career goals and abilities.
DESIGNATED TEACHER-COORDINATORS
Designated teacher-coordinators ensure that WBL experiences effectively
develop knowledge, skills, attitudes, and work habits that help students
move successfully into adulthood. Teacher-coordinators:
• Plan, develop, administer, and evaluate programs.
• Ensure district policy and programs do not inadvertently create
barriers to access and equity by all special populations.
• Coordinate safety training with the employer.
• Connect and monitor related class instruction.
• Coordinate and monitor on-the-job instruction.
• Advise employers and students.
• Handle community and public relations.
EMPLOYERS
Employers that participate in the WBL program are familiar with the
training and educational aspects of the program and work to achieve
training goals. Employers instruct students in the specic tasks needed
to complete the job as well as information about safety and the general
operation of the business. Employers and worksite supervisors:
• Participate in the development of the individual leadership learning
plan and agreement in cooperation with the student and the
supervising teacher.
• Offer a well-rounded variety of learning experiences.
• Provide training that develops skills for short-term tasks and long-
term opportunities, especially in safety considerations at the
worksite.
• Provide supervision through a workplace mentor.
• Assist students in establishing career goals.
• Advise the student on job performance, growth opportunities, and
networking.
• Reinforce the value and relevance of technical and academic skills.
• Provide for the day-to-day safety of the student within the
organizational experience.
• Maintain a physical and ethical environment that is both appropriate
and benecial.
• Adhere to all state and federal child labor laws as applicable.
• Cooperate with the teacher-coordinators to evaluate the student.
• Communicate regularly with the teacher-coordinators about what is
needed to make the worksite an effective learning environment.
SCHOOL COUNSELORS AND ADVISORS
School counselors and advisors are informed about student career and
social-emotional development as part of the district’s ACP service delivery
system. Their active involvement in the operation of the WBL program
reduces concerns they may have that enrolling students in WBL could
restrict opportunities to enroll in other courses. To demonstrate the
student benets of WBL, counselors and advisors should:
• Participate on employer and related classroom instruction visits.
• Participate in the student admission process.
“If the experience
helps a student make a
career decision toward
that career or away
from that career, both
are a winning situa-
tion in helping that
student make a strong
career match. When
these experiences are
in [high school], they
may help save a family
time and money in the
career search process
down the road.”
—Mary Wussow, Green
Bay Area Public Schools
$
$
15
• Help students determine career interests and aptitudes.
• Provide connections to the student’s ACP and goals.
STUDENTS
• Attend school on a regular basis.
• Notify the teacher-coordinator and the employer in advance when
absence is unavoidable.
• Are fully engaged in learning at school and at the worksite.
• Meet WBL program expectations and requirements such as remaining
in good academic standing.
• Discuss any problems as they arise with the teacher-coordinator.
• Communicate with the teacher-coordinator and the worksite
supervisor to ensure that a safe, effective work/learning environment
is maintained.
• Show initiative at the worksite.
• Accomplish all required training elements outlined in the training plan.
• Complete all necessary WBL documents and reports.
PARENTS AND FAMILY MEMBERS
According to Ohio’s Career Connections, “Parents and family members have
the greatest inuence on a child’s career decisions.” To reach all students,
parents must recognize the value of a WBL program to their children and
be willing to encourage participation. Additional parental support of the
program can take many forms. Encourage parents to:
• Share specic work-related incidents from a positive perspective
• Candidly discuss work challenges and perspectives
• Encourage their student’s reection about the work experience
• Stay informed about school-sponsored opportunities
• Encourage their student’s future goal-setting based on connected
school-work experiences
• Position work as a positive aspect of life
• Ensure student attendance
• Evaluate postsecondary education options
• Endorse the value of WBL experiences to other parents and
community members
• Ensure student transportation needs are met
A small work group of students in
an agriculture class is working on a
simulated problem presented by the
licensed ag teacher: Fish are dying
in a local lake. Water samples are
provided for testing and analysis.
(CTE course).
To turn it into a CBLE:
• Students are expected to go on a eld trip with a local
environmental scientist to obtain water samples and then test
the samples in the eld and in the classroom lab.
• Data is collected, analyzed, and presented to the rest of their
class and a group of citizens concerned about the lake.
To turn it into a WBL:
• Two students from the class assist an environmental company
for a minimum of 90 hours as a local internship. Project tasks,
outlined weekly by the company, support investigation of the
water quality.
• A training agreement with each student has them check in
weekly with the employer to report on tasks related to the water
quality project.
• The students and employer meet in person outside of the ag
class either in the lab, at the lake, or in the classroom during a
designated WBL period.
• Students reect on and are assessed for project progress by the
employer and teacher.
Note all six WBL criteria still need to be met.
CBLE vs WBL?
16
Legal Considerations
Educators, community members, and employers working with minors have
a responsibility to provide youth with the education and experiences that
will prepare them to be college- and career-ready. Fortunately for some,
that includes opportunities to apply work or classroom learning in other
environments. The primary concern, whether minors are learning in school
or out of school, is that students are safe. Employment of minors laws
have developed over time to ensure that youth are not exploited in work
environments and are afforded specic protections.
Guidance has been produced by a team from the Wisconsin Department of
Workforce Development (DWD) and the Wisconsin Department of Public
Instruction (DPI) to assist schools and employers who hire youth. It is the
primary responsibility of the DWD Equal Rights Division to issue permits
and enforce laws that address the employment of minors in the state.
Note that this Guide to Implementing Career-Based Learning Experiences
is meant to be used along with the Guide to Wisconsin’s Employment of
Minors Laws as an interpretive aide and is not meant to replace Wisconsin
Administrative Code Chapter DWD 270 or cover all possible scenarios or
exceptions. Furthermore, this guide does not constitute a legal document
which can be asserted as evidence in a court of law.
Compulsory Attendance
School boards and districts have broad authority and autonomy to
personalize the learning experience for students in the high school grades
to meet the needs of individual students as they progress to graduation.
Published in 2017, Fostering Innovation in Wisconsin Schools also outlines
credit and seat time exibilities to support college and career readiness.
According to Wis. Stat. § 118.33(1)(b), a school board may not grant a high
school diploma to any pupil unless, during the high school grades, the pupil
has been enrolled in a class or has participated in an activity approved by
the school board during each class period of each school day, or the pupil
has been enrolled in an alternative education program, as dened in Wis.
Stat. § 115.28(7)(e). Nothing in this paragraph prohibits a school board from
establishing a program that allows a pupil enrolled in the high school grades
who has demonstrated a high level of maturity and personal responsibility
to leave the school premises for up to one class period each day if the pupil
does not have a class scheduled during that class period.
Each school board submits to DPI high school graduation policies governing
the granting of diplomas (Wis. Stat. § 118.33(1)(f)). Policies include course
requirements, number of clock hours of instruction required to earn one
credit in the courses, and education programs for students with exceptional
educational interests, needs, or requirements.
According to Wis. Admin. Code sec. PI 18.05(1)(d), open campus and
work release may not be approved by a board under this section.
However, a pupil’s employment during school hours may be approved
if the employment is part of or related to the pupil’s instructional
program [school-supervised work-based learning experience sponsored
by an accredited school, the technical college system board, or DWD’s
Youth Apprenticeship program]; or if the employment is approved as an
accommodation for a pupil with exceptional educational interests, needs,
or requirements (Wis. Admin. Code sec. PI 18.04). Note that “work release,”
permitting students to leave the school premises solely for employment is
different from a “work-based learning program,” a program that provides
occupational training and work-based learning experiences. (Wis. Admin.
Code sec. PI 18.05; Wis. Admin. Code sec. PI 18.02(11); Wis. Stat. §
115.363(1)(b))
Districts have the authority to determine the equivalency of learning
experiences outside of the classroom or the modied learning experience
to actual traditional classroom instruction and how those experiences
appear on the transcript (Wis. Stat. § 118.15(1)(c)). Districts should consider
what the implications are for postsecondary plans of the student when
determining how to reect activities or experiences on the transcript.
Districts can structure work-based learning experiences (hours, credit, etc.)
to accommodate the needs of students. Students under 18 cannot work
during school hours unless participating in structured work-based learning
for credit (Wis. Admin. Code sec. DWD 270.10(1)).
Currently, Wis. Stat. 118.56 addresses a specic type of work-based
learning program and requirements for it. This statute does not preclude
any other school-supervised work-based learning experience, such as
DPI’s State-certied Cooperative Education programs, DWD’s Youth
Apprenticeship program (Wis. Stat. § 106.13), or local cooperative
education programs, approved by school boards.
17
Exceptional, Alternative, and Special Education Exceptions
Special education programming in Wisconsin requires students under
individualized education plans (IEPs) to develop annual postsecondary
transition plans (PTPs) beginning at age 14. Furthermore, considerations
for employment during school hours may be allowed if the employment is
approved as an accommodation for a pupil with exceptional educational
interests, needs, or requirements (Wis. Admin. Code sec. PI 18.05(1)(d)).
Under Wisconsin statute, alternative education is dened as an
instructional program, approved by the school board, that utilizes
successful alternative or adaptive school structures and teaching
techniques and that is incorporated into existing, traditional classrooms
or regularly scheduled curricular programs or that is offered in place of
regularly scheduled curricular programs. “Alternative educational program”
does not include a private school, a tribal school, or a home-based private
educational program (Wis. Stat. § 115.28(7)(e)1).
In addition, the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation (DVR) offers
additional support programs to assist individuals with disabilities in
seeking employment as part of transition services. These services include
employment guidance and counseling, assistance nding and keeping a job,
assistive technology, and training. Contact the local DVR ofce for more
information.
Coordinator Licensing
Supervision and coordination of work-based learning (WBL) is a critical
component of quality programs. Several license types can oversee school-
supervised WBL. These are the recommended positions that are uniquely
trained to do this work.
• School-to-Work Coordinator (5011)
• CTE Coordinator (5093)
• Local Vocational Education Coordinator (5193)
Teachers and administrators can oversee this work but are not specically
trained, through an approved program, to implement quality WBL with
delity. WISEStaff reporting can provide specic coding for each of these
positions as part of a district’s data reporting.
Child Labor Laws
CAUTION: This section does NOT cover all of the child labor laws or
exceptions and has been edited for common situations encountered in WBL
programs.
In general, there are two broad categories of youth employment: a regular
youth-employer relationship that exists between a minor and employer
for compensation for productive work for an employer, and a school-
supervised work-based learning experience. Wisconsin Administrative
Code Chapter DWD 270 and the Guide to Wisconsin’s Employment of Minors
Laws address the legal requirements and considerations for all youth
employment.
Employment means that a person is required, or directed by an
employer in consideration of direct or indirect gain or prot, to engage
in any employment, or to go to work, or be at any time in any place of
employment. However, students who are enrolled in school, in a school-
supervised work-based learning experience, sponsored by an accredited
school, the technical college system board, or DWD’s Youth Apprenticeship
program, and receive school credit for program participation, are designated
specically as “student learners.” In order to be considered a student
learner, minors must meet the following criteria:
1. They are enrolled in a school-supervised work-based learning
experience sponsored by an accredited school, the technical college
system board, or DWD’s Youth Apprenticeship Program.
2. They are enrolled in school and receive school credit for program
participation.
3. They receive appropriate safety instruction at the school and at the
workplace.
4. The work performed is under direct and close supervision of a
qualied and experienced person.
5. The work performed in any occupation declared hazardous is
incidental to the training and is for intermittent and short periods of
time.
6. There is a schedule of organized and progressive work processes to
be performed on the job. (Wis. Admin. Code sec. DWD 270.14(3))
18
Furthermore, there are some specic references that should be considered
when operating a school-supervised work-based learning (WBL) program.
Please note that this is not an all-inclusive list of every possible work
circumstance and employers and schools should thoroughly review the
programs and child labor laws at the links above prior to beginning any
school-supervised WBL program.
WORK PERMITS
• Work permits are required for the lawful employment of minors
under 16 years of age in work in connection with the business, trade,
or profession of an employer.
• Work permits are NOT needed for:
– Youth age 16 and older
– Agricultural work
– Domestic employment in a private home that is not a business
– Volunteer work for a nonprot agency
– The Youth Apprenticeship (YA) Program if work is restricted only to
YA skills training
– Work with a nonprot organization in and around the home of an
elderly person or a person with a disability to perform snow shoveling,
lawn mowing, leaf raking, or other similar work usual to the home of
the elderly person or person with a disability (restrictions apply)
– Employment/work under the direct supervision of the parent or
guardian in connection with the parent’s or guardian’s business, trade,
or profession (Wis. Admin. Code sec. DWD 270.05)
AGES OF WORK
• A minor who is 14 years of age or older may not be employed
during the hours that the minor is required to attend school unless
the minor has graduated from high school, passed the general
education development test, or is participating in an approved
school-supervised work-based learning experience for which proper
scholastic credit is given (Wis. Admin. Code sec. DWD 270.10(1)).
• See laws for exceptions to the under 14 years of age law.
HOURS OF WORK
• Minors under 18 are allowed to work during school hours if the
student is enrolled in a school-supervised work-based learning
experience.
• Hours worked as part of a work-experience program during school
hours do not count as part of the total labor law permitted hours of
work per day or per week.
• Wisconsin no longer limits the hours 16- and 17-year-old minors may
work. (Wis. Admin. Code sec. DWD 270.11)
RESTRICTED WORK TASKS
• Student learner status does not override the child labor laws. The
student learner exception limits the minor to performing some
hazardous tasks on an incidental (less than 5 percent of their work
time) and occasional (not a regular part of their job) basis.
• See Guide to Wisconsin’s Employment of Minors Laws for a complete list
of tasks and equipment allowances and restrictions.
Liability and Insurance
In general, if an employer has adequate general liability and workers’
compensation coverage, no additional liability is required as a result of
hiring youth. However, before hiring youth and/or participating in a work-
based learning program, an employer may wish to consult with their
insurance carrier. Ultimately, nal determination of liability in a particular
situation will be determined by a court of law after review of the specic
circumstances.
The party responsible for transportation is liable in case of an accident.
Minors responsible for their own transportation to and from the worksite
are responsible for their own insurance. In instances where the school
provides transportation for student learners, the school may be responsible
for insurance coverage. Only if the employer provides transportation to or
from work for youth may the employer be responsible for this insurance
coverage.
When a minor becomes an employee of a company, they must be covered
by the employer’s workers’ compensation coverage. For agricultural
employers, farmers need to carry workers’ compensation insurance if they
have six or more employees.
Minors can le for unemployment compensation unless the minor is
enrolled full-time in a public educational institution and receives school
credit for participation in a work-based learning program.
19
The employment of minors participating in a school-supervised work-based
learning experience should not impair existing contracts for services or
collective bargaining agreements. Any student learner program that would
be inconsistent with the terms of a collective bargaining agreement should
be approved with the written concurrence of the labor organization and
employer involved. (Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development
2018).
Safety
Ensuring the safety of each student during a work-based learning activity is
required by both the district and the employer. Specic safety instruction
should be incorporated into both classroom and worksite elements of any
career-based and work-based learning experience, including short visits for
tours and job shadows. The following are a few general resources available
to the teacher-coordinator to help address this important topic.
• Youth@Work - United States Equal Employment Opportunity
Commission’s (EEOC). Rights and responsibilities as an employee
to eliminate discrimination in the workplace. Classroom resources
available.
• YouthRules! - United States Department of Labor. National child labor
laws in student friendly webpages and toolkits.
• Safe Work for Young Learners - Youth worker safety information by
hazard from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.
Student Records
Using student data for district, school, and classroom improvement
planning can be very helpful when used correctly and with the necessary
security and privacy practices in place. Although data can be used to
facilitate change and improvement, the usefulness of this data must be
balanced with the privacy of the students represented by the data. This
includes data about enrollment and participation in WBL programs.
The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) (20 U.S.C. § 1232g;
34 CFR Part 99) and the Wisconsin Pupil Records Law (118.125) protect
the privacy of student education records. The laws apply to all schools
that receive funds under an applicable program of the U.S. Department
of Education. Collection, dissemination, and retention of all student
information should be controlled by local district procedures designed to
implement the primary task of the district while protecting individual rights
and preserving the condential nature of the various types of records.
Furthermore, the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction and the
Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development provide for limited and
20
secure data access for the State-certied Cooperative Education and Youth
Apprenticeship programs.
Consult the DPI Student Data Privacy resources for more information on
data privacy and responsibilities of school districts.
Wages
Minors must be paid at least minimum wage when engaged in productive
work for an employer. Wisconsin wage statutes require that employers
pay all workers all wages earned on at least a monthly basis, except farm
labor which can be paid at quarterly intervals. Exceptions exist in some
circumstances based on the nature of the work; however, in general,
if a student learner is part of a school-supervised work-based learning
experience, whereby a student trains, and an employer gains advantage
from the work a student completes, then an employer-employee
relationship exists and that student is owed wage compensation. In
addition, the on-the-job training period is regarded as employment time for
minors no matter the length of training time.
Exceptions to paying student wages can fall into the following three
categories. However, caution should be exercised and considerations given
where a student learner may be owed wages.
Student work-like activities: No compensation is required if:
• The primary purpose is educational and the activity is primarily for
the benet of the student.
• The student performs the activities for time periods of one hour or
less per day.
• The student is supervised by an adult.
• Work-like activities may include helping in the school lunchroom or
cafeteria, cleaning a classroom, acting as a hall monitor, performing
minor clerical work in the school ofce or library, or performing tasks
as an extension of the classroom learning experience, e.g., building
sheds for the community.
Volunteer/service learning: Volunteer service is given freely without
consideration or anticipated monetary payment.
• The work is performed for charitable, nonprot organizations,
including nonprot hospitals or nursing homes and government
agencies.
• Commercial businesses may not legally use minors as unpaid
volunteers.
• Minors cannot volunteer for a for-prot business, but they can go
there and shadow or observe as part of an educational experience.
• Written consent of the minor’s parent and supervision by a
responsible adult is required.
• No minor may volunteer in an occupation or place of employment
deemed dangerous.
Intern/trainee: Training is academically oriented for the benet of the
student, and no employer-employee relationship exists. If all six criteria
listed below apply, the trainee or student is not employed:
• The training, even though it includes actual operation of the
facilities of the employer, is similar to that which would be given in a
vocational school;
• The training is for the benet of the trainees or students;
• The trainees or students do not displace regular employees, but work
under their close observation;
• The employer that provides the training derives no immediate
advantage from the activities of the trainees or students, and on
occasion the employer’s operations may actually be impeded;
• The trainees or students are not entitled to a job at the completion of
the training period; and
• The employer and the trainees or students understand that the
trainees or students are not entitled to wages for the time spent in
training.
Otherwise, the trainee or student will be regarded as an employee and must
be paid.
21
Equity and Access
Equitable access to occupational career areas has been a challenge
historically from an age, gender, cultural, and racial perspective. Therefore, it
is more important than ever that each student is able to transition into post
high school education and a promising work life.
Because opportunities for access are complicated by urban, suburban, rural,
and ultra-rural economic contexts, it is important that districts embrace
student access and equity, recognizing that school policies for WBL
programs may actually impede access by some students.
“CTE and WBL teacher-coordinators cannot assume that all students
have access to resources such as transportation, parent, and/or
industry support. We need to be mindful of whom WBL is accessible
while removing barriers for others. Consider the following as it relates
to the coordination of WBL: training agreements, training plans, and
trainee evaluations, and criteria used to accept students into WBL.
How might these coordination tools impact student access? Also
think about the micromessages perceived by students through CTE
and WBL communication (pictures, posters, words, advice; and the
things they see, hear, and experience in their community and school
environment)” (Haltinner 2020).
While there is no one-size-ts-all approach to ensure equity and access for
all students, consider how the following potential barriers may inadvertently
be embedded in your district’s current WBL policies and programs:
• Transportation availability (dependability, safety, and costs in
maintenance and fuel for getting to and from the work setting)
• Time and conicting responsibilities (family, education, and
the adolescent/young adult developmental nature, roles, and
responsibilities)
• Support from parents, spouses, partners, and childcare
• Business and industry access and support due to regulations or hiring
practices (company policies and HIPAA regulations)
• Personal return on investment (ROI) in engaging in the part-time
nature of traditional versions of work-based learning
• Access to experiences across all aspects of the business
• Curricula access in support of school-coordinated work-based
learning especially school-based and work-based conceptual and
technical skills
• Micromessages in monoculture communities and their impact on
student permission-giving (peer, parents, mentors, and teachers)
as encouragement to see and pursue opportunities (Haltinner
2020).
The DPI website provides links to resources through its CTE, ACP, and
Pupil Services webpages. At minimum, WBL program enrollment and
completion data, disaggregated by socio-economic status, disability,
gender, and ethnicity should be collected and reviewed annually to
ensure that WBL program access, participation, and completion are
diverse, and employer hiring practices for WBL programs are not
discriminatory.
Furthermore, Wisconsin’s Framework for Equitable Multi-Level Systems
of Supports (MLSS) should be used to review WBL programs. Using
the 11 key components of the Equitable MLSS provides a model that
districts can review to evaluate a school’s equitable access, continuous
improvement, strong universal levels, and continuum of support for
every student, parent/family, and community partner.
Additional access and equity resources include:
• Promoting Excellence for All (PEFA) training and resources
• DPI Civil Rights Compliance Equity and Diversity
• Pupil Nondiscrimination Self-Evaluation
• The National Alliance for Partnerships in Equity (NAPE)
• Wisconsin’s Project SEARCH for students with disabilities (DWD)
• Wisconsin Statewide Parent Educator Initiative (WSPEI)
– Opening Doors to Employment
• Engaging Special Populations in CTE
“Learning is a life-
long endeavor and
happens beyond the
walls of the school.
From an equity
standpoint, WBL, as
an option, is just as
relevant as preparing
students for college.
The symbiotic rela-
tionship between
community, busi-
ness, and schools is
fostered in a positive
light by students
learning and working
in the local commu-
nity.”
–Greg Benz
School District of
Westeld
$
$
22
Implementing Virtual Options
As stated previously, access to CBLE opportunities is complicated by urban,
suburban, rural, and ultra-rural economic contexts (Haltinner 2020). This is
especially acute in rural areas that are affected by signicant geographical
distances or decreased density of willing K12 partner employers.
Consequently, these factors are further amplied by the varying capacity
to offer similar levels of career-based and work-based learning experiences
supported in larger urban or suburban areas and districts.
The additional challenge of the COVID-19 pandemic has further stressed
typical K12 education CBLE offerings. Economically, CBLE opportunities
could become less frequent as employers, especially small businesses,
focus on immediate needs to stay solvent and support current employees.
However, companies that have capacity can now use innovations and
creativity to provide similar experiences to students. Moreover, these
methods might address rural barriers to access.
As regional collaborative groups take shape in each of the nine regional
economic development organizations statewide, school districts can
leverage a common point of K12 education-business partnerships in high-
skill, high-demand occupational areas. This regional approach can also help
alleviate barriers. By taking advantage of a larger partnership, schools can
offer CBLEs they would not be able to offer on their own.
The following pages outline specics
for CBLEs offered by schools in
partnership with employers. Where
possible, this virtual icon identies
an example of how an experience
might be offered or accessed in a
virtual, remote environment.
A student is hired by a local catering company as part
of the student’s ACP plan in culinary arts. The school
offers this co-op work experience and requires the
student to work 120 hours in the next semester.
There is an outline of progressive work skills, and the
student will receive credit for the work. The school
has a process for the student to reect on the work
and make regular connections with the supervising
teacher. Everything is set for the student to start working when the COVID-19
pandemic hits. The company closes as parties and catering orders are cancelled.
(WBL). While the company is working on smaller carry-out orders to stay in busi-
ness, the employer does not want the student to come in. However, there are
options!
To keep it a WBL:
To move to a VIRTUAL Local Co-Op:
• The employer and student modify work, which was previously planned at the
worksite, to online trainings via video.
• The student tasks are re-assigned to include research or projects the employer
never had time to address before, such as developing new menu plans or inves-
tigating portion sizes and costs based on changing supplier costs.
• The employer regularly checks in with the student and school to ensure learn-
ing and training are on track.
To move to a simulation:
• Sadly, the catering employer lays off the student; however, the supervising
teacher knows of a retired chef that can support the student virtually.
• The student and the former chef connect weekly online and come up with a
new progressive plan for learning tasks as if the student owns a restaurant.
• The student works at home to develop plans, learns skills through industry
videos, and practices and responds to simulated scenarios from the chef as if
operating a restaurant out of the home kitchen.
• Meal planning, practicing cooking skills in the home kitchen, and business-
based scenarios allow the student to have an employer-connected simulated
worksite experience
.
Note all six WBL criteria still need to be met.
CBLE vs WBL?
23
1. Classroom Speaker
2. Company Tour
3. Career Fair
4. Career related
project
5. Part-time or
summer job
6. Job Shadow
7. Career-related
volunteer or service
learning
8.
Career and technical
student organization
(CTSO) or Career-related
out-of-school activity
9. Informational
Interview
10. Career Mentoring
11. Simulated worksite
12. School-based
Enterprise (SBE)
13. Student
entrepreneurial
experience (SEE)
14. Supervised
Agricultural Experience
(SAE)
15. Internship or Local
co-op
16. State-certied
employability skills co-op
17. State-certied
Occupational Program
Co-op Program
18. State-certied Youth
Apprenticeship
Types of Career-Based
Learning Experiences
24
Resources
• For employer career speakers: Inspire Wisconsin Toolkit - Guest
Speaking
• For all: JFF Possible Futures Curriculum
State Webpage
None
Virtual Option
• Arrange for speakers to present via a video-conferencing platform.
CBLE (Know)
1. Classroom Speaker
Denition
An employer visits a classroom to talk with students about a job, business or
industry, personal journey, job duties and responsibilities, skills and knowledge
needed, or a specic curricular topic.
State Certicate
None
Course Credit
None
Number of Hours
Typically one class period - 30-90 minutes
Program Administration
Classroom teacher. The teacher works collaboratively with an employer
business contact.
Program Elements
The teacher develops a partnership with a local employers for topics and
presentation.
Documentation
Local classroom materials
24
25
Resources
• For employer hosts: Inspire Wisconsin Toolkit - Company Tours
• For all: JFF Possible Futures Curriculum: Lenses on the Future
State Webpage
None
Virtual Option
• Arrange for a business spokesperson to present and walk through their
facility with a camera remotely via a video-conferencing platform.
CBLE (Know)
2. Company Tour
Denition
A company hosts a tour of facilities and operations to highlight careers within
an organization. The host may highlight a typical day, student opportunities, or
a curricular connection to a specic topic.
State Certicate
None
Course Credit
None
Number of Hours
Typically 1-3 hours
Program Administration
Classroom teacher (the teacher works collaboratively with the employer
business contact).
Program Elements
The classroom teacher and employer business contact collaborate to create
eld trip opportunities related to coursework.
Documentation
Local classroom materials
25
26
CBLE (Know)
3. Career Fair
Denition
Groups of businesses staff booths or meet with groups of students to share
career information, advice on pursuing a career, career knowledge needed,
and career roles and responsibilities.
State Certicate
None
Course Credit
None
Number of Hours
Typically 2-4 hours
Program Administration
School district(s) staff and/or regional intermediary
Program Elements
School district(s), and/or regional intermediary, staff, and employer business
contacts collaborate to develop a career fair for multiple students in
multiple occupation areas.
Documentation
Local classroom materials
Resources
Check with your local school counselors through their ASCA/WSCA
membership.
State Webpage
None
Virtual Option
Open with a large virtual presentation and follow up by assigning and rotating
small groups of students and similar career-cluster speakers to interact via a
video-conferencing platform in virtual breakout rooms.
26
27
Denition
In a career-related project, an employer mentors a group of students in a class
or out-of-school activity as they work on a project connected to an employer’s
industry or area of expertise.
Project-based learning (PBL) is dened as a teaching/learning method that
engages kids in focused, active, real-world learning over an extended period
of time. Not only does PBL naturally help students develop career-readiness
skills, it also can be an engaging way to explore and learn about careers.
State Certicate
None
Course Credit
None, although it may take place in a credit-bearing class.
Number of Hours
Varies
Program Administration
Classroom teacher or out-of-school program leader
Program Elements
According to Dened Learning, effective program elements require a teacher
to:
• Survey students to determine their career areas of interest.
• Link classroom PBL projects to real-world career opportunities.
• Give students opportunities and a purpose for using cutting-edge
technology.
• Bring in experts from these elds and invite them to talk with, work
along with, and provide project feedback to your students.
Documentation
None
Resources
• Career-Focused Project Based Learning: The Ideal Teaching Approach
for Career Preparation
• Gold Standard PBL: Essential Project Design Elements (Buck Institute
for Education 2015)
CBLE (Know)
4. Career-related Project
27
28
CBLE (Know)
5. Part-Time or Summer Job
Program Elements
• Student obtains employment for personal reasons
• Child labor laws are applicable; student learner status does not apply
Documentation
According to labor requirements
Resources
• Wisconsin Labor Standards.
• Guide to Wisconsin’s Employment of Minors
State Webpage
Youth Employment
Denition
A job occurring outside of the school day, unless work-release has been
granted, in which the employer is not coordinating with the student’s school
as part of a specic program (not school-supervised).
For many high school students, part-time summer or after-school jobs
are their rst experience of the “world of work.” If an employer-employee
relationship exists, students are paid for productive work. While these
experiences provide a benet to developing social-emotional-employability
skills in students, these jobs occur outside of the school day (unless work-
release has been granted). The employer does not coordinate with the
student’s school as part of a specic program
State Certicate
None
Course Credit
None
Number of Hours
Set according to the age of the student per Child Labor Laws
Program Administration
• Student on their own
• Not a school-supervised experience unless part of a specic program
28
29
CBLE (Explore)
6. Job Shadow
Denition
A student observes an employee at a business anywhere from a few hours to
a few days to learn about a particular occupation or industry. Students do not
perform productive work and are not paid for the experience.
State Certicate
None
Course Credit
None
Number of Hours
Generally 2 hours to 5 days
Program Administration
Student, school district staff, and/or regional intermediary
Program Elements
The district and/or regional intermediary:
• Develop policy, forms, and a process.
• Manage student/school requests.
• Prepare worksite supervisors/mentors for process and expectations.
• Ensure any required documents are complete, including district
insurance documentation, prior to the student experience.
• Prepare the student(s) for the shadow experience.
• Schedule students and keep records of job shadow experiences,
including names, dates, worksites, and supervisor/mentors.
• Follow up with worksites for feedback on job shadows.
• Monitor completion of any student assignments.
• Provide availability for any emergency situations that may arise during
the job shadow.
The employer/mentor at the shadow site:
• Develops standard company shadowing policy, process, and HR
approval.
• Manages student/school requests.
• Prepares designated employee(s) for the student shadow experience.
• Informs the student of any relevant safety and policy regulations at the
worksite.
• Answers relevant questions about the profession.
• Determines areas of career interest to shadow.
• Monitors the student while on site.
• Provides follow-up communications to the school.
Documentation
Local school district materials
Resources
• For employer hosts: Inspire Wisconsin Toolkit: Job Shadows
• For educators:
– Job Shadowing Training Agreement/Permission Form
Sample
– Job Shadowing Research Activity Sample
– Job Shadowing Student/Learner Reflection Sample
– Student Expectations and Worksite sheet Sample
– Worksite Follow Up form Sample
– Nebraska Department of Education: Job Shadows
– Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency:
Setting Up a Job Shadowing Program
Virtual Option
• Schedule different dates for specific speakers to present via a video-
conferencing platform to students who register.
• Highlight Practice: INSPIRE Sheboygan County. Interactive career
speaker(s) sessions require preregistration and close monitoring of
chats. Career speaker sessions are prefaced with connections to career
standards in an interactive poll format, followed by a brief speaker(s)
presentation on the career. No video or audio is allowed from students,
but questions are asked via chat.
29
30
CBLE (Explore)*
7. Career-related Volunteer or Service Learning
Documentation
Local school district materials
For both: See the sample WBL training agreement (Appendix 1).
Resources
• Americorps - Serve Wisconsin
• Volunteer Wisconsin
*Note: All six WBL criteria still need to be met.
Denition
Unlike unpaid work experiences or internships, volunteer or service learning
is a community service that benets a nonprot organization. An individual
student or group of students learns about related careers and develop career
success skills. They give their time freely without anticipation of monetary
payment. Students may not volunteer for a for-prot business.
State Certicate
None
Course Credit
Local school board decision
Number of Hours
Local decision. Hours required are often part of local district graduation
requirements.
Program Administrations
Local school district staff
Program Elements
School staff provide guidance and ensure that:
• Placements meet the requirements for charitable, nonprot
organizations, including nonprot hospitals or nursing homes and
government agencies.
• Potential settings and organizations for volunteerism include an
organizational mission aligned with community values, training required
for experience, and supervision.
30
31
CBLE (Explore)
8. Career and Technical Student Organization (CTSO) or
Career-Related Out-of-School Activity
Denition
Career-related out-of-school activities and career and technical student
organizations (CTSOs) provide opportunities to expand and apply knowledge
gained in regular coursework. Some examples of career-related extracurricular
clubs are Girls Who Code, First Robotics, or Science Olympiad.
Unlike career-related extracurricular activities, career and technical student
organizations (CTSOs) are co- or intra-curricular. In other words, they
complement the CTE sequence of career pathway courses. CTSOs offer
learning experiences that support development of citizenship, technical,
leadership, and teamwork skills essential for students preparing for the
workforce and further education.
• CTSOs are a basic component of CTE programs that support and
enhance related school-based and work-based learning.
• CTSOs provide students with skills and knowledge to succeed in the new
global economy.
• CTSOs are found in schools at the middle, junior, and senior high levels as
well as some colleges throughout Wisconsin.
CTSOs in Wisconsin include DECA, FBLA, FCCLA, FFA, HOSA, and SkillsUSA.
Both CTSOs and career-related out-of-school activities often involve business
professionals who act as mentors and/or competition judges.
State Certicate
Possible awards or recognition in local, regional, state, and national/
international competitions
Course Credit
Local school board decision. Voluntary participation
Number of Hours
Participation hours are dened by the club.
Program Administration
Local school district advisor.
Program Elements
Participation and competition event activities occur under the guidance and
supervision of a designated school advisor who implements and operates the
chapter according to the membership requirements of the CTSO. However,
to ensure that the career-related out-of-school activities reect current
occupational applications, business professionals in the eld should also be
consulted or act as mentors.
Documentation
As required by the CTSO or career-related out-of-school club
Resources
Career-related out-of-school clubs and groups usually maintain their own
state websites. This includes any club that offers opportunities to engage with
business or industry partners and learn about careers, such as economics/
investment clubs, robotics clubs, coding clubs, Wisconsin Science Olympiad,
scouting (boys/girls), and student government.
State Webpages
• DPI’s CTSO webpage
• Wisconsin DECA (marketing and business)
• Wisconsin FBLA (Future Business Leaders of America)
• Wisconsin FCCLA (Family, Career, and Community Leaders of America)
• Wisconsin Association of FFA (agriculture, natural resources)
• Wisconsin HOSA–Future Health Professionals
• Wisconsin SkillsUSA (technology, trades, and engineering)
Virtual Option
• CTSO chapter advisors continue to conduct meetings and planning for
events via a video-conferencing platform.
• CTSO state leaders conduct leadership training and events in a virtual
format.
31
32
CBLE (Plan/Go)
9. Informational Interview
State Webpage
None
Virtual Option
• Arrange for a specific employer to interview a student via a video-conferencing platform based
on the student’s ACP career area of interest.
• Regional intermediaries from the economic development organization may help connect to
willing employers in the Xello-ACP/Inspire platform
Denition
A student interviews with an employer or community member in person, by
phone, by email, or in a group about a profession or a specic topic.
State Certicate
None
Course Credit
None
Number of Hours
1-2 hours. Generally a course assignment.
Program Administration
Student, school district staff, and/or regional intermediary
Program Elements
Student, school district, and/or regional intermediary staff and employer
business contacts collaborate to offer informational/practice interviews in
multiple occupational areas.
Documentation
Local classroom materials
Resources
• For educators and students: CareerOneStop - Informational Interviews
32
33
CBLE (Plan/Go)
10. Career Mentoring
Documentation
• An agreement between district staff, adult mentor, family, and student
outlines expectations from all parties.
• Adults who interact one-on-one with students either inside or outside
the school are evaluated with a state background check.
Resources
• For educators and employers: Mentor
• For educators and employers: National Mentoring Resource Center.
Resources for Mentoring Programs
• For educators: Nebraska Department of Education: Mentorships Forms
Mentor Programs:
• DPI Wisconsin Education Opportunity Programs
• Wisconsin Educational Americorps Programs
State Webpage
None
Virtual Option
Arrange for mentor and student(s) to meet regularly via a video-conferencing
platform.
Denition
Employers or adult community members coach students directly for career
development activities, such as resume review, e-portfolio review, mock
interviews, auditions, or other career development-related activities.
State Certicate
None
Course Credit
Local school board decision
Number of Hours
No minimum required. An agreement is developed between school district
staff, adult mentor, family, and student.
Program Administration
School district staff and/or regional intermediary. Mentoring is usually
offered as part of structured local, regional, state, or national mentorship
program.
Program Elements
• School district and program staff, if applicable, partner with local
employers or adult community members to provide mentorship.
• District staff check specic programs for requirements.
• If developed locally, school district staff develop an agreement for
instruction and/or mentorship accountability.
• Mentorships for students with disabilities or at-risk students can also
utilize contacts through the Wisconsin Department of Workforce
Development WIOA case managers or Wisconsin Division for
Vocational Rehabilitation (DVR), as applicable.
33
34
CBLE or WBL (Plan/Go)*
11. Simulated Worksite
Denition
A simulated worksite mirrors a live employment setting and may include
facilities, inputs, resources, and equipment provided by the employer
or the school. A simulated worksite could include a DWD-certied Pre-
Apprenticeship Program Certication.
State Certicate
None
Course Credit
Local school board decision
Number of Hours
Local decision
Program Administration
Local school district staff, either with or without an employer partner
Program Elements
A simulated workplace brings a workplace setting into the classroom, making
it possible to introduce students to business processes such as training,
learning, and general functioning in a specic occupational area. To implement
a simulation, versus a classroom project, school district staff develop a space
that represents a worksite where students may be introduced to these
elements:
• Student leadership/management structure
• Application and interview structure
• Formal attendance system
• Drug-free work zone
• Safe and productive environment
• Work teams and student engagement roles and responsibilities
• Company name, handbook, meetings, and branding
• Business reviews and accountability
Documentation
Local school district and company materials
For WBL: See the sample WBL training agreement (Appendix 1).
Resources
• West Virginia Department of Education. 2015. Simulated Workplace
Operational Manual
• Ohio Work-Based Learning Pathway Options. (Ohio Department of
Education. 2019)
• Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development Pre-Apprenticeship
Programs
Virtual Option
• Simulated experiences, problems, operational scenarios, and video-
conferencing are supported with the facilitator-teacher using materials
readily available or provided to students.
*Note: All six WBL criteria still need to be met
.
34
35
$
CBLE or WBL (Plan/Go)*
12. School-Based Enterprise (SBE)
Denition
School stores and School-Based Enterprises (SBE) are enhanced
entrepreneurial operations set within the school building. The school may
provide facilities, inputs, resources, and equipment.
One type of SBE, a school store, offers students an opportunity to experience
retail-sales and customer-service skill development. By preparing and selling
food items, school supplies, or other products in the school, students are
introduced to a variety of career possibilities.
Another type of SBE is an enhanced entrepreneurial retail operation
managed and operated by students. Examples might include coffee shops and
nancial institutions. These hands-on learning laboratories integrate national
curriculum standards in marketing, nance, hospitality, or management.
Essentially, these arrangements are where theory is applied in a business- and
industry-contextualized approach.
SBEs can occur during or outside of school hours. SBE hours should not
include time the student is receiving direct classroom instruction with a
teacher. The student, teacher, and mentor co-plan the experience strategically.
DECA offers SBE certication on two levels: chapter level, through a written
project, and individual level, through a comprehensive exam. Assignments
at both levels cover retail, marketing, and entrepreneurship concepts, and
a range of business operations standards. Earning a chapter or individual
certication garners international recognition, provides credibility, validates
curriculum efcacy, and strengthens the relevance of the SBE as a valuable
teaching tool. Participating in SBE certication effectively prepares students
for DECA competitive events, postsecondary learning, and careers.
State Certicate
None. National DECA chapter and individual certications are available.
Course Credit
Local school board decision
Number of Hours
Local decision
Program Administration
Local school district staff
Program Elements
District staff support students in developing a store within the school that is
operated as a business enterprise. Critical elements of operation include:
• Research and business plan • Advertising
• Merchandising/display • Inventory control
• Forms of business operations • Security
• Cashiering and accounting • Salesmanship
• Store layout and design • Housekeeping
• Purchasing and cost analysis • Marketing mix
Documentation
• Locally determined as part of school, classroom, and store operations
business plan
• For WBL: See the sample WBL training agreement (Appendix 1).
Resources
• DECA SBE programming and certications
• DECA. Guide for Starting and Managing School-Based Enterprises
• Ohio Work-Based Learning Pathway Options (Ohio Department of
Education. 2019)
State Webpage
Wisconsin DECA
* Note: All six WBL criteria still need to be met.
35
36
CBLE or WBL (Plan/Go)*
13. Student Entrepreneurial Experience (SEE)
Documentation
• Student company materials
• Local district materials if required for credit
• Evidence of evaluation
• For WBL: See the sample WBL training agreement (Appendix 1).
Resources
• For educators: Wisconsin’s vision for entrepreneurship education
• EntreEd: The National Consortium for Entrepreneurship Education
• Ohio Work-Based Learning Pathway Options. (Ohio Department of
Education. 2019)
State Webpage
Wisconsin Entrepreneurship Education
Virtual Option
Simulated experiences, problems, operational scenarios, and video-
conferencing are supported with the facilitator-teacher using materials readily
available or provided to students.
*Note: All six WBL criteria still need to be met.
Denition
Similar to school-based enterprises (SBEs), an entrepreneurial student
business is student-developed and -led, usually with a school staff or
community mentor. Outside sources may provide facilities, inputs, resources,
and equipment in the business operation, which develops skills and
competencies necessary to succeed in business.
Unlike SBEs, the student entrepreneur is the primary administrator for a
business, such as a laptop repair service, a lawn maintenance enterprise, a
coffee cart, a handmade greeting card operation, or a graphic/printing service.
State Certicate
None
Course Credit
Local school board decision
Number of Hours
None
Program Administration
Student on their own usually with an advisor from the school district or
community
Program Elements
• Business mentor and instructor
• Business plan
• Competencies performed
• Inventory
• Reports of receipts and expenses
• Financial summary
36
37
CBLE or WBL (Plan/Go)*
14. Supervised Agricultural Experience (SAE)
Program Administration
Local school district teacher-coordinator and training sponsor/employer
Program Elements
Aligned to a career pathway
Documentation
• For SAEs: See specic program requirements.
• For WBL: Immersive SAEs may qualify as WBL programming if they
meet all six quality criteria. See also the sample WBL training agreement
(Appendix 1).
Resources
• For educators: FFA SAEs for All
• For students: FFA SAEs for All
State Webpage
Wisconsin SAEs
* Note: All six WBL criteria still need to be met.
Denition
Supervised Agricultural Experiences (SAEs) are student-led, instructor-
supervised work-based learning experiences that result in measurable
outcomes within a predened, agreed-upon set of Agriculture, Food and
Natural Resources (AFNR) Technical Standards and Career Ready Practices
aligned to a related career pathway.
These supervised experiences generally are more self-directed and classroom-
based opportunities that do not meet the criteria of an internship or local co-
op. However, they may qualify as a WBL experience if they meet the criteria
for quality.
The current Wisconsin Team AgEd is committed to a future where all students
enrolled in agricultural education have an SAE. It envisions a future where:
• All agricultural education students have a foundational SAE, and most
students have at least one immersion SAE.
• Instructors are condent with implementing SAE in their program and
making it a component of each student’s grade.
• Student SAE documentation provides a valid and reliable measure for
employability skill verication and career and college readiness.
• Wisconsin AgEd is a leader in connecting students to authentic
work-based and service-learning experiences and supporting an
entrepreneurial spirit.
State Certicate
None
Course Credit
Local school board decision
Number of Hours
Local decision
37
38
CBLE or WBL (Plan/Go)*
15. Internship or Local Co-Op
Denition
An internship or a local cooperative educational experience is a school-
approved training program in which the student is placed with an employer
for a limited period of time. Planned activities and learning objectives are
structured to give the student an understanding of a particular business or
occupation.
State Certicate
None
Course Credit
Local school board decision
Number of Hours
Determined by the local school district and employer
Program Administration
Local school district teacher coordinator and training sponsor/employer
Program Elements
• Competencies performed
• Evidence of evaluation
• Responsibilities and training outline (see Appendix 2)
Documentation
• Local school district materials
• For WBL: WBL training agreement (see Appendix 1)
Resources
• Perkins Collaborative Resource Network: Work-Based Learning Toolkit
Virtual Option
• Schools, employers, and students can shift to virtual internships and co-
ops by shifting to a project-based/problem-solving approach over onsite
training and tasks. Authenticity is maintained as regular interaction and
accountability is still required between the school and the employer.
– Supervising teachers work collaboratively with mentor employers
to assign discrete company projects over a long-term face-to-face
experience.
– The projects can utilize similar virtual approaches described previously
for job shadowing company employees, doing skill development
through videos and practice at home, as practicable, and regular
mentor check-ins.
– Project ideas can come from those items that tend to stay on a
company’s to-do list because they are not a priority. Interns can take
on research, developing ideas and prototypes, writing proposals, or
developing social media campaigns, for example.
– Remote internships can also focus on deeper communications and
career preparation activities that develop employability skills.
• Potential Ideas:
– Develop a computer application (app) for the company.
– Create and publish a weekly or monthly newsletter or podcast on a
self-selected topic based on market data.
– Create and manage a YouTube channel for employees or customers.
– Film a documentary on the history and purpose of the company or a
specic product.
– Research and propose methods to increase environmental
sustainability (e.g., reduce waste).
– Dissect the anatomy of the company web content or social media,
based on company reviews or products/services.
– Help market the company’s products/services to younger audiences.
– Research, investigate, and create a proposal for a new product or
service.
– Research and evaluate the layout and efciency of the company’s
physical spaces and workows.
• Other possible ideas, as long as completed in partnership with a company:
My PBL Works
*Note: All six WBL criteria still need to be met.
38
39
CBLE or WBL (Plan/Go)*
16. State-certified Employability Skills Co-op
Program Elements
• This work-based learning experience is paid.
• Students have four years during high school to complete the certicate;
however, district staff register the student with DPI only in the year that
the student is expected to complete the certicate.
• School districts follow these program requirements:
– Provide a DPI-licensed teacher who works with students, their
parents, and employers to implement the certicate.
– Ensure the certicate becomes a part of the student’s career portfolio.
– Ensure DPI approves the certicate program on an annual basis.
• Employers follow these program requirements:
– Work with a local school district to report certicate outcomes to DPI.
– Provide mentoring to students working on this certicate.
Resources
• DPI. Program Implementation Guide
State Webpage
Employability Skills Co-Op
Virtual Option
• See #15 Internship or Local Co-Op.
*Note: All six WBL criteria still need to be met.
Denition
A state-certied, school-supervised, work-based learning program operated by the
Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction (DPI), the State-certied Employability
Skills Co-Op is an elective program taught by a DPI-licensed teacher. Students
receive mentored on-the-job learning combined with classroom instruction for a
minimum of 90 hours in academic and technical skills training aligned to industry
standards.
Wisconsin’s Employability Skills Certicate program recognizes a student’s mastery
of employability skills valued by employers while helping students explore career
interests. This certicate program reinforces skills recognized by the Partnership
for 21st Century Learning, including personal work habits and attitudes, career
exploration and planning, and completion of 90 on-the-job work hours. In all, the
program allows:
• students to document their employability skills,
• employers to assess the skills they want in quality employees, and
• educators to customize instruction to help learners acquire skills that today’s
workplace demands.
State Certicate
Yes: State-Certied Cooperative Education - Employability Skills
Course Credit
Yes
Number of Hours
Minimum of 90 hours in one to four calendar years
Program Administration
• Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction (DPI)
• Local school district DPI-licensed teacher
39
40
CBLE or WBL (Plan/Go)*
17. State-certified Occupational Program Co-op
– Employment skills related to the world of work, including personal
and interpersonal skills, thinking and information processing, and
relationships of systems and technology
– Occupational knowledge and technical skills
– Safety principles in the industry
• A cooperative education agreement for state-certied cooperative
education certication is developed by the school staff, the employer,
the family, and the student. See the sample WBL training agreement
(Appendix 1).
• A student works an average of 15 hours per week in order to experience
the cycle of a whole work week. Continuous employment of 480 hours
is the minimum to expose the student to all aspects of the business or
industry.
• The teacher-coordinator must be DPI-licensed in the content area.
• Each approved teacher-coordinator is assigned a sufcient amount of
time to supervise and coordinate the program.
• A workplace mentor provides necessary supervision and training of the
student.
• The teacher-coordinator coordinates the workplace learning activities
with the facilitating workplace mentor.
Documentation
DPI State-certied Cooperative Education - Specic Occupational Area
See specic certicate assessments.
Resources
DPI. Program Operations Guide
State Webpage: State-Certied Cooperative Education Programs
Virtual Option
• See #15 Internship or Local Co-Op.
*Note: All six WBL criteria still need to be met.
Denition
The State-certied Occupational Program Co-op is a specic state-certied,
school-supervised work-based learning program operated by the Wisconsin
Department of Public Instruction (DPI). Taught by an occupationally licensed
teacher, State-certied Co-Op is a one-year elective program that combines
mentored on-the-job learning with classroom instruction. Students receive a
minimum of 480 hours (occupational) in academic and technical skills training
aligned to industry standards.
State Certicate
Yes: State-Certied Cooperative Education - Specic Occupational Area
See co-op portfolios
for currently offered occupational programs.
Course Credit
Yes
Number of Hours
Minimum of 480 hours in one calendar year
Program Administration
• Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction (DPI)
• Local school district DPI-licensed teacher
Program Elements
• Participants are juniors or seniors only.
• Student positions are paid.
• The program is operated by the school district in partnership with a
business or industry.
• Students are placed with employers according to their abilities,
aptitudes, and career objectives.
• Students are in a related class(es) that provide instruction in the
following:
40
41
Program Elements
• Juniors or seniors only
• Paid student positions
• Industry-developed skill standards
• Exposure to multiple aspects of an industry
• Skilled mentors assigned to train students
• Program curriculum guidelines for all programs
• Related classroom instruction concurrent with work-based learning
• Local program operation within uniform statewide parameters
• Performance evaluation of required skills
Documentation
DWD- Specic Occupational Area Skill Standards Checklist Click on specic
program area for Skill Standards Checklist DWD Education/Training
Agreement (ETA): DETW-9471-E
Resources
• DWD YA Program Operations Manual
• State Webpage: Youth Apprenticeship
• Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development Pre-Apprenticeship
Programs
Virtual Option
• See #15 Internship or Local Co-Op.
• Note: Adherence to program requirements is still expected unless
indicated by DWD.
*Note: All six WBL criteria still need to be met.
Denition
Youth Apprenticeship (YA) is a specic state-certied, school-supervised
work-based learning program, operated by Wisconsin’s Department of
Workforce Development (DWD). YA integrates school-based and work-
based learning to instruct students in employability and occupational skills
dened by Wisconsin industries. All YA Programs include Employability
Skills Certication. Some YA Programs may include a DWD-certied Pre-
Apprenticeship Program Certication. Students receive a minimum 450 hours
in one calendar year for a Level I YA and a minimum 900 hours in two calendar
years for a Level II YA.
State Certicate
Yes. See Certicate of Occupational Prociency (YA certicate) for currently
offered YA programs.
Course Credit
Yes
Number of Hours
• Minimum 450 hours in one calendar year for a Level I YA
• Minimum 900 hours in two calendar years for a Level II YA
Program Administration
• Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development (DWD)
• Approved Youth Apprenticeship Consortium Directory
41
CBLE or WBL (Plan/Go)*
18. State-Certified Youth Apprenticeship
42
References
Haltinner, Urs Ed.D., email message to author, May 7, 2020.
Iowa Department of Education. 2017. Iowa Work-Based Learning Guide.
Accessed January 10, 2020. https://educateiowa.gov/sites/les/ed/
documents/Iowa%20Work-based%20learning%20guide%20nal.pdf
.
Nebraska Department of Education. 2019. Guidelines for Implementing
the Nebraska Workplace Experiences Continuum in Three Phases
.
Accessed January 10, 2020. https://cdn.education.ne.gov/wp-content/
uploads/2019/01/WBL-web.pdf.
Ohio Department of Education. 2019. “Ohio Work-Based Learning
Pathway Options” Accessed April 30, 2020. http://education.ohio.gov/
getattachment/Topics/Career-Tech/Career-Connections/Work-Based-
Learning/Ohio-Work-Based-Learning-Overview.pdf.aspx?lang=en-US.
Rogers-Chapman, M. Felicity, and Linda Darling-Hammond. 2013.
“Preparing 21st century citizens: The role of work-based learning
in linked learning” Accessed May 1, 2019. https://www.mtsac.edu/
president/cabinet-notes/preparing-21st-century-citizens-role-work-
based-learning-linked-learning.pdf.
State of Ohio. “Career Connections” Accessed April 30, 2020.
https://ohio.gov/wps/portal/gov/site/residents/resources/career-
connections.
Tennessee Department of Education. 2017. Work-Based Learning Policy
Guide
. Accessed May 10, 2019. https://www.tn.gov/content/dam/tn/
education/ccte/wbl/wbl_policy_guide.pdf.
U.S. Congress. n.d. Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the
21st Century Act (Perkins V). Washington, Government Printing Ofce,
2018.
U.S. Department of Education. n.d. Work-Based Learning Toolkit:
Components of WBL.
Accessed May 10, 2019. https://cte.ed.gov/toolkit/
index.html.
U.S. Department of Labor. n.d. YouthRules! Accessed October 6, 2020.
https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/youthrules.
U.S. Equal Opportunity Employment Commission. n.d. Youth@Work.
Accessed October 6, 2020. https://www.eeoc.gov/youth.
Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development. n.d. Guide to
Wisconsin’s Employment of Minors Laws
. Accessed January 30, 2020.
https://dwd.wisconsin.gov/er/laborstandards/workpermit/lawguide.
htm.
———. 2018. Wisconsin Youth Apprenticeship Manual: Regulations,
policies, and procedures.
Appendices
1. SAMPLE Work-Based Learning
Training Agreement
2. SAMPLE T
raining Outline
43
Appendix 1
44
Appendix 2
