Work-Based Learning

Work-Based Learning (WBL) is an instructional strategy that involves interactions with industry or community professionals that link school-based instruction to the world of work.

In other words, high-quality WBL is all about using the lens or content of “work” as a strategy or approach to teaching students a concept or skill.

We know from the Sonoma County YouthTruth survey that students who experience WBL self-report higher perceptions of both engagement in school and positive feelings about life, than students who do not engage in WBL. It is clear that high-quality Work-Based Learning (WBL) provides students with an authentic way to build skills, foster agency, and find critical hope. Check out the data to learn more about the impact WBL has on students’ self-reported feelings of success—the proof is in the pudding.

For Work-Based Learning to be effective, it must be utilized as an instructional strategy in the classroom. In simple terms, Work-Based Learning must be connected or integrated into what students learn in the classroom. To do this, teachers must be intentional about how they design their lessons and instruction and look for entry points for connecting content to careers.

A Work-Based Learning Coordinator is key to fostering relationships with employer partners, connecting those partners with classroom teachers, and supporting a WBL activity from start to finish.

We can teach students about careers and the world of work, but connecting industry partners to the classroom is essential to authentic, relevant, and high-quality Work-Based Learning.