Work-Based Learning (WBL)
Work experience options are available for students who have proven their abilities in their Career and Technical Education (CTE) program. These may be exploratory in nature or a culminating experience designed to perfect and expand skills through on-the-job training.
Click here to view a list of Work-based Learning Host Sites, businesses that have supported WBL over the years.
CTE instructors recommend students who have achieved, at minimum, an entry level of technical proficiency and who have demonstrated maturity and reliability. Individually tailored learning objectives are developed for each work experience student placement. Students complete time sheets documenting attendance and learning experiences. Workplace supervisors/mentors review and verify student time sheets, which are then submitted to the workplace coordinator to be included in the student’s permanent educational records.
CV-TEC sanctioned work experience opportunities can be categorized under one or more of the following options: Shadowing, Clinical, Internship and Capstone. Please refer to page 7 of the Work-Based Learning Guide and Toolkit for explanations and parameters of each learning opportunity.
The most popular WBL option, often referred to as work-study or Capstone, is available to students in good standing who wish to expand their learning experience through school-sponsored employment at local businesses.
In general, the capstone experience is the most advantageous for both the student and the placement work site. Student participants are effectively part time employees with few program restrictions and are released from CV-TEC to work on-site a maximum of four, one-half days per week. When not at the work site, students attend their CV-TEC programs for mentor identified targeted training provided by the student’s CTE instructor.
Working and learning during regularly scheduled class times, students become part-time employees practicing their CV-TEC learned trade. Students gain valuable experience - and often these connections lead to full-time employment following graduation.
Conventional hiring practices and labor laws apply with the added bonus of having CV-TEC educational resources ensure employment success.
In all cases, a work placement can be terminated through agreement with the work experience coordinator, the employer, the instructor and/or the student.
For complete information on all this and other WBL options, click here to download the Work-Based Learning Guide and Toolkit.