While people have good intentions to help local schools improve their programs, it often comes down to how it helps them in the end. When adding WBL to your program, you’ll need to get local employers onboard to make it success. 4 Benefits of Work-Based Learning for Local Employers This leads us to the last group that benefits from WBL - local employers. If your students spend time at local businesses, you’re showing employers a fresh pool of new potential employees every year. If your students complete service learning projects, you’re using their education as an opportunity to improve their town and connect them with other residents. If one group of students is at clinicals, the teacher can focus on a separate group in class and vice versa.įinally, WBL involves your local community in the success of your CTE program. Next, WBL empowers teachers to deliver more personalized instruction in CTE settings. The North Carolina Department of Public Instruction notes that this is because WBL makes education “more relevant and valuable” for students. Second, students involved in CTE programs that include WBL have higher motivation and better class attendance. If you’re trying to grow your program, adding WBL options can be a great way to do so. WBL provides opportunities for individualized instructionįirst and foremost, CTE programs that implement WBL see an increase in student enrollments.WBL leads to increased student enrollment.We’ve homed in on four specific benefits that WBL can have on any CTE program: Especially, because when budgets are tight trying something new can have costly effects when it doesn’t work out. When administrators and teachers consider implementing WBL, they need to know how it’ll improve their current CTE program. So now you know how WBL can benefit students - but what about your CTE program? 4 Benefits of Work-Based Learning for Your CTE Program These connections set them up for success when it comes time to start their careers! This gives students a much better understanding of how things work in the industry.įinally, students in WBL can connect and network with professionals in the industry today, including potential employers. On top of all this, students in internships, clinicals, and job shadowing get the chance to observe professionals working in their future careers. It’s much easier to learn these skills in a WBL setting than in a traditional classroom setting since they rely so heavily on scenarios and real-world practice! In addition to honing their technical and critical thinking skills, students in WBL programs develop crucial career readiness skills like professionalism, teamwork, communication, and initiative. This is especially important for students who may go onto careers that involve life-or-death scenarios, like healthcare.Īs noted in a document by the US Department of Education, a CTE administrator from Neosho County Community College said, “You really can’t test critical thinking skills in real life very well because you’re talking about a human being and you’re not going to let them screw up… But in a simulator, that’s where it shines… because they can make a mistake and not hurt anybody.” Second, WBL gives students a chance to practice their skills in real-world scenarios. This makes it easier for students to see the connection between what you’re teaching in the classroom and their future careers. WBL helps students network with potential employersįirst, WBL programs marry what students learn in the classroom to real-world application and practice.WBL gives students a chance to observe professionals in action.WBL gives students opportunities to practice skills in real-world scenarios.WBL connects classroom learning to the real world.Overall, we’ve found five major benefits that any student will get from WBL experiences:
When it comes to WBL, students in these programs can experience a ton of benefits. After all, their experience in your courses can pave the way for their future careers!
5 Benefits of Work-Based Learning for Your CTE StudentsĪs a CTE teacher, when you’re looking to add something new to your classroom it’s crucial to consider the impact on your students. In this post, we’ll highlight the 13 biggest benefits of WBL, starting with the benefits for your students. In fact, there are a number of benefits for your students, your CTE program, and your local employers just from implementing WBL! The short answer is yes! WBL can be an excellent addition to any CTE program. Are you thinking of incorporating work-based learning (WBL) into your CTE program? Is WBL worth the time and effort it takes to get started?