Pillar 3: Work-based learning.

Leading Note: It’s imperative that district leaders are familiar with relevant state laws regarding work-based experiences and use them as guardrails for the opportunities that they offer.

Why It Matters:

Work-based learning (WBL) offers learners hands-on, authentic, real-world experiences that help them develop essential employability skills, explore potential careers, and build social capital. Whether through job shadowing, internships, cooperative education, or youth apprenticeships, these opportunities bridge the gap between classroom learning and industry expectations. WBL offers opportunities for growth (personally and professionally), builds confidence in the learning process by allowing for a fail-forward, growth mindset, and gives the students a pathway to earning right out of school. Additionally, students build employability skills that will last a lifetime.

Research underscores the impact: Completing a paid internship is associated with an increase of over $3,000 in annual wages just one year after graduation. Participating in any type of WBL during undergraduate education predicts higher annual income and greater satisfaction with one’s educational and career pathway. And the benefits begin even earlier—learners who engage in internships, apprenticeships, or cooperative education in high school are more likely to be employed after graduation. For learners from disadvantaged backgrounds, these experiences are especially transformative, increasing the likelihood of securing a higher-quality job by age 30.

Many states now require learners in career-ready graduation pathways to complete work-based learning experiences. Embedding high-quality work-based learning ensures learners gain real-world skills that are valued in both career and college contexts. In fact, eight states currently require such experiences as a condition of graduation, reinforcing their critical role in pathway design.

Supported by the general public, WBL doesn’t just prepare learners for employment; it helps them build confidence, clarify their goals, and see themselves in professional roles. More than 40 states now allow learners to demonstrate mastery via performance-based assessments or WBL experiences to earn credit; an essential lever for building equitable, learner-centered pathways. When designed equitably and offered early and often, WBL becomes a game-changer for learners and communities alike.

“Voters agree there is a strong need to expand options for quality and affordable college and training, provide lifelong learning options, and rethink the approach to education and job skills training to adapt to the nation’s changing economy. Business leaders and educators also see the need for more options and different approaches.” 

All4Ed. (2024). OpinonatED, Voters’ Views on Education in 2024.

District Implementation Strategies

To implement this pillar at scale, districts must:

  • Map a K–12 WBL continuum that builds from awareness to advanced opportunities, ensuring intentional progression.
  • Create a WBL monitoring system to analyze participation, equity, skill development, and postsecondary outcomes.
  • Develop a coordinated work-based learning infrastructure with dedicated staff to manage employer outreach, learner placements, and logistics.
  • Engage regional employers, industry partners, or intermediaries as co-designers of experiences, ensuring alignment with emerging labor market demand and learner interest.
  • Formalize employer partnerships with MOUs that define expectations, feedback loops, and learner safety supports.
  • Develop teacher externship programs to help educators understand industry expectations and integrate them into their instruction.
  • Embed work-based learning across multiple formats and entry points, from short-term experiences (e.g., job shadows) to sustained engagements (e.g., internships, paid pre-apprenticeships).
  • Provide structures for preparation, mentorship, and reflection, so learners are not just placed, but supported before, during, and after the experience.
  • Collect disaggregated data on participation and outcomes to ensure equity in access and impact across all learner groups.
  • Establish structured feedback loops between employers and schools, enabling the documentation of learner skills and competencies, and allowing programs to improve over time.
  • Design accommodations and flexible entry points for learners with disabilities or transportation challenges.
  • Provide stipends or cover costs (e.g., uniforms, tools, transportation) to eliminate financial barriers for participation.
  • Embed reflection and assessment into WBL, requiring learners to connect experiences to academic standards and individualized learning plans.
  • Provide mentor training for employers and supervisors to ensure consistent, high-quality learner support.
  • Recognize and credential WBL experiences, including transcript notation, digital badges, or credits.
  • Showcase learner WBL experiences through presentations, portfolios, or capstone exhibitions to reinforce value and visibility.

  • Do all learners have access to meaningful work-based learning experiences, not just those in specific programs or academies?
  • What supports are in place to ensure that learners are prepared for, supported during, and able to reflect on their work-based learning experiences? (Ex. paid experiences, meaningful work, awareness of the benefits cliff, etc.)
  • How comprehensive is our continuum of WBL opportunities, from awareness to apprenticeships?
  • Which learner groups face barriers to participation, and how are we addressing equity of access (transportation, stipends, supports)?
  • How are WBL experiences connected to a learner’s individualized plan, academic pathways, and graduation requirements?
  • Do our partnerships with employers reflect the diversity of our local labor market and the aspirations of our learners?
  • How are workplace mentors trained to provide inclusive, developmentally appropriate support?
  • In what ways are we assessing the quality of WBL beyond participation numbers (e.g., skill growth, learner reflections, employer feedback)?
  • How do we capture and validate learner skills from WBL (e.g., transcripts, portfolios, digital badges)?
  • How are WBL outcomes used to inform continuous improvement of pathways and partnerships?

  • Develop a continuum of WBL opportunities from career awareness and job shadowing to paid- internships, pre-apprenticeships, and registered, paid apprenticeships.
  • Ensure equitable access by covering costs such as transportation, stipends, or equipment for learners who need financial support.
  • Integrate WBL into academic pathways, aligning experiences with learners’ individualized plans and ensuring credit or credential recognition.
  • Establish strong partnerships with employers who co-design experiences, set clear expectations, and provide meaningful learner feedback.
  • Leverage intermediaries (e.g., workforce boards, chambers, nonprofits) to expand opportunities and manage logistics.
  • Provide structured reflection activities that connect workplace learning to academic standards and postsecondary planning.
  • Train workplace mentors and supervisors to support learner growth and ensure experiences are inclusive and supportive.
  • Embed professional skill development (e.g., communication, collaboration, problem-solving) into WBL activities.
  • Use technology platforms to match learners with opportunities, track participation, and capture skills learned.
  • Recognize WBL experiences on transcripts and/or learner portfolios, making them visible to colleges and employers.

Work-based learning brings relevance to the classroom and helps learners build the skills, confidence, and networks needed for long-term success. By making WBL equitable, intentional, and connected to academic pathways, districts ensure that learners graduate with experiences that distinguish them, whether they are entering college, pursuing a credential, or transitioning directly into the workforce. With WBL in place, the next pillar, Industry-Recognized Credentials, ensures learners leave high school with tangible credentials of value that signal readiness to both colleges and employers.

Work-Based Learning Readiness Rubric

This rubric supports schools and districts in assessing the depth, quality, and equity of their work-based learning experiences. Organized across six reflection areas, the tool helps leaders evaluate how well WBL programs connect to labor market demand, provide access to underrepresented students, integrate with advising systems, and track long-term outcomes. It’s a practical resource to guide continuous improvement and expand opportunities for all learners.

  • Atlantic County Institute of Technology (ACIT)

    New Jersey

  • Eastern Hancock Schools

    Indiana

  • Cajon Valley Union School District

    California

Dive into Pillar 4: Industry-Recognized Credentials

Looking Ahead to Section 2: Career-Connected Exploration & Four Design Pillars

Industry-recognized credentials are developed or endorsed by a nationally recognized industry body, awarded for demonstrated technical or occupational skills, and valued by multiple employers in the sector as a preferred or required standard for hiring, retention, or advancement.