DATA / RESULTS
Data points on work-based learning outcomes (and a little extra research) for you -
WBL has been found to increase students’ persistence, graduation, and employment rates, with notable gains for students from underserved racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic backgrounds. 1
Expanding upon above, "overall WBL allows students to demonstrate their ability to apply their knowledge and skills in real-world settings. These experiences help students develop a sense of social responsibility, as well as intellectual, technical, and workplace skills that increase their labor market value (Hart Research Associates, 2013). Students who participate in WBL are more engaged in their academic programs and more active in their career planning (Fox, 2014; Fuller Hamilton, 2015). They also have better learning outcomes and are more likely to persist in and complete their academic programs (Rogers-Chapman & Darling Hammond, 2013). These benefits are more pronounced among underserved students, especially those who participate in apprenticeships (Holzer & Lerman, 2014). As a result, evidence suggests students who participate in WBL experiences are more likely to gain postsecondary credentials and labor market rewards in high-demand fields than students who do not participate in such experiences (Holzer & Lerman, 2014)." 1
Independent evaluation by SRI Education found that Oakland Health Pathways accelerated student learning. Students participating in the seven OUSD health pathways earned more high school credits, graduated at higher rates, and enrolled in college at higher rates than their peers in traditional high schools. 2
WBL can "close the skills gap and help build the workforce of the future while providing new pathways to career advancement and economic opportunity for millions of Americans." 3
"Now that the pandemic and social distancing have upended school operations and wreaked havoc upon the labor market, it is even more important to build stronger, more robust connections to jobs and careers for young people." 4
"Work-based learning through apprenticeship-like experiences has to become a central component of CTE. As a cultural and a learning setting, the workplace is uniquely valuable. There is abundant international evidence that, when CTE includes significant work-based learning experiences, work and school outcomes for young people are much better. The purposefulness and grounded nature of apprenticeship experiences are internalized by young people and solidify their developing selves." 5