Check out work-based learning news and thought leadership from the EdSystems blog, The Latest.
The 2024–25 school year brought fresh energy and bold innovation to the field of work-based learning. From new internal systems and inclusive practices to creative partner outreach and myth-busting conversations, learn what key initiatives, resources, and models communities are utilizing to provide high-quality work-based learning and expand student access.
Highlighting exemplars from school district partners across Illinois, EdSystems is releasing a new work-based learning continuum to support college and career pathways in information technology (IT).
We asked school leaders across the state how they are recruiting manufacturing pathways students, particularly those who are typically furthest from access. In this article, we share barriers, key strategies, and resources that surfaced.
Middle school career exploration programs are designed to introduce young students to a wide range of careers and professional pathways at an early stage. In a new article, we consider the inherent risks of exposing students to career options at an early age and recommend key considerations for designing equitable work-based learning for middle grade students.
Learn about community insights on navigating employer partnerships, including growing employer partnerships, balancing paid vs. unpaid internships, and aligning student interests with industry needs.
Learn how students perceive work-based learning opportunities at their schools, what barriers they identify, and how conversations with counselors and administrators helped address those challenges.
Many people assume middle school students are too young for career exploration, but by encouraging self-discovery and exploring real-world challenges, we can help these young people pursue their futures. Here are key considerations for work-based learning in middle school.
EdSystems is incorporating feedback from our youth apprentices to inform continuous improvement, both immediate and long-term, and ensure the students’ experiences are meaningful. Learn about our strategies, including tools that can be incorporated in any youth apprentice program.
Joliet Junior College’s work-based learning continuum in industrial maintenance is generating positive outcomes for both students and industry partners. Check out the best practices from their model.
To help communities enhance their work-based learning programs and ensure equitable access for schools with varying capacities, EdSystems is releasing the new “Scaling Work-Based Learning: Quality Criteria for Continuous Improvement and Equity” resource.
EdSystems, in collaboration with XQ Institute, conducted a six-week virtual micro-internship for high school students, focusing on real-world applications of mathematical concepts. Learn how this model incorporates the development of essential employability skills, including research abilities and effective communication, and can be applied to a variety of settings.
Designing and implementing high-quality work-based learning experiences is challenging, and communities often struggle to find support. The Illinois Work-Based Learning Innovation Network provides a model for peer collaboration by fostering a supportive environment for sharing resources and insights.
Discover key insights and recommendations on overcoming transportation barriers to work-based learning for Illinois students in the latest memo from the Success Network Policy Committee. This memo outlines student perspectives, district strategies, and systemic solutions to enhance access to work-based learning opportunities.
At EdSystems, we embody our commitment to racial equity and learner preparation through our youth apprenticeship program. As we reflect on our program’s first year, we’re refining mentorship strategies and addressing key questions for improvement, all while preparing for the next cohort.
Alongside a statewide advisory, EdSystems has developed high-quality criteria for work-based learning in support of the College and Career Pathway Endorsements framework. The draft resource is open for public comment until May 31.
Members of the Success Network Student Advisory Council and the Career and Technical Student Organization Student Board showcased research on dual credit and career and technical education courses statewide and offered recommendations for addressing barriers.
Job shadows offer students an opportunity to engage in hands-on learning and direct industry exposure but pose logistical challenges. Learn how stakeholders are exploring solutions for issues such as teacher buy-in and student interest.
Through the scaling of the GPEAK badging system, a growing number of communities are preparing students for productive lives and careers by developing innovative training programs aligned to Illinois’ essential employability competencies.
To scale manufacturing internships, employers need to better understand how to engage and mentor students under 18. Now, the Illinois Manufacturers’ Association and EdSystems are releasing new one-pagers to guide employers in effectively hosting high school interns while championing equity in placement and career progression.
The Success Network Policy Committee convened a workgroup to explore work-based learning transportation challenges and is now publishing the first of two memos, which shed light on the significant transportation-related barriers students face in accessing work-based learning opportunities. This resource identifies and analyzes challenges impacting in-school youth at the school district, local, and system levels.
What are your biggest hopes for artificial intelligence (AI)? How about your biggest fears and worries? In December, the I-WIN community met to reflect on these questions and explore the potential of AI to be a thought partner in the design of work-based learning experiences.
At EdSystems, our commitment to advancing racial equity and preparing more learners for productive lives extends beyond providing guidance; it’s about embodying the principles we advocate. We recognize the importance of leading by example, which is why the launch of our Youth Apprenticeship program is more than just a new initiative—it’s a testament to our dedication to practicing what we preach.
The key outcome of work-based learning is social capital, and building this valuable asset starts with being able to guarantee this outcome for all students. As a determinant factor in social mobility and overcoming socioeconomic barriers, social capital prepares students for their futures.
At I-WIN’s first in-person event, partners toured Panther Credit Union, an on-site banking and finance work-based learning opportunity at Oswego High School. Heather Penczak details how the career development experience works and its impact on students.
The number of school districts implementing College & Career Pathway Endorsements is increasing exponentially. To support statewide scaling, the Illinois State Board of Education has drafted a set of administrative rules that will soon be open for public comment. In this post, we examine the growth of the endorsement system and share our review of the pending rules, which point to a significant level of momentum in Illinois regarding college and career pathways.
Manufacturing has long been a male-dominated field, but the future of this industry depends on inclusivity and fresh perspectives. We gathered insights from manufacturing experts on supporting young women in manufacturing pathways. This collaborative effort has resulted in a resource that offers practical guidance for students at any stage of their career journey.
The first-of-its-kind Illinois Career Pathways Dictionary now includes expanded and updated definitions as well as resources and implementation guidance on a new website, pathwaysdictionary.org.
From work-based learning to pathway design to creating currency for students, EdSystems is learning valuable lessons through the Scaling Transformative Advanced Manufacturing Pathways (STAMP) initiative, a partnership with the IMA Education Foundation.
EdSystems is proud to announce it has received a three-year, $165,000 grant to strengthen work-based learning and launch an education research collaborative in the Belvidere and Rockford region. The grant was awarded by the Community Foundation of Northern Illinois’ Community Grants Program.
As organizations return to hosting in-person events, how do we acknowledge and design around the challenges communities have faced in recent years while inspiring more people of all ages to pursue high-quality occupations in in-demand fields? EdSystems worked with three Illinois communities to address that question.
An archive of work-based learning blog posts from the Illinois Work-Based Learning Innovation Network.
There are many different components of successful Career Development Experiences, but with the battling priorities that educators face daily, there is one that you cannot miss: mentorship.
To support the development of high-quality Career Exploration and Career Development Experiences in middle and high schools, ISBE tapped EdSystems to support a one-year pilot program. Check out the pilot’s models, resources, best practices, lessons learned, and recommendations for policy and supports to help better inform the field.
As part of EdSystems’ Health Sciences Career Exploration and Career Development Experience Pilot, Rush Education and Career Hub and Chicago Public Schools piloted a new Career Exploration event designed with inclusion in mind.
Scaling Education Pathways in Illinois (SEPI) introduces a third cohort of communities, a new mentor model, and expanded research into student perspectives and experiences in education pathways.
On February 28–March 3, 2022, the Illinois Education and Career Success Network delivered high-quality content to a record-setting attendance of 767 educators, administrators, policymakers, students, and leaders.
In collaboration with the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, Education Systems Center has released a new Career Development Experience Toolkit Companion Piece to address the needs of stakeholders outside of a traditional high school setting.
An archive of past convenings of the Illinois Work-Based Learning Innovation Network.
We applaud the US Department of Education for acknowledging the pandemic’s impacts on schools and build from innovative practices. We join USEd in seeking to re-envision how we educate young people and dismantle barriers that stand in the way of success for students of color for far too long.
EdSystems applauds the adoption of the Illinois Board of Higher Education’s new 10-year strategic plan, A Thriving Illinois: Higher Education Paths to Equity, Sustainability, and Growth.
The Career Development Experience Toolkit Companion Piece is designed for stakeholders outside of a traditional high school setting including workforce development organizations, community-based organizations, and alternative high schools.
High school intern Edith Lizardo compares in-person and virtual networking events and shares the importance of teaching students to network.
In response to the U.S. Department of Education’s RFI on Expanding Work-Based Learning Opportunities for Youth, the EdSystems team offered public comments based on the PWR Act and community interests, examples, and concerns gathered from our I-WIN members.
The Greater Peoria Essential Abilities and Knowledge (GPEAK) is a regional essential skills program to provide work-based learning opportunities.
The new Illinois Work-Based Learning Innovation Network (I-WIN) will support work-based learning educators in school districts and community colleges across Illinois.
As communities move to remote learning, we can also continue developing valuable employability skills through virtual work-based learning.
On May 11, 2017, the Illinois Science and Technology Institute (ISTI) and Education Systems Center at NIU hosted an employer summit to bring employers together to talk about building effective learning partnerships between employers and schools through problem-based learning, titled Employer Summit: Building Effective Learning Partnerships.
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