Launched in October 2020, the Illinois WBL Innovation Network (I-WIN) is designed to help employers, educators, and students leverage innovative models for scaling high-quality work-based learning opportunities in school districts and community colleges across the State. This network explores ways to create equitable opportunities for students.
Our Role
Open to communities throughout Illinois, EdSystems provides I-WIN participants with professional development opportunities and participation in community of practice sessions to support and inspire their work-based learning practices. Participants engage in conversations and receive guidance on creating sustainable, high-quality models that ultimately provide broader and more equitable access to work-based learning, especially for Black and Latinx students. In addition, EdSystems offers participants technical assistance, including help designing student projects, supporting employer onboarding, etc.
Best practices, learnings, and resources gathered during I-WIN communities of practices are made available through our resource hub. As we learn from I-WIN participants’ first-hand experiences, EdSystems will systematically document best practices, including sharable resources, models, and activities that will be shared with educators across Illinois for broader, statewide scaling. The best practices will also help inform our future recommendations to State policymakers.
