Career Development Experience Toolkit
Toolkit Primary Purposes
Establish Expectations
Establish expectations for implementing high-quality, rigorous work-based learning experiences that prepare young people to be college and career ready through the development of Essential, Entrepreneurial and Technical Employability Skills.
Provide Guidance
Provide guidance, tools, and frameworks to offer a Career Development Experience, which is a required component of the College and Career Pathway Endorsement framework and in the State’s Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) as a College and Career Readiness Indicator.
Highlight Best Practices
Highlight best practice examples of how organizations are accomplishing this on-the-ground and spark thinking for other communities about how these examples might be modified to fit into their own unique contexts
What is a Career Development Experience?
A supervised work experience relating to an individual’s career area of interest that:
- Occurs in a workplace or under authentic working conditions;
- Is co-developed by an education provider and at least one employer in the relevant field;
- Provides compensation OR educational credit to the participant (or both);
- Reinforces foundational professional skills including, at a minimum, those outlined in the Essential Employability Skills framework;
- Includes a Professional Skills Assessment of skill development and is utilized as a participant feedback tool; and
- Takes place for a minimum of 60 total cumulative hours.
Toolkit Terminology
The individual who will participate in the CDE: high school student, opportunity youth, participant in a non-profit/community-based youth development program, etc.
Lead entity working to organize and coordinate the delivery of CDEs to Participants: school, non-profit or community-based organization, chamber of commerce, other public/private institutions, religious organization, etc. May also be a convening organization or intermediary in a community.
Typically thought of as the employer, the company or organization providing the workplace or authentic working conditions for a Participant to complete their CDE.
The List of ‘Whys’
Why should Participants complete a Career Development Experience?
- Engage in authentic, hands-on tasks related to their career interest area
- Receive one-on-one mentorship and guidance from industry experts
- Discover the various pathways and requirements to obtain employment in their career interest area
- Determine whether their career interest area is a good fit for them (a successful CDE also includes those that redirects a Participant’s career pathway!)
- Develop a network of professionals and industry experts that can lead to accessing future opportunities
Why should Hosts provide a Career Development Experience?
- Provide training and support tailored to their workforce needs to build highly skilled individuals
- Gain new perspectives and insights on current practices from an individual who has typically completed work-based learning in other related industry area spaces beforehand
- Enhance or develop a collaborative relationship with Managing Organizations to ensure that systems and needs are aligned
- Influence the pathways of individuals interested in pursuing careers in their industry
- Serve as a steward for continued economic growth and access to opportunities for meaningful employment in their region
Essential Components
Planning the CDE
- Recruit and secure host sites for participant CDE placements
- Collect information on host sites and determine capacity for offering CDEs
- Train organizational staff as needed if participants are completing CDE in-house
- Complete any needed pre-assessments to determine participant readiness and any unique needs or accommodations
- Collect participant interest and permission forms to determine placement site and approval to participate
- Prepare participants for a professional environment through training and resource
- Review and confirm expectations for host responsibilities and experience for participants
- Determine any specific onboarding needs for participants to complete before their first day
- Establish your organization as a support and resource provider throughout the CDE process
- Develop Professional Skills Assessment(s) relevant to current CDE offerings for participants
- Determine a timeline and process for collecting host and participant feedback (site visits, surveys, phone calls, etc)
- Prepare a plan and resources for situations in which hosts and/or participants may experience challenges
- Determine how these data and information will be collected and where it will be housed within your organization
- Outline the process and provide any necessary materials for participants and hosts to complete to close out the CDE
Access & Equity
- Are they strategically located to provide a variety of accessible sites for all participants?
- How will participants be supported to meet the transportations needs of getting to host site?
- Have all participants been provided the same information and options regarding CDE opportunities?
- How and where is information being delivered so that all potential participants are aware of CDEs?
- What tailored supports are available for each special group represented by participants?
- How are participants assessed to determine any specific needs and/or supports to complete the CDE?
Models for Implementation
- Internship
- School-Based Enterprise
- Supervised Agricultural Experience
- Cooperative Education
- Research-Based Internship
- Remote Work for a Client or Employer
- Student-Led Enterprise
- Youth Apprenticeship
CDE Online Toolkit Resources
- WIOA Regional Planning resources”
- Illinois Department of Employment Security – Labor Market Information
- Pathways to Prosperity: Work-Based Learning Intermediaries
- Jobs for the Future (JFF): Work-Based Learning Delivery Systems, Intermediary Design, Diagnosis, and Improvement
- Career, Wages, and Trends Search
- Demand Occupations
- Step-by-step Guide for LMI
- Illinois workNet – Detailed Information on National Career Clusters and Related Programs of Study
- Illinois workNet – Demand Occupations Search
- Labor Market Information: Step-by-Step Guide
Staffing Considerations
- Form a cohort of Participants
- Determine needs of Participants:
- Supports / Accommodations
- Competency mastery levels
- Pathway / Career Interests
Hosts
- Present the CDE program and establish expectations
- Initial site assessment to determine capability of offering CDE
- Complete any required forms and/or HR procedures as required by Host
- Set professional expectations through pre-CDE training
Hosts
- Review CDE Agreement
- Train any Host staff working directly with Participant(s)
- Identify any HR requirements for Participants
Participants
- Monitor and assess growth in essential employability and technical competencies
- Troubleshoot any issues/concerns
- Perform site visits on both to: Site visit to check-in on experience
- Ensure meeting expectations of CDE and Participant supports
- Troubleshoot any challenges
- Perform site visits” on both to: Site visit to check-in on experience
Staff Professional Development
- Working with local community colleges to engage directly in technical competencies through courses or workshops
- Attending employer or community sponsored activities to gain a deeper understanding of a particular industry area
- Engaging with curriculum and outreach materials developed by hosts for their work-based learning programs
- Taking a tour of hosts’ sites and participating in conversations with host employees to see what it is like to work there
Determining how they model and reflect essential employability competencies to participants
Participating in workshops and training with local community organizations in workforce development
Deepening Host Engagement & Leadership
Transportation: Planning with Participants
Access to transportation can be a major barrier and a source of stress for Participants. Sometimes there are opportunities they are not aware of or unsure of how to access. Managing Organizations need to work closely with Participants to resolve any transportation issues or concerns. It is important for Organizations to develop a transportation plan with Participants that is consistent and reliable to ensure strong attendance at their CDE. Make sure Participants also have a back-up plan in place and are aware of who to contact in the event of any transportation issues.
Determining What to Measure
Participants
- Outreach efforts
- Communication records
- Profiles/Questionnaires
Hosts
- Ensure meeting expectations of CDE and Participant supports
- Troubleshoot any challenges
- Perform site visits on both to: Site visit to check-in on experience
Participants
- Pre-Assessments
- Career Surveys
- How CDE informed career/pathway
Hosts
- Number of placements/retention
- Attendance/# hours completed
- Endorsement area completing CDE for
- Industry-recognized certifications earned
Participants
- Professional Skills Assessments
- Feedback on CDE
- Tracking of successes and challenges
Hosts
- Professional Skills Assessments
Legal Considerations
- Do Hosts have any internal policies beyond child labor laws regarding the tasks youth can participate in on site?
- Are there any Organizational policies for employer and Participant communication?
- Are there any waivers that Participants and/or parent/guardians need to sign?
- What is the protocol if Participants need to travel off-site with their Hosts for a related CDE activity?
- Are there any HR requirements a Participant has to complete? (Background checks, health screenings, fingerprinting, etc.)
- Any Organizational policies regarding background checks for anyone working directly with a Participant?
CDE Online Toolkit Resources
Staffing Considerations
Depending on the context and needs of Hosts, there may be multiple angles to recruit Hosts to support your Career Development Experience (CDE) program. Initially, consider the Hosts with whom you have existing relationships:
- Are there any Hosts or even individual employees of a Host who have expressed interest in being more involved with Participants?
- Consider your own staff as well – have any of them expressed interest in working more directly with Participants for an in-house CDE?
- Which Hosts are working well with your Participants and providing intentional supports and guidance within the currently operating work-based learning experiences?
Common motives for Hosts to engage with Organizations to offer a Career Development Experience opportunity include:
Making the Ask
- Outline of roles and responsibilities
- Timeline of the CDE program
- Activities expected to complete (site visits, assessments, etc)
- Background on the youth your Organization serves
- Qualities and strengths of Participants
- Typical areas of growth and development
- Determining how they model and reflect essential employability competencies to participants
- Participating in workshops and training with local community organizations in workforce development
Assessing Potential Hosts
Host Not Ready to Offer a CDE?
If a Host has been assessed and is missing some key components to providing a quality CDE, consider how you can sustain your partnership and engage them in other opportunities to build towards offering a CDE:
- Site Visits
- Career Fair
- Guest Speaking
- Job Shadow
- Mock Interviews
CDE Online Toolkit Resources
- Article – “5 Myths about High School Interns and Why Your Business Should Hire Them”
- Participant CDE Task Examples Organizing by Pathway Endorsement Area
- YouthBuild – Partnering with Employers
- Reimagine Retail Chicagoland – Reimagining Employer Engagement Toolkit
- JFF – Employer Engagement Toolkit: From Placement to Partners
- Request Email Template
- Chicago Public Schools, Early College STEM Schools “Hire an Intern” Flyer
- Alignment Rockford Pathway Sponsorship Program
- CDE Request Email Template
- Tennessee Department of Education Activity: Prep to Elevator Pitch
- Pathways to Prosperity: What Employers Need to Know
- Illinois workNet Employer Outreach and Marketing
Onboarding for Participants
Participants can demonstrate readiness in several ways, including:
CDE Placement
Along with considering the career interests of Participants, it is also important to consider the type of environment and supports that best match a Participant’s characteristics and needs. Matching Participants to the ideal placement may require some flexibility – in some cases, Hosts outside of the Participant’s career interest area may be a better fit. Ultimately, what is most important is that the Host is able to provide an authentic learning experience in which the Participant develops the essential employability and technical competencies necessary for their career.
Community Examples of Pre-CDE Training
Career Ready Boot Camp
Through their Career Center for Discovery, District 214 developed digital modules on their Learning Management System for students to complete prior to participation in a CDE. In-person workshop sessions are available for those participants in need of more direct guidance.
Youth Program Services
Vermilion County Works (VCW) operates several special training programs for youth ages 16-24. VCW contracts with youth-serving agencies to provide pre-employment skills training prior to youth being placed in work experience, limited internships, or employment with local employers.
Rush – REACH
REACH has career readiness workshops in partner schools for interested applicants to the internship program. Students are able to participate in resume writing, interview prep, and networking events to strengthen their readiness for the work world.
PWR Act: Essential Employability and Technical Competencies
Refer to the Essential Employability and Technical Competencies as outlined in the Postsecondary and Workforce Readiness Act to enhance your Participant preparation activities. These competencies serve as quality indicators of an individual’s readiness to enter an industry or to pursue further education in that field. These competencies were developed in consultation with state agencies and key industry experts including hiring professionals, education and training professionals, and industry associations.
Getting Participants Ready
- Learn some general background about their Host, through desk research and/or Host information submitted to your Organization
- Plan for the logistics of getting to/from their CDE, mapping out their route as needed
- Practice their commute before their first day to proactively address any confusion regarding their route
- Participate in any required background or screening processes
- Identify any challenges that might impact the start date
HOST STAFF AS MENTORS FOR TALENT
Refer to the Essential Employability and Technical Competencies as outlined in the Postsecondary and Workforce Readiness Act to enhance your Participant preparation activities. These competencies serve as quality indicators of an individual’s readiness to enter an industry or to pursue further education in that field. These competencies were developed in consultation with state agencies and key industry experts including hiring professionals, education and training professionals, and industry associations.
CDE GUIDEBOOK FOR HOSTS
Developing a Plan for Participants
Along with providing clear expectations and information about your CDE program, collaborate with your Hosts to determine a plan for working with Participants. Hosts should consider:
- The day-to-day tasks or projects a Participant can contribute to
- Learning objectives and goals for Participants as well as essential related employability and technical competencies
- Departments that are in need of utilizing and managing a Participant
- Assigned Host staff who will provide ongoing supervision and support for Participant
- The flow of communication within a Host to contact your Organization as needed
- Directives for Participants if they are working in multiple departments/staff
Components of Creating a Youth-Friendly Workplace
-
Emotional and Physical Safety
- Participant’s basic needs are met
- Participants feel trusted and respected by host staff
-
Caring Relationships
- Participants have at least one adult who listens and provides guidance
- Participants have positive relationships with their peers
-
Youth Participation
- Participants are given opportunities to have a voice and choices
- Participants are provided opportunities to demonstrate leadership
-
Community Involvement
- Participants understand the local and global impact of their works
- Participants are provided opportunities to engage with the community
-
Engaging in Skill Building
- Participants engage in activities to strengthen their career interests
- Participants build new capacities through authentic learning experiences
CDE Online Toolkit Resources
Onboarding for Participants
- Career Development Experience Participant Profile
- Participant Interview Template and Suggested Questions
- ISBE Career Guide
- Sample Participant Placement Letter
- Youth CareerConnect: Parent Engagement Tip Sheet
- Participant Self-Assessment of Essential Employability Competencies
- Illinois workNet – Skill & Interest Surveys
- Template – Participant CDE Program Guide for Setting Expectations
- Illinois workNet Pre-assessment/Career Surveys
- Office of Disability Employment Policy – “Skills to Pay the Bills: Mastering Soft Skills for Workplace Success”
- NCHE – “Supporting In-School and Out-of-School Youth Experiencing Homelessness Through Education and Workforce Partnership”
- Illinois workNet Center – Employment 101 Tool
Onboarding for Hosts
- A Mentor’s Guide to Youth Development
- Roger Hart’s Ladder of Young People’s Participation
- Sacramento Employment and Training Agency – Creating a Youth-Friendly Workplace: An Employer’s Guide to Building a Quality Internship
- Youth Development Institute – Universal Youth Needs
- CASEL: Social, and Emotional Learning Competencies
Important Issues to Monitor
Record Keeping
For Credit: Require an hourly log as a course assignment submitted via paper records and/or a learning management system. A Participant’s letter grade will verify their completion of hours. For Pay: A Participant’s payroll can serve as verification of hours completed but a time sheet verified, by the Host should still be completed to validate hours.
Professional Skills Development
As defined in the Postsecondary and Workforce Readiness Act, a Professional Skills Assessment is
Specifically, Participants should reflect on the following before their formal Professional Skills Assessment:
- How does what they are doing at the CDE Host site relate to the expected CDE learning outcomes?
- How does this experience prepare and inform them in their career pathway of interest?
- Does the quality of their work match the Host’s standards and expectations?
- How have they improved their knowledge and skills over time (specifically what did they do to be successful)?
- Can they identify their strengths and how they have contributed to the work of their Host?
- In what areas do they need more support and what steps will they take to advance current knowledge/skills?
Components of a Site Visit May Include:
Navigating Challenges
Consider the graph of the Gartner Hype Cycle that is used to show the graphic representation of the maturity and adoption of new technologies as it relates to a Participant’s CDE and may affect their performance:
Setting and Revisiting Goals
CDE Online Toolkit Resources
Host Assessment
At the conclusion of their CDE, Participants should be provided the opportunity to evaluate their placement site and any Host staff with whom they directly worked. This information is helpful for your Organization to determine any items that went well and others that need to be addressed for improvement of future CDEs.
Items to be addressed on this assessment:
- Did they engage in work that they feel will help them in the future?
- Do they understand how their work contributed to their Host?
- Do they feel that their Host wants to see them succeed and respects them?
- Did they feel able to approach their Host with questions and get help?
- Which essential employability and technical competencies did their Host focus on?
- How has their career pathway been informed by interactions with their Host?
Participant Professional Portfolio
A work-based learning portfolio may include:
CDE Close-Out for Hosts
Some general topics to be covered in the assessment of the CDE are:
Exit Interviews with Participants
Encourage Hosts to find time before or during a Participant’s last day of their CDE to gather feedback on the experience. Participants can provide information on what their favorite aspects were as well as the things that were the most challenging during the CDE. Hosts can also ask for suggestions on areas of improvement and growth to provide a CDE that meets Participant and Organizational expectations.
