As our nation approaches the two-year mark of the global COVID-19 pandemic, states are grappling with continued uncertainty of the future, concerning both education and the marketplace. Disruptions in learning and instruction have only intensified the risks that students may be even less prepared for life after graduation. Continued shifts in supply and demand, particularly due to automation and inability to fill skilled positions, mean that economic growth and mobility are still critical unknowns for many regions and families.
To address these challenges, states will need to ensure their own talent infrastructure is sound and sustainable. That means helping schools and districts develop strong student pathways aligned with postsecondary credentialing, higher wage occupations, and employability skills.
Fortunately, there is a proven strategy to help ensure that young people are prepared for long-term career success: Work-based learning.
Work-based learning connects what students are learning in the classroom with the world of work. Through career-relevant activities, business people are given access to a potential talent pool, while sharing their own professional expertise and enabling young people to build the competencies and networks they will need to progress.
NAF’s third policy paper pulls together five recommendations state policymakers can implement to support high-quality work-based learning:
- Provide tax credits or other financial incentives for employers who engage with schools and offer work-based learning opportunities to students.
- Reduce legal barriers to student participation, by establishing clear policies for appropriate student liability insurance coverage.
- Define success metrics for work-based learning and regularly collect and report on them.
- Recognize work-based learning metrics in graduation requirements, accountability measures, and school fiscal incentive models.
- Prioritize funding, support, and resources for historically underserved students and communities.
To meet the infrastructure demands of tomorrow, policymakers should recognize student pathways and work-based learning as the critical infrastructure of today. By working with NAF, businesses position themselves at the forefront of shaping the future of workforce in the United States and developing diverse talent with a solid foundation in hard and soft skills. Let’s do all that we can in the present day to increase opportunities and invest in the economic and social well-being of the future—and that includes amplifying efforts to create greater connections for education and the workforce.
Click here to be the first to get the paper!
Tiffany Barfield, Senior Director of Policy & Advocacy, NAF
The writer can be contacted at: tbarfield@naf.org