NAF’s latest policy paper offers recommendations to policymakers to support talent pipeline development
(November 19, 2021 – New York, NY) – NAF is thrilled to announce the release of its latest policy paper, Work-based Learning: Critical Infrastructure for a Future-Ready Workforce. This publication examines what comprises a high-quality work-based learning program, identifies challenges and opportunities to developing and expanding these programs, and provides recommendations for policymakers.
“NAF believes work-based learning is the essential infrastructure needed to build a talent pipeline ready to meet the demands of tomorrow,” said Tiffany Barfield, NAF’s Senior Director, Policy and Advocacy.
As the country approaches the two-year mark of the COVID-19 pandemic, states are grappling with continued uncertainty of the future of both education and the workforce. Disruptions in learning and instruction increase the risks that students may be even less prepared for life after graduation. Continued shifts in the labor market, particularly due to automation and inability to fill skilled positions, mean that economic growth and mobility are still open questions for many states and families. At the same time, ongoing discussions persist about how to tackle long-standing problems with the nation’s infrastructure, the results of which could be both an influx of federal dollars and real concerns about whether states have the talent needed to put them to work.
To address all these matters, states will need to ensure their own talent infrastructure is sound. That means helping schools and districts develop and support strong student pathways aligned with postsecondary credentialing, higher wage occupations, and employability skills. It also means ensuring that these student pathways are high-quality and include critical experiences to build real-world knowledge and skills.
NAF’s third paper places work-based learning at the center of the strategy for preparing the next generation of leaders, laying out a full continuum of experiences and transferrable employability skills that are developed through these activities. In addition, the publication discusses common challenges and strategies for overcoming them.
The recommendations described include:
- Provide tax 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.
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About NAF:
NAF is a national network of education, business, and community leaders who work together to ensure that high school students are college, career, and future ready.
NAF works with high need communities to transform the high school experience through an educational design that includes industry-specific curricula, work-based learning experiences, and relationships with business professionals, culminating in a paid internship. NAF academies fit within and enhance school systems, allowing NAF to become an integral part of a plan for higher achievement at a low cost. NAF academies focus on one of five career themes: finance, hospitality & tourism, information technology, engineering, and health sciences. During the 2020-21 school year, over 117,000 students attended 619 NAF academies across 34 states, plus DC, Puerto Rico, and the US Virgin Islands. In 2020, NAF academies reported 99% of seniors graduated with 87% of graduates planning to go to college. For more information, please visit: https://naf.org/