Work-based Learning

"Work-based learning is a continuum of activities that occur, in part or in whole, in the workplace, providing the learner with hands-on, real world experience. It combines skill development with training opportunities and is a key strategy in Colorado for developing talent and preparing Coloradans for the workforce and evolving labor market. Work-based Learning (WBL) programs are instrumental in quality career pathways that enable students and job seekers to secure industry-relevant skills, certifications, and credentials and advance to higher levels of education and employment."

-Coloradostateplan.com

Work-based Learning Opportunities

Pizza With Professionals

These panel discussions offer a wide range of perspectives on a given career topic from a group of experts. These are aligned with the Colorado Department of Education Career Clusters in order to provide insight into careers.The allows freshman to have conversations with at least two professionals in a field they are considering for a career. Students share pizza with the first professional, rotate, and then share dessert with the second professional. The forum occurs during lunch. Each participant pre-registers for the career table of their choice after completing an interest survey. Students are given an admittance ticket with their tables listed on it.Target Audience: SophomoresDate: Mondays in the Spring Community Partner: Variety of local businesses

Related Career Site-based Visits

Site-based visits are guided tours of a businesspremises offering more detailed information on officesurroundings, type of work, and general everydayactivity. This is an opportunity to inspire the nextgeneration of workers and give them vital insight intowhat is required to succeed in a specific business orindustry. It could also include activities, workshops,classes, and a chance for students to interact withemployees as well as the employer. Site visit can end with a discussion on how to pursue educational pathways both while in high school and also with post-secondary.Target Audience: SophomoresDate: Mondays in the Spring Community Partner: Variety of local businesses and CMU

Virtual/Community Job Shadows

Job Shadowing allows a student to spend a few hours, a half of a day, or a full day with a professional working in the student’s career interest. The student has the opportunity toexperience what a job is like as well as ask questions. Job shadows are intended to help students discover if they want to explore a career field further in an internship or apprenticeship. Job shadows can also be completed virtually utilizing the Career and College Readiness web site Career Exploration link.Target Audience: JuniorsDate: Arranged through counselor and WBL coordinator Community Partner: Variety of local businesses

Passion Project Capstones

The Capstone Project provides an opportunity to demonstrate a student’s ability to research, design and complete a project, and then articulate the experience through a formal presentation. The Capstone Project allows each student the opportunity to demonstrate his/her 21^st-Century skills through completion of a passion project, showcased in a three-part process including a physical product or service, a qualitative research product and a written reflection of the entire project, and an oral presentation accompanied by a portfolio presented to panel.Target Audience: Juniors and SeniorsDate: Arranged through counselor and WBL coordinator Community Partner: Variety of local businesses

Internships

Internships offer a student the opportunity to work in a business or organization for a semester to gain work experience and/or to explore a career of individual interest.Target Audience: Juniors and SeniorsDate: Apply through counselor and WBL coordinator Community Partner: Variety of local businesses

Apprenticeships

Apprenticeship programs work to ensure that students new to an industry or needing to gain critical skills receive industry based training needed to obtain employment.Target Audience: Juniors and SeniorsDate: Apply through counselor and WBL coordinator Community Partner: Variety of local businesses

Non-Discrimination Statement

Montrose County School District is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Montrose County School District RE-1J does not discriminate on the basis of race, creed, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, marital status, national origin, religion, ancestry, age, genetic information or conditions related to pregnancy or childbirth or disability in hiring or employment practices, admission to its programs, services or activities, in access to them, in treatment of individuals, or in any aspect of their operations. The lack of English language skills shall not be a barrier to admission or participation in the district’s activities and programs.

Questions, complaints, or requests for additional information regarding these laws may be forwarded to the designated compliance officer: Michelle Pottorff, Director of Human Resources 930 Colorado Ave., PO Box 10,000, Montrose, CO 81402, P: (970) 249-7726, Email: michelle.pottorff@mcsd.org or directly to the U.S. Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights, Region VIII, Federal Office Building 1244 North Speer Blvd., Suite #310, Denver, CO 80204.

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