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States can facilitate skill development and job exploration opportunities, such as work-based learning, for youth and young adults, including those with disabilities, that align with education and career development planning and meet businesses’ predicted workforce needs. Work-based learning is an essential component of career development, which should be implemented in a quality manner to produce college and career ready graduates. WIOA recognizes the importance of workbased learning as a strategy to improve employment outcomes for all disconnected youth; at least 20 percent of local youth formula funding must be spent on workbased experiences. Unfortunately, youth with disabilities, particularly those with significant disabilities, currently have less access to work-based learning even though paid employment and work experiences have been identified as one of four evidence-based predictors of success in postsecondary education, employment and independent living for youth with disabilities. State policymakers should ensure their efforts to promote work-based learning include youth with disabilities. By offering work-based learning opportunities like service learning, internships and job shadowing with employers who are knowledgeable about disability and capable of designing experiences for and accommodating a student’s individual needs, state college and career readiness programming can help prepare students with disabilities for the competitive workplace. Also, policymakers should incorporate work-based experiences into all phases of the education and career development process so that youth and young adults have opportunities to make informed career-related decisions. Work-based learning should involve a range of experiences—from site visits and job shadowing to paid and unpaid internships and service learning—and be available in both in-school and out-ofschool settings.
Policy In Depth: Work-Based Learning Opportunities What is Work-Based Learning, or WBL? WBL is an on-the-job educational and vocational training strategy where students practice career skills and apply in-classroom learning to the workplace. WBL strategies include job shadowing, internships, apprenticeships, and school-based enterprises. What role can WBL play in a student’s career and college readiness? Research from 2007-2008 suggests that roughly 72% of public high schools reported offering some form of WBL to their students. In some cases, WBL in the secondary setting might be the only opportunity for a worker to participate in career readiness and vocational training, since research from 2006 suggests that only 20% of U.S. employers feel an obligation to help train their workforce. How can the states support WBL access for students with disabilities? Employers and WBL sites may be unfamiliar with education process and services provided to students with disabilities. States can support employers and WBL supervisors by providing increased coordination and assistance in navigating the IEP process and implementing accommodations when requested.
Photo courtesy of Positive Exposure and RespectAbilityUSA
52 The Council of State Governments • National Conference of State Legislatures