Kristie Theis

I realize that both an agreement and a training plan are important. A training plan will help students apply what they’ve learned to career pathways and real-world experience. 

I realize the importance of having processes and procedures in place for workplace and learning environments. Creating WBL packets of information can be helpful for this. I also appreciate the idea of building relationships with teachers. 

The role of the coordinator includes being organized and having accurate information to give to students, parents, and business partners. The more time and effort put into this will help establish a credible and reputable program. 

The importance of being familiar with the laws and policies that are place in order to put students in safe work settings cannot be understated. I like the idea of having a vetting form to serve as a standard, helping ensure students are protected. 

To have a valuable WBL experience for students & businesses, it's important to communicate the expectations and objectives to all involved. Coordinating with teachers, counselors, and students will help align the goals with the student and respective business partners.

These steps helped me realize ways that I can improve my process of finding training sites and the orientation processes for all involved. 

This has helped me understand the importance of a training agreement and offered ideas of where I can improve. I really like the idea of having the students complete a self-assessment. I would like to incorporate that into my WBL programs. 

I appreciate that the course recognizes the number of roles WBL coordinators have! I like the idea of using surveys to collect information from students and business partners. This information is helpful to know what is going well and how the WBL program can improve. 

I’ve learned the basics of work-base learning, its value and the different types. I will use this information to refine the current WBL program that I coordinate. 

Managing job orders involves much more than simply sending a lot of resumes—it requires matching candidates, preparing candidates, following up consistently, and maintaining communication with employers. There is a lot of time and preparation involved in the process to nurture relationships and meet the needs of our students and business partners.