Sara Jobson

We do utilize learning logs and journaling, but I see the value in the rubric examples shared and would like to incorporate those into self-assessments.

We are under utilizing our advisory boards, due to not having a specific WBL coordinator on staff, and we would like to find a way to strengthen this element of our CTE programming.  Our Career Development coordinators do extend WBL opportunities to our students, servicing their own local district students, but we do not have a formalized program at our center to coordinate these WBL experiences.

It is imperative that students and employers follow all safety protocols to keep both students and other employees safe, which will allow this important program to continue.

I am grateful that the State of Michigan has completely developed paperwork for the WBL process.

Preparing an elevator pitch is an important way to prepare for meetings with business and industry professionals, as it goes a long way toward showing the mutual benefits of such an arrangement.

Our county students do a yearly review of their interest inventory with their Career Development Coordinator; however, how that pertains to their high school schedule is decided between the student, their parent, and their HS Guidance Counselor.

While I am aware of paid-internships for high school CTE students, I have not seen them used in the format shared in the Urban Alliance model...where at-risk students are identified for these opportunities versus a traditional CTE student.  It is an interesting concept, as I understand the benefit to provide this as an option to those students who have to support themselves; I truly just hadn't thought about it in this way for this segment of the population.

This course is cementing for me the importance of continuing to provide these experiences in the lower grades.  Our mobile career labs give the hands-on experiences referenced, to students in grades K-6, and I truly to feel that this is a powerful way to scaffold WBL into the increased expectations in grades 7-12.

We utilize various activities that are cited in the best practices, but one idea I would like to spend more time on is having students partner with industry to solve an industry issue.  Activities like this truly encapsulate what students would be experiencing when working in industry and this is an important method of allowing students to experience whether this specific industry aligns with their interests and meets their expectations of what a career in this field could look like.

While we always seek to gain more industry partners, I do think it would be great to add some non-profits to the list, as well as seek to weave ourselves into the thread of Rotary.