What is career connected learning?

Work-Based Learning

Work-based learning refers to educational experiences that integrate academic knowledge and skills with real-world work experiences. It involves students actively participating in professional settings, gaining practical skills and insights, and applying what they learn in the classroom to authentic work situations.

Examples: Internships, apprenticeships, co-op programs, clinicals, on-the-job training, and other forms of experiential learning where students work in real-world environments.

Career-Connected Learning

Career-connected learning is a broader term that encompasses various educational activities and experiences designed to prepare students for their future careers. It goes beyond just work experience and includes exposure to different careers, exploration of career pathways, and the development of skills and knowledge relevant to specific professions.

Examples: Career exploration programs, mentorship initiatives, job shadowing, industry visits, guest lectures, and any activities that connect students with professionals and provide insights into different career options.

Why is Clark College invested in career connected learning?

Participation in career-connected learning allows students to gain career-related work experiences, which has been shown to increase student completion and short-term employment/earnings (What Works Clearinghouse Moderate Evidence, 2020). Alignment of curriculum to industry standards, with explicit opportunities to demonstrate student mastery of career competencies, is essential to successfully preparing students to enter the workforce (MDRC, 2019; Cahill, 2016).

Clark will utilize faculty professional development to infuse career-connected learning within program pathways, through both academic coursework and co-curricular engagement opportunities. This will result in the development of a repository of career-connected learning opportunities (e.g., employer interviews; classroom visits; industry site visits; project-based assignments), maximizing opportunities for faculty across the college to leverage existing partnerships.