Work Based Learning @CHS

Our Vision

At Cumberland High School, we believe that every student deserves the opportunity to connect their education to the real world through meaningful, hands-on experiences. Work-based learning empowers students to discover their passions, apply classroom knowledge to authentic situations, and develop the essential skills needed for success in college, careers, and life.

Our vision, is to create a learning community where every student engages in purposeful work experiences—whether through internships, apprenticeships, community projects, or job shadowing—that foster curiosity, confidence, and competence. By partnering with local businesses, organizations, and industries, we ensure that students gain valuable insight into the world of work while building professional networks and lifelong learning habits.

Through work-based learning, we prepare all students not just to succeed in the workforce, but to lead, innovate, and contribute meaningfully to their communities and the global economy.

Education student works with a small group of Cumberland Preschool students.

What we've done

CHS has collaborated with industry partners and classroom teachers to create a variety of opportunities both within school and external, for students to foster skill development and network with industry professionals.

Our WBL experiences come in two forms:

Embedded WBL Opportunities: exist within the classroom structure, as a part of a learning experience directly tied to course curriculum. This could be a hands-on activity, an off-site experience with the class, or a capstone project.
External/Internal Internships: These opportunities lie outside of the structures of the class, and although tied to course content/skills/standards, are independent of a class and can vary by student and employer.

Embedded WBL Experiences

CHS has collaborated with industry partners and classroom teachers to create a variety of opportunities within the classroom setting. These WBL experiences are typically a part of the curriculum, and often tied to a grade for the class. Some examples include:

Building a bridge in an engineering class that can withstand a minimum weight
3D printing a scaled model of a project, such as a wind turbine
Completing a blood pressure lab, using a blood pressure cuff
Diagnosing an injury/illness, and creating a treatment plan
Submitting a business proposal for a new business
Creating marketing materials for a new product
Writing a case briefing
Writing a lesson plan
Determining time of death based upon crime scene evidence
Designing a video game or creating an app for use
Participation in the CTE Mass Casualty Incident Simulation training

Internal/External WBL Internships

CHS, along with our local business community, is working to increase access and opportunities for internships for students. Internships are valuable, voluntary, work-based experiences that support postsecondary goals, and may be tied to CHS courses or CTE programs.

Internships include an application process, which is available on this website, and may be credit-bearing, depending on the experience, alignment to ILP, and hours dedicated. Approved internships require the application, interview, and signed agreements in place to be considered for credit.

Are you an employer looking to support WBL at CHS?

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