Embedded Files
“Effective work-based learning models lead to [students] with professional and career-track skills, experiences, and post-secondary degrees and credentials that match employer expectations and needs” (JFF, 2016).
Certificate programs are a way to support LTW youth in securing long-term financial stability. At their best, they ensure that students are attaining skills employers need. With them, students can enter higher-paying jobs upon graduation and continue advancing their careers in a chosen industry. However, certificate programs are too often riddled with barriers, even actively unsupportive experiences where students are neither welcome nor given resources to accommodate needs like a primary language other than English or an IEP (CARA, 2023).
Given this landscape, we offer the following questions to help select a certificate program that is right for LTW students:
Given this landscape, we offer the following questions to help select a certificate program that is right for LTW students:
What are the requirements for entry? Take into consideration any academic requirements (like attendance or GPA benchmarks), the duration of the program (such as programs that require a multi-year commitment), and accessibility (whether it is virtual or in-person and requires difficult travel).
How will it connect my students to future career pathways? Certifications in security or OSHA can offer financial security and are good to have in your back pocket. Other certifications like food handling or CPR can serve as an entry into a particular career field. Career interest assessments will help you to know what career pathways a specific student is interested in.
How are my students set up for success? How does the program communicate progress and actionable feedback to students and the WBL Coordinators? How does it build skills? Consider also the program’s commitment to an inclusive environment; listen to previous students, as well as official literature to determine if it is anti-racist and supportive of LGBTQ+, non-native English-speaking youth, and learners with IEPs.
How does the program demonstrate its impact on students? Look for the program’s completion rate to give you a sense of how well students are supported in a program. Reviewing employment rates and earnings of alumni can also help students assess if a certificate is worth pursuing. Some programs report these on their website or recruitment materials.
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