FAQ
Q: WHO CAN PARTICIPATE IN WORK-BASED LEARNING?
A: The state of South Carolina recognizes ten different types of Work-Based Learning. Some types such as job shadowing, virtual job shadowing, and structured field studies are open to students in any grade at schools willing and able to coordinate these activities. Work-Based Learning experiences that are Career Ready qualifiers are limited to high school students who meet the requirements. My job entails many things, but a major focus is on securing and coordinating internships, apprenticeships, and co-ops for students at Bonds Career Center and its feeder high schools.
Learn more about Work-Based Learning in South Carolina's Work-Based Learning Manual
Q: WHY SHOULD MY CHILD CONSIDER CTE?
Some students plan to go to college after graduation, but, at some point, most people will need a job to support themselves and their families. Florence 1 Schools offers many Career and Technical Education programs that teach job skills that are increasingly valuable to Pee Dee employers. Some of those CTE courses, such as marketing, entrepreneurship, Project Lead the Way, and health science are based at our high schools.
Career Centers such as Advantage Academy in Florence offer programs that require intensive training at little or no cost to students. Each of the programs offer industry certifications and technical skills as well as employability training that includes personal and professional skills that prepare students for the workforce.
Because the Pee Dee's employment participation rate is low, and a large portion of our skilled workers are eligible for retirement, many companies are partnering with Advantage Academy and other career centers to provide on-the-job training for high school students. That experience allows students to "test drive" a career. If the Work-Based Learning experience confirms their career choice, students will have a competitive edge in life after high school. If the experience makes them want to change career path, students will have saved years of waisted time and thousands of dollars pursuing a career that is not suitable for them.
Q: DO CAREER CENTER STUDENTS GO TO COLLEGE?
A: In spite of the outdated perception that career centers are places where kids with discipline problems who aren't smart enough for college go, career centers in South Carolina today open up a world of opportunities for all students. Each student has the opportunity to earn professional certifications and job experience in their career center program and choose to go straight into the workforce after graduation. Others choose to pursue a two-year or four-year college degree. Some choose both.
Many of our students get the opportunity to have Work-Based Learning experiences at companies offering employment, free college tuition, or tuition reimbursement after graduation. Our job is to prepare students for life after graduation, expose them to their many options, and let them choose the pathway that best fits their vision in life.
Q: DOES WORK-BASED LEARNING OCCUR EXCLUSIVELY IN THE WORKPLACE?
No. Both academic and occupational instructions are needed to achieve work-based learning skills and standards. All WBL experiences begin with classroom learning that progresses to on site training opportunities. These types of learning activities will help students relate classroom instruction to skills needed in a real-world work environment.