What is Work-Based Learning (WBL)?

What is Work-Based Learning (WBL)?

WBL is a school-coordinated, sponsored, coherent sequence of workplace experiences that are related to students’ career goals and interests.  These experiences are performed in partnership with local businesses, industries, or other organizations in the community enabling students to apply related classroom instruction in a real-world work environment. 

There are 10 WBL methods of instruction currently recognized and practiced in South Carolina. 

*Apprenticeship (Registered and Youth)

*Cooperative Education

*CTE Internship (Work Based Credit Bearing Course)

*Internship (Paid or Unpaid)

Mentoring 

Job Shadowing (On-Site)

Job Shadowing (Virtual) 

School-Based Enterprise

Service Learning

Structured Field Study

*Indicates Career Readiness

To be career-ready, a student must meet one of the following:

Earn CTE completer status while also earning a national or state industry credential as determined by the business community; or

Earn a Level 3 or higher on the state-approved career readiness assessment; or

Earn a scale score of 31 or higher on the ASVAB; or

Successfully complete a state-approved work-based learning experience 

Successfully completes the South Carolina High School Employability Credential (applies to students with a documented disability)