What is Work-Based Learning (WBL)?

WBL at PAHCC

Job Shadowing/Career Work Experiences

(Natural Resource Management student with forester Joe Nelson in Salisbury)

Job shadowing is an unpaid experience where you can follow and talk with an employer for a short period of time in order to learn about a particular occupation or industry. Job shadows are also an opportunity for a student and employer to determine if they are a good fit for each other before beginning a longer work experience. It is a bit like a field trip that you go on by yourself to learn more about a job.

Internships

(Engineering students at the Wooden Hammer cabinet shop in Monkton)

Internships can be paid or unpaid work experience in which you participate in a variety of tasks employers might expect from an employee. Paid or unpaid,, you are treated like an employee and expected to behave and act accordingly. There are 7 rules that govern whether or not you need to be paid for an internship

Cooperative Education

(Auto Tech student at County Tire in Middlebury)

Cooperative Education is the name for a paid job that can be used for students to demonstrate their progress towards proficiencies and transferable skills from their Career Center program. You can work for the company or non-profit that employs you either during or after school hours and earn credit for your time and the skills you document, plus take home a pay check!

Getting Started

If you are interested in a work-based learning placement with an area business or employer, please contact Jess at Jdanyow@pahcc.org. If it's easier to chat with your instructor and ask them to contact me you can also do that!

Summer Co-op

You can have a co-operative education experience over the summer! Here's how:

You must have enrolled in a PAHCC program during the current year and have been accepted to return to the same program for the following year
Complete all of the Getting Started steps above. Summer co-op can be any of the four types of Co-op at the top of the page
Summer co-op can be used to demonstrate proficiencies that lead to meeting your graduation requirements!
A graduating senior can access summer co-op if the student has applied to return to the PAHCC program as an adult student in the following year.

Why is he smiling?

Yes, the student in banner at the top of this page has a big grin. He was enrolled in our Auto Tech program and had a career work experience as an aircraft mechanic intern at J & A Aviation in East Middlebury. He just completed putting a new windshield in the twin engine Beechcraft behind him. Why not grin?

Page updated

Report abuse