Work-based learning: A powerful example from Charlotte, NC

Dear Colleagues:

The challenges of preparing youth and young adults for the emerging workplace are being met, in part, by an increased emphasis on CTE and especially on work-based learning (WBL). While the education community is slowly re-learning the value of WBL, industry is moving ahead and leading the way. A recent report from National Public Radio highlights a powerful example from Charlotte, North Carolina of education and industry partnering to provide WBL experiences:

Rebeca Espinal admits with a shy smile that she's a straight-A math student. She's a high school graduate who dreamed of going to college. Instead, Espinal, 17, is working in a Charlotte, N.C., factory that makes gas turbines and generators. She is an apprentice with the German company Siemens.

Listen to and read the full story at NPR's All Things Considered website.

Interested in learning more about the status of WBL in the United States? Later this week, the NRCCTE will launch its latest report, Work-Based Learning Opportunities for High School Students. Look for our CenterPoint newsletter in your inbox on Thursday.

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