Modern College and Career PrepNavigating the postsecondary landscape is no small task, especially for a teenager. However, when high school students are in learning environments where they are able to see how their interests connect to careers and education, they make more informed decisions about their future. The importance of individualized learning lead the Indiana Department of Education to enact new graduation pathways requirements that include work-based learning in 2019.
EmployIndy, serving as Marion County's intermediary for work-based learning, has established Talent Bound to help schools meet this need for their students. Talent Bound offers a full menu of activities that provide early exposure and engagement to local career options, giving students the ability to find their interests and passions, and educators the ability to nurture them. When education is presented alongside the real-world context of work, students find academic learning more accessible while also being more deeply engaged in schoolwork. Connected to Multiple IndustriesA common misconception is that work-based learning is tied to technical careers and skilled trades, but the reality is that the activities Talent Bound can facilitate span across a variety of industries. Businesses in fields such as finance, business management, law, marketing, entertainment, healthcare, logistics, and more are just as eager to show their career paths to students as those in manufacturing or construction.
Further, within businesses in any industry, students learn about other functions such as human resources, administration, communications, IT, sales, and the cross-departmental functions of the workplace. Seeing firsthand how these roles combine to keep a business running is an eye-opening experience for teens who are eager to discover where they can fit, and connect those skills back to their traditional coursework. |
"Work-based learning has been found to increase students’ persistence, graduation, and employment rates, with notable gains for students from underserved racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic backgrounds." - Office of Community College Research & Leadership* |
See which Talent Bound activities are right for your school
Preparing for LifeDuring a Talent Prep mock interview activity, Crispus Attucks High School 9th graders who had limited work experience found it difficult to explain how they might be a good candidate for a job. Through engagement with professionals, they learned how to think outside the box and communicate how their life experiences could be of benefit in a workplace setting.
"Down the road they will realize what they learned in this class made a difference in their life." |
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