High-Quality Work-Based Learning (HQWBL)

High-Quality Work-Based Learning (HQWBL) is comprised of school-coordinated workplace experiences that are related to students’ career goals and/or interests, are integrated with instruction, and are done in partnership with local businesses and organizations.

Allowing students to take part in career awareness, career exploration and career preparation opportunities. HQWBL experiences are opportunities for students to apply and refine knowledge, attitudes, and skills through professionally coordinated and supervised work experience directly related to career goals. The Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) recognizes 12 types of WBL experiences and certain experiences are eligible for high school credit.

Contact Us

Sara Weinstein
Work-Based Learning Coach
540-678-3966, ext. 35001

Work-Based Learning Spotlights

Meet Blessed

Blessed
Anesthesiology externship & shadowing

Doing an externship/shadowing an Anesthesiologist helped me develop my passion for medicine and firsthand see all the things that go on in the operating room and hospital. It's given me confidence in my path moving forward, and the experience itself has been invaluable in securing opportunities past it.

Meet Karmen

Karmen
Electricity service learning &
carpentry mentorship

This semester I regularly left the school with my class to do electrical work for local businesses. When we did electrical work it not only showed you what it looked like commercially in the field, but also how you would be expected to encounter and solve problems. Sitting on the floor putting wire nuts under a sink or standing in a jungle gym dragging conduit everywhere only solidified the fact that I want to go into electrical.

Meet Carter

student shaking hands with a person in a miltary uniform

Carter
Internship with army corps of engineers - middle east district

Working with the engineering and project managers at the United States Army Corps of Engineers really helped me decide to want to study engineering in college and pursue it as a career. Seeing how projects are carried out from start to finish gave me a clear understanding of what I would be dealing with in the future, and working closely with the engineers gave me connections that I will not forget.

Meet Diana

Diana
Internship at BEUTTNER Tire & AUTO

Interning in an auto shop has been a very fun experience, and I have learned a lot! I've never been sure of what career path I wanted to take in the future, until I decided to give a personal interest a try. Interning at Buettner made me realize how much I want to be involved in the auto industry.

Career Awareness

Some examples of career awareness activities are:

Guest speakers
Career days or college and career fairs
Field trips and workplace tours
Videos or presentations about various professions
Transition visits from elementary to middle school, middle to high school, and from high school to a postsecondary program can also promote career awareness.

These activities can begin in elementary school and are an integral part of CTE.

Career awareness activities ideally lead to HQWBL experiences where students can deepen their knowledge of career pathways and begin applying skills learned in the classroom.

Career Exploration

Career exploration experiences encourage students to develop career interests, a better understanding of pathways to a chosen career, and the skills needed to make informed decisions regarding secondary and postsecondary education and training. These experiences are typically of a shorter duration than career preparation experiences. Students may complete supplementary work connected with the activity and may be graded on their performance in a way that contributes to the final grade in a CTE class.

These experiences could include:

Job Shadowing
Service Learning
Mentorship
Externship
Internship

Career Preparation

Career preparation experiences deepen student knowledge and develop skills necessary for success in employment and postsecondary education. These experiences are recommended for students who have a clear goal of entering the workforce directly after high school or enrolling in a closely related postsecondary program. These experiences are structured primarily to give students extensive practice in applying fundamental technical and practical knowledge and skills in their chosen careers. Career preparation experiences take place over a longer timeframe and involve more responsibilities than career exploration experiences.

These experiences could include:

Entrepreneurship
Clinical Experience
Cooperative Education (Co-Op)
Apprenticeships

High-Quality Work-Based Opportunities Available

Quick checklist guide for each experience

Student Benefits:

Employability and technical skills
Social capital
Positive relationships and networking
Workplace environment experiences
Academic excellence and opportunities for advancement
Pathways to careers

Considerations prior to students being placed in HQWBL opportunities:

Current related CTE Instruction
Successful completion of career inventory and exploration activities
Relevant work experience (e.g., job shadow, part-time job)
Recommendation from a classroom teacher or counselor
Minimum attendance and/or grade point average
Possess acceptable workplace readiness skills
Completion of application and interview process with host employer
Completion of student registration and parent/guardian permission
Ability to fulfill the time demands of the opportunity

Business Partner Benefits:

Contribute to economic growth
Increase workforce diversity and inclusion
Enhance educational curriculum
Prepare youth for evolving workforce by providing employment opportunities
Meet current workforce needs
Establish a network with other businesses/employers
Increase customer awareness, which should lead to an increase in the bottom-line

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