Work-based learning is a key strategy for increasing student success, particularly for historically underserved student groups. But it can be hard for educators and employers to find each other and work together effectively.
A new report from CLP tells the story of a partnership that is making work-based learning work.
As one student said: “This validated the classes I’ve taken in the past 3 years and now I KNOW that I want to do this!” And a teacher noted: “Sometimes our students do not think they are good enough to apply for better 4-year colleges or apply to better companies. The very thoughtful feedback of the judges taught them otherwise.”
The partners — LA HI-TECH, a consortium of Los Angeles-area colleges and high schools, and Snap Inc., the parent company of the Snapchat social media app — are opening doors to the tech industry for a diversity of promising young people who are gearing up to become the tech workforce of the future. This is the story of a partnership that started as a field trip and evolved to include hack-a-thons, geofilter projects, and internships.
LA HI-TECH is an eight college and 16 high school California Career Pathways Trust consortium. Together with intermediary Bixel Exchange and Career Ladders Project, LA HI-TECH partners LA Mission College, LA Pierce College, and John F. Kennedy High School worked with hundreds of Los Angeles students to provide real life tech experience with Snap, Inc.