ACTE's National Work-Based Learning Conference

For 10 years, YouthForce NOLA has built one of the nation’s best high school internship programs, continuously improving a model that has scaled fifteenfold and offers work-based learning for 10% of public high school graduates in New Orleans. 99% of internship alumni continue into higher education and/or obtain a job after completing the internship, well outperforming the national average for similar programs (68%) and they earn higher wages than their peers statewide.

But building a best-in-class work-based learning program doesn’t mean it has come easily. YouthForce NOLA has tackled dozens of the inevitable obstacles that surface when collaborating across families, education, and business partners to develop engaging training and place hundreds of young people in workplaces. From matching an extra 20 interns in businesses to managing student transportation issues to adapting to shifting state standards, YouthForce NOLA has seen its share of bumps in the road.

In this session, you’ll hear about the foundational systems and tools as well as team mindsets and capacity that will help you overcome the predictable but still unknown challenges that come with building and growing work-based learning offerings. Join us to think through which strategies and insights you can apply to your own programs to ensure the work-based learning opportunities you build are ready for whatever hiccups that come your way.