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According to economist Paul Osterman, roughly "one-third
of all high school graduates, and somewhat more high school drop outs,
fail to find stable employment by the time they are thirty."
One of the goals of the School-to-Work initiative
is to change that statistic, making a larger percentage of American young
people employable once they leave school.
School-to-work programs ensure all students a smooth
transition from high school to work, college, and/or military training.
A typical school-to-work program includes school-based learning, work-based
learning, and connecting activities in middle and high school. Topics
that might be included are:
- Making informed decisions
- Achieving desired results by interpreting
and executing instructions
- Transferring learning from one context to
another
- Recognizing, defining, and solving problems
- Working effectively in groups to accomplish
a goal
- Identifying personal interests and goals
- Recognizing and communicating one's strategies
for accomplishing objectives
Read More About School-to-Work
National School-to-Work Learning Center
This Web site offers comprehensive resources developed by the National
STW Learning and Information Center, a federal agency devoted to STW issues.
The site offers extensive resources, including over 400 online tools to
help students, teachers, and employers with school-to-work transitions.
National Employer Leadership Council
This site offers links to employer models for school-to-work programs,
NELC membership information, and a listserv to keep members up-to-date.
Office of Vocational and Adult
Education (OVAE)
On this site, you will find useful information about programs, grants,
and events related to vocational education; school-to-work; high school
reform; community colleges; community technology centers; empowerment
zones and enterprise communities; and teacher development activities.
School-to-Work Seen as Route To More Than Just a Job
John Gehring, staff writer for Education Week, examines ways that school-to-work programs function as part of a series on high school programs.
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