NAF is shifting to an outcomes-driven approach to work-based learning, with a student-centered focus on goal setting and aspirations, transferable work skills, and meaningful professional relationships. As a result of this new approach, students will be more confident and better prepared to navigate their professional journey after high school. These students will be able to identify their careers of interest, map a plan to reach their goals, master skills they need to be successful, and make connections with employer partners who can help them navigate their path forward.
Outcome 1: Each student will have defined and mapped a plan for at least one career path.
Outcome 2: Each student will have worked to develop the six Future Ready skills, received continuous feedback from industry partners, Advisory Board members, and/or local community professionals, and be able to articulate their strengths.
Outcome 3: Each student will develop at least three professional connections.
The outcomes-driven approach to work-based learning focuses on 3 measures of student success:
Aspirations - Each student will have defined and mapped a plan for at least one career path.
Skills - Each student will have worked to develop the six Future Ready skills, received continuous feedback from industry partners, Advisory Board members, and/or local community professionals, and be able to articulate their strengths.
Connections - Each student will develop at least three professional connections.
Increased focus on student voice and equity of opportunities
Specific, defined outcomes vs. general WBL activities
Impact by design, not default
Cycle of continuous improvement informed by data
This approach is the result of several years of work that included:
Research & exemplar review
Interviews with NAF Network (Educators, Administrators, and Partners)
Internal Cross Functional Conversations (Network Development & Implementation, Curriculum & Instruction, Research & Tech, and several other teams)
