Schooling in the Workplace: Increasing the Scale and Quality of Work-Based Learning

Examines work-based learning activities in high school, noting that a diverse mix of students—including both high- and low-achievers—participates in some work-based activity. However, females are more likely to do so than males. Also notes that internships arranged through school are in a variety of industries and offer more learning opportunities than jobs students find on their own, job shadowing and more extended internships are helpful to students in formulating career goals, and brief activities are easier to arrange and participation in them is growing, while participation in intensive activities is not. Efforts by school staff to upgrade work-based activities and make sure they complement the school curriculum could further enhance their appeal and usefulness to students, parents, and the public.