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The COVID-19 pandemic has had a detrimental impact on many facets of students' successful transitions from secondary into postsecondary education, particularly for students who depend on in-person delivery of content and experience. For many young people, paid work-based learning has historically provided a needed source of income, and its importance has grown as youths and their families have been affected by the unemployment crisis. Moreover, the nature of work itself is changing, and policymakers must ensure that young people have meaningful and equitable access to learning about the world of work. This Policy Brief explores the structural challenges -- both new and old -- that prevent high school students from accessing quality work-based learning and transitioning to postsecondary education and on to the workforce. Drawing on evidence-based approaches and lessons from the field, it presents a set of state policy considerations to expand access to work-based learning experiences. This Policy Brief is one of six dedicated to various facets of the transition from secondary to postsecondary education, now complicated by the COVID-19 pandemic. It focuses on the populations already underserved in the nation's education system. The series -- which builds upon "A State Policymaker's Guide to Equitable Transitions in the COVID-19 Era" (see ED606369) -- provides actionable steps and examples for state policymakers to consider as they address the transition from high school to college and the workforce.

Americans seeking employment often face a conundrum: relevant work experience is a prerequisite for many jobs, but it is difficult to gain the required experience without being in the workplace. Work-based learning--activities that occur in workplaces through which youth and adults gain the knowledge, skills, and experience needed for entry or advancement in a particular career field--offers a solution to this problem. But although the benefits of work-based learning are clear, they have accrued primarily to the most highly educated and socially connected segments of the U.S. population. In recent years, educators and leaders in the workforce development field have returned again and again to the problem of providing work-based learning opportunities to the marginalized populations for whom this experience can mean the most. This paper guides the design and implementation of effective models of work-based learning that expand access for the many people who don't currently benefit from these opportunities, including the introduction of seven principles for effective work-based learning that Jobs For the Future (JFF) has identified based on more than three decades of experience in promoting and implementing education and workforce strategies that support youth and adults seeking to launch and advance in careers. [For the related document: "7 Principles for Effective Work-Based Learning," see ED567847.]

Employers interested in working with young people are often concerned about possible barriers that may limit youth's access to workplaces, such as labor laws and liability issues. Employers who eagerly partner with educators to provide guest speakers and company tours might nonetheless be hesitant to invite students into workplaces for experiences such as job shadows and especially internships. Addressing employers' concerns head-on is therefore critical to scaling up work-based learning opportunities in states and regions. In reality, federal and state laws and policies do not prevent high school students from participating in meaningful work experiences in professional environments. Employers who familiarize themselves with a few main policies relevant to their sectors can easily remain in compliance while providing enriching and important career and skill development opportunities for youth that have lasting impacts on students, families, and entire communities--not to mention the employer's work and workforce. This brief is intended to allay concerns about perceived barriers to young people's access to workplaces and to highlight the successes of employers who have opened their doors to high school students. The brief profiles employers within the Pathways to Prosperity Network who have found ways to provide young people with meaningful work experiences. These case studies highlight the ways that these employers have managed the logistics of work-based learning and explain the benefits of doing so for employers. [This brief was produced as part of Jobs for the Future's Pathways to Prosperity Network.]

This brief begins with a discussion of the composition of state leadership teams and organizing structures for supporting a Pathways to Prosperity Network initiative, and then describes effective strategies currently at play in the network states for jumpstarting work in the regions. It goes on to review state policies that support 9-14 collaborations, including dual enrollment, career and technical education policy, and funding. The 9-14 career pathways policy lever is well developed as a result of extensive work by several organizations, including Jobs for the Future (JFF), which has a decade of experience in high school-to-post-secondary transitions that incorporate dual enrollment. JFF has also developed a specific 9-14 policy set to support Early College Designs. The organization has led the Early College High School Initiative nationally since 2002. The paper then becomes more speculative. In the sections on career advising, employer engagement, and intermediaries, the paper lists and briefly describes policies that could be deployed in the service of 9-14 career pathways development, but are not currently widespread or designed specifically to support 9-14 career pathways. These sections are shorter, and while they do include some examples, they also point in new directions that might be explored and raise questions about where state-level policies are needed and where regional and local decision making are more effective. [This paper was produced with the Pathways to Prosperity Network, a collaboration of states, Jobs for the Future, and the Pathways to Prosperity Project at Harvard Graduate School of Education.]

Federal education benefits for veterans represent a substantial investment--$18 billion since 2009 under the Post-9/11 GI Bill--in the development of a skilled American workforce. Unfortunately, this investment does not always pay off because many veterans encounter serious obstacles as they attempt to navigate the higher education system and the labor market. Access to career and education advising programs would enable more veterans to successfully complete degrees and to pursue satisfying careers. This paper surveys the career and education advising options currently available to veterans via military reintegration programs, web-based resources, non-profit service providers, and colleges and universities. It concludes that additional career and education advising resources are needed--especially those available to veterans prior to enrollment in postsecondary institutions--to ensure that veterans are able to take full advantage of their federal education benefits.

Americans seeking employment often face a conundrum: relevant work experience is a prerequisite for many jobs, but it is difficult to gain the required experience without being in the workplace. Work-based learning--activities that occur in workplaces through which youth and adults gain the knowledge, skills, and experience needed for entry or advancement in a particular career field--offers a solution to this problem. But although the benefits of work-based learning are clear, they have accrued primarily to the most highly educated and socially connected segments of the U.S. population. In recent years, educators and leaders in the workforce development field have returned again and again to the problem of providing work-based learning opportunities to the marginalized populations for whom this experience can mean the most. The full report "Making Work-Based Learning Work" guides the design and implementation of effective models of work-based learning that expand access for the many people who don't currently benefit from these opportunities. This document, "The 7 Principals for Effective Work-Based Learning" expands on each of the seven principles, laying out the benefits of each. [For the full report: "Making Work-Based Learning Work," see ED567846.]