Scaling Deeper Learning through District-Wide Implementation of Career and Technical Education

Scaling Deeper Learning through District-Wide Implementation of Career and Technical Education
Scaling Deeper Learning through District-Wide Implementation of Career and Technical Education
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Colorado Springs, CO

Study Tour Materials:

Resources:

  • Description: CareerWise bridges the gap between industry and education with modern youth apprenticeship. For industry, youth apprenticeship creates a viable talent-acquisition strategy that develops loyal, skilled workers for occupations like financial services, IT, and more. For students, apprenticeship provides multiple post-secondary options that lead to college and career. Apprenticeship develops essential skills for the future of work in the 21st-century economy—skills like advanced communication, collaboration and innovative problem solving—that are best developed in an applied-learning environment like the workplace. Launched in 2016, CareerWise Colorado’s intermediary model is the nation’s first state-wide, multi-industry youth apprenticeship system. In the rigorous three-year program, apprentices gain meaningful work experience in high-growth positions and the professional network, as well as the opportunity to earn industry certifications that demonstrate they’re ready to work in their field and debt-free college credit that can be applied to further higher education. The three-year model ensures businesses realize financial ROI based on the apprentice’s production and develop a skilled talent pipeline for hard-to-fill positions with a workforce that is prepared for the future of work.
  • Website: https://www.careerwisecolorado.org/
  • CareerWise Colorado Brochure: https://www.aypf.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/CareerWise-CO-Brochure_March_2019.pdf
  • The Swiss secret to jump-starting your career: https://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2018/09/apprenticeships-america/567640/

Overview:

The goal of this study tour is to learn how to take ‘deeper learning’ – the mastery of rigorous core academic content; critical thinking and problem solving; teamwork and collaboration; effective communication; learning how to learn; and cultivation of an academic mindset – to scale. This tour also aims to expand knowledge of how the integration of deeper learning and career and technical education is being accomplished in rural areas.

On this tour, participants will visit the Career Technical Education Facility in the Peyton School District, as well as the Manufacturing Industry Learning Lab. They will also hear from the superintendent of the Widefield School District regarding their partnership with the Peyton School District. Through conversations with students, teachers, administrators, business leaders and community college staff, as well as explorations of classrooms, participants will witness first-hand how to create a teaching and learning environment that supports the development of deeper learning competencies and incorporates hands-on learning that gives students industry-specific skills that prepare them for careers.

High-level state and district education policy leaders will also join the study tour to share with participants an understanding of the state policy conditions that support the promotion of deeper learning and career and technical education, particularly at district-level scale. The policy discussions will focus on effective and scalable models, capacity building, professional development, funding, curriculum, instruction, innovative assessments, and data and reporting systems. State teams will enjoy time to reflect on necessary policy conditions as it relates to their own states, as well as learn from colleagues in other states.

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The American Youth Policy Forum (AYPF), a nonprofit, nonpartisan professional development organization based in Washington, DC, provides learning opportunities for policy leaders, practitioners, and researchers working on youth and education issues at the national, state, and local levels. AYPF events and publications are made possible by contributions from philanthropic foundations. For a complete list, click here.