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Work-based Learning Types

Do you like to learn by doing? Check out the variety of work-based learning opportunities in Minnesota.

Types of training available

Work-based and experiential learning programs let you learn through real work experience instead of — or in addition to — classroom experience.

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  1. Apprenticeship

    An apprenticeship program:

    • Is for anyone interested in getting a foot in the door of a skilled craft or trade.
    • Is a structured, formal way to gain skills on the job.
    • Is always paid.
    • Combines on-the-job training with classroom instruction.
    • Registered apprenticeships are for adults aged 16 and over, and youth apprenticeships are for high school juniors and seniors.

    Find apprenticeship openings at MinnesotaWorks.


  2. Mentorship

    A career mentorship:

    • Is for anyone, at any stage in their career.
    • Is a relationship with someone who's further along in their career field. Your mentor may or may not be someone you already work with.
    • Can help guide your career decisions — big and small.
    • Can help you set or achieve your career goals by giving you inside information about an occupation, industry, or career.
    • A mentor also offers guidance, support, and motivation.
    • Can range from a very informal to completely formal relationship.
    • Can be face-to-face or via e-mail (often called e-mentoring).

    Connecting to Success is an electronic mentoring program designed to help students with disabilities transition to adulthood.

    Find information on other e-mentoring programs at Explore Now.


  3. Cooperative work experiences

    A cooperative work experience:

    • Is for high-school or college students.
    • Is a formal arrangement between your school and an employer that allows you to do paid work while attending high school or college.
    • Is usually supervised by a school representative to make sure that it matches your educational goals.
    • Might require a class or seminar to supplement what you're learning on the job.
    • Is subject to Minnesota child labor laws.

  4. Credit for Prior Learning (CPL)

    Credit for Prior Learning programs:

    • Is for college students or prospective college students.
    • Gives you college credit for activities or classes you've taken outside the normal college routine.
    • Is sometimes based on classes that substitute for college work; others allow you to meet college requirements by taking tests or substituting related work or life experiences.

    Paid work experience, military service, volunteer work, and self-directed learning can all qualify as related experience.


  5. Internships

    An internship:

    • Is for high-school or college students looking for real-world experience to supplement classroom learning.
    • Is a short-term work experience that allows you to gain practical skills and learn about an occupation.
    • Can be either paid or unpaid.
    • Sometimes provides school credit.
    • Involves certain legal requirements for students under the age of 18.

    Find internship opportunities at:

    MinnesotaWorks, which features a variety of Minnesota job opportunities.
    Coolworks, which also includes seasonal jobs, volunteer and other career opportunities around the world.


  6. Job shadowing

    Job shadowing:

    • Is for anyone, at any stage in their career — but is most common among middle- or high-school students.
    • Ranges from a few hours to a few days.
    • During a job shadowing, you follow an employee on the job to experience real, day-to-day work in a specific occupation or industry.

  7. Practicum

    A practicum:

    • Is for students from 10th grade through any level of higher education.
    • Is an opportunity for you to complete an individualized project related to your chosen career at a worksite.
    • Lets you to take advantage of state-of-the-art technology and resources which businesses use, but which are often too expensive for schools to purchase.
    • Allows you to demonstrate your knowledge through performance measures.

    Student teaching is an example of a practicum for education majors.


  8. Service learning

    Service learning:

    • Is for high-school or college students.
    • Can be a short-term or long-term project.
    • Helps you gain valuable skills while learning about the needs of your community.

    Local businesses, social service organizations, and schools form partnerships to address community needs and involve youth in learning experiences. Combining classroom work with service learning can be extremely motivating.

    Examples of service learning include stocking fish in a lake, volunteering at a nursing home, or planning a neighborhood food drive.

    Learn and Serve America is a grant program administered by the Corporation for National Service.


  9. Teacher externship

    A teacher externship:

    • Is for teachers to see examples of how school learning is applied in real life situations.
    • Helps teachers create lesson plans and activities.
    • Are common during the summer.
    • Are sometimes paid (through a teacher stipend).

  10. Tech prep

    Tech prep:

    • Is for high-school or college students.
    • Links high-school and college programs for students planning technical careers.
    • Includes a coherent sequence of courses, applied course work, support services, and program promotion.

  11. Vocational Student Organizations

    Vocational student organizations:

    • Are for adult and college students enrolled in vocational education programs.
    • Provide career and leadership development, motivation, and recognition.
    • Are an integral part of education and employment transitions programs.
    • Are not only clubs to which only a few students belong.

    Vocational student organizations in Minnesota include:

    Business Professionals of America (high school and postsecondary) for business and office education students
    Secondary DECA and Delta Epsilon Chi (postsecondary) for the marketing instructional area
    FFA for agricultural education
    PAS (National Postsecondary Agricultural Students) for agribusiness, agriculture, and horticulture areas of study
    FCCLA for family, career, and community leaders of America
    HOSA (Health Occupations Students of America) for health occupations education programs


  12. Volunteer service

    Coordinated through a volunteer service agency, volunteer service:

    • Is for anyone interested in making a difference and/or gaining new skills.
    • Usually involves being assigned to a public service position for a certain length of time.
    • Often includes pre-assignment training.
    • Is most often unpaid, but you can sometimes earn a cost-of-living allowance.
    • Sometimes includes other incentives, like credit for payment on school loans.

    Find volunteer opportunities at:

    Volunteer position listings, MinnesotaWorks
    Minnesota Alliance with Youth
    AmeriCorps program, administered through ServeMinnesota.
    Coolworks


  13. Worksite field trips

    A worksite field trip:

    • Is a guided tour of a business, usually for elementary- or middle-school students.
    • Is a chance to learn about work processes and the skill requirements of different jobs.
    • Is a short-term experience that lets you explore many occupations at one time and ask questions.
    • Is for an individual student or an entire class, but is usually more valuable for both students and employers when it involves a small group.
    • Junior Achievement often that provides worksite field trips that give experiences to help young people learn about economics.