Some students learn better if they can apply skills and knowledge to their lives. Youth apprenticeships are a way for students to work and gain skills in a chosen career field and earn money while still in high school. Youth apprenticeships are on a continuum of work-based learning that includes job shadowing and internships. Apprenticeships…

With the rapidly changing technology, it is no surprise that the number of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) occupations continues to rise. Between 2009 and 2015, available STEM jobs in the United States grew by 10.5%, twice the growth of non-STEM jobs (Fayer et al., 2017). However, the United States is currently falling…

In this study, we explored how an urban high school with a STEAM (Science, Technology, Arts, and Mathematics) theme approached racialized student experiences as learning opportunities. We were interested in documenting curricular and pedagogical practices, and the mission of the STEAM Academy, which was aimed at exposing African American/Black…

The Vermont Division of Vocational Rehabilitation's (DVR's) Linking Learning to Careers (LLC) program provides enhanced work-based learning experiences to help high school students with disabilities as they make the transition to careers or postsecondary education. This brief describes these work-based learning experiences, which are the core…

Research shows that students exposed to career and technical education are more likely to graduate from high school, attend college, and earn higher salaries than those who do not (Dougherty 2016). Job-shadowing experiences like those at the High School Zoo Academy in Omaha, Nebraska, can help adolescents identify their career goals and understand…

Schools currently face problems in preparing students for their post-secondary pursuits. The current job market remains unsaturated and almost half of all students that attend college end up dropping out. Almost a third of the students that do graduate end up working in a field unrelated to their course of study and college costs and debt are on…

Devices like smartphones, tablets, and MP3 players are becoming everyday tools for the majority of the population. Technology can assist students with disabilities in many self-determination activities, such as choice making, decision making, and self-management. In addition, technology tools can support them in a wide range of transition-related…

Working at scientists' elbows is one suggestion that educators make to improve science education, because such "authentic experiences" provide students with various types of science knowledge. However, there is an ongoing debate in the literature about the assumption that authentic science activities can enhance students' understandings…

A training manual for mentors was developed by Pennsylvania educators to ensure success in the student/mentor relationship. It spells out the goals and objectives of job shadowing, reviews participant roles and expectations, and addresses communication with students. (JOW)

One of the most pressing challenges in public education today is the recruitment and retention of high quality teachers for America's schools. Research shows teacher shortages exist nationwide but vary by geographic area, content area, demographics, and individual schools. In a recent study of the Future Educators Association[R] (FEA) initiative…

"Job Shadowing in Junior and Senior High School" and "Job Shadowing for College Students" give examples of shadowing experiences, describe the benefits, and provide resources for counselors. (SK)

Using a pre- and post-test design, this study examined the relation of an adult's credibility and message frequency to the beliefs of female high school students participating in a job-shadowing program. Hypotheses were based on the Elaboration Likelihood Model of attitude formation and change. Findings indicate that credibility of the adult…

This study reports the results of 3 years of implementation of a Partnership Academy, a restructuring model for at-risk high school students at J. Sterling Morton East High School in Cicero, Illinois. Based on the California model, the partnership academy is distinguished by four features: a multi-year, school-within-a-school structure from 10th…

We examined the extent to which high school students are choosing to participate in work-related education after a decade of education reform in the United States. Using data from the "National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1997," we first examined the characteristics of students enrolled in alternative curriculum concentrations: career…

A career development coordinator describes how she implements a mentoring program for students from five rural high schools in Montana. After students identify occupations that they would like to explore and professionals agree to participate, participating students from all five schools are bussed to spend several hours job-shadowing their…