Work-based learning programs in the United States are designed to prepare adolescents for their first jobs and to develop the soft skills to be successful in in the classroom or the workplace. Historically these programs have neglected how work, education, and training in the local context are connected to issues on national and international stages. While research and theory has generally supported this structure for WBL, the nature of work has changed substantially in the 21st century. Contemporary models of WBL are informed by scholarly literature on globalization, but this is does not fully capture the realities young people face. Glocalization fits with existing WBL efforts and provides a conceptual framework to modernize how students are prepared to transition from high school into the workforce or post-secondary education. This manuscript will review the current state of WBL, discuss the benefits of a glocal perspective, and make program recommendations.