ACTE's National Work-Based Learning Conference 2026

Discover how rural Montana and North Dakota are transforming education through work-based learning. Leave with practical strategies you can apply in any rural community. Does it get more rural than Montana and North Dakota?
 
This session will explore innovative and scalable work-based learning (WBL) strategies that have successfully strengthened rural communities in Montana and North Dakota. Attendees will gain practical insights into programs that prepare students for future careers, expand access in rural and remote areas, and connect classroom learning to real-world economic opportunities.
Participants will learn about Montana’s Work-Based Learning Collaborative and Data Dashboard, a comprehensive tool for tracking WBL activity statewide, as well as North Dakota’s development of virtual WBL options that broaden student access. The session will also showcase an Entrepreneurial WBL model designed to empower rural students to explore business ownership and contribute to local economic development. Additionally, attendees will examine the impact of teacher externships, which immerse educators in industry settings and help them bring real-world relevance back to their classrooms—often influencing 20 to 150 students per externship.
Educators, administrators, policymakers, and workforce development professionals seeking practical, adaptable strategies to strengthen WBL in their own rural communities will benefit from attendance. Through discussion, examples, and interactive Q&A, participants will explore ways to implement these strategies in their programs or institutions. Attendees will leave with actionable ideas, including how to leverage data tools, virtual learning options, entrepreneurial WBL models, and professional development through teacher externships to create inclusive, future-ready WBL systems.