ACTE's National Work-Based Learning Conference 2026

The “first job”, once a proving ground for new graduates, is disappearing. Employers expect students to arrive with skills, experience, and networks already in hand. That shift is forcing higher education to become not just preparation for work, but the work itself. Across the country, graduates are entering the workforce only to discover gaps between what they’ve learned and what employers need. At the same time, institutions are seeking ways to improve student success, persistence, and career outcomes. 
In this session, participants will have the opportunity to engage in an interactive case study with an institutional leader and work-based learning expert, to learn the challenges, opportunities, and strategies to apply work-based learning at scale at their institutions. Faculty, administrators, and workforce partners looking to strengthen the relevance and impact of their work-based learning programs will learn practical frameworks for designing scalable opportunities that serve both students and employers. 

This session explores strategies for cultivating powerful community partnerships to expand work-based learning opportunities at the local level. Participants will discover proven methods for deepening relationships with local businesses, unions, colleges, training providers (such as apprenticeships), the military, adult education programs, non-profits, WIOA partners, and government agencies. Designed for WBL professionals, educators, and administrators, the session offers actionable approaches to benefit diverse learners while supporting institutional and community workforce goals. Attendees will engage in interactive discussions and scenario-based activities, exploring practical tools and step-by-step planning guides to replicate collaborative models in their own contexts. Deliverables include a customizable partnership planning toolkit, sample outreach templates, and access to curated web resources to enhance local engagement and program success.

Work-based learning coordinators juggle student placements, hour tracking, compliance, and employer communication — often while trying to grow their programs. How do you streamline the work without losing the student impact? Join WBL professionals from Colorado Springs Schools District 11 (CO), Maine Township High School District 207 (IL) as they share how they’ve simplified tracking student work hours, monitored experiences outside the school day, and reduced manual processes to reclaim time for what matters most: supporting students. Panelists will take you though how career exploration and interest data leads to stronger student engagement and more aligned placements in WBL and CTE programs. Facilitated by SchooLinks.

Career fairs are the flagship event for career centers. They are expensive, hard to plan, and the career center leadership put their reputations on the line in organising them. Employers spend on average $3,500 to attend a career fair, and are beginning to question their value. The key problem is lack of student preparedness. Students don’t research the companies, don’t network and follow up effectively, and don’t use the career preparedness tools made available by the school. 
In this session we explore the best practices from the point of view of the employers. We have interviewed 100+ employers, and heads of career centers at 300+ higher ed institutions in the US. Using the Life Design framework, we have identified the critical skills they look for amongst students to succeed at a career fair. Finally, we bring with us one case of a school currently using a platform that supports students with these skills for career fair preparation. The discussion will address:

• Networking: Demystifying how to build connections with professionals.
• Elevator Pitch: Creating a concise and compelling story.
• Company Research: Guiding students on what to look for and how to use that information.
• Following Up: Providing a clear, actionable plan for post-fair communication.
• Leveraging University Tools: Using resources in a structured way to maximize their impact.

Work-Based Learning (WBL) gives students a powerful bridge between classroom learning and future careers. This session will guide educators through the WBL Continuum: Explore, Equip, Experience. It will help them design meaningful opportunities for students at all grade levels.  Participants will walk away with tools, strategies, and practical next steps for building and strengthening WBL pathways.

As healthcare systems face growing labor shortages and an aging population, the prescription for a sustainable talent pipeline is clear: invest early, locally, and collaboratively. In this session, leaders from UW Health and local school districts will explore how an industry-driven regional approach to work-based learning is addressing critical gaps in healthcare talent development. 
Attendees will gain insights into: 

• Wisconsin’s current workforce and demographic challenges — and why they demand urgent, coordinated action
• The strategic rationale behind employer investment in youth and adult work-based learning, pre-apprenticeships, and registered apprenticeships
• A technical overview of the design, implementation, and outcomes of programs spanning the work-based learning continuum
• Real-world impact: how employers, educators, and learners are benefiting from this model

Whether you’re an employer, educator, or workforce development professional, this session offers a replicable framework and practical tools to build a stronger, more resilient talent pipeline — one that starts today and scales for tomorrow. 

In this interactive session, participants get an inside view of Denver Public Schools Xplore Program and how we bring career exposure to students in alternative education settings (i.e. “Pathway Schools"). Pathway School students often face personal and systemic challenges that make traditional career development opportunities hard to access. Attend this session to learn how DPS leverages one program specialist to ensure access to work based learning for sixteen pathweay high schools.

Participants will gain strategies for starting a program from the ground up, steps for crafting uniquely curated events to meet student interests, and tips for specialized programming for students in the juvenile justice system. We will also discuss the benefit of stackable experiences that lead to a stronger career direction for students.