OTAN News

National Skills Coalition Releases State Policy Toolkit

Many states have enacted policies  to increase the scope of work-based learning that combines instruction at a worksite with classroom learning. Few of these state policies, however, focus on low-skilled populations of out-of-school youth or disadvantaged adults. National Skills Coalition’s (NSC’s) scan, for example, found that among the 14 states that have policies supporting pre-apprenticeships or youth apprenticeships, all 14 states target in-school youth. While disadvantaged adults may be among those who benefit in the 26 states that have work-based learning policies that support adult training, very few of these policies specifically target disadvantaged adults.

NSC’s new policy toolkit  on work-based learning for out out-of-school youth and disadvantaged adults focuses on state policies designed to make work-based learning more widely available and successful for disadvantaged populations. The toolkit also emphasizes policies to make work-based learning more available and effective for small- and medium-size employers. The toolkit concentrates on work-based learning that combines instruction at a worksite during paid employment with classroom education, and that culminates in an industry-recognized credential. Workers in paid work-based learning programs obtain skills and credentials while earning a wage. This is especially important for disadvantaged individuals with immediate financial needs.

The toolkit contains:

• An explanation of the key policies that support the growth of work-based learning for out-of-school youth and disadvantaged adults;
• Examples of current state policies and local practices that expand work-based learning for out-of-school youth and disadvantaged adults; and
• A legislative template for state work-based learning policies that target out-of-school youth and disadvantaged adults.

Source: National Skills Coalition