Statewide Xello platform deployed to connect Florida students with work-based learning opportunities

Ralph Aiello, a Xello representative contracted by the Florida Department of Education, told a Broward County workforce meeting that the state has implemented a single, statewide college-and-career platform to catalog career pathways and connect students with internships, apprenticeships and other work-based learning.

Aiello said Xello has been rolled out to all 67 Florida school districts and is intended to give every K–12 and adult education student a centralized portfolio and access to local opportunities. "The state did an RFP and said, we need 1 central database," Aiello said. "Xello was selected last year." He reported that in the first full year of implementation more than 700,000 students used the system and that usage had exceeded 2.2 million sessions in that first semester; Aiello said the number was approaching 3 million uses by February 1 (statewide use figures provided by the presenter).

The platform, Aiello said, includes middle- and high-school curricula aligned with Florida27s career-education requirements, local workforce and salary data (drawn from state sources), apprenticeship listings and an event planner for career fairs and employer visits. "Every student to go from eighth grade to ninth grade has to pass a middle school career and education planning class," Aiello said, describing how the platform supports students27 four-year plans and improves the ability of districts to track concentrators, completers and certifications.

Nut graf: The presentation framed Xello as a statewide tool for closing the gap between what schools teach and the specific hiring needs of employers. Aiello asked industry representatives and unions in the room to create free employer profiles so students who indicate interest in particular trades or industries can be routed to relevant internships, guest speaker opportunities, apprenticeships and career fairs.

Supporting details: Aiello demonstrated features that let students build portfolios, run a life-cost simulator and see how education choices affect finances. He said the platform pulls wage and occupational data from Florida27s workforce systems and the federal Department of Labor and that the state-maintained data are refreshed regularly (Aiello offered to confirm an exact refresh schedule). He urged employers to register so the system can filter and message students who expressed interest in specific pathways: "When a student says they're interested in being a plumber, we want them to know which companies locally and across the state actually offer careers in plumbing," Aiello said.

Responses from the room: Broward County Public Schools staff and several labor representatives asked about elementary- and middle-school suitability for personality assessments and about union and industry integration. Susie Cantrick, director of applied learning for Broward County Public Schools, asked whether assessments meant for grades 62–12 are appropriate for younger students; Aiello replied that the platform uses developmentally appropriate modules for grades 32–5 and said many districts use aspects of the system at the elementary level.

Ending: Aiello provided a QR code and asked attendees to fill a one-minute contact form so Xello can issue account setup links. He said the platform is paid for by the state and that employers27 profiles are free. He also offered to follow up with unions and industry groups to help set up district- and region-wide employer connections.