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Worcester schools outline plans to expand student work‑based learning and certifications
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Summary
District staff told the March 26 committee they are piloting middle‑school career‑connected learning, expanding partnerships for internships and certifications and relying on YouthWorks funding for summer placements; the committee voted to approve and file the plan.
The Worcester Public Schools’ Teaching, Learning and Student Success subcommittee reviewed on March 26 a district plan to increase student access to jobs, internships and industry certifications.
Dr. Emily Lehman, administrative director of college and career readiness, said the district currently runs 32 Career and Technical Education programs and seven Innovation Career Pathways, and reported that last year the district provided roughly 17,000 unique career exploration experiences. "We also did help over 450 students secure co‑ops and internships across the high schools," she said, and added that more than 1,000 students earned at least one industry‑recognized credential last year.
Why it matters: committee members said the economic downturn has made entry‑level jobs harder for young people to secure and encouraged the district to deepen business partnerships. Member Vanessa Alvarez praised the existing programs but pressed the administration on whether the district can reliably track who benefits from these opportunities.
Dr. Lehman acknowledged tracking long‑term outcomes is "a work in progress" and outlined near‑term steps: a pilot to integrate career‑connected learning into middle‑school curriculum maps, development of a work‑based learning guidebook for school staff, expanded access to certifications outside formal CTE enrollment (for example OSHA and CPR) and coordination with YouthWorks for summer placements. She said work permits are typically handled through a student’s guidance office or internship coordinator and that district staff assist with paperwork for YouthWorks participants.
The committee voted to approve and file the plan; roll call recorded yes votes from Member Vanessa Alvarez, Vice Chair Beneda and Chair Alex Guardiola. Committee members asked the administration to return with better participation tracking in future updates.
Next steps: implement the middle‑school pilot, publish the work‑based learning guidebook for staff and report participation metrics at the committee’s next check‑in.
