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Washington County expands work-based learning; students describe paid internships and apprenticeships
Summary
CTE staff told the board that high‑quality work‑based learning participation has grown to more than 100 students this year; students described paid internships and hands‑on apprenticeships, while staff flagged employer engagement, insurance and transportation as barriers.
District career-technical education staff presented an update on work-based learning that showed rapid expansion and stronger employer ties, and three students described their on-the-job experiences.
Presenter Sean Nort (CTE lead) told the board that under Virginia’s new high‑quality work‑based learning criteria programs must include sustained, vetted employer engagement, minimum hours, and industry-relevant credentials. The district reported placing more than 100 nonclinical students this year and averaging about 550 hours per month across participants; some placements that began unpaid have converted to paid internships, and the district expects its first registered apprenticeships to begin soon.
Student testimonials illustrated the program’s practical impact. Lauren Hurl, a sports‑medicine student, said she logged more than 100 shadowing hours with the county’s athletic trainers and learned injury evaluation, taping and rapid on‑field response. ‘‘These 100 plus hours have helped me understand the real responsibilities of working in sports medicine and have made me even more interested in pursuing a career in the field,’’ she said.
Culinary student Vincent Wang described an internship at a local restaurant that gave him real‑kitchen responsibilities and a digital portfolio that led to paid work; building‑trades student Daniel said field placements let him learn drywall, tile and other hands‑on skills that classroom instruction could not duplicate.
Staff and board members discussed barriers to scaling the program: employers’ concerns about workers‑comp and liability for under‑18 interns, transportation and student drivers, and the time required to build and vet employer partnerships. Staff reported they are pursuing regional partners, exploring apprenticeship pathways that offset costs for host employers, and working with the state on approved tracking software required to count experiences under Virginia’s accountability framework.
Why it matters: expanded paid internships and apprenticeships create near‑term employment pathways and credentialing opportunities for students, and address local workforce needs, but scaling the program requires navigating insurance, labor‑law and transportation constraints.
Next steps: staff will continue employer outreach, pursue approved tracking software with the Virginia Department of Education, and report back on registered apprenticeship placements and scale-up plans.
