Understanding Experiential Learning Through Work-Based College Course Taking: Evidence from Transcript Data Using a Text Mining Technique: The Community College Research Center at Columbia University recently released a study that explored work-based coursetaking at the postsecondary level. This paper examined patterns of work-based coursetaking and post-degree labor market outcomes at two- and four-year public institutions using a text mining technique to identify these courses from college transcripts.
Researcher Rachel Yang Zhou found that 11% of enrollees and 31% of graduates at two-year colleges took a work-based learning course within six years of entering postsecondary education, while the same was true for 17% of enrollees and 29% of graduates at four-year institutions. Work-based coursetaking varied widely by field of study. Two-year college completers were most likely to pursue work-based courses in the fields of education, law and social and behavioral sciences, followed by business and skilled trades. At four-year institutions, graduates in education were far and away the most likely to take work-based courses. Individuals studying engineering, natural sciences and math were less likely to go for these types of experiences at both two- and four-year colleges.
In analyzing employment outcomes, the author concluded that taking work-based courses leads to better post-graduation employment within the first three years after attaining a degree. The earnings picture was more complicated, with some evidence that four-year graduates with work-based courses have higher earnings than their peers but that two-year graduates earn no more or even less than their peers. This could be related to differential wages across career fields as well as the relationship between community and technical college learners’ earnings while in school and their work-based course decisions. The researcher recommends that postsecondary administrators pay careful attention to how work-based courses interact with students’ other working opportunities.
From College to Career: Students’ Internship Expectations and Experiences: The Strada Education Foundation recently released a report that compared the internship expectations and outcomes of first-year university students to fourth-year students and soon-to-be graduates. In this research, internship is used as an umbrella term for internships, co-ops, field experience, student teaching and clinical placement.
- Researchers found that 70% of first-year students expect to have an internship, yet less than 50% of fourth-year students have completed one.
- Underrepresented groups such as African American and Latino students had high expectations – 69% and 67% of first years intended to participate in an internship, respectively – yet only 36% of African American students and 39% of Latino students actually did so. In comparison, 71% of white first-year students expected to participate in an internship and 54% of white fourth-year students did so.
- Participation varied by first-generation student status, with this group of individuals less likely to participate (41%) than non-first-generation students (55%).
- Women (50%) were more likely than men (44%) to participate in internships.
- Seniors who had participated in internships reported more confidence in communicating their skills and experiences to potential employers.
These findings highlight the need for postsecondary institutions to expand access to work-based learning experiences and address gaps and disparities in participation.
A Status Report on Work-Based Learning in Construction: The National Center for Construction Education and Research (NCCER) recently released a report on the status of work-based learning across the United States based on feedback from instructors who are members of the NCCER Craft Instructor Forum. These instructors come from postsecondary and secondary institutions as well as industrial training centers and contractor organizations.
Most respondents reported that the quality of work-based learning in their regions was average or better, and several cited the increase in adoption of work-based learning as a major win in the past three years. However, when asked to describe work-based learning in their region with one word, instructors responded minimal, lacking and underutilized, among similar terms.
To better support work-based learning in the construction industry, NCCER has developed a Connection Map that can help match CTE programs and training providers with industry partners for work-based learning, donations and other forms of collaboration.
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