experiences ranging from career exploration and awareness, internships, school-based enterprises, community-based instruction and more. According to guidance from the Tennessee Department of Education, is a “WBL proactive approach to bridging the gap between high school and high-demand, careers in Tennessee. It is progressive learning and exposure that begins in elementary schools and continues through postsecondary education and training.” That’s exactly what we want to accomplish through rich WBL experiences: build a bridge to postsecondary education, training and employment. Graph description: There is a graph showing the levels from a base line labeled with Exploration and Immersion. The graph is labeled and moves upward starting with Industry Awareness, Career Awareness, Career Exploration, Career Preparation, and topping out with Career Training. While a student may have a disability, it does not change the fact that they want the same postsecondary opportunities and successes that students without disabilities desire. As Carter, Austin, and Trainer (2012) reported in their research and publication of Predictors of Postschool Employment Outcomes for Young Adults with Severe Disabilities, previous work experience is the most significant predictor for postsecondary work experience. That is to say, participating in paid or unpaid work experiences during the high school years leads to an increased likelihood a young adult with a disability will work after leaving school. In a more anecdotal form from one WBL Coordinator Training, a Career and Technical educator said, are all working towards the same goal for our students! To prepare “We them for the career they desire after high school, regardless of the presence of a disability.” That statement carried a tremendous amount of weight and embraces the Department’s priority message that Means All”. “All To help accomplish this goal, the Department has developed the WBL Leadership Council. This body is comprised of certified WBL coordinators from each of the eight CORE regions of the state. Each CORE region has at least two special educators and two career and technical educators. Their charge is to provide initial WBL Coordinator
experiences ranging from career exploration and awareness, internships, school-based enterprises, community-based instruction and more. According to guidance from the Tennessee Department of Education, “WBL is a proactive approach to bridging the gap between high school and high-demand, careers in Tennessee. It is progressive learning and exposure that begins in elementary schools and continues through postsecondary education and training.” That’s exactly what we want to accomplish through rich WBL experiences: build a bridge to postsecondary education, training and employment. Graph description: There is a graph showing the levels from a base line labeled with Exploration and Immersion. The graph is labeled and moves upward starting with Industry Awareness, Career Awareness, Career Exploration, Career Preparation, and topping out with Career Training. While a student may have a disability, it does not change the fact that they want the same postsecondary opportunities and successes that students without disabilities desire. As Carter, Austin, and Trainer (2012) reported in their research and publication of Predictors of Postschool Employment Outcomes for Young Adults with Severe Disabilities, previous work experience is the most significant predictor for postsecondary work experience. That is to say, participating in paid or unpaid work experiences during the high school years leads to an increased likelihood a young adult with a disability will work after leaving school. In a more anecdotal form from one WBL Coordinator Training, a Career and Technical educator said, “We are all working towards the same goal for our students! To prepare them for the career they desire after high school, regardless of the presence of a disability.” That statement carried a tremendous amount of weight and embraces the Department’s priority message that “All Means All”. To help accomplish this goal, the Department has developed the WBL Leadership Council. This body is comprised of certified WBL coordinators from each of the eight CORE regions of the state. Each CORE region has at least two special educators and two career and technical educators. Their charge is to provide initial WBL Coordinator
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