A well known program labeled the Work Experience Education (WEE) program/class is offered in many schools within California as an opportunity for students to work whilst receiving academic benefits. Bonita Vista High (BVH) used to be one of those schools that offered this class as a part of their course catalog. However, the class was no longer provided for students who may need to work during their high school years, despite its various opportunities and strong need for its return.
According to the California Department of Education, a government organization that serves California to provide world-class education, non-cognitive skills are an important factor when students are working towards college, career readiness and success. The WEE program helps students develop their “motivation, time management, perseverance and self-regulation.”
When schools provide the WEE program, students learn new skills and develop other abilities that are needed for their future. Furthermore, helping students learn more about themselves and what they wish to pursue “based on their interests and aptitudes.” Work experience leads students to new experiences and opportunities while still pursuing success. Moreover, seeing as the workplace is a demanding and hardworking place, preparing students for this environment is critical in their development for their future.
Enterprise High School is a school in California that provides a work experience class for juniors and seniors. The school promotes the class’s benefits as it allows students a part-time job to prepare for full-time employment. Students can “earn money while learning” through this program.
Allowing students to enter the workforce during their high school years while still being engaged in their academics assists them with their future choices whether it is their career or even their interests. Students are able to work “in successful and rewarding ways” by simply combining two aspects of their high school experience .
It is common for many students to already begin working throughout high school in order to save money for college due to various financial hardships or for personal use. This class would allow them to continue to financially support themselves while learning more about what it means to work and how to improve work ethic.
Working through “supervised, paid employment experience” enhances how students perform in adulthood. WEE creates “a sense of responsibility and self-reliance” for students when they can act on their own in a learning environment that forces them to develop problem-solving skills.
When students are able to work during high school, they can add work experience to their resumes and are more inclined to be hired by future employers. WEE students are able to stand out compared to other students that may have not been able to work during high school. This class makes it easier for students to start their early employment.
Enterprise High School also provides a class that teaches units to students in the work experience program regarding different aspects of the workplace. Some of these units include labor laws for minors, sexual harassment, customer service skills and career exploration. Many things go into understanding the workplace and many of those are taught or learned through the work experience program.
The California Association of Work Experience Educators, an association that promotes high-quality career readiness programs for students within the WEE, encourages students to “achieve educational excellence” through their WEE programs that connect modern education with the workplace. Teachers and employers working with the association strive to inspire students to “think critically, collaborate and communicate successfully.”
Seeing as the workplace can be a new and difficult setting to adapt to, learning early on is beneficial when transitioning after high school. Though all individuals may be at different skill levels and experiences, the WEE program proves to positively assist students in the long run when deciding their futures.
Although some students could pick up some of the “soft skills,” work experience during high school, going through a WEE program and learning about the workplace sets them up for success in their future careers. It is essential to allow students to make crucial developments in a WEE program while encouraging academic determination.
