Responsibilities of the WBL Coordinator (Coop, DCE, Internships)

 

All parties must be prepared to discuss productivity, compensation, and learning. The planning and management of the experience is critical to the success of the work-based learning. 

  • Each party must agree to the experience.
  • The minimum length of the experience should be negotiated in advance to ensure that the employer will recover some of the training costs associated with participation and to discourage impulsive terminations.
  • Such agreements detail the student’s responsibilities and discourages changes based on short-term compensation or minor personality conflicts.

  • Appropriate access is granted for the student. 
  • Activities are carefully planned and integrated into the curriculum.
  • Student and work-based learning experience are carefully matched.
  • Selection of training site – It is the role of the coordinating teacher to identify appropriate types of locations, jobs, and companies for student learners and to develop a formal, written, training agreement that clearly documents both the training sites and the school’s commitment to the WBL experience.
  • Identification of sponsor – The coordinating teacher works with the appropriate management personnel to identify a specific individual who will serve as the student’s training sponsor/mentor at the worksite.
  • Agreement on learning outcomes – A carefully documented training agreement and training plan must be used to clarify learning expectations and to facilitate the scheduling of specific activities and work-based assignments to include experience not typical of most teen jobs. The coordinating teacher and sponsor/mentor must identify clear expectations for student learning over the agreed upon period.
  • Coordinate regular worksite visits – The frequency of the visits will vary with each situation but, ideally, the coordinating teacher should plan to visit:
    • Once a week during the first and second weeks of employment.
    • Once every two weeks during the next six to ten weeks of employment.
    • Once a month for the duration of the experience.
    • On demand, as necessary, to mediate performance problems and to ensure adherence to the training agreement and training plan.

  • Detailed description of the WBL experience. WBL opportunity must be available to ALL CTE students
  • Training agreement (include District-mandated permission slips if required by District.)
  • Training plan with clear program specific goals
  • Wage and/or hour report (hours if not paid)
  • Journal/Diary
  • Other Documentation suggestions:
    • Visitation notes/reports
    • Employer evaluation reports

Resources and Sample Forms

To protect the teacher and the school from liability, worksite visits should be planned with the employer’s consent and needs in mind. It is necessary to have the teacher visit the student at the worksite to ensure that training agreements and plans are being followed and that the workplace remains safe. Each visit should address some, or all, of the following:
• Observe the student.
• Confirm parties’ responsibilities and skills.
• Check safety conditions.
• Validate work hours and assist in negotiation of future schedules.
• Evaluate student performance on assigned responsibilities.
• Check that duties and tasks are aligned to the agreed-upon training plan.
• Assure compliance of laws.
• Assist in negotiation of rewards and/or disciplinary actions.
• Discuss additional opportunities for involvement in the program.
• Make a courtesy call on senior management.

Work with your district’s attorneys as they know your school/district policies regarding student safety, security, legal obligations, and responsibilities. Some schools use The Trust to provide property and liability coverages or related services. https://www.svc.the-trust.org/Home/AboutUs.
The experience uses training agreements and training plans to outline what students are expected to learn and demonstrate at the worksite. The training agreements and training plans emphasize what training partners are expected to provide along, and outlines the coordination of, and integration between, the worksite and the classroom. It is essential that all parties become knowledgeable about laws governing students between the ages of 16 and 17 in the workplace. See these links for more information:
• https://www.minimum-wage.org/arizona
• https://www.youthrules.gov/
• DOL Department of Labor Wage and Hour Division - https://www.dol.gov/whd/
• Labor laws https://www.azica.gov/labor-youth-employment-hours-restrictions
Every contract/agreement used for WBL student participation must state that there is a safe working environment including protection from discrimination and sexual harassment. The contract/agreement must also contain a statement that the school has the right to immediately terminate the student in WBL if there is a breach of stipulated obligations.