Work-based learning (WBL) is just one type of student-employer connection we support through Compass, but it certainly is a meaningful one. These hands-on opportunities allow students to more deeply understand a career, get to know an employer, build skills, and plan for their futures. WBLs also allow employers to build connections, foster interest in their company and careers, and find future talent.
In this month’s newsletter, we’re sharing the story of Aidan Pelton of Watford City, ND, who is working in his third WBL experience while also paying it forward by helping one of our Premium members, Delta Constructors, set up a WBL program for future students. We’re also encouraging employers to attend the Fargo Moorhead West Fargo Chamber of Commerce’s WBL employer event April 24 in Fargo, designed to drive interest and participation. Finally, Compass and Golden Path are supporting current WBL sign-up efforts at several schools and communities, including in Watford City and Grand Forks, both ND; Detroit Lakes, MN; and Cherokee County in Gaffney, SC.
Keep reading for more updates from our Compass community!
Chamber event to build employer interest in work-based learning
The Fargo Moorhead West Fargo Chamber of Commerce, in partnership with Fargo, Moorhead, and West Fargo schools and Golden Path Solutions, is hosting a regional work-based learning event to drive employer interest and participation in this workforce strategy.
“Insider Access: Work-Based Learning – From Exploration to Career Readiness” will be held at 9 a.m. Friday, April 24, at Microsoft Commons in Fargo. The event is free and open to all employers.
Insider Access will bring together employers, educators, and workforce partners to explore how opportunities like internships, mentorships, and job shadow experiences can help students find their future careers and employers find their future talent.
During this event, leadership from Fargo Public Schools, West Fargo Public Schools, and Moorhead Area Public Schools will unveil shared regional goals to expand work-based learning opportunities for students across the region. Employers will also hear directly from businesses and students who have experienced the impact of work-based learning and learn how organizations of all sizes can participate. We’ll also share best practices on how organizations can use Compass to get connected with schools and students.
Compass training included in upcoming ND career professional in-services
North Dakota educators are encouraged to register for one of six spring North Dakota Career and Technical Education Regional Career Professional In-Services held in April and May across the state. Golden Path Solutions will also provide Compass updates at the sessions.
These free Career Resource Network trainings provide business and industry insights, a guided tour of a local business, updates on career resources, presentations by industry experts and postsecondary representatives, and networking opportunities.
They are offered for the following locations and dates:
- Bismarck: April 14
- Dickinson: April 16
- Fargo: May 6
- Grand Forks: May 5
- Minot: April 23
- Williston: April 22
Employers, use your Career Profiles to create more student connections
Don’t forgot one of your greatest assets in Compass – your company Career Profiles! These robust career overviews are written specifically for students to showcase your careers, company, work culture, career paths and more.
You can write and publish as many Career Profiles as you’d like with any Golden Path employer membership. Connections Memberships and higher include at least one Career Profile written by Golden Path staff.
Here are some ways we’d recommend using them:
- Feature a variety of careers. Compass connects your profiles to colleges, programs, and your work-based learning experiences to help students find a roadmap to their future. By adding more Career Profiles, you broaden your company’s exposure in Compass. We suggest using one Career Profile to describe an entry-level role at your company and additional Career Profiles to feature roles requiring two- and four-year degrees, so there’s something for every student regardless of their path after graduation.
- Share the open URLs. Use the links on your job boards, company website, social accounts, and marketing materials. Viewers don’t need a Compass account.
- Share them with students. When students reach out about job shadows, work-based learning, or other events, direct them toward your Career Profiles to learn more.
Watch for an upcoming employer blog post about leveraging your Career Profiles.
Finding direction and mentorship in finance work-based learning experiences
Aidan Pelton of Watford City, ND, credits his two high school work experiences with helping him fine-tune his career interests and choosing a North Dakota college.
“These experiences allowed me to really be in the community, interact with others in North Dakota, and advocate for North Dakota,” says the 2025 Watford City High School graduate. “It made me realize I wanted to stay here.”
Pelton first completed a senior-year cooperative work experience, similar to an internship, at McKenzie County Economic Development (MCED) in Watford City. Then, following graduation, he worked for the summer at Delta Constructors, also in Watford City.
Both experiences allowed him to help with projects, be a part of a team, receive mentorship from professionals, explore business and finance areas of interest, and solidify decisions about his future.
Pelton is now attending the University of North Dakota and interning at Delta, where he’s helping them establish a CWE program to connect with more students like himself.
Read Pelton’s whole story on our blog.
Belcourt career event highlights opportunities for students
Golden Path Solutions presented to students and families at the Belcourt (ND) School District Career Exploration Dinner on March 25 at Turtle Mountain Community High School in Belcourt.
We joined North Dakota Career and Technical Education Director Wayde Sick, Job Service North Dakota Executive Director Pat Bertagnolli, and regional workforce advocate Ann Pollert to highlight career exploration and connections as students plan for their futures.
As part of our day, we visited Turtle Mountain College to see all the new facilities, meet with educators and students, and see the amazing collaboration happening across the community.
The high school also hosted a science and engineering research project showcase earlier in the day for students preparing for the AISES National Advancing Indigenous Science & Engineering Fair in April in Oklahoma.
We’re thankful to the Belcourt School District for the opportunity and for welcoming us into their community.
Meetings continue with NDUS schools for Compass grant
We continue to meet with the individual North Dakota University System (NDUS) institutions to discuss their needs and goals for using Compass to support career exploration for their current and prospective students. NDUS received a grant from the Midwest Higher Education Compact (MHEC) to provide Compass access to all 11 institutions.
Golden Path is meeting with each of the schools to identify gaps and how to fill them in terms of career exploration, employer connections, program awareness, and more. We’ve learned about best practices colleges are driving in their local communities, current career exploration systems that are in place and gaps that we can help fill with Compass, and how we can better foster collaboration with K-12 schools, especially as relates to the students’ profiles following them from high school into postsecondary.
We’re also excited to welcome the five North Dakota tribal schools to the effort. We are identifying contacts for each school and will be holding similar conversations before presenting our findings to leadership. We look forward to creating new functionality in Compass to best support regional colleges.
Welcome to new employers in Compass
The Compass community is always growing, providing more opportunities for students, employers, school professionals, and colleges to connect. We recently welcomed several new employers into Compass, including North Dakota Health and Human Services and Community Healthcare Association of the Dakotas, both in Bismarck; Northern Vault GF Inc., Rachel’s Property Solutions, and UND Dining Service, all in Grand Forks; Gevo North Dakota in Richardton; and YMCA Camp Cormorant in Lake Park, MN.
Also, thank you to Fisher Industries in Dickinson, ND, for their Awareness Membership renewal.
Let us know about your events
If you have an event that you want us to include in our newsletter, please send us a note at info@goldenpath.net. If you are an employer and want to publish your event to schools and students, remember that you can do that through Compass. If you’re an educator wanting to invite employers to a school event (like a career fair or expo), you can do that in Compass too, choosing the employers you invite by industry, name, career cluster, or distance from you.
Upcoming events
- April 14: NDCTE Career Professional In-Service, Bismarck
- April 16: NDCTE Career Professional In-Service, Dickinson
- April 21: GrowND: Workforce Showcase, Bismarck
- April 22: NDCTE Career Professional In-Service, Williston
- April 23: NDCTE Career Professional In-Service, Minot
- April 24: FMWF Chamber’s Insider Access: Work-Based Learning – From Interest to Impact, Fargo
- April 29-30: T4 Summit, Watford City, ND
- Apr. 29-May 1: ACTE’s Work-Based Learning Conference 2026, Providence, RI
- May 5: NDCTE Career Professional In-Service, Grand Forks
- May 6: NDCTE Career Professional In-Service, Fargo
- May 19-21: North Dakota Petroleum Council’s Williston Basin Petroleum Conference, Bismarck
- July 26-28: South Dakota CTE Summer Conference, Brookings
- July 29-30: TEDxFargo 2026
- Aug. 3-5: North Dakota CTE Professional Development Conference, Bismarck
- Sept. 23-25: North Dakota Society for Human Resource Management (ND SHRM) State Conference, Grand Forks
Connect with us
Contact us for more information or more opportunities with Golden Path Solutions.