It’s time for a work-based learning refresher to highlight how WBL is growing in our region, how employers like you can get involved, and how Compass can support you throughout the process.
Lately, we’ve seen an incredible amount of work-based learning (WBL) offered across the region for high school students. It’s similar to what we’re seeing nationwide: WBL is becoming an increasingly important part of students’ educations. These experiences provide valuable real-world experience, help solidify plans for after graduation, and supplement what students are learning in school. Additionally, WBL provides great value to employers as they connect with students and build their future workforce. WBL opportunities are truly a win-win for everyone involved.
Recent WBL growth and opportunities
These are just a few of the recent regional WBL events and opportunities:
WBL webinar series hosted with The Chamber
Golden Path recently hosted a WBL webinar series with the Fargo Moorhead West Fargo Chamber of Commerce in Fargo and FARMS. This free, three-part series included an introduction to WBL, how to use WBL as a workforce development strategy, and a deep dive into the agriculture and construction industries. State leaders from North Dakota and Minnesota shared their expertise on work-based learning, regional school leaders highlighted their specific WBL programs, and a few employers spoke about how WBL has benefited their companies. You can access the webinar recordings, slides, and resource PDFs on our blog.
Legislature maintains WBL funding
The North Dakota legislature just wrapped up its session for the 2025-2027 biennium. It maintained funding for WBL coordinators across the state, recognizing the value of WBL for workforce development. A student participating in WBL provided testimony during one of the committee hearings, sharing his experience and the insights and value he gained from the experience.
WBL featured in school job fairs
Golden Path is helping schools across North Dakota set up their students for summer or fall WBL experiences. School job fairs are an excellent way to kick-off the process. Recent events include a cooperative work experience fair in Watford City, ND, and a summer internship fair in Grafton, ND. Many local companies stepped up to provide experiences to their local students!
Employers wanting to offer WBL in Compass
A growing number of employers are offering WBL learning opportunities through Compass. More than 600 employers now have accounts in Compass, with 75 percent of them indicating they’d be willing to offer a WBL experience to a student. One-third of those employers are also willing to create a unique internship and/or cooperative work experience for a student. Keep up the good work, employers!
How to get your company involved
We want it to be easy for employers to offer WBL and to ensure that cost is not a barrier. It only takes three minutes to get started and it’s free! Simply create an employer account in Compass and join the “Connections Database” as you set up your account. Check boxes for what you’d like to offer students and which schools you want to connect with. With just these steps, schools will have your company information and may contact you for more details.
If you want to create a specific WBL opportunity, like an internship or a part-time or summer job, go to “Opportunities” in Compass and “Create a New WBL Opportunity,” choose the schools you want to publish it to, and hit “Submit.”
To use WBL as part of your workforce development strategy, please reach out to us. We can answer your questions and even connect some of our additional services into your WBL offerings, helping you build an end-to-end engagement strategy to share your company and careers with students. Become a Golden Path employer member to help build your future workforce.
Be sure to include college students
You can now share your WBL opportunities with college students! Golden Path is partnering with Bismarck State College (BSC) on a pilot project to use Compass for WBL college students and determine how Compass can work alongside other systems, like Handshake. To share your opportunities with college students, check the “College Students” checkbox under “Audience” when you are creating your opportunities.
What’s next?
Watch for upcoming new features in Compass to better support WBL, as well as upcoming events to help you connect with more schools and students.
We’re making improvements to how Compass manages agreements, captures time, and facilitates scheduling of WBLs and job shadow experiences. We’re also releasing Compass to more schools in Minnesota and South Dakota to drive visibility of employer information and WBL opportunities.
Upcoming WBL events include The Fargo Moorhead West Fargo Chamber of Commerce’s “The Pulse of the Emerging Workforce: Talent Development Through Work-Based Learning” from 8-9 a.m. Tuesday, June 19, at Microsoft Commons in Fargo. The event will clearly explain what WBL is and how it connects education and workforce needs. Golden Path Founder and CEO Patrick Mineer will be part of the speaker panel.
WBL will also be a focus at the North Dakota Career & Technical Education’s (NDCTE) 2025 CTE Professional Development Conference. Monday, Aug. 4-Wednesday, Aug. 6 at the Bismarck Event Center. This year’s theme is “Level Up with CTE: Skills That Pay Off.”
Finally, Dawn Ulmer, NDCTE strategic projects manager, was recently named Chair of Education and Training for the Association for Career and Technical Education’s (ACTE) National WBL Policy Committee. Ulmer is one of our biggest advocates for WBL in North Dakota. Now she will be able to take what she learns from across the nation back to our region, while also sharing the great work happening here with other states. Congratulations to Ulmer on her appointment!
WBL drives collaboration
WBL can’t happen without the engagement of students, employers, and schools. One of the best things about it is how it drives collaboration and fosters great outcomes for each group involved. Golden Path is thrilled to be part of it and thankful for everyone who is involved.
Contact us for more information or to get started with WBL.