Transformational Work-Based Learning with Kristy Volesky

This is Episode 82 of FocusED, and it features our guest, Kristy Volesky. We focus on work-based learning and its power to prepare students for postsecondary success.

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Kristy Volesky Brings a Tons of Experience to FocusED Listeners

Kristy Volesky is an educational advocate who ambitiously supports students, teachers, schools, colleges, businesses, and communities. With a passion for collaboration, Kristy has always sought ways to streamline educational programs and initiatives with key business and community leaders to efficiently address local challenges. Her experience teaching, leading, collaborating, and developing solutions with industry thought leaders has led to the advancement of effective work-based learning practices locally and nationally.

Kristy serves on ACTE’s Work-based Learning Policy Team and co-leads the monthly state leader network collaboration with the Coalition for the Career Development Network. Kristy supports a national work-based learning masterclass with Catapult PD and was a facilitator for the national Career Z Challenge, a prize competition from the U.S. Department of Education.

Kristy has over 20 years of educational experience as a teacher, work-based learning coordinator, educator, state level program consultant, and national leader in work-based learning. She recently published her first book, Transformational Work-Based Learning to support coordinators overseeing internship programs. Kristy holds a bachelor’s degree in business education and a master’s degree in organizational leadership.
 

FocusED Show Notes with Guest Kristy Volesky

Kristy starts by defining work-based learning with a simple explanation: learning that is based on working. But, she says that it doesn’t have to be students working.

Don’t miss what she says about having a before, during, and after strategy for WBL.

Kristy describes the fact that WBL should be with industry partners, and students should have access to people in the field.

She says that the outcomes have to be mutually beneficial for the industry partner and the student. For the partner, they can train their future workforce early, gain access to future employees, and maintain relationships over the course of college or apprenticeship programs and then bring students back into the economy.

Kristy provides school leaders with talking points for developing industry partners who might be reluctant to take on minors.

She tells a story about a construction company and how the process for building partnerships grew from one to many.

Joe asked about innovative partnerships, and Kristy points to an example of a partner that took on a bunch of different career paths within the same organization.

We discussed how work-based learning can start in elementary schools where students can do activities for career awareness. Kristy says that 80+ opportunities to learn about different careers in the K-12 experience is ideal.

She literally walks listeners through the design of an elementary work-based learning experience by making minor adjustments to events that already exist.

Kristy is inspired by her former role as a WBL coordinator. She grew a program, making it more effective, and then went to the state level to scale that work.

She says that her network is where she learns and grows. “I surround myself with really smart people.” ~ Kristy Volesky

Joe reminds listeners of Jim Rohn’s quote: “We are the average of the 5 people we spend the most time with.”

Books We Recommend Based on this Podcast with Kristy Volesky

Smart Brevity by Jim Vandehei, Mike Allen, & Roy Schwartz 

Simply Put by Ben Guttmann 

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