Overcome The "No" Problem in Work-Based Learning

In the world of Career and Technical Education (CTE), particularly in the area of Work-Based Learning (WBL), one major roadblock continues to hinder progress: The "No" Problem. Despite the potential benefits, many employers are reluctant to engage with high school interns or offer work-based learning opportunities. This reluctance is often rooted in a lack of priority—Work-Based Learning simply isn’t top of mind for employers.

Why Employers Say "No"

At first glance, the concept of providing free, talented workers—students eager to learn—should be attractive to employers. In reality, however, the time, energy, and resources required to truly engage with K-12 students often outweigh the perceived benefits. Employers are focused on their bottom line: operations, revenue generation, and hiring experienced talent that requires minimal training. Community outreach, DEI initiatives, and corporate social responsibility programs are, in many cases, viewed as secondary, even though they are important to educational programs and society as a whole.

This creates a challenge for CTE leaders, who are tirelessly trying to secure employer partnerships that will provide valuable opportunities for students. The challenge is compounded by the fact that these employers are busy and often overwhelmed by the idea of additional involvement with schools or students, especially when it doesn’t immediately translate into business results.

A Shift in Perspective: Don’t Wait for "Yes"

So, how do we overcome the "No" problem? It requires a mindset shift and the implementation of creative, proactive strategies that move beyond the traditional approach of waiting for employers to come around. At PilotCity, we encourage CTE educators and leaders to take a more bold and innovative approach.

Instead of waiting for employers to express interest, we suggest you move forward as if the partnership is already in place. This means having your students engage in real-world projects that align with potential employer needs, even if that employer hasn’t been formally approached yet. By having students start working on project-based solutions that could benefit local businesses, schools can prepare students for the type of real-world problems they may face in their future careers.

By taking action first, you reduce the stress and complexity of trying to organize mock interviews, career fairs, and field trips. The emphasis becomes on creating tangible value through student-driven solutions, which helps bridge the gap between schools and employers.

Build, Then Engage: The "Build It and They Will Come" Approach

Once you've built value, you can position your students’ work as a solution to employer challenges. The key here is to create and demonstrate value first, then present that value to the employer to entice their interest.

For instance, when your students have developed a relevant project or solution for an industry, you can present it to the employer as an offering. At this point, the employer is not being asked to volunteer time or resources. Instead, you’re presenting them with a product or solution that they might find valuable. This can spark interest and open the door for more formal partnerships. From here, you can foster relationships with employers by involving them in opportunities like guest speaking, mock interviews, and job shadowing—creating an engagement ladder that gradually builds to internships.

Keep Spinning the Flywheel: Building Momentum for Long-Term Partnership

After you’ve engaged an employer, the next step is to keep the momentum going. At PilotCity, we call this the “traction-driven” approach to employer recruitment. After presenting solutions to an employer, the goal is to use their engagement to create new opportunities for student involvement. For example:

• If an employer expresses interest in a project your students have worked on, ask them to mentor those students.
• Use this mentorship opportunity to align your students’ work even closer to the employer’s priorities.
• Once the employer is involved, ask them to participate in a field trip, job shadowing opportunity, or even consider offering an "externship" program for your students.

Each interaction with the employer serves as a building block that can eventually lead to them taking on students as interns. The idea is to leverage the relationships you build to continue creating opportunities for students—and in turn, demonstrate the ongoing value that Work-Based Learning can provide.

Conclusion

The "No" problem is real, but it’s not insurmountable. The approach to overcoming it lies in a mindset shift that prioritizes creating value first. Employers don’t want to be sold on the idea of helping students; they want to see tangible benefits for their business. By proactively building solutions that align with employer needs and fostering relationships step by step, CTE leaders can pave the way for more successful Work-Based Learning partnerships.

As someone who worked as a WBL coordinator in my hometown’s school district, I’ve seen firsthand how challenging it can be to overcome these barriers. But through the creation of programs like “build projects to win internships”, PilotCity has shown that it is possible to break through the "No" and create meaningful, long-term partnerships between schools and employers.

Let’s keep building, engaging, and driving traction in the world of CTE and WBL—because when we solve the "No" problem, we open up new opportunities for students, employers, and communities alike.

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