Experience Based Career Education (EBCE) 

What is EBCE?

EBCE is an academic internship program that uses the classroom and the community to provide hands-on career exploration.

Academic internships through EBCE empower students to make informed career decisions. By using the expertise of business people and other community resources, students explore their career interests. They expand on the subject matter that is taught in the classroom through practical application on a job site. EBCE is a year-long course providing high school seniors with academic credit while they explore the real dimensions of many careers. As they master many of the skills they will need to succeed in the adult world of work, they also learn much about who they are and what they want to become.

Site Responsibilities

At each community placement, students are assigned to a Resource Person. This person monitors and evaluates the student's attendance and activities for the duration of the internship. Anyone in the community is a potential resource person for student learning, whether their work is manual, technical, volunteer, or professional. Students need to see firsthand how adults successfully incorporate their careers into their lives. 

The Resource Person's role:

• provide a clear description of career
• define job's advantages & disadvantages
• devote some of the job time to instructional activities
• describe how your career affects family responsibilities, leisure time, active citizenship and lifelong learning

Site selection

A broad range of professional careers including architecture, engineering, law,  pharmacy, veterinary medicine, education, technology, medicine and interior design are available for student sites. A list of current sites is provided to the students. From this list, they are able to select from a variety of career options in Lexington and surrounding areas. Entrepreneurial interests can also be explored as many small and medium size companies are included. Students may also request the Community Developer to add sites that are not currently included on the list. View a listing of our sites. You must be a currently enrolled 11th or 12th grade student (or the parent of aforementioned student) to access this site list

What is the Student's Role? 

For acceptance in the program, students must maintain a successful academic record, interview with the school's EBCE learning coordinator, and present referrals from other teachers that assure that the student has exhibited the maturity and responsibility necessary to be successful in this  program. Students schedule one-hour to three-hour blocks four days a week for a four to six week period to enter the community and explore career options through direct experience. The remaining day the student stays at school working with the  Learning Coordinator examining self-interests, aptitudes, and career interests. Each student has a  totally unique experience tailored to his/her interests and aptitudes. The students selected are expected to represent their schools in a professional manner.  

The goals for the student: 

• Learn about careers of interest to the student through hands-on experience
• Develop respect for themselves as well as others
• Improve ability to think independently
• Practice problem-solving strategies
• Become active learners and cultivate a thirst for life-long learning
• Increase awareness of technology and its place in the workplace
• Develop ability to interact positively with adults
• Increase awareness of each person's contribution to society
• Improve communication and team building skills

More photos! | Career & Tech Home

Last update: 8/9/2007 9:10:54 AM