Experience-Based Career Education (EBCE)

Experienced-Based Career Education is an academic internship program that uses the classroom and the community to provide hands-on career exploration. By using the expertise of business people and other community resources, students also learn practical applications on a job site.

EBCE is a year-long course providing high school seniors with academic credit. All our high schools have a learning coordinator supervising the 30 to 60 seniors enrolled. Each student experiences four academic internships through the school year.

Students schedule one- to three-hour blocks (two to four days a week) for a five- 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 to examine self-interests, aptitudes, and career interests. Each student has an experience tailored to his interests and aptitudes.

Student goals:

• Learn about careers of interest to the student through hands-on experience
• Develop respect for themselves as well as others
• Improve their 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