WBL Workshop Information
WBL Opportunity Gap Analysis 2025 Train-the-Trainer Workshop Information
Summary
In recent years, work-based learning (WBL) has grown exponentially as an educational focus across the country with an expanded interest in providing access to hands-on work experiences for all learners, a vital element to ensuring equitable outcomes in career technical education (CTE) programming. Advance CTE wanted to build upon the success of the Opportunity Gap Analysis workshop to empower state leaders to cultivate data literacy through maximizing collection, analysis, and use of data in identifying gaps and improving learner outcomes in WBL programs.
The Opportunity Gap Analysis: Work-based Learning initiative consists of several stages of professional development: two half-day workshops delivered by Advance CTE; ongoing technical assistance including a community of practice and individual coaching; and access to a suite of tools including a dashboard template, workbook, facilitation guide, practical strategies for addressing specific opportunity gaps within WBL programs and more. Through this support, participants not only develop technical data literacy skills, but also work to define WBL in their state, establish the continuum learners will follow through the education system, and explore common practices associated with WBL accountability systems and reporting. State leaders are empowered to not only use these tools themselves, but to train other state and local CTE leaders to utilize the strategies and tools provided in the workshop in their own institutions through a train-the-trainer model. This workshop is offered free of charge with the generous support of the Joyce Foundation.
Objectives
Selected participants will:
- Work to establish or refine work-based learning definitions and continuums for their state
- Explore common practices associated with WBL accountability systems and reporting
- Learn how to use a percentage-point gap analysis with CTE and WBL enrollment data to identify opportunity gaps
- Learn how to investigate opportunity gaps and identify root causes
- Access practical, evidence-based strategies to address root causes and barriers to access
- Access a suite of tools — including a dashboard template, workbook, facilitation guide, PowerPoint template, and more — as well as support from Advance CTE to conduct a CTE opportunity gap analysis exercise in their own states
- Build a community of practice with the current and previous cohorts of participating states
Who should participate?
State CTE leaders with responsibility and influence over WBL program design and approval, Perkins V administration, special populations coordinator/specialist, methods of administration coordinators/specialist, workforce agency representative, postsecondary representative, and/or CTE/workforce data specialists are ideal candidates for this opportunity. We strongly recommend applying and participating as a state team, and preference will be given to team-based applications. A state team can include approximately 2-6 individuals with state leadership roles, including leadership from partner agencies.
Recommended participants from each state:
- State CTE Director
- WBL Program Director/Coordinator/Specialist
- State Workforce Agency Personnel
- State CTE Team Data Analyst/Specialist
- State Method of Administration Coordinator/Specialist
- State Special Populations Director/Coordinator/Specialist
All applicants must be recommended by their State CTE Director. Selection criteria includes:
- Readiness to implement: Applicants are poised to introduce the WBL opportunity gap analysis process in their own state within six months after the training.
- Influence: Applicants are in a position to influence state and local decision making to advance access for all learners in their state.
- Equal Access mindset: Applicants understand the importance of equal access in WBL and are committed to identifying and dismantling barriers to participation for all identified special populations.
Expectations
Selected participants will commit to:
- Attending and engaging in a two-day, three and a half-hours each day, virtual workshop hosted by Advance CTE on March 25 and 26, 2025 (1 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. ET).
- Participants will be expected to complete some pre-work before the workshop.
- Workshop will be hosted on Zoom, and participants are encouraged to join and participate by video.
- Attending monthly community of practice calls to build a network for cross-state collaboration.
- By September 12, 2025, conducting a WBL opportunity gap analysis exercise in their own state.
- The exercise can be conducted with state leaders; local teams from across the state; or at the district, college or school building level.
- Sharing feedback with Advance CTE.
- After conducting an opportunity gap analysis exercise in their own states, Advance CTE participants will collect data from in-state participants on the effectiveness and usefulness of the activity using a provided survey template.
- Selected participants will complete a follow-up survey in September and again in spring 2026.
- This data will be used to inform Advance CTE’s ongoing suite of tools and supports.
Timeline
- January 13 – Application window opens
- February 14 – Application window closes
- February 21 – Applicants selected and notified
- March 25 and 26 – Workshop training
- September 12 – Participants complete opportunity gap analysis exercise
Click Complete the Form at the top of this page to be taken to the application.
