This brief is one in a series of final reports from the Evaluation of the Jobs to Careers Program. It presents the preliminary findings of this evaluation that have specific relevance to educational institutions.

Specifically, the brief describes the Jobs to Careers work-based learning model of education and career advancement and its application in real world settings; identifies key issues that educational institutions should address when designing and implementing programs based on this model; and illustrates the benefits of incorporating work-based learning into existing educational and training strategies.

This brief builds on additional study publications, including two evaluation briefs and a final synthesis report.

Lessons Learned:

• Develop policies to award credit for prior learning, including awarding credit for classes taken outside of traditional educational institutions, and allowing workers to test out of courses by demonstrating competencies gained through work experience.
• Build flexibility into progression through certificate/degree coursework to allow incumbent workers to create and pursue manageable education plans.
• Provide classes that can be taken during extended evening and weekend hours or online to allow workers to complete a certificate or take a course infeasible otherwise.
• Buy in from high-level administrators such as deans/directors is critical to making these programs work.
• Extend academic advising to include coaching on navigating work, education, and personal lives to help workers manage these competing demands more effectively.

The Jobs to Careers: Transforming the Front Lines of Health Care initiative is a workforce development model that creates partnerships between employers, educational institutions, and other relevant stakeholders in the community to improve skill and career development in frontline workers.