Work-based learning (WBL) is learning about work, at work and is a key component of career-connected learning. In addition to building employability skills, WBL experiences help students develop meaning from their classroom learning and explore purposeful career opportunities. 

• Career-connected learning activities help students learn more about themselves and the world around them. Students explore a wide variety of jobs, learn the skills necessary for those jobs, and imagine how their interests and aptitudes relate to future careers. Students are better able to link their educational decisions with their career options. 
• Work-based learning bridges the gap between classroom learning and real-world application, offering students practical skills, career exploration, and essential professional connections. For employers, work-based learning provides an opportunity to build the talent pipeline and recruit new employees.  

Every young adult in Montana will have multiple pathways to economic mobility, supported by a statewide work-based learning system that honors the potential of students and addresses the workforce needs of Montana businesses, today and tomorrow.

A cross-section of public and private sector organizations with a stake in work-based learning, working together to ensure Montana students, educators, and businesses are supported by high-quality, accessible, relevant, and measurable work-based learning opportunities.