FAQs

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the mission of the PPBEA?

To connect students’ talents, interests and aptitudes to the economi

How does PPBEA accomplish its mission?

The PPBEA utilizes two primary tools to encourage career-connected or work-based learning interactions between classrooms, students, businesses and career representatives. These tools are based on public and commercial best practices for talent development and recruitment:

Colorado Workforce Development Council Work-Based Learning Continuum
PPBEA Work-Based Learning MARKETPLACE - our own little “Indeed.com” website where business reps “post” work-based learning opportunities and classroom teachers and students connect or apply to participate.

Are live interactions held in person or virtually?

All work-based learning continuum activities involving live interactions between classrooms, students and career representatives can be conducted in-person or via web conferencing, depending on conditions. Our website tools, combined with PPBEA’s customer support, make this process easy for business & education partners!

What is a career class presentation?

A class presentation is a low-intensity activity that is primarily focused on student career exploration. Class presentations can be delivered at a school or remotely by virtual sessions. Generally, class presenters will be asked to provide a broad exposure to their business and industry to a classroom-sized group of students. We also ask our business champions to follow a “career storytelling” model to help students relate to professionals in the community while they share career information and/or subject matter expertise Most class presentations would be delivered at the middle school and secondary school level. Durations of site tours would range from 30 minutes to one hour.

What is a site visit/field trip?

A site visit is a low-intensity activity that is primarily focused on student career exploration. Site visit/field trip hosts will be asked to provide a broad exposure to business and industry to a classroom-sized group of students with a teacher chaperon. We also ask our business champions to follow a “career storytelling” model to help students relate to professionals in the community while they share career information and/or subject matter expertise. Most site visits/field trips would be delivered at the middle school and secondary school level. Durations of site tours would range from 1 hour to 2 hours.

What is a speakers bureau?

A speaker presentation is a lower intensity work-based learning activity that is primarily focused on student career exploration. Speakers bureau volunteers may be asked to participate individually or as a member of an industry or career panel, to share career or economic information and/or subject matter expertise with a group of students, parents and/or staff. The primary purpose of the speakers bureau is to communicate an economic story to the K-12 system. This would include communicating career development stories, presenting labor market information about careers in the speakers industry and other information helpful to students in making informed educational and career choices. Speaking engagements would be delivered at the middle school and secondary school level. Durations of speaking engagements would range from 1 hour to 2 hours.

What is a mentorship?

A mentorship is a medium intensity work-based learning activity that is primarily focused on project-based learning. Professionals from the community share their subject matter expertise with a classroom of students, a small group of students, or individual students involved in experiential learning or capstone projects. A mentorship would generally be focused in a specific career pathway curriculum, such as engineering, design, biomedical science or cybersecurity, etc. Mentorships would be connected at the secondary school level. Durations of mentorships can range from 2 hours to 10 hours during a semester.

What is a job shadow/informational interview?

A job shadow is a medium-intensity activity that is primarily focused on student occupational investigation. These experiences are one-one and allow a student to interview and observe an industry professional in a work setting. The student will not be tasked during a job shadow experience. Students participating in job shadows are interested in screening in or screening out careers based on this type of experience and may be making educational decisions based on these experiences. We also ask our business champions to follow a “career storytelling” model to help students relate to professionals in the community while they share career information and/or subject matter expertise. Most job shadows/informational interviews are available to students ages 14-18, but can also be made available into middle school ages. Since students will not be tasked during this experience, Colorado labor law restrictions will generally not apply. Durations of job shadows/informational interviews range from 1-4 hours.

What is an internship?

A structured work experience related to a high school student’s career pathway curriculum and/or future post-secondary major
Would most likely be the final experience of a student’s high school work-based learning exposure
Constructed with occupational training outcomes
An experience that should enhance a student's academic, career, and personal development
Supervised by a professional in the field
An experience that can be one academic term (summer, spring, fall) or multiple academic terms in length
Paid or unpaid, part-time or full-time
An experience that is mutually agreed upon by the student, high school work-based learning navigator/sponsor and the employer host
A structured work-based learning experience of a duration of 60 or 120 hours that meets requirements for elective course credit
Generally reserved for students ages 17-18 but work rules could allow internships to age 14
Student interviews are required by employers in most cases
Job shadowing may be required as a prerequisite for internship applications

What are jobs, training & apprenticeship opportunities?

These opportunities are provided by employers, educational institutions, training institutions or community organizations
Opportunities may include, educational camps, training programs, certificate programs, volunteering, apprenticeships or job postings for students
These opportunities provide work-based learning outcomes for students and classrooms but are not connected with a PPBEA scope of learning. PPBEA will have limited or no responsibility in screening and placement of students depending on the opportunity
PPBEA IS GENERALLY NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR THE CONTENTS OF THESE POSTINGS OR OFFERS. OUR ROLE IS AS AGENT ONLY!

How is worker’s compensation insurance handled for students in internships at a work site?

Colorado labor law allows for extension of school system worker’s compensation insurance to an employer host for activities associated with student learning. If employers choose to provide an unpaid internship, this insurance stance will be operative. If employers choose to provide a paid internship, the insurance process is tied to the employer of record. You will get to choose paid/unpaid during completion of this form.

What does the internship screening process look like?

Business partner internship postings generally require advance interviews prior to student placement. PPBEA staff will screen student applications to ensure applications meet minimum requirements prior to approving applications and referring students to the host business for an interview. Check the internship posting for details on student requirements during the application process.

Can students earn academic credit for internships?

Yes! PPBEA works with businesses to build outcome-based internships where students learn hard skills associated with a given occupation. Students who successfully complete an internship through the PPBEA program are eligible to receive elective course credit. Check with your counselor or advisor prior to applying!

What is the duration of most internships?

The vast majority of internships are 60 hours in duration.

Are internships paid?

This depends on the business host. Currently, about 50% of internships are classified as “unpaid with a successful completion scholarship of $500.” 25% of internships are unpaid and 25% of internships are paid an hourly rate determined by the host business.

CTE (Career and Technical Education)

What is CTE?

CTE stands for Career and Technical Education. It leverages workforce and education systems so that each learner has quality experiences leading to lifelong career successes.

What is the mission of CTE?

It ensures a thriving Colorado economy by providing relevant and rigorous education that is connected, responsive and real.

What are the different areas of study in CTE?

Some of the career clusters within CTE are:

Agriculture
Management and Administration
Marketing
Finance
Hospitality and Tourism
Human Services
Education and Training
Health Sciences
Construction
Manufacturing
STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics)
Arts
Information Technology (IT)

What can a student expect from CTE (CTE’s overall goal)?

In 2005, then President Bush decided high school reform was needed. Thanks to Carl D. Perkins, he was able to get the CTE program off and running in 2006.

How many Colorado Springs school districts currently have a CTE pathway?

There are 14 school districts in Colorado Springs, and 10 of those have a CTE pathway:

District 1 (Calhan)
District 2 (Harrison)
District 3 (Widefield)
District 8 (Fountain)
District 11 (Colorado Springs)
District 14 (Manitou Springs)
District 20 (Academy)
District 23 (Peyton)
District 38 (Lewis Palmer)
District 49 (El Paso)

Can any incoming high school student take part in CTE?

Yes, any student can enroll in a CTE pathway. Everyone has one career idea or another, whether it be going to college to continue their education, or pursue a specific career field. CTE is the premier method to aid in that transition.

What is the main benefit of being in a CTE program versus not?

In 2019, the high school graduation rate for non-CTE participants in Colorado was 81%. Students who were enrolled in a CTE pathway had a graduation rate of 92%. Of those who graduated, 98% enrolled in postsecondary education or training, enlisted in the military or were working within a year following their completion of the CTE program.

What do CTE students do after they graduate high school?

Students who graduate from a CTE pathway may choose to continue their pursuit of education by going to a college or university, go directly into the workforce, select technical training programs, apprenticeships, or schools that specialize in their chosen field of interest, or a combination of these.

Advisory Council (Board)

What is an Advisory Council?

It is simply a diverse set of stakeholders in your CTE program who come together with the shared goal of preparing students for their future. They offer valuable information to school districts in what the current business structure is in order to better prepare the students.

What goes on during an Advisory Board?

There are 8 key areas that take place during each Advisory board:

Committee Progress: Committee leaders are encouraged to actively engage their fellow board members in solving current challenges, rather than solely reporting on activity.
Progress towards goals: Reports on progress and challenges are helpful to keep other members informed.
Industry/Market Reports: By taking a look at the current market trends, it is best to solicit reports on the state of the industry as well as regional economic and employment trends.
Metrics: Every program has key numbers that are being tracked. Some of these numbers include enrollments, program completion, budget activity, dropout rates, placement in college institutions, and various other figures. This area allows board members to contribute discussions on strengthening the numbers.
Upcoming deadlines: Time is used during the board to address important deadlines revolving around events, grants, annual reports, board nominations and other items
Acknowledgements: This is time used to acknowledge outstanding achievements by students, faculty, volunteers, partners and individual board members when something good has occurred in the program.
Discussions: Open forum from the participants of the board to figure out what issues or challenges have arised and identify a plan to move forward.
Report on School/Program changes: The board members need to be aware of any recent developments within the school or program, including staff changes, changes in enrollment, student achievements and more.
Student presentations: The board members try to include student presentations as often as possible. This will help the board member to retain their motivation in seeing the program move forward in a positive manner for the students.

Does the information of an Advisory Council flow so it does not distract the target audiences?

Because one of the primary goals of CTE is to help students acclimate toward a field of career study and to secure the knowledge and skills they need to succeed in their chosen field, it is imperative for an Advisory Council to disseminate information that is pertinent to the needs of the students.

Is an Advisory Council conducive to devise/develop procedures to best benefit the CTE program?

Without an Advisory Council, there would be no way to know that employers require considerable amounts of time and money to train and retrain their existing workforce. A council gives board members the ability to tap into their expertise and apply their proven methods and devise customized education and training that is specific to a particular business's ways of doing things.

Work-Based Learning

What is work-based learning?

It is an educational strategy that provides students with real-life work experiences where they can apply academic and technical skills and develop their employability.

How does it benefit students in the CTE program?

It supports workforce development initiatives.
It decreases the skills gap between employee and job requirements.
It addresses labor pool demands and increases the skill level of potential employees.
Businesses work with local schools to develop curriculum based on industry standards.
Employers can reduce turnover of entry level employees through the hiring of work-based learning graduates.

What does it mean by job shadowing? Internship? Apprenticeship?

Internship: Similar to job shadowing, it is a student working in an organization, sometimes without pay, in order to gain work experience from a prospective employer.
Apprenticeship: A student can learn how to do a specialized job through OJT under the guidance of an experienced colleague.
Job Shadowing: This is a type of OJT where a student learns from an experienced employee by following them and observing them. It lets the student learn about a particular job and what it involves.

As you can see, they all are very similar, but they also have distinct characteristics to separate them from the other.

What are some of the requirements students need to be a part of work-based learning?

A student must be in the 11th or 12th grades, have reliable transportation, have an acceptable discipline and attendance record, be recommended by a teacher, have demonstrated a positive attitude and be a hard-working individual that can work well with adults, and complete and submit a work-based learning application packet.

Does job shadowing, internships, and apprenticeships aid in the CTE mission focus?

Because the goal of CTE is to better prepare students for their future, what better way to do this by introducing students to hands-on experiences in order for them to see what the current state of the market and their profession looks like than allowing students to spend time with actual employers and businesses.

Are internships paid?

ICAP

What does ICAP stand for? What is it?

ICAP is an acronym for Individual Career and Academic Plan. It intentionally guides students and families in the exploration of career, academic and postsecondary (college, etc.) opportunities.

What are the requirements to be a part of ICAP?

When a student enters 9th grade, they are required to complete the process of an ICAP in order to graduate from high school with a standard diploma. Annually students need to update their ICAP.

What are some of the key indicators that show a student is better suited for ICAP?

Some of the more prominent indicators are:

Self-awareness
Career awareness
Post secondary (college) aspirations
Post secondary options
Environmental expectations
Academic planning
Employability skills
Financial literacy (personal)

What is the difference between ICAP and CTE?

CTE is an actual pathway/program that students are enrolled in to gain valuable information and experience for a specific career, while ICAP is a plan that a student decides on, but has a more broad perspective into a career. ICAP starts in 9th grade as an annual process, and is captured in an electronic or paper format to be saved with the student’s records. It also encompasses individual, career exploration, academic planning and personal financial literacy.

CTSO

What is a CTSO?

This is a Career and Technical Student Organization that provides opportunities for students to develop and enhance the skills they will need to be successful in their future career and leadership endeavors.

What do CTSOs provide for students?

CTSOs provide opportunities to be a part of something bigger than themselves. It allows students to travel to local, state, and national conferences. It also allows them to compete for scholarships and/or prizes. It gives students valuable skills for their careers and helps develop lifelong friendships. It gives students opportunities to network with professionals in their field of interest, and most importantly to have fun.

What do CTSOs provide for students?

What are the main goals of CTSOs?

To help students acquire knowledge and skills in different career and technical areas as well as leadership skills and experience. They help student members to become competent, successful members of the workforce.

How are CTSOs different from other organizations?

CTSOs are designed to be co-curricular, meaning activities, programs, and learning experiences that complement, in some way, what students are learning in school. This means that although some chapters need to meet outside of school hours, most meet during classroom time. Many classroom activities may be lessons from the CTSO, developed with standards and technical skills needed from experts in their field.

What are some of the more well-known organizations of CTSOs?

Some of the more well recognized organizations include:

Business Professionals of America (BPA)
DECA
Educators Rising
Family, Career and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA)
Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA)
HOSA-Future Health Professionals
National Future Farmers of America (FFA)
SkillsUSA
Technology Student Association (TSA)

Are fees associated with these organizations and if so, what are they?

All the CTSOs listed above have a membership fee. They range from $3 to $30 per year. They are as follows:

BPA: $10-17 per year
DECA: $8 per year + association dues ($12 for Colorado)
Educators Rising: $10 per year
FCCLA: $9 per year
FBLA: $3-8 per year
HOSA: $30 per year
FFA: $7 per year
SkillsUSA: $8 per year + state dues ($12 for Colorado)
TSA: $12 per year (white cap)

What organizations hold competitions?

All of the 9 listed organizations hold annual competitions for the students to compete in.

What do the CTSO competitions provide for students who participate?

It offers students the opportunity to demonstrate their skills and be recognized for their accomplishments through competitive activities in occupational areas and leadership.