About
The Early College Work-Based Learning Program at Slippery Rock University is part of the PASSHE Foundation Strada Educational Foundation grant. Work Based Learning is an educational approach that uses the workplace to provide students with the knowledge and skills that will help them connect what they’ve learned in the classroom to real-life work activities and future career opportunities.
Our program focuses on a student in their first 2 years at the Rock, with less than 60 academic credits. At Slippery Rock once a FTIC (First Time in College) student attains 60 academic credits, they have a 92% completion or graduation rate!
Work Based Learning, which can include work site tours, job shadowing, internships and more, allows students to connect their classroom education with technical and workplace skills and to develop professional connections and networks as part of their overall education. University students with high-quality, work-based learning, especially paid internships, have more confidence in their skills, are more likely to get higherpaying jobs after graduation, and are more satisfied with their education and career choices, according to findings by the Strada Education Foundation.
Work Based Learning wants to help early in a student’s college career to apply what is learned in the classroom to a professional work experience. This allows you, the student to:
- Sample or try out a career before graduation
- Confirm or fine-tune your career interests
- Earn money for college expenses
- Apply on-the-job learning to academic courses
- Gain career-related experience
- Develop professional contacts in your career field
- Make informed career plans and decisions.
- Become more marketable
- Prepare you for workforce
- Build your resume
- Learn important workplace skills
- Introduce you to the professional world
- Develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills
- Gain confidence in your job-searching abilities