Learner-Centered Collaborative

Grades K–5 Grades 6–8 Grades 9–10 Grades 11–12

Young participants are actively engaged as lerners and collaborators-they're not just passive observers. They work along side eductors, mentors, or employer partners to apply classroom-based knowledge in real-world work settings, exploring tasks, challenges, and roles that align with their interests and future goals. Because the experience is learner-centered, it emphasizes student agency, reflection, and meaningful connections between their work experience and personal growth. The collaborative aspect ensures that youth, adults (educators/mentors); and workplace partners share responsibility for designing and supporting the experience making it richer, more relevant, and more equitable.

ORGANIZATION TYPE

Non-Profit Operator

STUDENTS SERVED

1000+

GEOGRAPHIC REACH

National

LOCALE(S) SERVED

Rural, Suburban, Urban, Tribal

WBL SERVICE MODELS

Workplace Tour, Career Counseling / Assessments, Internship, Cooperative Work Experience, Pre-Apprenticeship, Youth Apprenticeship, Apprenticeship, Registered Apprenticeship, Service Learning

DELIVERY MODALITY

School-based

TYPICAL DURATION

Long-term

SCHOOL-BASED TIMING

In-school

COMPENSATION TYPE

Paid, Stipend, Unpaid, Academic Credit, Credential

STAKEHOLDERS SERVED

Basic Career Exploration Tools, Educators, Network Membership For Schools, Professional, State Education Agency, Technical Assistance For Schools/Districts

LANGUAGE SUPPORT

Multilingual

TARGETED POPULATIONS

Low-income / FRPL Eligible

DISABILITY ACCOMMODATIONS

Yes

CAREER CLUSTERS ALIGNMENT

Cross-cutting Cluster

FUNDING MODEL

Grants, Earned Revenue, Philanthropy

SIMILAR PROVIDERS

The Loop Lab

Regional

www.thelooplab.org

The Loop Lab is a state-registered, earn-while-you-learn apprenticeship program connecting opportunity youth to careers in creative technology. Based in Boston and Springfield, Massachusetts, The Loop Lab pairs paid, hands-on training with real industry experience in media arts, AV production, and AI, giving young people a direct pathway from classroom to career. Founded in 2017, the organization is expanding its model to new sites in Brooklyn and Atlanta in 2027.

postsecondary

YouthBuild Boston, Inc.

Local

www.youthbuildboston.org

YouthBuild Boston (YBB) empowers and assists young people with the essential social, vocational, academic, and life skills necessary to navigate a positive pathway to self-sufficiency, neighborhood responsibility, and careers in the building industry. YBB envisions a city rich with opportunity for all young people and a building trades sector that is diverse, equitable, and inclusive. Founded in 1990, YBB serves Boston-area young adults ages 17–24 who are disconnected from traditional education and employment systems. Our tuition-free, three-stage workforce development continuum combines education, hands-on training, leadership development, and wraparound support. Participants earn high school credentials, industry-recognized certifications, and experience in the building trades, preparing them for union careers, apprenticeships, living-wage jobs, and advancement in high-demand fields. YBB’s Designery curriculum introduces architecture and design careers through hands-on projects led by professional designers. Case management, mental health services, stipends, tools, transportation assistance, and wellness programming help participants overcome barriers and persist toward their goals. YBB is a proud member of the Roxbury community, working in partnership with community organizations, public schools, and the City of Boston to complete site improvements and help build and rehabilitate affordable housing. These projects serve as classrooms where students apply their skills, strengthen their neighborhoods, and build confidence and resilience. YBB is an affiliate of YouthBuild Global and a member of the Massachusetts YouthBuild Coalition. While YouthBuild programs respond to local needs, they share core elements including high school equivalency, vocational training, support services, leadership development, and alumni engagement.

grades 9–10 grades 11–12 postsecondary

Craft Education

Nationwide

National

crafteducation.com

Craft enables fund braiding across government resources– eg, Pell/Title IV, WIOA, CTE/Perkins, SAEF/apprenticeship, etc.– to develop earn-and-learn pathways for underserved learners.

Available in: Nationwide

grades 11–12 postsecondary