Employability Skills Standards Program

The Wisconsin Employability Skills Certificate Program became available to local school districts statewide beginning with the 2000-2001 school year.

The intent of the Wisconsin Employability Skills Certificate Program is to recognize a student's mastery of employability skills valued by employers, to help students explore a career interest, and to provide a state credential of student mastery of employability skills.  The main strategy is to provide, within state guidelines, state certification of a broader range of local district school-supervised work-based learning programs.  The employability skills in this program have been identified through the U.S. Department of Labor's Secretary's Commission on Achieving Necessary Skills (SCANS) in partnership with educators, business, industry and labor representatives.  It will further serve to provide state certification to existing and new work-based learning programs including “regular” cooperative education programs, general work experience programs, etc.

General Program Design

Wisconsin’s Employability Skills Certificate Program consists of the following required components:

• SCANS skills,
• a school-supervised work-based learning experience, and
• a career plan

The Wisconsin Employability Skill Certificate Program is designed to provide local flexibility in its coordination and implementation.

1. SCANS skills can be demonstrated and assessed in a number of settings, at school and in the community.  A special course does not need to be developed to teach these competencies as it is intended that all curriculum areas embrace the competencies, thus allowing students to achieve integrated learning experience connecting school and work.
2. The Wisconsin Employability Skills Certificate Program should be paid. Unpaid work-based learning will be dealt with on a case-by-case basis.  School districts are encouraged to review current local work-based learning programs against the program’s requirements for offering this program to their students. 

• Students already involved in a school-supervised work-based learning activity such as regular cooperative education, a work experience program, an internship, or other credited and credentialed work-based learning programs can use that experience for the work-based portion of this program. 
• Generally, a work release program would not be included in this program, since most work release programs are not school-supervised.  Of course, a work release program could be used as a basis for an Employability Skills Certificate Program, with a few changes. 
• If a school district has a work-based program that is locally certified it may want to consider applying for approval from DPI to offer this state-certified program. 
• Schools that operate a school-based enterprise (in lieu of work-based opportunities in the community, usually because of a rural location) may be permitted to have participating students do a job shadow to fulfill the work-based requirement.  Job shadowing in and of itself will not meet the work-based component requirement since job shadowing is nonproductive work, by definition.  For students to learn employability skills they must be engaged in work.
• Students participating in a certified cooperative education program or a youth apprenticeship would not be involved in this program because they will receive a state certificate for similar program components. 
• School districts that offer no work-based programs for their students may want to consider implementing this program.
1. Career planning is an essential component of career development and the cornerstone for making appropriate career, educational, and occupational choices.  Developing an Individual Career Plan (ICP) will facilitate students' smooth transition from school to work or further learning.  An ICP will assist students and parents in relating each student's career interests and post-secondary higher education aspirations to individual aptitudes and achievements.  The specific objective is to make a plan of action that the student will follow after graduation.  The plan provides concrete post-secondary plans and tentative career goals, identifies the steps that are required, and reinforces the commitment and responsibility of each student to take charge of his or her career.  This written document is developed jointly by students, parents, and school personnel.  Although ICP development is a joint venture and the post-secondary plan ultimately reflects decisions made by students and parents, the school is responsible for managing the process and for providing students and parents with objective data that enable them to periodically evaluate the plan. 

   Local Program Requirements

   School districts that are interested in participating in Wisconsin’s Employability Skills Certificate Program must register their program with DPI.  High Schools seeking program approval must agree to the following requirements and methods of implementation:

   The high school listed herein agrees to the following assurances in the operation of the Employability Skills Certificate Program.

   1. The program is operated by the local school district in partnership with business and industry that includes mentor training.
   2. Student selection and employment must be fair, equitable, address the needs of all student populations, and adhere to all state and federal laws.
   3. The program includes integrated school-based and work-based learning methods.
   4. An individualized learning plan or career plan is used outlining the major competencies to be learned by the student on the job and in the related classroom instruction.
   5. A Training Agreement will be developed for every student participating in the program. This written agreement specifies commitment and responsibilities of the employer, the student, the school and the parent/guardian, and is signed by each prior to the start of the work-based experience.
   6. The minimum number of work hours required of students is 180 hours. Those hours may be completed over the course of a quarter, semester, summer, year, or longer, depending on individual student capacity to learn and district capacity to deliver.
   7. A business and industry advisory council with expertise related to the program is involved in the planning and evaluation of the program.
   8. A DPI-licensed teacher will serve as the supervising teacher for the program in accordance with all program requirements.
   9. The supervising teacher is provided thirty minutes per student per week for program development and coordination.
   10. Participating student(s) is age 14 and above.
   11. A valid work permit has been issued to each student participating in the program

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   For questions about this information, contact Ann M. Westrich (608) 267-3161

   Last updated on 2/25/2008 1:28:37 PM