CWE / Work Based Learning

Cooperative Work Experience

Seniors can go to work for 2 periods during the school day and gain credit for it.

Most CWE’s occur during the last 2 periods of the day for a minimum of 90 minutes, which is from about 1:30 to 3:00. Students can work beyond that as agreed upon. Students will receive 1.0 CWE credit (CTE/elective credit) for the school year, or 0.5 CWE credit per semester.
Students must be 16 years of age and be able to provide their own transportation. Seniors must have 18.0 credits already earned to participate (19.0 if they desire an off period).
Students are expected to be at work every school day and must communicate absences ahead of time.
It is a capstone experience for our Career & Technical Education programs in our high school, which includes Agriculture, Business/Marketing, Family & Consumer Science, Health Sciences, and Information Technology. CWE students should have taken courses in one of the CTE program areas that better prepare them for that work experience.
We have developed a list of approved training stations as a guide. (You can view this below.)
Students will go through an application process so that supervisors and students can know each other prior to hiring, just as in any job. The deadline to turn in CWE Agreement is usually February or March, but varies from year to year. After that date, the CWE Coordinator will place students.
We also offer Cooperative Work Experience in the summers to provide longer, more specific technical training opportunities for our students.

It is a year-long commitment on both ends, so you must be able to commit to a student/employee for the whole school year. Once a student is placed at a business, they will not be allowed to switch jobs, barring unforeseen circumstances.
Identify the supervisor at your business who will be the contact person for the school (cannot be a family member to the student).
Ensure that your business has no legal or liability issues in hiring a high school student or if any age requirement is needed to work there.
Identify what type of work/skills the Cooperative Work Experience will include at your business. This will help to identify which CTE program area it will fall under.
Willingness to partner with the school and provide guidance to our curriculum.
Flexibility in working with our school schedule, extracurricular activities, and seniors approaching graduation.

Scott Wisness, Work Based Learning Coordinator: wisness@wc-wolves.com

Jill Leach, CWE / Work Based Learning Coordinator Assistant: leach@wc-wolves.com