Employing the Future is a three-part professional learning series designed to help PK–12 educators connect academic learning to the world beyond school in practical, meaningful ways.

Across the series, educators will explore how career-connected learning, durable skills, and intentional reflection can work together to make classroom learning more relevant, authentic, and future-focused. Participants will leave each session with practical tools, strategies, and curriculum they can bring back to their classrooms and use with students.

The series follows a three-part design cycle: connect learning to the world, make the skills visible, and help students make meaning from the experience.

Employing the Future 1.0: Foundations of Work-Based and Career-Connected Learning - 11/17

Participants build a shared understanding of work-based learning and career-connected learning across PK–12 and explore authentic ways to connect existing curriculum to careers, industries, community challenges, and real-world applications. Educators will begin adapting an existing lesson or unit to incorporate a meaningful career-connected learning experience.

Employing the Future 2.0: Designing for Durable Skills Through Career-Connected Learning - 1/19

Building on those career connections, participants use the Pathsmith Durable Skills framework to explore the skills students need to successfully navigate school, work, and community life. Educators will identify priority durable skills within their curriculum and design opportunities for students to practice, receive feedback, reflect, and transfer those skills across settings.

Employing the Future 3.0: Reflection, Meaning-Making, and Learning Through Experience - 3/16

The final session brings the series together through reflection and curriculum design. Using the TRACE Meaning-Making Cycle, participants explore ways to help students recognize what they have learned through authentic experiences, better understand their strengths and growth, connect learning to future possibilities, and identify meaningful next steps. The session includes supported curriculum planning time so educators can integrate career-connected learning, durable skills, reflection, and real-world experiences into their own lessons and units.

Educators may register for individual sessions or the complete three-session series. While each session provides practical learning that can stand on its own, the three sessions are intentionally designed to build upon one another for educators who participate in the full series. Districts that would like to register their educators and receive an invoice can select the $0 ticket option for invoicing. If you would like an invoice, along with registering the educator, please email econley@bveducationfoundation.org

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