Our guest for this episode of College & Career Readiness Radio is Brian Johnson.

Brian explains why simply “placing kids” isn’t enough and why districts must define clear quality criteria so work-based learning experiences are aligned, mentored, and meaningful.

He shares the six basic characteristics he uses to vet opportunities: minimum hours, alignment to a student’s pathway of study, a professional mentor/supervisor, a real-world environment, student interest, and space for students to discover what they don’t want.

Brian describes his student intake process, where he learns about each student’s pathway, interests, dislikes, and dream organizations and uses that to co‑design potential placements.

He has students spend two weeks actively using their own networks—family, neighbors, community—to try to find a placement, teaching them that finding a job is a skill and giving them “skin in the game.”

Brian notes that 50–60% of students typically find their own placements, and then he steps in to formalize details with partners and ensure the experience meets district criteria.

He talks about preparing and coaching industry partners, including helping them understand the developmental realities of working with teenagers and why their feedback is so powerful.

Brian outlines a clear termination process: partners coach first, but if performance doesn’t improve, they are encouraged to end the placement just as they would in real life.

He emphasizes that termination should be a learning experience, not the end of the road, and he builds in a redemption process so students can reflect, get coaching, and try again.

In the redemption phase, students must fully own the search for their next experience, while Brian commits to supporting them (including making calls alongside them if they struggle to find something).

He explains how he creates “competitive opportunities” where students must apply and interview, even if there are enough slots, so they feel pressure, practice competing, and learn to handle rejection.

Brian shares how he uses “rejection therapy” and real examples (like a student losing an opportunity after signaling wrestling was a higher priority) to help students understand professional expectations.

He contrasts asking for unpaid favors from industry with offering a “menu” of ways to partner—career fairs, speaking in classes, mentoring, hosting interns, hybrid options—to make participation realistic.

Brian cautions that relying on philanthropy alone is not sustainable and urges coordinators to approach this work more like relationship‑based sales that respect a business’s needs and constraints.

He calls for advisory boards and partners who truly bring value and ideas to the table instead of just “checking the box” of attendance.

Brian explains why work-based learning must be part of a district’s DNA, not a last‑minute add‑on in 11th or 12th grade, and why culture and expectations have to be built over time.

He describes “curiosity fairs” for pre‑K–4, where students dress as what they want to be and meet real professionals from those fields, alongside more traditional career fairs in grades 5 and 7.

He emphasizes using parents and families as the first and strongest partner network in elementary schools, inviting them in as speakers and role models from all kinds of jobs.

He encourages schools to think less about hitting home runs and more about consistent exposure so students don’t reach senior year with no idea what they want to do.

Brian’s closing message is that educators should stop trying to control everything: they should own the systems and supports, but students must own their journeys, their effort, and their outcomes.

Our guest for this episode of College & Career Readiness Radio is Jan Jardine.

Jan Jardine explains how work-based learning helps students connect classroom learning with real-world careers through internships, apprenticeships, and CAPS-style industry projects, often revealing both what students love and what is not a good fit before they invest in postsecondary education.

She describes how CAPS programs “bring industry to students” by embedding them in professional environments where they work in teams on authentic client projects, practicing skills like communication, project management, and handling iterative feedback instead of just observing adults at work.

She emphasizes the importance of starting career-connected learning earlier, moving beyond a 9–12 or “just CTE” model by integrating projects and industry connections into middle school courses like College and Career Awareness and even elementary-level career exploration, so students do not “meander” through pathways without direction.

Jan also pushes for breaking down silos between core academics and CTE, sharing examples of engineering students who independently applied calculus to design a moving staircase prototype, illustrating how interdisciplinary, project-based work makes academic content meaningful.​

For rural and under-resourced communities, Jan urges educators to treat the school system itself as an industry partner—leveraging child nutrition, IT, transportation, HR, and other internal departments, as well as nearby community colleges, to create rich work-based learning experiences even where external employers are scarce.

She reflects on the 2025 ACTE CareerTech Vision conference (in New Orleans this year), noting growing national momentum: more conference sessions on rural innovation, younger grades, and postsecondary collaboration.

Jan highlights the upcoming National Work-Based Learning Conference in Rhode Island (April 29–May 1), where sessions will range from foundations for new coordinators to advanced topics for experienced leaders looking to “level up” their programs, with special attention to business partner engagement and rural models.

She also shares details about the ACTE-sponsored Leadership Alliance for Work-Based Learning, a new cohort for 10 practitioners that includes in-person learning at the conference, five virtual sessions, and a capstone project to be presented at the 2027 conference, designed to help leaders tackle real challenges in their own contexts.​

Her call to action for educators is simple but powerful: share your story—do not assume your work is “no big deal,” because when you consistently tell students’ success stories, communities, industry partners, and policymakers better understand the impact and begin to advocate for and invest in this work.

Our guest for this episode of College & Career Readiness Radio is Thomas Murray.

Tom Murray says that strong leadership is the foundation of any innovative, student‑centered district and that every major initiative will rise and fall with the quality of its leaders.​

Tom explains that the best leaders are learners who empower others, adapt, delegate to build capacity, engage their communities, reflect on their work, and ultimately lead as servants.​

He emphasizes that leadership is not about titles and that some of the most influential leaders in schools are classroom teachers, support staff, or bus drivers who care deeply, solve problems, and earn others’ trust.​

Murray points out that a healthy culture cannot coexist with toxic leadership and that every interaction in a school system is either building the culture up or tearing it down.​

Tom says that districts must be intentional about leadership development through coaching, mentoring, and clear pipelines for aspiring leaders, instead of expecting people to figure it out alone.​

He argues that “college and career readiness” must truly mean college and career, treating four‑year college as one important option among many pathways.​

Tom Murray notes that giving students access is not enough and that real success depends on creating a sense of belonging where students feel the space was designed with them in mind.​

He believes the ultimate purpose of pathways work is to ensure every student has enough exposure and support to graduate ready to live life on their own terms.​

Tom says that pathways work should start in elementary school so students can learn who they are as learners and see a wide range of careers beyond what they encounter at home.​

Murray shares that Future Ready Pathways offers free, research‑informed resources to help districts design pathways that expand access, opportunity, and belonging for all students.Tom Murray says that strong leadership is the foundation of any innovative, student‑centered district and that every major initiative will rise and fall with the quality of its leaders.​

Learn more at FutureReadyPathways.org.

Our guest for this episode of College & Career Readiness Radio is Brandon Busteed.

Brandon says that work-integrated learning connects traditional academic study with learning that happens on the job and includes not only internships, but also co-ops, apprenticeships, job shadowing, and long-term classroom projects designed with industry input.​

Brandon points out that internships are a game changer: students who have an internship in college are about twice as likely to secure a good job at graduation and remain engaged in their careers, but under a third of graduates actually have such internships with real classroom applicability.​​

He emphasizes that the biggest problems are scale and equity, noting that while 8.2 million college students want internships, only 3.6 million receive one; access skews toward students with more resources and social connections.​

Brandon argues that the internship supply-demand gap could be closed if every employer devoted 5% of their jobs to interns, and that even paying all interns fairly would be comparable in cost to other large-scale federal investments.​

According to Brandon, the quality of internships matters as much as their availability: longer internships yield better results, but any length is valuable if there’s a meaningful project, feedback, and structured reflection alongside clear learning goals.​

He believes that high-quality, work-integrated learning can and should be embedded into classrooms through real-world, project-based work that exposes students to a variety of industry roles.​

Brandon’s work at Edconic includes “industry immersive” programs, which partner with well-known organizations so students can experience hands-on projects, receive direct feedback, and learn about multiple types of jobs even if traditional internships aren’t an option.​

He insists that co-designing and co-teaching these experiences with educators and industry leaders is critical, as educators bring assessment and pedagogical skill while industry partners provide real-world context and mentorship.​

Brandon says that parents and educators often focus too much on grades and test scores, undervaluing work experience even though it’s vital for career success.​

Lastly, Brandon calls for a culture shift: he believes that policymakers, schools, parents, and employers need to treat paid, quality work experiences as a fundamental part of education, not just an option for a privileged few.

Our guest for this episode of College & Career Readiness Radio is Alisa Morse, K12 Director for the CAPS Network.

Alisa Morse explains the concept of “profession-based learning” as an umbrella term for connecting students with real-world industry experiences, including internships, co-ops, client-connected projects, and career discovery.​

She highlights that high-impact client-connected projects involve students working directly with industry partners to solve open-ended problems that aren't mission critical but offer authentic challenges, mentorship, and opportunities for innovation and self-discovery.​

The CAPS Network brings industry experts into classrooms, enabling all students—not just those in internships—to participate in practical, relevant projects and develop durable professional skills like teamwork and project management.​

Profession-based learning can be adapted for every age group, with new initiatives starting in middle and even elementary school to foster career awareness early and address gaps in work-based learning equity.​

Alisa details how projects can fit into core classes (e.g., connecting biology with local Parks and Rec projects), elective/academy pathways, short challenge events, or through mentorship and internal partnerships within the school community.​

She emphasizes the importance of self-reflection and metacognition during and after these projects to deepen learning and help students make informed decisions about their future.​

The episode includes practical advice for rural schools and underserved communities: start with internal resources like school staff, local Chamber of Commerce, and county economic development offices to connect students with real work experiences.​

Alisa shares free resources (experience.work and CAPS Network website) that help educators launch and operate profession-based learning, including customizable templates and guides for partnering with industry.​

Her call to action for educators is to “go where students lead”—following their interests and energy to create transformative learning opportunities, and embracing humility to allow students’ passions to guide school improvement.

You can reach Alisa at alisa@yourcapsnetwork.org.

And, if you want to discuss college and career readiness with the host of the show, including MaiaLearning as a solution to bridge the gap between industry partners and the school system, book time here.

Our guest for this episode of College & Career Readiness Radio is Scott Carr from CESA2 in Wisconsin.

Scott specializes in connecting academic learning with real-world applications through career and community readiness frameworks.​

He emphasizes that lasting change in education starts with shifting mindsets and moving away from compliance-based systems to a re-culturing process focused on purpose and relevance.​

The transformation involves multiple phases: re-culturing and visioning (year one), engaging a readiness team of educators, piloting innovative classroom practices (year two), and full universal implementation led by teacher champions (year three).​

Scott highlights the impact on teachers, notably increased self-efficacy, rejuvenation, and desire for meaningful change, as well as improved student engagement, purpose, and attendance.​

Real-world application is achieved by having students work in collaborative teams with assigned roles and responsibilities, centering classroom activities on profession-based themes, and shifting grading from compliance to content defense and discovery.​

He shares real-life examples, demonstrating that classes using profession-based learning see higher engagement, accountability, and proficiency rates—even in controlled, A/B test settings compared to traditional methods.​

Community and business partners are actively involved in work-based learning, benefiting both students and local organizations.​

Scott advocates for measuring impact through journey maps, testimonials, and portfolio-based assessments, rather than relying only on test scores—though test scores and other academic benchmarks still matter.​

The key takeaway for educators: meaningful change is “not doing more, it’s doing differently”—restructuring practice to energize teachers and students, not simply adding to their workload.

If you’re interested in hearing more about tools that can facilitate what Scott discussed, including a student portfolio, book a time here to talk to the host of the show.

Our guests for this episode of College & Career Readiness Radio are Dr. Steve Regur and Ed Hidalgo from connectthework.com.

Ed Hidalgo emphasizes the importance of giving students agency in their academic and career planning, focusing on self-discovery and personal strengths.

Steve Regur discusses strategies for fostering student empowerment, including the use of personalized learning plans and reflective activities.

Both guests highlight ways that schools can use career frameworks and tools to help students connect learning to future opportunities.

Ed notes the value of career exploration starting in elementary and middle school, not just high school, to build awareness and readiness early.

Steve shares how engaging families and community partners increases student motivation and ensures relevance in career readiness programs.

They underscore the need for teaching students practical skills for navigating career pathways, such as networking, informational interviewing, and tracking progress.

Ed and Steve both advise educators to provide students with multiple pathways, including technical, community college, and four-year university options.

They stress that continuous feedback, goal-setting, and self-reflection are key elements for students to remain engaged and confident about their future plans.

The guests share real-life examples of students discovering strengths and interests through structured curriculum, assessment tools, and mentorship.

Closing advice centers on cultivating student curiosity, encouraging student voice, and building strong school-to-career connections to prepare learners for purposeful futures.

If you want to see a tool that can help teachers facilitate all of what Ed and Steve talk about on the show, book a demo now.

If you want to discuss college and career readiness with the host, book time here.

Our guest for this episode of College & Career Readiness Radio is Raymond Thiry from Access ASU.

Ray highlights the complex requirements for college eligibility—such as 16 core required courses and a minimum GPA—that often differ from state high school graduation requirements. Without monitoring these, many students miss out on university options they are close to qualifying for.

Ray notes that high school counselors in Arizona (and beyond) are stretched thin, with ratios around 650:1, making it hard to track and support all students in becoming college-eligible.

Access ASU bridges these gaps for students—especially first-generation college-bound students—by providing hands-on support for applications, FAFSA, and navigating system complexities. Ray and his colleagues work directly with K-12 schools and communities, often in Spanish as well.

He underscores the importance of demystifying the real cost of college. Published tuition is not the price most students actually pay; with scholarships, need-based aid, work programs, and employer tuition benefits, college is often more affordable than families expect.

Ray advocates for aligning high school course planning to university eligibility from the beginning, reverse-engineering programs to ensure more students naturally meet admissions requirements.

He insists that “access” includes communicating the value of university as well as explaining career and technical pathways, but warns against misconceptions: low transfer and completion rates at community colleges mean pathways must be followed carefully.

Ray shares that institutions like ASU offer student success programs such as the “First Eight Weeks” and practical classes on “how to do college,” which are especially helpful for first-generation and low-income students.

For schools, Ray recommends improved data sharing and direct admissions strategies to bridge high school and college transitions smoothly.

His billboard message: No one regrets getting their degree—invest in access, preparation, and planning for every student’s future.