Pearson's Connections Academy has announced a partnership with the CAPS Network to provide profession-based learning opportunities to students in its online school programs. This collaboration represents the first partnership between the CAPS Network and a virtual school and is intended to benefit students across the country.
The partnership aims to assist students with early career exploration, college and career readiness, and the transition to post-high school steps. Students in Connections Academy-supported schools will have access to the CAPS Network's work-based learning curriculum, professional learning communities, hackathons, and paid experiences such as internships and apprenticeships.
According to the announcement, the program provides immersion into professional culture where students solve real-world problems using industry-standard tools under the mentorship of employers. The pilot program will initially involve 10 Connections Academy-supported schools, including Utah Connections Academy and Washington Connections Academy.
Students in the pilot program will also have access to CAPS Network resources such as playbooks for profession-based learning and community partnership building. The partnership also includes access to paid workplace experiences, allowing students to apply for internships and apprenticeships with local and global organizations.
Connections Academy provides tuition-free, online public school programs for K-12 students and is part of the global learning company Pearson. The CAPS Network is an organization working to bridge the gap between the classroom and the professional world through real-world experiences.
