School to Work Training Programs An Educational Experience

An Education Experience The experience can not constitute an employment relationship between the student and the business. The experience can not constitute an employment relationship between the student and the business.

An Education Experience Continued  The experience must follow the following elements so it is not considered an employment relationship: 1. - It has to be appropriate to the aptitude and skills of the student. - It must be a planned program. The plan must be shared with the school, student, and the business participating. - The plan must show a progression of skills - Coordination of the plan should be done by the school. - Contact and evaluations by the school must be done on a regular basis. - At the end of the program a certificate of completion or the issue of credit must take place. - It must be a learning experience for the student!!!

An Education Experience Continued 2.The plan has to have a sequence of activities that build on one another. These activities are skills that students are expected to master. - The plan must have some time limit attached to it. Time frame could be six to nine weeks and should not last more than a year.

An Education Experience Continued 3. The plan should be structured to expose the student to all areas of work. It should be broadly based on employability skills that could be transferred into other employment environments. It can also focus on a specific skill the student needs to master.

An Education Experience Continued 4. The plan, or learning experience, provides assignments that develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills.

An Education Experience Continued  Additional Criteria the Department of Labor looks at to see if there is an employment relationship between student and business: 1.The student is receiving on-going instruction and has close on-site supervision. 2.The placement of a student at a work site for a learning experience can not result in any displacement of any regular employee. The employee can not be laid off, have hours cut, or cause the employer to not hire somebody for a position where the learning experience is taking place 3.The student is not entitled to a job upon completion of the program (learning experience). This does not mean the employer can not offer employment to students that successfully complete the training. 4.The employer, student, and parent or guardian understand that the student is not entitled to wages or other compensation for the time spent in the learning experience.

Additional Things to Consider  Make sure all business follow the Fair Labor Standards Act. A copy of this act can be accessed at  Make sure that all businesses follow the Iowa youth laws for employment. Information on this can be found at

Additional Things to Consider  If you have any questions about your plan or program please contact the local office for the Department of Labor at