Work-Based Learning
Curriculum & Programming
When Eloy Garza created the Student-Led Agency model, he used his experience in corporate sales, marketing, and business development to try to make his student's learning experience as real-world as possible. He wanted to create a program that not only allowed students to apply the theory he was teaching but also give them practical opportunities to use and master fundamental 21st-century skills.
He took a consultative approach to engage students with business partners. Taking into consideration the experience of the business partners, he wanted to generate a business-to-business service experience to make it easier for partners. This would give partners the opportunity to engage with students as they do with other business organizations. This ensured an experience that would allow students to engage with business partners as equals, just one organization seeking to exchange value with another.
"It's not enough to simply want to engage with business partners, we must create an environment they themselves are used to so they can truly conduct business with our students as they would with other professionals. This is the best way they can truly mentor our students while sparing them the need to acclimate to the intricacies of educational pedagogy and processes." -Eloy Garza
This approach to learning empowers teachers to utilize project-based and problem-based learning best practices to create a work-based learning program that transforms the classroom into a place of business. The teacher's lessons are now enhanced with real-world connections and applications, the student gets hands-on experience while still under the teacher's supervision, and the business partner engages with students in an impactful and transformational way.
The Student-Led Agency curriculum has already been used successfully with thousands of students across several pathways. See how they have been impacted.