Work-based Learning Tracking System (WTS) Project

Work-based Learning Tracking System (WTS) Project

Project Vision

The Virginia Community College System (VCCS) has been awarded $1,125,000. from the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV) and the Virginia Talent + Opportunity Partnership (V-TOP), Vision + Capacity-Building Grant to expand Work-Based Learning (WBL). 

With this funding, the project vision is to release a Work-based Learning Tracking System to enhance VCCS students’ academic experience and help expand internship and work-based learning opportunities. 

Project Mission

The Work-based Learning Tracking system (WTS) will be instrumental in achieving the Chancellor’s 2030 strategic plan in increasing paid work-based learning opportunities for students engaging in internships and apprenticeship programs by 25%.

VCCS will work with implementation partner, Kennedy & Co., to build the WTS leveraging Salesforce CRM and Formstack. The WTS will streamline and scale apprenticeship programs across VCCS’ 20 colleges, efficiently managing 100+ apprentices and 70+ businesses.

Project Participants

Participants consists of VCCS Colleges who were awarded the SCHEV/ V-TOP Capacity-building grant representing 20 of our 23 colleges.
Employer Partnership play a key role in providing opportunities for VCCS students to engage in apprenticeships. Our current employer partners include: 
Southern Air, Inc.
Dominion Energy
Phillip Morris

Work-Based Learning Tracking System (WTS) Project

The Work-Based Learning Tracking System (WTS) will serve as a centralized technology platform for managing, approving, and tracking WBL opportunities across the system. It will support consistent data collection, enable institutional and system-level reporting, and help establish a baseline for measuring progress toward the 2030 goal.

You may be wondering what the WTS is, how it will function, and how it will support both operational efficiency and strategic oversight. Here are key points that will help address those thoughts:

  • Colleges will help shape the solution. Our next priority is to engage institutions in refining the platform and functional requirements to ensure Kennedy & Company (our implementation vendor) can design and configure Salesforce in a way that meets both college-level operational needs and system-wide data goals.
  • The WTS is not a stand-alone solution. While essential, it is being developed to complement and reinforce broader institutional strategies aimed at expanding WBL participation.
  • The WTS is not yet fully built or designed. Because strategies for WBL growth are still being developed, many aspects of the platform remain under discussion - including potential overlap with existing systems, integration options, and system requirements.
  • Colleges accepting the grant must ensure all required reporting data is entered in the WTS while implementing the WBL framework. Features can be adopted at each college’s own pace.

This one piece of a larger action plan to deliver vision, skills development, resources, and institutional flexibility for our Academic and Workforce Programs. They are designed to create the structure and support needed to meet the 2030 objective, ensuring more students across the system have access to meaningful, paid work-based learning experiences that contribute to both academic and career success.

 

Clear and consistent communication is crucial to the successful implementation of the action plan, which aims to achieve the 2030 goal of increasing student participation in paid internships and apprenticeships. To support alignment and timely updates, visit the WTS Project website will serve as the single source of truth throughout implementation.

WTS Project Goals

  1. Increase apprenticeships by 7% in the first year.
  2. Increase apprenticeships by 25% by 2030.
  3. Enhance data sophistication through performance dashboards to report on key system-wide and state-wide reporting metrics.
  4. Create a customized Apprenticeship Salesforce CRM environment tailored to all VCCS needs with a one system approach.

WTS Project Timeline

The WTS project kick-off was held in March. We are currently in the requirements discovery and analysis phase. Our targeted launch date is the end of October 2025.Uploaded Image (Thumbnail)

WTS Project Governance

We are pleased to announce that Dr. Ganther has joined us as the new sponsor for the WTS project. We are excited to have her support and leadership as we move forward with our initiatives. Our project governance comprises of a Project Steering Committee and three advisory groups: College Advisory group, Employer Partner Advisory Group, and Student Advisory Group.

Executive Sponsor:

Dr. Felicia Ganther, Senior Vice Chancellor AWP

Project Director:

Dr. Jason M. Williams Sr., Coordinator, Apprenticeship and Work-Based Learning, AWP

Project Managers: 

Simone Biasuzzi, Project Manager VCCS SO

Stephanie English, Manager, Business Support VCCS SO

Implementation Partner:

Kennedy & Co.

 

Explore More

Resources & Documentation

 

FAQs: Work-based Learning (WBL) Tracking System (WTS) and SCHEV/V-TOP Impact Grant

Click the button below find additional information and answers to frequently asked questions.

Read FAQs

 

Contact the WTS Project Team

Have a questions not on the FAQs? Click the button below submit your feedback or questions to the project team. If you need to reach someone directly, please contact Jason Williams (jwilliams@vccs.edu) or Simone Biasuzzi (sbiasuzzi@vccs.edu).

Submit Your Question or Comment

 

 

 

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