New ExGen Framework Supports Career-Connected Learning

STEMACT partner Blackstone Valley Education Foundation (BVEF), through REaL Learning, has released the ExGen Career-Connected Learning Ecosystem Framework, a new resource designed to help districts build coherent, sustainable PK–12+ career-connected learning systems. ExGen, short for experiential learning for the next generation, provides an approach for designing, implementing, assessing, and continuously improving career-connected learning across PK–12 and beyond.

The framework encourages educators and their partners to look beyond individual programs and experiences and consider the broader ecosystem needed to make career-connected learning meaningful and sustainable. Leadership, organizational capacity, learning design, and strong partnerships all play a role in creating high-quality experiences for students.

Connecting and Strengthening Existing Work

Rather than introducing another stand-alone initiative, ExGen is designed to help bring greater coherence to work already underway. Districts can use the framework alongside Portrait of a Graduate or Learner frameworks, MyCAP and individual career and academic plans, Career and Technical Education (CTE), Work-Based Learning frameworks, durable-skills frameworks, strategic plans, and other local or state priorities.

This systems approach can also provide a useful structure for conversations among districts, employers, higher education, and community partners about how learning experiences connect and how partners can work together to help young people build skills, explore possibilities, and make meaningful connections between their learning and future opportunities.

BVEF and REaL Learning are also developing an ExGen Career-Connected Learning Ecosystem Companion Guide, which will provide practical tools, examples, and resources to help districts put the framework into action.

Learn More

Explore the ExGen Career-Connected Learning Ecosystem Framework

The framework is available for schools, districts, educators, and partners interested in developing more integrated approaches to career-connected learning.