Bridging the Gap Toolbox
Our Bridging the Gap Toolbox is designed to connect educators and industry leaders, equipping them with the tools needed to create meaningful partnerships that prepare students for real-world success. Inside, you’ll find practical resources, strategies, and templates to help you engage with employers, develop work-based learning opportunities, and align education with the needs of today’s workforce. Whether you're a teacher, administrator, or business professional, this toolbox will empower you to build stronger connections and create pathways to success for students and industries alike.
Getting Started
The Getting Started section of the Bridging the Gap Toolbox provides essential resources to build strong partnerships between chambers, ISDs, and workforce boards. It includes a collaboration framework, partnership agreements, outreach templates, and tools to track critical information like CTE programs of study, labor market data, and employer information and engagement. These resources streamline the process of aligning education and industry for impactful, region-wide collaboration.
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Marketing
The Marketing section of the Bridging the Gap Toolbox offers customizable resources to promote your event, including Save the Date and follow-up email templates, as well as a social media tracking tool. These materials help ensure effective communication and outreach to engage key stakeholders.
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Event Planning
The Event Planning section of the Bridging the Gap Toolbox provides practical tools for organizing your event, including event registration templates, an event planning tracker, sign-in sheets, and a Work-Based Learning menu for employers and educators. These resources help streamline the planning process and ensure a smooth, well-coordinated event.
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Data Collection
The Data Collection section of the Bridging the Gap Toolbox features tools to track key metrics, including an industry partnership tracker and a work-based learning tracker for educators. These resources help monitor engagement and participation, providing valuable insights to measure impact and drive continuous improvement.
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Post Event
The Post-Event section of the Bridging the Gap Toolbox provides tools to ensure continued momentum, including a follow-up meeting agenda that guides discussions around next steps and assigning responsibilities. These resources help sustain partnerships and drive ongoing progress toward shared goals.
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Resources
The Resources section of the Bridging the Gap Toolbox offers work-based learning toolkits for both educators and employers. These toolkits provide guidance for employers on how to get started after connecting with school districts and offer teachers templates to invite employers to engage in the learning process, fostering meaningful partnerships that benefit students and industry alike.
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Explore Work-Based Learning Resources
We've created two distinct pages for Work-Based Learning, tailored specifically for employers and educators. Choose the one that suits your role to learn more and find the resources you need to get started.
Reach Out: We Value Your Input!
Got questions, feedback, or ideas to share? We’re here to listen! Connect with our Regional Convener, Heather Thomas, at heather.thomas@ruralcapital.net. We look forward to hearing from you!
Heather Thomas
Regional Convener
