Webinar recap “Work-based learning: Connecting educators and students with industry partners.”

On February 18, 2025, Riipen hosted a thought-provoking webinar titled “Work-based learning: Connecting educators and students with industry partners.” The session, led by Josh Mitchell, Vice President of Academic Partnerships, and Dr. Anna-Bradley Schoenfeld, Academic Account Executive, explored practical strategies, shared challenges, and celebrated success stories of integrating work-based learning (WBL) into academic programs.

The underemployment challenge in higher education.

Underemployment remains a widespread issue, with over half of four-year graduates in the U.S. finding themselves in jobs that do not require the skills they acquired during their studies. Research from Strada and Burning Glass Technologies highlights that students who start their careers underemployed have a 73% chance of remaining underemployed a decade later.

Additionally, access to internships—one of the most effective ways to transition into a well-aligned career—remains uneven, with significant disparities based on institutional selectivity, socioeconomic status, and race. This gap underscores the need for alternative models of experiential learning that can provide students with real-world experience and employer connections without the traditional barriers that come with internships.

Key takeaways:

• Over 50% of four-year graduates experience underemployment within their first year after graduation.
• Internships, a proven way to improve employability, are not equally accessible to all students.

How Riipen bridges the gap.

Riipen is designed to make work-based learning more accessible by providing project-based experiences that can be integrated into curricula or offered as standalone opportunities. These flexible, scalable engagements are particularly beneficial for students who face obstacles to securing internships, such as financial constraints or visa limitations.

Josh highlighted how Riipen has enabled over 270,000 student experiences through its platform to date, helping learners gain meaningful exposure to real-world projects while allowing institutions to embed work-based learning directly into their programs. By offering a robust two-sided marketplace, Riipen connects educators with thousands of companies looking to collaborate on real industry challenges.

Key takeaways:

• Riipen facilitates curriculum-integrated or standalone work-based learning experiences for students.
• The platform connects educators with thousands of employers, ensuring a broad range of project opportunities.

Real-world applications and outcomes.

Several institutions have successfully leveraged Riipen to enhance experiential learning opportunities for students:

• University of California Riverside: Uses Riipen to provide work-based learning for international students who face restrictions on traditional internships.
• University of Virginia & UNC Charlotte: Integrate project-based internships into credit-bearing courses, equipping students with practical, career-relevant skills.
• Impact of Riipen’s Level UP program:
  • 64% of learners secured employment opportunities directly or indirectly through their projects.
  • Pre- and post-project surveys indicate significant improvement in students’ confidence and employability skills.

A platform built for impact.

Riipen’s work doesn’t stop at matching students and employers—it provides tools for managing and tracking outcomes. Faculty can oversee projects, assess student engagement, and generate impact reports to measure how these experiences contribute to learning and career progression. By simplifying the administrative workload associated with experiential learning, the platform enables educators to focus on delivering meaningful experiences for their students.

Key takeaways:

• Riipen provides tracking and reporting tools to assess the impact of experiential learning on student outcomes.
• The platform simplifies administration, allowing faculty to focus on enhancing student learning experiences.

Access the webinar material.

Want to dive deeper into the strategies and success stories shared in this webinar?

• View the full recording.

How can your institution expand work-based learning?

Riipen empowers institutions to connect students with meaningful, real-world experiences that drive employability. Whether you’re looking to enhance curriculum with industry projects, provide flexible alternatives to traditional internships, or track the impact of experiential learning, Riipen offers the tools and support to make it happen. Our platform connects educators, students, and employers to create hands-on learning opportunities that build the skills today’s employers demand.

Book a chat with our team to explore how Riipen can help your institution expand experiential learning opportunities: https://hubs.li/Q038cn440

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