Going to Scale: Employer Participation in School-to-Work Programs at LaGuardia Community College

This article uses a case study of the internship program at LaGuardia Community College in New York City to explore the crucial issue of employer participation in work-based learning programs. Using a unique data set that includes information on over 17,000 internship placements occurring between 1984 and 1995, we explore how the nature and goals of the program have changed in response to the difficulties encountered in recruiting and retaining employer participants. A primary conclusion is that the program has shifted its focus from occupational training to career exploration and the acquisition of generic workplace skills.