Work-Integrated Learning Innovation Center
Building institutional capacity to scale high-quality, hands-on learning that connects education to careers
Of the 8.2 million students who sought internships, only 3.6 million secured one—and nearly a third of those lacked clarity, oversight, or meaningful skill development. That leaves 5.7 million students with either a low-quality experience or none at all.
BHEF’s Work-integrated Learning (WIL) Innovation Center brings together business and higher education leaders to expand access to high-quality, hands-on learning—internships, micro-internships, project-based learning, co-ops, and apprenticeships—so that work-integrated learning becomes the norm, not the exception. We equip institutions and employers with the evidence, tools, and partnerships they need to make WIL work at scale, with a focus on solutions that work not just for the nation’s largest employers and institutions but also for small- and mid-size businesses and capacity-constrained institutions.
To learn more about the WIL Innovation Center’s cornerstone initiatives, click here.
Why Work-Integrated Learning Matters Now
WIL is increasingly recognized as essential infrastructure for the future of work. Learners gain stronger employability skills and better employment outcomes. Employers see reduced hiring costs, shorter time-to-productivity, and higher retention. Yet too many programs remain small-scale or disconnected from employer needs—and the best-known scaled models require investments most campuses cannot replicate.
87% of higher education leaders call business partnerships a priority, but only 22% report having fully implemented a partnership strategy. At BHEF’s Spring 2026 Convening, employers and educators aligned on key steps forward: expanding project-based learning, building WIL models that align to business ROI, ensuring strong CEO and president leadership to expand access, and colleges and companies playing a “marketplace” role in brokering quality WIL opportunities.
How We Work
The WIL Innovation Center advances impact in four interconnected areas:
- Build the Evidence Base: Research and test which WIL models work best for which learners, employers, and institutional contexts.
- Strengthen Institutional Capacity: Equip colleges with planning tools, quality frameworks, and change leadership support so WIL becomes a core institutional function.
- Activate a Network for Change: Convene business and higher education leaders through communities of practice, webinars, and BHEF’s biannual convenings.
- Share Tools and Strategies for Scale: Publish replicable toolkits, case studies, and frameworks through the WIL Innovation Center’s online resource hub.
Who This Center Serves
- Employers: Build right-sized WIL partnerships that deliver real return on investment and reliable, diverse talent pipelines a.
- Higher education: Embed WIL across academic programs and ensure inclusive access for all learners – from community colleges to 4-year institutions.
- Learners: Access career-connected experiences that build real-world skills and clearer pathways to employment.
- Funders and policymakers: Access rigorous evidence and replicable models to guide investment and scale impact.
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