The California Association of Work Experience Educators will provide a high quality career readiness education environment that enables students to become responsible citizens!

We are committed to motivating students in grades TK-14 in California by inspiring them to think critically, collaborate and communicate successfully, develop soft skills, solve problems efficiently, and incorporate technology to enrich their lives.

‍WE ASPIRE excellence as we instruct and prepare students for the future.
‍WE SERVE all students in the state and strive to met their needs and challenges.
‍WE VALUE each student's development, challenges and successes, as they strive to enter the world of work.

In 1963-1964, groups of Work Experience Educators in the northern and southern regions of the state began to organize a professional association.

These groups merged in 1965 to form CAWEE and held their first state convention in May, 1965.

The California Association of Work Experience Educators (CAWEE) was formed to establish and maintain guidelines for professional conduct; to provide inservice training opportunities; and to ensure that Work Experience Educators understand labor laws and regulations regarding youth employment.

It is a professional organization for, and run by, educators and career specialists who are involved in providing students with real world experience within the workplace. This organization is dedicated to the education of not only Work Experience educators, but of School-to-Career specialists and others involved in this process.

Activities for members include:

• Attending chapter meetings and workshops
• Participating in regional conferences
• Accessing a central location for work experience information
• Having a "voice" on issues relating to youth training and employment
• Networking for school-to-work implementation
• Acquiring up-to-date legislation on work-related issues.

CAWEE represents the many schools, educators, businesses, community groups and individuals who work together as partners to help students achieve educational excellence.Work Experience Education Programs are designed to link the academic core curriculum with the world of work and have gained recognition as a vital component of modern education in the rapidly changing and technological society of today.Work Experience Education Programs utilize the community’s business and industrial complex as a career training laboratory. Students can learn or polish skills, assess capabilities while employed, or perform career exploration by observing task performance and working conditions in actual work settings.