High-quality work-based learning (WBL) does not happen by chance; it requires intentional design, employer alignment, and systems that can scale. In this session, Kuder, Inc., a career development solutions provider, and co-presenter Dr. Wendy Mihm-Herold, President & CEO of iJAG, will share a practical framework for building employer ecosystems that move students from career exploration to authentic workplace experience. Drawing on Kuder’s career readiness work and the iJAG partnership in Iowa, participants will examine how statewide collaboration, employer engagement, and student-centered data can strengthen talent pipelines and expand access to meaningful WBL opportunities. iJAG currently serves more than 10,000 students across 192 middle and high school classrooms in Iowa, while Kuder’s partnership supports career readiness and work-based learning expansion across iJAG programs. Attendees will learn a repeatable employer engagement lifecycle, see implementation examples, and leave with an Employer Engagement Toolkit featuring outreach scripts, evaluation templates, and ready-to-use planning resources.