Alisa Morse’s Bio
Aleesa Alisa Morse is the K12 Director for the CAPS Network, a non-profit organization with international reach empowering high school students to fast-forward into their future through real-world business projects, the development of professional skills and self-discovery.
Alisa’s work centers on supporting the CAPS Network ecosystem through coaching, resource creation, strategic ideating, and marketing. Alisa is passionate about maximizing and customizing the educational experience for all learners. She produces two podcasts for the CAPS Network: The Network and The CAPS Playbook. Previously, Alisa taught in the CAPS model and was a visual arts and marketing entrepreneur. She considers her superpower to be empowering others.
Alisa Morse explains the concept of “profession-based learning” as an umbrella term for connecting students with real-world industry experiences, including internships, co-ops, client-connected projects, and career discovery.
She highlights that high-impact client-connected projects involve students working directly with industry partners to solve open-ended problems that aren't mission critical but offer authentic challenges, mentorship, and opportunities for innovation and self-discovery.
The CAPS Network brings industry experts into classrooms, enabling all students—not just those in internships—to participate in practical, relevant projects and develop durable professional skills like teamwork and project management.
Profession-based learning can be adapted for every age group, with new initiatives starting in middle and even elementary school to foster career awareness early and address gaps in work-based learning equity.
Alisa details how projects can fit into core classes (e.g., connecting biology with local Parks and Rec projects), elective/academy pathways, short challenge events, or through mentorship and internal partnerships within the school community.
She emphasizes the importance of self-reflection and metacognition during and after these projects to deepen learning and help students make informed decisions about their future.
The episode includes practical advice for rural schools and underserved communities: start with internal resources like school staff, local Chamber of Commerce, and county economic development offices to connect students with real work experiences.
Alisa shares free resources (experience.work and CAPS Network website) that help educators launch and operate profession-based learning, including customizable templates and guides for partnering with industry.
Her call to action for educators is to “go where students lead”—following their interests and energy to create transformative learning opportunities, and embracing humility to allow students’ passions to guide school improvement.
You can reach Alisa at alisa@yourcapsnetwork.org.
And, if you want to discuss college and career readiness with the host of the show, including MaiaLearning as a solution to bridge the gap between industry partners and the school system, book time here.
.png)
.jpg)
.jpg)
