Preparing Students for Success with Quality Career Pathways

Presentation by William SymondsDirector, the Global Pathways Institute

CACTA Mid-Winter ConferenceColorado Springs

February 10, 2016

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The Global Pathways Institute:

Year One • CREATION OF THE INSTITUTE

• OUR BOARD• PRIORITIES:

(1) Multiple Pathways(2) Career Literacy

• SOUTHWEST PATHWAYS CONFERENCE

www.GlobalPathwaysInstitute.org

GPI’S Vision

We are committed to creating an America in which all young people are prepared to lead productive and successful

lives. We believe that providing young people with

high-quality multiple pathways is the best way to help them discover and develop their

potential and achieve economic independence.

SOUTHWEST PATHWAYS CONFERENCE

MAY 28-29 AT ASU SKYSONGTeams from 5 states: CO, UT, NV,

NM and AZ350 Attendees; more than 100

speakers

TODAY’S AGENDA• The Pathways Challenge

• Why We Are Failing So Many Young Adults

• How We Can Help Prepare More Young Adults to Achieve Economic Independence:Career Development/ “Career Literacy”

Promote Multiple PathwaysWork-Based Learning

• How You Can Get Engaged!

THE PATHWAYS CHALLENGE“EVERY FAMILY IN AMERICA”

The American Dream is Endangered • Our Heritage: The Land of Opportunity; Where you

were born was not your destiny• Today: Our existing system fails to prepare many young

adults for successThe “40/50 Problem”:

40% don’t graduate; the world’s highest college dropout rates; over $1 trillion in student debt

50% of those who do graduate end up unemployed or underemployed

• The “Skills Gap”: even many educated youth are not equipped with the skills needed to succeed

THE PERSISTENCE OF POVERTY

• For the first time in 50 years, the MAJORITY of U.S. schoolchildren live in poverty or low-income

families• Opportunity Youth: One in Seven young adults

16-24 are not in school or working: 5.6 million are “disconnected”

• Robert Putnam, “Our Kids”:In the 1950s, America offered “extraordinary

upward mobility”Today, “Social Mobility Seems Poised to Plunge in the Years Ahead” as Inequality has Ballooned

The American Dream is Endangered

ONE ROAD TO HEAVEN?WHAT WE BELIEVE:

• Four-year college is seen as the only true pathway to success.

• High school is about preparing students for four-year college. Academics are emphasized at the expense of career

education/preparation.• Community/technical colleges are a far

less prestigious option.• Career Technical Education is for students

who aren’t smart enough for four-year college

FOR MANY, THE ROAD IS BROKEN

• MOST high school students are not ready for college – not even community college

• ACT: Only 25% of students in the 2014 graduating class were fully “college ready” -- in all 4 subjects• In Arizona: only 21% are fully college ready

• The Achievement Gap: In Arizona 51% of white students were college ready; but only 17% of

Hispanic and 10% of Native Americans• How Many are Career Ready?: We hardly

even measure itOUR PARADIGM IS BADLY FLAWED AND

CONTRIBUTES TO MASSIVE LEVELS OF YOUTH UNDEREMPLOYMENT

College for all does not mean everyone needs a B.A. Even in this decade most jobs do not require a

B.A.

Source: March CPS data, various years; Center on Education and the Workforce forecast of educational demand to 2018.

What are the Trends in Colorado?

35% of Jobs requite a B.A. or Graduate Degree BUT:31% require some college or an AA degree34% still require only a high school degree SO: 65% OF COLORADO JOBS DO NOT REQUIRE A FOUR-YEAR DEGREE AND 11.5% OF THOSE 16-24 ARE NOT IN SCHOOL AND NOT WORKING

WHY ARE WE FAILING SO MANY?• The “One Road to Heaven” approach is far too

narrow, and doesn’t work for most students • This approach re-enforces an elitism in which jobs that don’t require a four-year degree are

demeaned• We can’t possibly prepare students for the

middle class/American Dream if we steer them away from many middle class jobs

WE NEED A NEW APPROACH: ONE THAT CHAMPIONS THE DIGNITY OF WORK!

STRATEGIES FOR SUCCESS: • CAREER COUNSELING: HELP ALL STUDENTS

BECOME “CAREER LITERATE”

• PROMOTE MULTIPLE PATHWAYS TO SUCCESS

• EXPAND WORK-BASED LEARNING

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THE CRITICAL ROLE OF CAREER LITERACY

• HOW THIS TERMINOLOGY EVOLVED:Limitations of “career guidance” and “career

development”• THE CONCEPT OF CAREER LITERACY: *Equipping Students/Adults with the

Knowledge, Tools and Support they need to make Good Career decisions: Now and in the Future

• THE APPEAL OF “LITERACY”

• THE GOAL: MAKE CAREER GUIDANCE A CENTRAL FOCUS OF EDUCATION

THE CRISIS IN CAREER COUNSELING

CURRENT REALITIES:K-12: We have far too few counselors

*Most have little time to provide career counseling and many don’t understand the

labor market• Higher-Ed: Resources are often

constrained, especially at community colleges

*Few colleges embrace a comprehensive approach: including a strong emphasis on

work-based learning

THE COSTS OF OUR NEGLECT• Disengagement: Students who don’t see the

purpose of learning lose interest:

*76% of elementary students are engaged *But only 44% of high school students

• Many students don’t have the information needed to make good decisions about their future. The result:

many make poor choices about COLLEGE AND CAREER

• Many college students are just wandering through the system, and this is a key cause of the

underemployment epidemic

A VISION FOR EFFECTIVE GUIDANCE

• MAKE CAREER GUIDANCE A CENTRAL FOCUS OF EDUCATION:

*K-12: Begin early and emphasize often *Post-Secondary: The goal is completion with a

purpose: obtaining a credential that provides a pathway to a promising career

• ADOPT A MORE COLLABORATIVE APPROACH: *Involve the Entire School Community

* Engage business, parents, the broader community

• EMBRACE WORK-BASED LEARNING

FEB. 22 NATIONAL CONVENING OUR STEERING COMMITTEE: ACT INC ASSOCIATION FOR CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION AMERICA’S PROMISE ALLIANCE COUNCIL OF CHIEF STATE SCHOOL OFFICERS GLOBAL PATHWAYS INSTITUTE AT ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY MANUFACTURING SKILLS STANDARDS COUNCIL NATIONAL CAREER DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATION NATIONAL GOVERNOR’S ASSOCIATION SME NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF STATE DIRECTORS OF CAREER TECHNICAL EDUCATION CONSORTIUM THE NATIONAL COLLABORATIVE ON WORKFORCE AND DISABILITY FOR YOUTH US CHAMBER OF COMMERCE FOUNDATION

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NATIONAL CONVENING HIGHLGHTSWho Will Attend: 250 Invited Guests; Colorado Will be RepresentedReview of the ProgramGoals and Next Steps

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THE CASE FOR MULTIPLE PATHWAYS:

Pedagogical• Best way for many young people to learn

• Relevance increases engagement, motivationHigher attainment

• In the US and abroad, high-quality “vocational education” produces superior

results Youth Employment

• Strong pathways to good jobs• Countries with the best systems have very

low rates of youth unemployment

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In many European countries over half of upper secondary students are in vocational educational and training

Source: OECD (2008), Education at a Glance 2008, OECD indicators, Table C1.1, OECD, Paris.

EXEMPLARS FROM ABROAD

• FEATURES OF THE “DUAL SYSTEM” **Vast choice of Career pathways

**Based on an apprenticeship system

**Integration of Academic/Vocational Instruction

**Promotes the dignity/professionalism of all careers

**The payoff: a seamless pathway to employment

U.S. PROGRESS

Growing Recognition we Need to Create Effective Pathways Systems

Many Key Organizations are Driving Change:

Pathways to Prosperity/Harvard NASDCTEc: Career Clusters

Department of Labor National Governors Assn. US Chamber of Commerce

KEY INGREDIENTS

1) Build Cross-Agency Partnerships2) Identify Key Industry Sectors

3) Design Education/Training programs

4) Identify Funding Needs and Sources

5) Align Policies and programs6) Measure Performance

As identified in the “Career Pathways Toolkit,” Published by US Department of Labor in 2015

CENTRAL CHALLENGES

For Educators:*Creating Seamless Pathways from

High School to PSE*Focus on

Credentials/Competencies, not Just Degrees

Engaging Business/Industry:*Involvement is Essential

*Work to Build Regional Sector Partnerships

*Business Can Play Many Roles

COLORADO IS A LEADER

Leadership/support from Governor

Cross-Agency Career Pathways Team

Strong Examples of Regional Sector Partnerships

But the Work is Just Beginning!

THE MASSACHUSETTS MODEL• HOW IT WORKS:

**A network of regional vocational high schools **Students spend half time on a career major

**Students must still pass MCAS exams **Heavy emphasis on work-based learning

• IMPRESSIVE RESULTS: **Sky-high graduation/attendance rates

**National leader in technical skill attainment **Most go on to Post-secondary education

NPR DOCUMENTARY: “Ready to Work” www.AmericanRadioWorks.org/documentaries

OTHER STATE LEADERSWHERE CAREER READINESS COUNTS:

Florida: nearly 50% of high school students now earn industry-recognized credentials

North Dakota: over half of students are CTE concentrators; and these students graduate at

much higher ratesKentucky: Measures College and Career

ReadinessNew York: has just approved multiple pathways

to a high school diploma

THE ROLE OF WORK-BASED LEARNING

WHY IS IT SO IMPORTANT? *Proven way to promote

engagement *Develops key employability skills

*The gold standard for career exploration. Helps students find out: Is

this what I want to do? *For employers: An ideal method for

attracting and identifying future employees

TYPES OF WORK-BASED LEARNING

FROM EXPLORATION TO EXPERIENCE:

Exploration: builds awareness *Job fairs and career days

*Workplace tours/job shadowingExperience: career preparation

*Internships *Work experience *Apprenticeships

WORK-BASED LEARNING THAT WORKS

K-12: *The “Massachusetts Model”

*”The Met”

Higher-Ed: *The Co-Op Model: Northeastern

*BYU Idaho

Apprenticeships:*Registered Apprenticeships

*But the U.S. lags other countries

Re-engaging Opportunity Youth:*Year-Up

THE CHALLENGE OF SCALING UP

INTERNSHIPS AND OTHER WORK-BASED LEARNING EXPERIENCES ARE STILL THE

EXCEPTION.

WHAT WE MUST DO:• Persuade more companies to participate

• Help more high schools, community colleges, universities offer such programs• Provide incentives, training, studies of

best practices

HOW YOU CAN GET ENGAGEDSupport/Implement High-Quality

Career Development for ALL Students Work to Expand Access to High-

Quality CTE for High School Students: Too few have access

Engage with the Colorado Pathways Team

Enlist Local/Regional Business Partners

Champion Work-Based Learning

2016 SW Pathways Conference May 2-4 in Scottsdale

Opportunity to Learn from Regional and National Leaders, including Call to Action from Feb. 22 National Convening

A unique chance to work with partners in other sectors: business, government,

non-profits WAYS TO PARTICIPATE:

1) Share What Colorado is Doing2) Provide Speakers/Examples3) Work with Your State Team

Breakout SessionContinue the Dialogue

Topics We Might Discuss:1)Learn about SW Pathways

Conference2)How We can take High-Quality

Career Development to Scale3)Scaling up Work-Based Learning4)Promoting a Pathways Culture in

Colorado

QUESTIONS?[ [