Connected career advising systems are critical for addressing and supporting individuals’ non-linear career journeys.
Recognizing the need for more intentional and widespread connected career advising across education, workforce, and community settings, this resource explores the concept of connected career advising and provides state and local leaders with foundational concepts, tools, and promising practices. This resource was developed with the input of a shared solutions working group convened by Advance CTE consisting of career advising leaders across national organizations, state education agencies, intermediaries, institutions of higher education, and K-12 schools.
Resources
Explainer: Connected Career Advising
Learn the four key elements of connected career advising and promising practices at the state and local level.
Toolkit: Implementing Connecting Career Advising
Gain understanding and build knowledge of the key elements and actors that comprise connected career advising and complete activities to evaluate current system design and practices against key metrics for connected career advising systems. The toolkit includes activities for state leaders for both individual and group use.
The Toolkit contains the following components for understanding, knowledge-building, evaluation, and assessment:
- Section 1: User Persona Activity
- Section 2: Common Terminology Norming
- Section 3: Role Mapping Tool
- Section 4: Assessment Tool
Use Cases
This resource is designed primarily for state leaders who support career advising and career-focused education experiences, including Career Technical Education (CTE) across secondary, postsecondary, workforce, and community systems. It can also be adjusted for use by district leaders. Potential use cases include:
- Guide conversations regarding Perkins V State Plans and connected local supports
- Support goal-setting for secondary, postsecondary, and workforce performance and outcomes; strategic planning; and planning to executive and legislative initiatives;
- Inform professional development opportunities with state and local leaders;
- Identify legislative, policy, and funding actions and advocacy necessary to strengthen or drive change in career preparation ecosystems.
- Strengthen processes and resources regarding communication and awareness for learners and families that provide information about available career advising supports.
This repository lists resources that were collected from a shared solutions workgroup convened by Advance CTE of state and local career advising leaders from December 2024 to April 2025. This repository is organized by format and includes reports, toolkits and guides, advising frameworks, and cross-sector initiatives.
Learn the four key elements of connected career advising and promising practices at the state and local level.
This resource was produced through JPMorgan Chase New Skills ready network, a five-year, $35 million initiative from 2020 to 2025 aimed at improving access to high-quality career pathways that lead to high-wage, in-demand jobs. Advance CTE was a proud partner with JPMorgan Chase and Education Strategy Group to provide coaching, technical assistance, and research support to six sites: Boston, Massachusetts; Columbus, Ohio; Dallas, Texas; Denver, Colorado; Indianapolis, Indiana; and Nashville, Tennessee.
