Well-designed career pathways can prepare low-income and basic skills adults to earn sustainable wages in high-demand careers through occupational and basic skills training, wraparound supports, and integrated classroom and work-based experiences on the path to a credential of value. While there is bipartisan federal support for career pathways, there is still much work to be done to build and expand high-quality career pathways.
This brief from the National Skills Coalition identifies federal opportunities to support career pathways development, highlights promising practices from leading states — including the Arkansas Career Pathways Initiative, Iowa’s Pathways for Academic Career and Employment, and North Carolina’s Basic Skills Plus — and maps out a path forward for federal investments in career pathways. This resource demonstrates how states can leverage state and federal funding to build and expand high-quality career pathways.
