Delaware is one of the 10 states selected to participate in New Skills for Youth (NSFY), an initiative enhancing state efforts to increase the number of kids across the country who are prepared for success in both college and career. NSFY is a $75 million, five-year initiative developed by JPMorgan Chase & Co. in collaboration with the Council of Chief State School Officers, Advance CTE and Education Strategy Group.
In Phase One of the initiative, the Delaware NSFY team built on the foundation laid by Delaware Pathways, a state career readiness program, to assess needs and student outcomes data. The analysis found that, while the system has been effectively deployed at the state level, additional work was required to ensure that all students would be able to participate in work-based learning experiences that align with their career pathways.
Phase Two of the NSFY initiative began in January 2017. This snapshot profiles Delaware’s progress in the first year of Phase Two, including:
- Growing the Delaware Pathways program: Delaware expanded the statewide system of career pathways for all youth as well as trainings opportunities for educators and community-based partners to ensure the success of career pathway implementation.
- Rolling out new work-based learning (WBL) opportunities through a workforce intermediary: The Delaware state team improved connections between K-12 educational institutions and local employers to instill a sense of ownership in WBL and pre-apprenticeship opportunities outside of the state K-12 education agency.
- Ensuring access and equity: The state also worked to improve relationships among the state Departments of Education, Labor and Health and Social Services to ensure that all youth — particularly students with disabilities and other barriers to employment — are able to pursue the career pathways of their choice and have a support network that facilitates transition beyond high school.
To learn more about this work, read Delaware’s NSFY Phase One Snapshot.
