Massachusetts was one of the 10 states selected to participate in New Skills for Youth (NSFY). NSFY, launched by JPMorgan Chase & Co. in 2016, is a $75 million, five-year initiative, aimed at strengthening and expanding high-quality career pathways for youth. As part of this initiative, the Council of Chief State School Officers, Advance CTE and Education Strategy Group worked with states to improve their career readiness systems.
This snapshot profiles the work Massachusetts did to enhance its career readiness system across the entire NSFY initiative. Between 2016 and 2019, Massachusetts:
- Designed and launched a college and career pathways designation program: Following recommendations from the Early College Joint Committee in 2017, the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) and Department of Higher Education designed and launched a new initiative to expand access to high-quality college and career pathways (HQCCPs).
- Consolidated and coordinated workforce planning: In Massachusetts, cross-agency workforce development efforts are coordinated by the governor’s Workforce Skills Cabinet, which includes leadership from the Executive Offices of Education, Labor and Workforce Development, and Housing and Economic Development.
- Refreshed college and career advising across the commonwealth: DESE developed a new college and career advising framework that focuses on career development and college and career planning in grades 9-12.
To learn more about the history of the New Skills for Youth Massachusetts initiative, visit any of the following resources:
NSFY 2018 Snapshot: Massachusetts
NSFY 2017 Snapshot: Massachusetts
NSFY 2016 Snapshot: Massachusetts
To learn more about 10 New Skills for Youth states, visit the New Skills for Youth Impact Snapshots series page.
