6 mistakes that other schools make when creating a career pathway.
- Not aligning to workforce needs.
- Some schools will create a pathway based on available staff or adult convenience instead of linking them to the local labor market, employer partner needs, or their state’s in-demand careers.
2. Failing to understand student interests and communicate with families and students.
- Allowing strategic involvement of students and families along the way leads to higher student enrollment in pathways.
- Understanding student interests and aptitudes is critical for long term success.
3. Not involving the right people early
- This isn’t just a task for career counselors. It’s best done with a mix of staff. Ideally a career counselor, educator, administrator, principal, and anyone else who will be involved in the decision making process.
4. Struggling to partner with employers
- Employers often struggle to understand the education sector and educators find it difficult to understand industry needs. Clear communication and a streamlined process help to define roles and eliminate confusion.
5. Treating it like a checklist, instead of a strategy.
- Many schools look at this state requirement as a new task on their long to do list. Unfortunately, creating a pathway is a much bigger challenge than some may think. Taking time to ideate, brainstorm, and plan is important.
6. NOT offering any career pathways!
- MDRC found that students who participate in pathways earn more after graduation than those that don’t. (MDRC)
- Gates Foundation found that over 80% of students that dropped out stated that opportunities for real-world exposure would have increased their chance of graduating. (Gates Foundation)
- Students can develop soft skills like; communication, problem-solving, learning workplace norms, creativity, etc.
Over the last 13 years of working with schools, we have seen it all. We also know how to avoid these mistakes and what to do instead… Want help with your pathway?
We’ve got a 5-part pathway incubator live virtual series that will down step-by-step what actions need to be taken in order to create AND sustain a successful pathway. We’ll help you find partners in the industry, gather data on your local job market, build a plan, and bring your visions to life.
