Career Pathways – Connecting Seamless Education and Workforce Kathleen Cullen WTCS

Building the Case Increasing demand for credentialed workforce New market of credential earners is different from traditional students Today’s education and workforce systems designed for different times and different learners Need an updated approach in order to – Meet employer demand for more educated and skilled workforce Smooth the path to economic security and prosperity for workers Sustain thriving communities 2

The Challenges Employers want an educated and skilled workforce Ninety percent of employers in manufacturing, regardless of company size, industry or location, face a moderate to severe shortage of qualified skilled production employees such as machinists and technicians More than half of the employers surveyed by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce considered it hard or very hard to find qualified workers to fill job openings, even in the midst of a slow economy The Workforce wants to obtain the necessary education and skills In the US, over the last generation, pay-off to college has grown substantially. Wisconsinites with college degrees have seen wages increase steadily; those with less education are falling behind. Washington identified the Tipping Point – a year of postsecondary education culminating in a credential. 3

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Four Functions of Career Pathways and Programs ) Permission of use granted by the Center for Law and Social Policy – CLASP, 2014

Career Pathways Alliance for Quality Career Pathways initiative Permission of use granted by the Center for Law and Social Policy – CLASP, 2014

Career Pathways-What Are They? 8 Career Pathways offer an efficient and customer-centered approach to training and education by successfully articulating the appropriate secondary, adult basic education, postsecondary education and training, career, and academic advising, and supportive services to enter and progress in a career. While there are a number of definitions of career pathways, this term generally refers to a series of connected education and training strategies and support services that enable individuals to secure stackable industry relevant credentials and obtain employment within an occupational area and to advance to higher levels of future education and employment in that area.

Tangible Results A series of connected strategies that enable individuals to secure education and training which leads to employment and when desired or necessary advance to higher levels of education and employment Programs of Study/stackable credentials WI Career Pathways a road mapping tool for Youth and Adult Restructured Job Centers services orient clients to Career Pathways 9

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