Topic: Career Pathways

Overview

Career Pathways

All learners deserve a clear path to the career they want to pursue. Seeing the steps forward can help students envision who they might become and how to get there.

To achieve this, partners need to work together to align efforts across agencies and education levels. Connecting everything from career exploration to academic programs to in-demand jobs is central.

Career pathways are connected sequences of education that  prepare students for postsecondary credentials and employment. SREB has defined six elements necessary for high-quality career pathways.

Featured Post

Commission on Career Pathways and Credentials
Prepare for High-demand, High-skill and High-wage Careers

Leaders from the 16 SREB states are convening to improve education pathways that lead to valuable credentials and rewarding careers. The commission is chaired by Georgia Governor Brian Kemp and is expected to make recommendations in late 2025.

“Every student and adult needs to be able to see clearly how to get where they want to go.” ─ Dale Winkler, SREB senior vice president for school improvement

Publication November 20258 pages
cover of policy brief Career Pathways Offer a Better Approach to Postsecondary Education

Career Pathways Offer a Better Approach to Postsecondary Education

A quality education and workforce system includes career pathways that combine rigorous academic and technical content that prepare students for both college and career.

To provide career benefits to students and meet workforce demands, postsecondary options for Americans must be purposeful, and students need clearer guidance to ensure that the training and education they receive and pay for is giving them skills they need for careers they want.

DOWNLOAD PDF

News News Release

Gov. Kemp Announces SREB Commission to Strengthen High-Demand Career Pipelines

Georgia Governor Brian P. Kemp, SREB chair, announced a commission bringing together leaders from across the South to improve education pathways that lead to valuable credentials and rewarding careers. Governor Kemp will chair the SREB Commission on Career Pathways and Credentials, which intends to make policy recommendations in late 2025. View the release at Georgia.gov >

News

Prepping Students for What’s Next in Nursing
Phoebe Partners for Career Pathway in South Georgia

Phoebe Putney Health System has launched a program to get more students into health care jobs and prepare them to continue their education toward higher levels in the nursing career.

When high school students graduate, they will have not only a diploma but also a CNA, or certified nursing assistant credential, plus as many as 30 dual enrollment hours and a year’s experience through a paid internship. It’s a firm foundation to start a career immediately or get a big jump-start on a four-year nursing degree.

With support and guidance from SREB, Phoebe worked with the “4C” Commodore Conyers College and Career Academy, Albany Technical College, Albany State University and the Georgia Department of Education to align education offerings with hands-on skills and critical thinking.

Publication October 202036 pages

Partnerships to Align Education and Careers
Report of the Commission on Strategic Partnerships for Work-Ready Students

This commission report offers a vision of education connected to local careers and shows how to make it a reality through partnerships and policy. With 11 recommendations to help states build strategic industry sector partnerships, the report covers policies, funding and building the capacity of educators. It also spotlights innovative solutions from around the nation. 

DOWNLOAD EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

DOWNLOAD REPORT

Publication May 202020 pages

Designing a Ready Workforce
Opportunities for state leaders to align ESSA, Perkins V and WIOA funds

To support states as they finalize their new Perkins V and WIOA plans and consider updates to their ESSA plans, SREB reviewed a sample of states’ existing plans and identified six ways states have missed opportunities in the past to align work funded by the three federal statutes.  For each missed opportunity, SREB provides questions for policymakers to consider and gives examples from states of well-aligned plans.