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© SCHOOLINKS INC. • 2023
Open Letter to District Administrators: We Must Value College AND Career Pathways
April 17, 2023
April 17, 2023
One of the most fundamental goals of schooling is to prepare students for life beyond high school–ensuring that students have the skills, knowledge, and other foundational requirements to be self-supporting, earn a living wage, make community contributions, and live an overall fulfilling life. Schools and districts thoughtfully and strategically sequence the way students are introduced to content, iteratively develop skills, and document the engagement of students from the time they enter kindergarten to when they graduate from high school in order to prepare for post-school life readiness. And district personnel must regularly update and revisit these plans in order to stay up-to-date with new standards, emerging technologies, and changes in the economic landscape.
For decades, in most schools, the default assumption to accomplish these outcomes has been that students should strive to attend a college or university after graduation. In many ways, the design of high schools is built around this presumption that students should be working toward a pathway to college. The structure of high school transcripts, course requirements, extracurricular activities, and guidance departments all reflect a bias towards this singular preferred path. And, the metric for success for a student at high school completion is often the caliber of college they will be attending.
Though the phrase college and career readiness has become ubiquitous throughout districts, all too often it is students who do not see college as a preference who then revert to a career pathway option. Rarely do students on a straight-to-career path view it as an active, enthusiastic, and celebrated choice. Unfortunately, career pathways are not typically seen as equal or as valuable to college pathways.
This needs to change.
Valuing Career Pathways
Our local, national, and global economies depend on skilled tradespeople. From mechanics, to plumbers, to technicians, to child care workers, to health aides, these industries provide the infrastructure for the efficient and productive functioning of nearly every other economic sector. Recent years have seen shortages in many of these vital fields, causing delays or supply chain issues that have massive impacts in day-to-day lives.
Beyond the broader impact, these skilled trades jobs have the potential to provide incredible short- and long-term opportunities for individual students. There are many students who do not excel in more traditional academic courses that heavily rely on reading and writing responses to more abstract concepts, but thrive with hands-on, project-based learning and work that requires tactile skill and practical knowledge. Students who choose this path can quickly begin to advance in their chosen field and contribute to their local communities as they learn on the job. Due to the demand for these skilled roles, starting salaries are able to ensure self-maintenance. And with strong job security and the ability to earn more as experience is gained, students see a life path more clearly than in many degree-requiring professional fields. And, because these roles require job-embedded, rather than classroom-based learning experiences, student debt is greatly minimized or eliminated entirely.
The value of these career choices and options needs to be explicitly acknowledged by educators, schools, districts, and communities. A thriving college and career readiness culture within a district should aim to help each student find their best postsecondary fit. Students should not need to feel compelled to defend their choice of a career pathway; instead they should be celebrated for identifying a path that meets their unique profile of needs, interests, and strengths. Schools must help students and their families understand and view career options as worthwhile, valuable, and respected choices and not lesser than a choice to attend college.
The Goal Should Be for Every Student To Have a Postsecondary Plan
It will take effort to change our thinking and provide different experiences to students to prepare them for life beyond graduation.The goal must be for every student to have a robust and thoughtful postsecondary plan–regardless of whether they are headed to a college and then a career or straight to a career which will require further embedded learning. The systems districts put in place, the resources which are procured, and the attitudes of school leaders and educators must reflect this shift to respect life paths that do not require college degrees.
It is critical that districts invest in resources and tools that transcend the bifurcation between college and career and truly focus on postsecondary planning and readiness. Providing engaging resources for students seeking straight-to-career options allows them to approach the career exploration and planning process with confidence and excitement and enables every student to find options that align with their interests and talents. Instead of having tools or platforms that are exclusively geared towards college planning or career exploration, finding ones that are productive and valuable for all pathways creates a sense of acceptance and equal footing for all postsecondary choices.
Districts also need to build structures into the ways schools are organized that ensure that a student is ready for a career beyond graduation and has documentation of their preparation. Just as we have an academic transcript, schools should create a version of a career transcript that showcases skills, industry certifications, work-based learning roles, and other experiences that map onto trade-school or job applications. Rather than students having to adapt the college-focused processes to fit career options, the components and steps for career applications and preparation should automatically be built into a student’s progression.
The Stakes are High
Too many students enter high school with the default assumption that they are supposed to work towards going to college. They are not given opportunities to question if this is the best decision for them or whether this path aligns to their interests and goals. They are often not given the financial reality of what college might cost and how that might impact their long-term financial stability before settling on a college pathway.
At the same time, schools and districts often do not approach the potential for career pathways by sharing with students and families that there are many options other than college that can lead to a successful future. Students rarely understand that there are multiple careers that have high earning potential and do not require going into debt for a four-year degree. Because of this, if students find that college is not a likely option for them during the latter part of high school, there is not ample time and support to thoughtfully strategize for a straight-to-career future in a way that allows for exploration, reflection, and planning.
By changing the mindset to focus on finding the best postsecondary fit and being inclusive of career pathways as good potential options for students, schools can ensure that each student is truly ready to support themselves, pursue professional growth, and contribute to their community. Life readiness takes many forms, and students should be educated on the options they have while still in school. Enabling, and promoting career readiness should be a top priority for districts throughout the country.
One of the most fundamental goals of schooling is to prepare students for life beyond high school–ensuring that students have the skills, knowledge, and other foundational requirements to be self-supporting, earn a living wage, make community contributions, and live an overall fulfilling life. Schools and districts thoughtfully and strategically sequence the way students are introduced to content, iteratively develop skills, and document the engagement of students from the time they enter kindergarten to when they graduate from high school in order to prepare for post-school life readiness. And district personnel must regularly update and revisit these plans in order to stay up-to-date with new standards, emerging technologies, and changes in the economic landscape.
For decades, in most schools, the default assumption to accomplish these outcomes has been that students should strive to attend a college or university after graduation. In many ways, the design of high schools is built around this presumption that students should be working toward a pathway to college. The structure of high school transcripts, course requirements, extracurricular activities, and guidance departments all reflect a bias towards this singular preferred path. And, the metric for success for a student at high school completion is often the caliber of college they will be attending.
Though the phrase college and career readiness has become ubiquitous throughout districts, all too often it is students who do not see college as a preference who then revert to a career pathway option. Rarely do students on a straight-to-career path view it as an active, enthusiastic, and celebrated choice. Unfortunately, career pathways are not typically seen as equal or as valuable to college pathways.
This needs to change.
Valuing Career Pathways
Our local, national, and global economies depend on skilled tradespeople. From mechanics, to plumbers, to technicians, to child care workers, to health aides, these industries provide the infrastructure for the efficient and productive functioning of nearly every other economic sector. Recent years have seen shortages in many of these vital fields, causing delays or supply chain issues that have massive impacts in day-to-day lives.
Beyond the broader impact, these skilled trades jobs have the potential to provide incredible short- and long-term opportunities for individual students. There are many students who do not excel in more traditional academic courses that heavily rely on reading and writing responses to more abstract concepts, but thrive with hands-on, project-based learning and work that requires tactile skill and practical knowledge. Students who choose this path can quickly begin to advance in their chosen field and contribute to their local communities as they learn on the job. Due to the demand for these skilled roles, starting salaries are able to ensure self-maintenance. And with strong job security and the ability to earn more as experience is gained, students see a life path more clearly than in many degree-requiring professional fields. And, because these roles require job-embedded, rather than classroom-based learning experiences, student debt is greatly minimized or eliminated entirely.
The value of these career choices and options needs to be explicitly acknowledged by educators, schools, districts, and communities. A thriving college and career readiness culture within a district should aim to help each student find their best postsecondary fit. Students should not need to feel compelled to defend their choice of a career pathway; instead they should be celebrated for identifying a path that meets their unique profile of needs, interests, and strengths. Schools must help students and their families understand and view career options as worthwhile, valuable, and respected choices and not lesser than a choice to attend college.
The Goal Should Be for Every Student To Have a Postsecondary Plan
It will take effort to change our thinking and provide different experiences to students to prepare them for life beyond graduation.The goal must be for every student to have a robust and thoughtful postsecondary plan–regardless of whether they are headed to a college and then a career or straight to a career which will require further embedded learning. The systems districts put in place, the resources which are procured, and the attitudes of school leaders and educators must reflect this shift to respect life paths that do not require college degrees.
It is critical that districts invest in resources and tools that transcend the bifurcation between college and career and truly focus on postsecondary planning and readiness. Providing engaging resources for students seeking straight-to-career options allows them to approach the career exploration and planning process with confidence and excitement and enables every student to find options that align with their interests and talents. Instead of having tools or platforms that are exclusively geared towards college planning or career exploration, finding ones that are productive and valuable for all pathways creates a sense of acceptance and equal footing for all postsecondary choices.
Districts also need to build structures into the ways schools are organized that ensure that a student is ready for a career beyond graduation and has documentation of their preparation. Just as we have an academic transcript, schools should create a version of a career transcript that showcases skills, industry certifications, work-based learning roles, and other experiences that map onto trade-school or job applications. Rather than students having to adapt the college-focused processes to fit career options, the components and steps for career applications and preparation should automatically be built into a student’s progression.
The Stakes are High
Too many students enter high school with the default assumption that they are supposed to work towards going to college. They are not given opportunities to question if this is the best decision for them or whether this path aligns to their interests and goals. They are often not given the financial reality of what college might cost and how that might impact their long-term financial stability before settling on a college pathway.
At the same time, schools and districts often do not approach the potential for career pathways by sharing with students and families that there are many options other than college that can lead to a successful future. Students rarely understand that there are multiple careers that have high earning potential and do not require going into debt for a four-year degree. Because of this, if students find that college is not a likely option for them during the latter part of high school, there is not ample time and support to thoughtfully strategize for a straight-to-career future in a way that allows for exploration, reflection, and planning.
By changing the mindset to focus on finding the best postsecondary fit and being inclusive of career pathways as good potential options for students, schools can ensure that each student is truly ready to support themselves, pursue professional growth, and contribute to their community. Life readiness takes many forms, and students should be educated on the options they have while still in school. Enabling, and promoting career readiness should be a top priority for districts throughout the country.
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One of the most fundamental goals of schooling is to prepare students for life beyond high school–ensuring that students have the skills, knowledge, and other foundational requirements to be self-supporting, earn a living wage, make community contributions, and live an overall fulfilling life. Schools and districts thoughtfully and strategically sequence the way students are introduced to content, iteratively develop skills, and document the engagement of students from the time they enter kindergarten to when they graduate from high school in order to prepare for post-school life readiness. And district personnel must regularly update and revisit these plans in order to stay up-to-date with new standards, emerging technologies, and changes in the economic landscape.
For decades, in most schools, the default assumption to accomplish these outcomes has been that students should strive to attend a college or university after graduation. In many ways, the design of high schools is built around this presumption that students should be working toward a pathway to college. The structure of high school transcripts, course requirements, extracurricular activities, and guidance departments all reflect a bias towards this singular preferred path. And, the metric for success for a student at high school completion is often the caliber of college they will be attending.
Though the phrase college and career readiness has become ubiquitous throughout districts, all too often it is students who do not see college as a preference who then revert to a career pathway option. Rarely do students on a straight-to-career path view it as an active, enthusiastic, and celebrated choice. Unfortunately, career pathways are not typically seen as equal or as valuable to college pathways.
This needs to change.
Valuing Career Pathways
Our local, national, and global economies depend on skilled tradespeople. From mechanics, to plumbers, to technicians, to child care workers, to health aides, these industries provide the infrastructure for the efficient and productive functioning of nearly every other economic sector. Recent years have seen shortages in many of these vital fields, causing delays or supply chain issues that have massive impacts in day-to-day lives.
Beyond the broader impact, these skilled trades jobs have the potential to provide incredible short- and long-term opportunities for individual students. There are many students who do not excel in more traditional academic courses that heavily rely on reading and writing responses to more abstract concepts, but thrive with hands-on, project-based learning and work that requires tactile skill and practical knowledge. Students who choose this path can quickly begin to advance in their chosen field and contribute to their local communities as they learn on the job. Due to the demand for these skilled roles, starting salaries are able to ensure self-maintenance. And with strong job security and the ability to earn more as experience is gained, students see a life path more clearly than in many degree-requiring professional fields. And, because these roles require job-embedded, rather than classroom-based learning experiences, student debt is greatly minimized or eliminated entirely.
The value of these career choices and options needs to be explicitly acknowledged by educators, schools, districts, and communities. A thriving college and career readiness culture within a district should aim to help each student find their best postsecondary fit. Students should not need to feel compelled to defend their choice of a career pathway; instead they should be celebrated for identifying a path that meets their unique profile of needs, interests, and strengths. Schools must help students and their families understand and view career options as worthwhile, valuable, and respected choices and not lesser than a choice to attend college.
The Goal Should Be for Every Student To Have a Postsecondary Plan
It will take effort to change our thinking and provide different experiences to students to prepare them for life beyond graduation.The goal must be for every student to have a robust and thoughtful postsecondary plan–regardless of whether they are headed to a college and then a career or straight to a career which will require further embedded learning. The systems districts put in place, the resources which are procured, and the attitudes of school leaders and educators must reflect this shift to respect life paths that do not require college degrees.
It is critical that districts invest in resources and tools that transcend the bifurcation between college and career and truly focus on postsecondary planning and readiness. Providing engaging resources for students seeking straight-to-career options allows them to approach the career exploration and planning process with confidence and excitement and enables every student to find options that align with their interests and talents. Instead of having tools or platforms that are exclusively geared towards college planning or career exploration, finding ones that are productive and valuable for all pathways creates a sense of acceptance and equal footing for all postsecondary choices.
Districts also need to build structures into the ways schools are organized that ensure that a student is ready for a career beyond graduation and has documentation of their preparation. Just as we have an academic transcript, schools should create a version of a career transcript that showcases skills, industry certifications, work-based learning roles, and other experiences that map onto trade-school or job applications. Rather than students having to adapt the college-focused processes to fit career options, the components and steps for career applications and preparation should automatically be built into a student’s progression.
The Stakes are High
Too many students enter high school with the default assumption that they are supposed to work towards going to college. They are not given opportunities to question if this is the best decision for them or whether this path aligns to their interests and goals. They are often not given the financial reality of what college might cost and how that might impact their long-term financial stability before settling on a college pathway.
At the same time, schools and districts often do not approach the potential for career pathways by sharing with students and families that there are many options other than college that can lead to a successful future. Students rarely understand that there are multiple careers that have high earning potential and do not require going into debt for a four-year degree. Because of this, if students find that college is not a likely option for them during the latter part of high school, there is not ample time and support to thoughtfully strategize for a straight-to-career future in a way that allows for exploration, reflection, and planning.
By changing the mindset to focus on finding the best postsecondary fit and being inclusive of career pathways as good potential options for students, schools can ensure that each student is truly ready to support themselves, pursue professional growth, and contribute to their community. Life readiness takes many forms, and students should be educated on the options they have while still in school. Enabling, and promoting career readiness should be a top priority for districts throughout the country.
One of the most fundamental goals of schooling is to prepare students for life beyond high school–ensuring that students have the skills, knowledge, and other foundational requirements to be self-supporting, earn a living wage, make community contributions, and live an overall fulfilling life. Schools and districts thoughtfully and strategically sequence the way students are introduced to content, iteratively develop skills, and document the engagement of students from the time they enter kindergarten to when they graduate from high school in order to prepare for post-school life readiness. And district personnel must regularly update and revisit these plans in order to stay up-to-date with new standards, emerging technologies, and changes in the economic landscape.
For decades, in most schools, the default assumption to accomplish these outcomes has been that students should strive to attend a college or university after graduation. In many ways, the design of high schools is built around this presumption that students should be working toward a pathway to college. The structure of high school transcripts, course requirements, extracurricular activities, and guidance departments all reflect a bias towards this singular preferred path. And, the metric for success for a student at high school completion is often the caliber of college they will be attending.
Though the phrase college and career readiness has become ubiquitous throughout districts, all too often it is students who do not see college as a preference who then revert to a career pathway option. Rarely do students on a straight-to-career path view it as an active, enthusiastic, and celebrated choice. Unfortunately, career pathways are not typically seen as equal or as valuable to college pathways.
This needs to change.
Valuing Career Pathways
Our local, national, and global economies depend on skilled tradespeople. From mechanics, to plumbers, to technicians, to child care workers, to health aides, these industries provide the infrastructure for the efficient and productive functioning of nearly every other economic sector. Recent years have seen shortages in many of these vital fields, causing delays or supply chain issues that have massive impacts in day-to-day lives.
Beyond the broader impact, these skilled trades jobs have the potential to provide incredible short- and long-term opportunities for individual students. There are many students who do not excel in more traditional academic courses that heavily rely on reading and writing responses to more abstract concepts, but thrive with hands-on, project-based learning and work that requires tactile skill and practical knowledge. Students who choose this path can quickly begin to advance in their chosen field and contribute to their local communities as they learn on the job. Due to the demand for these skilled roles, starting salaries are able to ensure self-maintenance. And with strong job security and the ability to earn more as experience is gained, students see a life path more clearly than in many degree-requiring professional fields. And, because these roles require job-embedded, rather than classroom-based learning experiences, student debt is greatly minimized or eliminated entirely.
The value of these career choices and options needs to be explicitly acknowledged by educators, schools, districts, and communities. A thriving college and career readiness culture within a district should aim to help each student find their best postsecondary fit. Students should not need to feel compelled to defend their choice of a career pathway; instead they should be celebrated for identifying a path that meets their unique profile of needs, interests, and strengths. Schools must help students and their families understand and view career options as worthwhile, valuable, and respected choices and not lesser than a choice to attend college.
The Goal Should Be for Every Student To Have a Postsecondary Plan
It will take effort to change our thinking and provide different experiences to students to prepare them for life beyond graduation.The goal must be for every student to have a robust and thoughtful postsecondary plan–regardless of whether they are headed to a college and then a career or straight to a career which will require further embedded learning. The systems districts put in place, the resources which are procured, and the attitudes of school leaders and educators must reflect this shift to respect life paths that do not require college degrees.
It is critical that districts invest in resources and tools that transcend the bifurcation between college and career and truly focus on postsecondary planning and readiness. Providing engaging resources for students seeking straight-to-career options allows them to approach the career exploration and planning process with confidence and excitement and enables every student to find options that align with their interests and talents. Instead of having tools or platforms that are exclusively geared towards college planning or career exploration, finding ones that are productive and valuable for all pathways creates a sense of acceptance and equal footing for all postsecondary choices.
Districts also need to build structures into the ways schools are organized that ensure that a student is ready for a career beyond graduation and has documentation of their preparation. Just as we have an academic transcript, schools should create a version of a career transcript that showcases skills, industry certifications, work-based learning roles, and other experiences that map onto trade-school or job applications. Rather than students having to adapt the college-focused processes to fit career options, the components and steps for career applications and preparation should automatically be built into a student’s progression.
The Stakes are High
Too many students enter high school with the default assumption that they are supposed to work towards going to college. They are not given opportunities to question if this is the best decision for them or whether this path aligns to their interests and goals. They are often not given the financial reality of what college might cost and how that might impact their long-term financial stability before settling on a college pathway.
At the same time, schools and districts often do not approach the potential for career pathways by sharing with students and families that there are many options other than college that can lead to a successful future. Students rarely understand that there are multiple careers that have high earning potential and do not require going into debt for a four-year degree. Because of this, if students find that college is not a likely option for them during the latter part of high school, there is not ample time and support to thoughtfully strategize for a straight-to-career future in a way that allows for exploration, reflection, and planning.
By changing the mindset to focus on finding the best postsecondary fit and being inclusive of career pathways as good potential options for students, schools can ensure that each student is truly ready to support themselves, pursue professional growth, and contribute to their community. Life readiness takes many forms, and students should be educated on the options they have while still in school. Enabling, and promoting career readiness should be a top priority for districts throughout the country.
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One of the most fundamental goals of schooling is to prepare students for life beyond high school–ensuring that students have the skills, knowledge, and other foundational requirements to be self-supporting, earn a living wage, make community contributions, and live an overall fulfilling life. Schools and districts thoughtfully and strategically sequence the way students are introduced to content, iteratively develop skills, and document the engagement of students from the time they enter kindergarten to when they graduate from high school in order to prepare for post-school life readiness. And district personnel must regularly update and revisit these plans in order to stay up-to-date with new standards, emerging technologies, and changes in the economic landscape.
For decades, in most schools, the default assumption to accomplish these outcomes has been that students should strive to attend a college or university after graduation. In many ways, the design of high schools is built around this presumption that students should be working toward a pathway to college. The structure of high school transcripts, course requirements, extracurricular activities, and guidance departments all reflect a bias towards this singular preferred path. And, the metric for success for a student at high school completion is often the caliber of college they will be attending.
Though the phrase college and career readiness has become ubiquitous throughout districts, all too often it is students who do not see college as a preference who then revert to a career pathway option. Rarely do students on a straight-to-career path view it as an active, enthusiastic, and celebrated choice. Unfortunately, career pathways are not typically seen as equal or as valuable to college pathways.
This needs to change.
Valuing Career Pathways
Our local, national, and global economies depend on skilled tradespeople. From mechanics, to plumbers, to technicians, to child care workers, to health aides, these industries provide the infrastructure for the efficient and productive functioning of nearly every other economic sector. Recent years have seen shortages in many of these vital fields, causing delays or supply chain issues that have massive impacts in day-to-day lives.
Beyond the broader impact, these skilled trades jobs have the potential to provide incredible short- and long-term opportunities for individual students. There are many students who do not excel in more traditional academic courses that heavily rely on reading and writing responses to more abstract concepts, but thrive with hands-on, project-based learning and work that requires tactile skill and practical knowledge. Students who choose this path can quickly begin to advance in their chosen field and contribute to their local communities as they learn on the job. Due to the demand for these skilled roles, starting salaries are able to ensure self-maintenance. And with strong job security and the ability to earn more as experience is gained, students see a life path more clearly than in many degree-requiring professional fields. And, because these roles require job-embedded, rather than classroom-based learning experiences, student debt is greatly minimized or eliminated entirely.
The value of these career choices and options needs to be explicitly acknowledged by educators, schools, districts, and communities. A thriving college and career readiness culture within a district should aim to help each student find their best postsecondary fit. Students should not need to feel compelled to defend their choice of a career pathway; instead they should be celebrated for identifying a path that meets their unique profile of needs, interests, and strengths. Schools must help students and their families understand and view career options as worthwhile, valuable, and respected choices and not lesser than a choice to attend college.
The Goal Should Be for Every Student To Have a Postsecondary Plan
It will take effort to change our thinking and provide different experiences to students to prepare them for life beyond graduation.The goal must be for every student to have a robust and thoughtful postsecondary plan–regardless of whether they are headed to a college and then a career or straight to a career which will require further embedded learning. The systems districts put in place, the resources which are procured, and the attitudes of school leaders and educators must reflect this shift to respect life paths that do not require college degrees.
It is critical that districts invest in resources and tools that transcend the bifurcation between college and career and truly focus on postsecondary planning and readiness. Providing engaging resources for students seeking straight-to-career options allows them to approach the career exploration and planning process with confidence and excitement and enables every student to find options that align with their interests and talents. Instead of having tools or platforms that are exclusively geared towards college planning or career exploration, finding ones that are productive and valuable for all pathways creates a sense of acceptance and equal footing for all postsecondary choices.
Districts also need to build structures into the ways schools are organized that ensure that a student is ready for a career beyond graduation and has documentation of their preparation. Just as we have an academic transcript, schools should create a version of a career transcript that showcases skills, industry certifications, work-based learning roles, and other experiences that map onto trade-school or job applications. Rather than students having to adapt the college-focused processes to fit career options, the components and steps for career applications and preparation should automatically be built into a student’s progression.
The Stakes are High
Too many students enter high school with the default assumption that they are supposed to work towards going to college. They are not given opportunities to question if this is the best decision for them or whether this path aligns to their interests and goals. They are often not given the financial reality of what college might cost and how that might impact their long-term financial stability before settling on a college pathway.
At the same time, schools and districts often do not approach the potential for career pathways by sharing with students and families that there are many options other than college that can lead to a successful future. Students rarely understand that there are multiple careers that have high earning potential and do not require going into debt for a four-year degree. Because of this, if students find that college is not a likely option for them during the latter part of high school, there is not ample time and support to thoughtfully strategize for a straight-to-career future in a way that allows for exploration, reflection, and planning.
By changing the mindset to focus on finding the best postsecondary fit and being inclusive of career pathways as good potential options for students, schools can ensure that each student is truly ready to support themselves, pursue professional growth, and contribute to their community. Life readiness takes many forms, and students should be educated on the options they have while still in school. Enabling, and promoting career readiness should be a top priority for districts throughout the country.
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One of the most fundamental goals of schooling is to prepare students for life beyond high school–ensuring that students have the skills, knowledge, and other foundational requirements to be self-supporting, earn a living wage, make community contributions, and live an overall fulfilling life. Schools and districts thoughtfully and strategically sequence the way students are introduced to content, iteratively develop skills, and document the engagement of students from the time they enter kindergarten to when they graduate from high school in order to prepare for post-school life readiness. And district personnel must regularly update and revisit these plans in order to stay up-to-date with new standards, emerging technologies, and changes in the economic landscape.
For decades, in most schools, the default assumption to accomplish these outcomes has been that students should strive to attend a college or university after graduation. In many ways, the design of high schools is built around this presumption that students should be working toward a pathway to college. The structure of high school transcripts, course requirements, extracurricular activities, and guidance departments all reflect a bias towards this singular preferred path. And, the metric for success for a student at high school completion is often the caliber of college they will be attending.
Though the phrase college and career readiness has become ubiquitous throughout districts, all too often it is students who do not see college as a preference who then revert to a career pathway option. Rarely do students on a straight-to-career path view it as an active, enthusiastic, and celebrated choice. Unfortunately, career pathways are not typically seen as equal or as valuable to college pathways.
This needs to change.
Valuing Career Pathways
Our local, national, and global economies depend on skilled tradespeople. From mechanics, to plumbers, to technicians, to child care workers, to health aides, these industries provide the infrastructure for the efficient and productive functioning of nearly every other economic sector. Recent years have seen shortages in many of these vital fields, causing delays or supply chain issues that have massive impacts in day-to-day lives.
Beyond the broader impact, these skilled trades jobs have the potential to provide incredible short- and long-term opportunities for individual students. There are many students who do not excel in more traditional academic courses that heavily rely on reading and writing responses to more abstract concepts, but thrive with hands-on, project-based learning and work that requires tactile skill and practical knowledge. Students who choose this path can quickly begin to advance in their chosen field and contribute to their local communities as they learn on the job. Due to the demand for these skilled roles, starting salaries are able to ensure self-maintenance. And with strong job security and the ability to earn more as experience is gained, students see a life path more clearly than in many degree-requiring professional fields. And, because these roles require job-embedded, rather than classroom-based learning experiences, student debt is greatly minimized or eliminated entirely.
The value of these career choices and options needs to be explicitly acknowledged by educators, schools, districts, and communities. A thriving college and career readiness culture within a district should aim to help each student find their best postsecondary fit. Students should not need to feel compelled to defend their choice of a career pathway; instead they should be celebrated for identifying a path that meets their unique profile of needs, interests, and strengths. Schools must help students and their families understand and view career options as worthwhile, valuable, and respected choices and not lesser than a choice to attend college.
The Goal Should Be for Every Student To Have a Postsecondary Plan
It will take effort to change our thinking and provide different experiences to students to prepare them for life beyond graduation.The goal must be for every student to have a robust and thoughtful postsecondary plan–regardless of whether they are headed to a college and then a career or straight to a career which will require further embedded learning. The systems districts put in place, the resources which are procured, and the attitudes of school leaders and educators must reflect this shift to respect life paths that do not require college degrees.
It is critical that districts invest in resources and tools that transcend the bifurcation between college and career and truly focus on postsecondary planning and readiness. Providing engaging resources for students seeking straight-to-career options allows them to approach the career exploration and planning process with confidence and excitement and enables every student to find options that align with their interests and talents. Instead of having tools or platforms that are exclusively geared towards college planning or career exploration, finding ones that are productive and valuable for all pathways creates a sense of acceptance and equal footing for all postsecondary choices.
Districts also need to build structures into the ways schools are organized that ensure that a student is ready for a career beyond graduation and has documentation of their preparation. Just as we have an academic transcript, schools should create a version of a career transcript that showcases skills, industry certifications, work-based learning roles, and other experiences that map onto trade-school or job applications. Rather than students having to adapt the college-focused processes to fit career options, the components and steps for career applications and preparation should automatically be built into a student’s progression.
The Stakes are High
Too many students enter high school with the default assumption that they are supposed to work towards going to college. They are not given opportunities to question if this is the best decision for them or whether this path aligns to their interests and goals. They are often not given the financial reality of what college might cost and how that might impact their long-term financial stability before settling on a college pathway.
At the same time, schools and districts often do not approach the potential for career pathways by sharing with students and families that there are many options other than college that can lead to a successful future. Students rarely understand that there are multiple careers that have high earning potential and do not require going into debt for a four-year degree. Because of this, if students find that college is not a likely option for them during the latter part of high school, there is not ample time and support to thoughtfully strategize for a straight-to-career future in a way that allows for exploration, reflection, and planning.
By changing the mindset to focus on finding the best postsecondary fit and being inclusive of career pathways as good potential options for students, schools can ensure that each student is truly ready to support themselves, pursue professional growth, and contribute to their community. Life readiness takes many forms, and students should be educated on the options they have while still in school. Enabling, and promoting career readiness should be a top priority for districts throughout the country.
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One of the most fundamental goals of schooling is to prepare students for life beyond high school–ensuring that students have the skills, knowledge, and other foundational requirements to be self-supporting, earn a living wage, make community contributions, and live an overall fulfilling life. Schools and districts thoughtfully and strategically sequence the way students are introduced to content, iteratively develop skills, and document the engagement of students from the time they enter kindergarten to when they graduate from high school in order to prepare for post-school life readiness. And district personnel must regularly update and revisit these plans in order to stay up-to-date with new standards, emerging technologies, and changes in the economic landscape.
For decades, in most schools, the default assumption to accomplish these outcomes has been that students should strive to attend a college or university after graduation. In many ways, the design of high schools is built around this presumption that students should be working toward a pathway to college. The structure of high school transcripts, course requirements, extracurricular activities, and guidance departments all reflect a bias towards this singular preferred path. And, the metric for success for a student at high school completion is often the caliber of college they will be attending.
Though the phrase college and career readiness has become ubiquitous throughout districts, all too often it is students who do not see college as a preference who then revert to a career pathway option. Rarely do students on a straight-to-career path view it as an active, enthusiastic, and celebrated choice. Unfortunately, career pathways are not typically seen as equal or as valuable to college pathways.
This needs to change.
Valuing Career Pathways
Our local, national, and global economies depend on skilled tradespeople. From mechanics, to plumbers, to technicians, to child care workers, to health aides, these industries provide the infrastructure for the efficient and productive functioning of nearly every other economic sector. Recent years have seen shortages in many of these vital fields, causing delays or supply chain issues that have massive impacts in day-to-day lives.
Beyond the broader impact, these skilled trades jobs have the potential to provide incredible short- and long-term opportunities for individual students. There are many students who do not excel in more traditional academic courses that heavily rely on reading and writing responses to more abstract concepts, but thrive with hands-on, project-based learning and work that requires tactile skill and practical knowledge. Students who choose this path can quickly begin to advance in their chosen field and contribute to their local communities as they learn on the job. Due to the demand for these skilled roles, starting salaries are able to ensure self-maintenance. And with strong job security and the ability to earn more as experience is gained, students see a life path more clearly than in many degree-requiring professional fields. And, because these roles require job-embedded, rather than classroom-based learning experiences, student debt is greatly minimized or eliminated entirely.
The value of these career choices and options needs to be explicitly acknowledged by educators, schools, districts, and communities. A thriving college and career readiness culture within a district should aim to help each student find their best postsecondary fit. Students should not need to feel compelled to defend their choice of a career pathway; instead they should be celebrated for identifying a path that meets their unique profile of needs, interests, and strengths. Schools must help students and their families understand and view career options as worthwhile, valuable, and respected choices and not lesser than a choice to attend college.
The Goal Should Be for Every Student To Have a Postsecondary Plan
It will take effort to change our thinking and provide different experiences to students to prepare them for life beyond graduation.The goal must be for every student to have a robust and thoughtful postsecondary plan–regardless of whether they are headed to a college and then a career or straight to a career which will require further embedded learning. The systems districts put in place, the resources which are procured, and the attitudes of school leaders and educators must reflect this shift to respect life paths that do not require college degrees.
It is critical that districts invest in resources and tools that transcend the bifurcation between college and career and truly focus on postsecondary planning and readiness. Providing engaging resources for students seeking straight-to-career options allows them to approach the career exploration and planning process with confidence and excitement and enables every student to find options that align with their interests and talents. Instead of having tools or platforms that are exclusively geared towards college planning or career exploration, finding ones that are productive and valuable for all pathways creates a sense of acceptance and equal footing for all postsecondary choices.
Districts also need to build structures into the ways schools are organized that ensure that a student is ready for a career beyond graduation and has documentation of their preparation. Just as we have an academic transcript, schools should create a version of a career transcript that showcases skills, industry certifications, work-based learning roles, and other experiences that map onto trade-school or job applications. Rather than students having to adapt the college-focused processes to fit career options, the components and steps for career applications and preparation should automatically be built into a student’s progression.
The Stakes are High
Too many students enter high school with the default assumption that they are supposed to work towards going to college. They are not given opportunities to question if this is the best decision for them or whether this path aligns to their interests and goals. They are often not given the financial reality of what college might cost and how that might impact their long-term financial stability before settling on a college pathway.
At the same time, schools and districts often do not approach the potential for career pathways by sharing with students and families that there are many options other than college that can lead to a successful future. Students rarely understand that there are multiple careers that have high earning potential and do not require going into debt for a four-year degree. Because of this, if students find that college is not a likely option for them during the latter part of high school, there is not ample time and support to thoughtfully strategize for a straight-to-career future in a way that allows for exploration, reflection, and planning.
By changing the mindset to focus on finding the best postsecondary fit and being inclusive of career pathways as good potential options for students, schools can ensure that each student is truly ready to support themselves, pursue professional growth, and contribute to their community. Life readiness takes many forms, and students should be educated on the options they have while still in school. Enabling, and promoting career readiness should be a top priority for districts throughout the country.
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