Career Pathways

What are career pathways? A career pathway is a schematic or mapped series of manageable education and training steps toward industry-aligned skills, credentials, and career advancement. Each step is designed to prepare people for employment while providing a clear pathway to the next level of education and training within an industry. Pathways may also include necessary credentials and supportive services. 

Who provides career pathways? Career pathway initiatives or approaches within a local workforce system engage multiple organizations and stakeholders to create a framework for advancement that is clear to employers and workers and eases transitions across different organizations and programs within the workforce system.

Why are career pathways important? Career pathways help trainees and training providers think about employment in terms of careers and advancement, not just as a single job. The idea is to give people in low-wage jobs or with few skills the opportunity to access better jobs and to help employers meet their needs for skilled workers.