The Effects of At-Scale Career Pathway Investments on the Transition from High School to College

BackgroundNurses in Australia are often not educated in their pre registration years to meet the needs of primary care. Careers in primary care may not be as attractive to nursing graduates as high-tech settings such as intensive or acute care. Yet, it is in primary care that increasingly complex health problems are managed. The Australian government has invested in incentives for general practices to employ practice nurses. However, no policy framework has been developed for practice nursing to support career development and post-registration education and training programs are developed in an ad hoc manner and are not underpinned by core professional competencies. This paper reports on a systematic review undertaken to establish the available evidence on education models and career pathways with a view to enhancing recruitment and retention of practice nurses in primary care in Australia.MethodsSearch terms describing education models, career pathways and policy associated with primary care (practice) nursing were established. These search terms were used to search electronic databases. The search strategy identified 1394 citations of which 408 addressed one or more of the key search terms on policy, education and career pathways. Grey literature from the UK and New Zealand internet sites were sourced and examined. The UK and New Zealand Internet sites were selected because they have well established and advanced developments in education and career pathways for practice nurses.Two reviewers examined titles, abstracts and studies, based on inclusion and exclusion criteria. Disagreement between the reviewers was resolved by consensus or by a third reviewer.ResultsSignificant advances have been made in New Zealand and the UK towards strengthening frameworks for primary care nursing education and career pathways. However, in Australia there is no policy at national level prepare nurses to work in primary care sector and no framework for education or career pathways for nurses working in that sector.ConclusionThere is a need for national training standards and a process of accreditation for practice nursing in Australia to support the development of a responsive and sustainable nursing workforce in primary care and to provide quality education and career pathways.

Because K-12 teacher preparation is enormously important to the future of the nation, university teacher education programs are being joined by programs at other educational institutions to address the teacher shortage. Community colleges are one of the most eager and entrepreneurial new providers. In addition to providing the first 2 years of teacher preparation through transfer agreements, some community colleges are taking a more comprehensive approach. Working with a variety of institutional partners, community colleges are developing career pathways that recruit high school students into teacher education programs extending from the secondary level to the 2-year college and, ultimately, the baccalaureate degree. Drawing on multicase research, this article describes efforts at three community colleges to implement career pathways for K-12 teaching careers, detailing implementation strategies, student enrollment in high school, and outcomes related to their transition including college matriculation and the need for remedial course taking.

Education and career pathways in Information Communication Technology: What are schoolgirls saying?

Career pathways has become a popular career and technical education strategy, especially among the nation’s community colleges. This chapter discusses how community colleges have built career pathways programs during the past two decades, with the support of the federal government and foundations, and the evidence on how well they work to improve educational and employment outcomes. Early evidence shows that community college career pathways help individuals succeed in completing an initial step in their education and the workforce. However, more needs to be known about what works for their students, how community colleges can scale their current efforts, and supporting advancement along a career pathway. Policymakers and community college leadership should consider how successful programs can be sustained and scaled and better support advancement to middle- to higher skill jobs.

YOU have to give those middling students--the ones who just get by academically--some credit for doggedly finishing high school and going to work. You might even give them an A in economics because they appear to have a better grasp of reality than the experts who tell them their only option is college. These kids aren't reading tea leaves. But they probably are reading the media reports about job prospects, soaring college costs, diminishing incomes, and conflicting explanations for what's going on in the economy. Many recent high school graduates who enroll in community colleges do so just to please their parents, according to a recent study by MDRC. They really don't have any other motivation to be there until they are several years older. Then they may well come to realize that more education might help them escape low-wage work. Why, these young people might ask, should I go into debt for an uncertain future? Half of college students now borrow money to attend college, up from 35% in 1993. Today, those who graduate have an average debt load of $19,000, and this sum is modest when compared to those who enroll at prestigious campuses. If they do graduate from college, these young people will be making less than college graduates of a few years ago, and only two-thirds of them will have jobs with health-care benefits, down from 71% five years ago. Meanwhile, a young person who focuses on career and technical education courses and enters the labor force immediately after graduating from high school can earn a decent salary. If that young person has good work skills, shows up on time, and exhibits initiative--professionalism on the job, as one study describes it--employers are more likely to invest in his or her training. According to a recent column in the New York Times, more college education is no guarantee of success in a globalized economy. Princeton University economist Alan Blinder, a former vice president of the Federal Reserve, was quoted as challenging those who blithely assume that the labor market will be divided between those with more education and those with less. In the future, Blinder said, children are educated may prove to be more important than how much ... but education specialists have not begun to think about that problem. Nevertheless, public policies these days hold out postsecondary enrollment as the ultimate goal for everyone. And when all the advantages are at last sorted out, postsecondary may indeed be the factor that eventually protects members of the work force from leading low-income lives. Like many other analyses of this sort, it's not simple. High school students who concentrate on career and technical courses are less likely than the college-prep students to enroll in college or to persist in earning any kind of degree. However, 65% of the class of 1992 who focused on career and technical curricula in high school had enrolled in college by 2000, according to a longitudinal study by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES). And though these students entered high school with lower grades on average, their postsecondary enrollment is on a par with that of students who enrolled in a general education plan in high school. Moreover, almost 20% of career and technical concentrators scored in the top quartile on eighth-grade reading and math tests, and one-fourth of the high school class of 1992 completed both a career and technical education and a college-preparatory curriculum. If the job market and job security seem to be in chaos right now, at least policy makers are seeing value in kids' interest in career training. Several state legislatures this year mandated that secondary school students choose a career path, both to hold their interest in school and to encourage them to mix academic and career-related courses. …

Throughout most of the twentieth century, a high school diploma and some specific work skills were enough to enter the workforce and make a living. As such, for about 80 years, the role of vocational education remained largely unchanged in its mission to prepare students for jobs in agriculture, business, industry, and the service sector. However, toward the end of the century, as the world of work changed due to technology innovation and use of information in the global economy, new skillsets were demanded in labour sectors. Meanwhile, there were consistent reports pointing to the inadequate preparation of high school graduates for successful participation in the new economy. At that juncture, it was a clear a new approach was needed to prepare students for transitions to further education and/or work. A high school education was no longer enough to participate in the new economy where problem solving, teamwork, and technology literacy became commonplace requirements. For example, the manufacturing industry slowly shifted from manual to automated processes requiring the use of computers and robotics. In a way, the emerging workforce requirements brought back a conversation about the purpose of education and whether it should be more in tune to the needs of employers. This narrative was reinforced, in particular, by reports noting the perceived mismatch between the demand and supply of talent in areas of the economy requiring science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) preparation. Out of this discussion, school reform in the 1990s resulted in a shift from vocational education to career and technical education (CTE), as the field is now known. The charge for CTE is to enhance the rigour and relevance of the curriculum to prepare students for careers – rather than for specific jobs – in the new economy. A key mandate for CTE is to integrate academic and technical education in the context of high-tech, high-wage career pathways. In this context the role of CTE has become more relevant in terms of preparing youth for further education and work. To this end, the education ideas proposed by Dewey have received renewed attention as the basis for new designs integrating academic and technical education and for promoting college and career readiness. Concurrently, the premises of contextual teaching and learning underline and support interdisciplinary concept connections as a means to promote learning for understanding. To meet the new goal, CTE has broaden its scope and it is organized around sixteen career clusters, each featuring multiple career pathways defined by coherent sequences of courses referred to as programmes of study. Today, according to a national report on the status of CTE, related coursework is offered in about every public school and is part of the mission of community colleges in the United States. In high schools, the vast majority of students take at least one CTE elective, while some concentrate through enrollment in career academies. It has been also reported that participation in CTE results in positive student outcomes comparable with performance in college-prep programmes. However, albeit the documented benefits of participation, some lingering issues such as quality of implementation and the stigma associated with vocational education still linger in CTE. These and other issues appear to prevent a wider appreciation of CTE as a viable option for all students to become college and career ready in the new economy.

The Course Of The Development On Vocational And Technical Education In Britain And Reference To China

This paper describes a summit on Community Colleges in the Evolving STEM Education Landscape organized by a committee of the National Research Council (NRC) and the National Academy of Engineering (NAE) and held at the Carnegie Institution for Science on December 15, 2011. This summit followed a similar event organized by Dr. Jill Biden, spouse of the Vice President, and held at the White House in October 2010, which sought to bring national attention to the changing missions and purposes of community colleges in contemporary American society.1 The NRC/NAE event built on the White House summit, while focusing on the changing roles of community colleges in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education. An in-depth summary of the summit was prepared by the NRC and NAE for publication in late Spring 2012 by the National Academies Press (NRC and National Academy of Engineering, 2012 ). This paper provides a synopsis of that report, which is available at www.nap.edu/catalog.php?record_id=13399, and emphasizes how we can use the report to improve STEM education for our students, but also how much progress still needs to be made to realize this ideal.

The relevance of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) in the field of Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) cannot be overemphasised in the knowledge-based and globalised society. The world of works is in as continuous a state of change as ICT itself, thus posing more challenges to the workers in the 21st century and the institutions responsible for their preparation. Therefore, this chapter discusses the challenges and prospects of ICT in teaching TVE towards globalisation. The chapter points out clearly the meaning, philosophy, and objectives of TVET, concept and types of ICT, the need for effective utilisation of ICTs and its role in TVET, the challenges and solutions to the effective utilisation of ICTs in TVET, and the prospect of using ICT in teaching TVET. The chapter concludes by suggesting solutions for proper planning, management, and effective utilisation of ICTs resources in TVET.

The relevance of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) in the field of Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) cannot be overemphasised in the knowledge-based and globalised society. The world of works is in as continuous a state of change as ICT itself, thus posing more challenges to the workers in the 21st century and the institutions responsible for their preparation. Therefore, this chapter discusses the challenges and prospects of ICT in teaching TVE towards globalisation. The chapter points out clearly the meaning, philosophy, and objectives of TVET, concept and types of ICT, the need for effective utilisation of ICTs and its role in TVET, the challenges and solutions to the effective utilisation of ICTs in TVET, and the prospect of using ICT in teaching TVET. The chapter concludes by suggesting solutions for proper planning, management, and effective utilisation of ICTs resources in TVET.

This paper explores the opportunities and affordances presented when historically and systemically excluded (HSE) youth gain access to high-powered technology and tools in their school environment through an innovative program. Many research studies have shown the challenges HSE youth face in accessing high-value occupations, particularly in the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM). Despite the increasing demand for STEM jobs, pathways from schools to careers in these fields often lack effectiveness, especially among HSE students. The Reinvent the Classroom initiative, a collaboration between Digital Promise, HP, Microsoft, and Intel, aims to address this pathway challenge by integrating high-powered and effective technology into education. The initiative focuses on the idea that for students to meaningfully find their way to and through career and technical education (CTE) pathways, they must have the opportunity to find synergies among their interests, talents, and skills, and gain access to the required high-powered technologies that fuel powerful learning experiences. The HP Learning Studio at Anaheim High School serves as a catalyst for this journey, representing a significant step towards increasing student awareness, interest, and engagement in career and technical education pathways through exposure to technology and relevant learning opportunities. The studio provides students with access to high-powered technology and resources, fostering authentic, challenging, and collaborative learning experiences. Examples from Anaheim High School demonstrate how exposure to the HP Learning Studio sparks interest and leads to deep engagement in CTE pathways. The paper concludes by emphasizing the importance of aligning educational initiatives with student interests and community needs. By providing access to powerful learning opportunities, such as those facilitated by the HP Learning Studio, schools can empower students to pursue their passions and effectively prepare for future careers. The partnership between the Reinvent the Classroom initiative and Anaheim High School represents a promising approach to bridging the skills gap and promoting equitable access to jobs for the future for all students, especially those from historically marginalized communities. Through the integration of technology and innovative pedagogical approaches, schools can create transformative learning experiences that prepare students for success in the 21st-century workforce. But only by ensuring those technologies and pedagogies are available to all students can schools bridge the gap between K-12, an ever-evolving jobs landscape, and future-ready careers.

Occupational Status: Analyzing Occupational Differences for Community and Four-Year Entrants. Sociological Quarterly, 24 (1983), 393-404. 40. -----. Sex Differences in Type of First College Entered and Occupational Status: Changes Over Time. Social Science Journal, 22 (1985), 89-97. 41. Moore, K. M. The Cooling Out of Two-Year College Women. Personnel and Guidance Journal, 53 (1975), 578-83. 42. Morgan, G. Journals and the Control of Knowledge: A Introduction A majority of all community college students are women, and approximately 60 percent of its part-time students are women. fact, much of the growth in community college enrollments can be attributed to increased participation by women |63~. There have been parallel gains in the share of administrative and faculty positions held by women |3, 28, 43~. 1987 there were 101 female two-year college presidents, more than double the number of women presidents in 1975 |3~. These gains are significant, and compared to most other types of postsecondary institutions, community colleges appear to be hospitable to women at all levels. However, historian Barbara Solomon |55~ cautions that equity in numbers has not assured equality for women in higher education, and community colleges would appear to be no exception. Billie Dziech |18~ writes, In reality, the story of women in 'the people's college' is an account of success and failure, of hope and despair. She goes on to say, The statistics |on the percentage of administrative positions held by women~ remind women staff that although on the surface the community college has been a good place for them, it has not always been good enough. Not good enough to recruit them, pay them, promote them, or tenure them equitably. . . . Not good enough to challenge academic traditions and build an environment in which men and women can work as equals. ambivalence of the community college attitude toward women is dramatically demonstrated by two pieces of writing, published more than ten years apart. the mid-1970s the editors of the Junior College Journal created a author, C. M. Pegg, who wrote a supposedly satirical piece about the progress of women in community colleges |45~. Pegg, a modern man, rails against the recently formed American Association of in Community and Junior Colleges and affirmative action legislation; community colleges have done quite well without Washington's help he insists. Further, he warns against the dangers of women advancing into places for which their temperament is not suited, namely administration. reader is left to ponder just what the editors were intending to satirize: Pegg's attitudes or women's concerns. This fictitious article can be dismissed relatively easily as being time-bound or light-hearted, but the second is not so easily ignored. his most recent book on the community college presidency, Vaughan |61~ includes a chapter entitled Women Who Are Presidents in an attempt to compensate for the fact that most treatises on the college presidency are written as if all presidents were men. And this chapter makes an important contribution. However, while discussing the search process, Vaughan makes a very revealing statement. He says, Although women encounter certain difficulties that men do not when seeking the presidency, to assume that being female caused failure to be selected for a given presidency is to greatly oversimplify the presidential selection process. . . . Trustees are obligated to determine the right fit, or chemistry for a college at a particular time and location. There are some cases when the right fit requires a white male president and other cases when it requires a female president. He makes a similar statement about minority presidents. So while lamenting the difficulties faced by women (and minorities), he, perhaps unintentionally, reinforces stereotypes that certain characteristics and skills needed in the presidency are primarily associated with one's sex. …

This is a study of 1,134 high school students enrolled in career and technical education (CTE) classes for which they could receive articulated credit at a local community college. [The author] sought to understand why students take CTE classes, what their career aspirations are, whether or not they know about career opportunities in CTE fields, and whether or not their career aspirations align with their CTE coursework. Analysis contrasted responses of students at comprehensive high schools with those enrolled in a vocational high school program. Though vocational high school students' reasons for taking CTE courses were more positive, poor alignment between CTE class and stated career objectives characterized both groups of students. [The author] discuss[es] the implications on career pathways and articulated credit agreements involving partnerships between secondary and postsecondary institutions and make[s] recommendations for policy, practice, and research around CTE and career development activities.

This study, a post hoc observational one, attempted to understand how to continue promoting equitable opportunities in career and technical education (CTE) for the state of Mississippi. We explored the enrollment patterns of Mississippi secondary CTE students by career cluster and career pathways associated with STEM careers over the last five years. Additionally, the enrollment patterns were compared to statewide enrollment patterns by gender and ethnicity. Also, we examined the proficiency results of students on the statewide CTE assessment by gender and ethnicity. Our secondary CTE student enrollment results are like previous reports of underrepresentation of nontraditional students in STEM-related career fields. Additionally, similar results were found when looking at the statewide CTE assessment data. However, there is an indication that CTE and non-CTE leaders effectively recruit underrepresented populations to STEM-related career pathways in the state of Mississippi, but more work is needed to allow access to all students.

CONFINTEA VI provided a unique lens through which to view adult education and literacy worldwide. Over 1,000 participants from 144 countries were convened to advance the recognition of adult learning and education as important elements of lifelong learning and crucial to the agendas for international education and development. The aim was to create momentum that could be sustained after the conference in moving forward the Belem Framework for Action's key areas of policy, governance, financing, participation, and quality to support, enhance, and institutionalize adult learning. Common themes and challenges were voiced in the keynote presentations, plenary roundtable sessions, and parallel sessions from representatives from developing countries to highly industrialized nations. Among these themes were (a) the importance of having systems for collecting and analyzing data that can document the need for a country's literacy services, progress in delivering these services, and adults' literacy development as a result of these services, (b) the critical role of effective adult education instruction and the importance of teacher credentialing and quality professional development in fostering quality instruction, and (c) the need for systems of coordinated services to support lifelong learning and the role of incentives in developing partnerships and facilitating the coordination of services. Underlying these themes was the need for financing and governance structures for research and policy development to support innovation development and implementation. While CONFINTEA VI participants represented diverse countries in terms of size, political structure, and wealth, the common ground among participants was the recognition of the vital role of adult learning in creating a viable future. This article describes the parallel workshop presentations that were made by two members of the U.S. delegation to CONFINTEA VI and the post-presentation discussion, as an illustration of participants' common interest in data, policy, and effective instruction. CONFINTEA VI was intended to stimulate countries' activities in implementing the Belem Framework for Action, and discussed in this article is US participation in CONFINTEA VI follow-up activities. U. S. Panel on Adult Learning and Economic Growth Three members of the U.S. delegation took part in a parallel workshop held during CONFINTEA VI that addressed the tie between adult learning and economic growth, a key theme during the conference. Over 60 participants attended the session. The workshop was moderated by Cheryl Keenan, Director of the Division of Adult Basic Education and Literacy at the U.S. Department of Education. The U.S. presenters spoke about initiatives in the states of Washington and Oregon to prepare low-skilled adults for jobs in high-growth employment sectors. Both states deliver adult basic education services through their community college systems. Israel Mendoza from the Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges (SBCTC) described Washington State's Integrated Basic Education and Skills (I-BEST) approach for low-skilled adults. He emphasized the importance of the research that SBCTC conducted to understand the needs of working-age adults with a high school diploma or less, or who did not speak English, to further their education and training, the economic importance of having a better qualified workforce, and state-level implications for developing strategies to improve results for learners and employers. This research also called attention to state policies needed to (a) encourage the development of pathways for low-skilled adults to enable them to increase their educational attainment and obtain higher-skilled jobs, (b) change the conditions for working-age adults' access to financial aid, and (c) provide expedited educational programs for adults. To address the needs identified from the research, I-BEST was developed to provide adult learners with an education and career pathway that integrates learning outcomes and assessment and is matched to the local labor market. …