The Evolution and Potential of Career Pathways (Government-Funded)

The Purpose of this Paper

Career Pathways systems provide a framework for organizing and formally aligning the education, workforce, and supportive services needed by a wide range of individuals to attain the credentials required for family-supporting careers. This paper provides a context for the increased attention that Career Pathways approaches have received in recent years—by examining the evolution and efficacy of pathways strategies for building a skilled workforce. The paper looks back nearly 30 years to examine prior initiatives that over time have contributed to the development of today’s Career Pathways framework and initiatives.