Investing in Postsecondary Career Pathways

This brief from the National Skills Coalition proposes a new $500 million Career Pathways Support Fund that would allow community and technical colleges to provide critical academic, counseling, and support services that help low-income and other nontraditional students succeed in job-driven education programs. The report highlights promising practices in career development from three states that are tackling these issues head-on, including the Career Pathways Initiative in Arkansas, the Pathways for Academic Career and Employment (PACE) program in Iowa, and the Basic Skills Plus program in North Carolina. The report maps out future opportunities for federal investment in career pathways and provides an overview of current federal efforts to support parents and other adult students, which have not kept up with the growing demands of today’s college enrollees.