Establishing Career Pathways

Establishing Career Pathways

Turning the Dark Into Day

What Do You Call This?

• According to the US Census (2010) approximately 43 million adults in the United States do not have a high school diploma.

• 30 million American adults can perform only the most basic literacy tasks – this has not changed in more than a decade.

Illiteracy By Region

• South 16 Million

• Northeast 9 Million

• Midwest 8.5 Million

• West 9.5

Why Career Pathways

Career Pathways for Adult Education (AECP) recognizes the potential in every student and replaces the tradition of treating AE as a terminal program.

Multiple entry and multiple exit points create a system of lifelong learning and lifelong earning.

AECP Programs: A Brighter Future

• AECP is about life-long learning for life-long earning.

• Uses career ladders to promote career growth.

• Provides a framework of incremental success rather than a one shot deal.

AECP Works for the Most Challenging Populations

Low skilled adults/ex-offender re-entry students are in strong need of AECP.

Each population is “at-risk” more than the general Adult Education population

and, under a traditional system, is likely to fail.

Risk Assessment

Low-Skill Students

Undiagnosed learning disability(ies)

Lack a sense of purpose

Identify closely with failure

Often need extensive support in soft-skill development

Re-Entry Students

Undiagnosed learning disability(ies)

Lack a sense of purpose

Identify closely with failure

Often need extensive support in soft-skill development

Mentoring: The Critical Element

Every low-skill and re-entry student must have a mentor for accountability and encouragement purposes.

These populations are highly successful at quitting and failing.

A strong mentor is a bridge to the future. Mentoring in partnership with CBO’s and

others is a winning strategy.

The Right Student, at the Right Time, in the Right Place

• Grade levels do not singularly determine the best time to transition a student from Adult Education to post-secondary education.

• Grade level of 6 or above, maturity, established goals and a strong support network determine when a student is ready to enter a post-secondary educational program.

Traditional Model Through the Eyes of AE Program Directors

Adult Basic Education GED exam preparation Completion of GED program Entry to a post-secondary program Completion of a post-secondary program

A Traditional Model Through the Eyes of Low-Skill Students

Swallow pride – admit shortcomings and ask for help

Take a placement test to affirm you have low skills – deflation of existing value

Begin ABE coursework – lacking purpose Stop out Return to program

A Traditional Model Through the Eyes of Low-Skill Students

Enter GED program Complete program

Welcome to the Jungle Compete to learn about financial aid Struggle to complete paperwork Enter post-secondary program Often unable to navigate the system and

quit

A Traditional Model Through the Eyes of Re-Entry Students

Acknowledge criminal background to strangers

Lack funds to pay for classes Compete to learn about financial aid Enter and complete post-secondary

program (best case scenario) Fail to secure job because of criminal

background and inability to manage the past

AECP for Low-Skilled and Re-Entry Students

Program intake process must include the following for both groups of students:

Placement Test Facilitation that includes a brief report

on educational and career goals (Day 1)Use of a career inventory such as

CHOICES

AECP for Low-Skilled and Re-Entry Students

Contextualized curriculum

Career based breakout classes

Financial aid workshops and use of in-house scholarships

On-going workshops on career options and student support such as learning styles, study skills, time management, financial management, conflict resolution, and soft-skill development

Low-Skill Students Climb Career Ladders

Students who TABE at a level 6 are great candidates for many entry-level post-secondary educational programs including:

Certified Nursing Assistant

Office Skills Construction Barbering

Incentivizing Adult Education

• Adult Education in itself often fails to provide incentives for many students who are unable to see any long term benefit.

• AECP programs that allow students to enter career programs while in AE puts light at the end of the tunnel and establishes a sense of pride and accomplishment while also boosting retention and completion rates.

Supplemental Learning

Students who function between levels 6-8 need on-going support to succeed in post-secondary programs.

Consider the importance of supplemental learning workshops/classes: Vocabulary Math Soft-Skills

Support Groups

Mentoring and peer groups - essential for a strong ongoing support.

Low skill and re-entry students - often ready to begin job shadowing and, in some cases, in-house internships.

AECP Pre-Career Academies

• As part of the career pathways support system, students should have the opportunity to enter pre-career academies.

Health Technology Industrial Business Public Safety STEM Education

AECP Pre-Career Academies

Pre-Career Academies are interactive:

Professional speakers Field trips Project based learning Group activities Social bonding Resume development Mock interviews (the felony question)

Second Chance Act, 2007

“We believe that even those who have struggled with a dark past can find brighter days ahead. One way we act on that belief is by helping former prisoners who've paid for their crimes -- we help them build new lives as productive members of our society... [o]ur government has a responsibility to help prisoners to return as contributing members of their community.”

President George W. Bush - while signing the Second Chance Act of 2007.

(Ron Zapata, A True Second Change: Promoting Ex-Offender ReEntry Through Federal Anti-Discrimination Law, 2011)

President Obama: Town Hall Meeting in Tampa, Florida, 2010

“A smart crime reduction strategy must also incorporate outreach to those who have paid their debt to society and have become responsible and contributing members of their communities. Prisoner reentry programs have been tested and proven effective.”

President Barack Obama during a Town Hall Meeting, Tampa, Florida 2010.

(Ron Zapata, A True Second Change: Promoting Ex-Offender ReEntry Through Federal Anti-Discrimination Law, 2011)

Previous Re-Entry Program Initiatives

Previous initiatives are commonly short sighted and fail to support long term success because they:

Focus on limited skill development Focus on job placement in low wage jobs Neglect long term educational planning Often lack on-going support for career growth Neglect to implement a holistic approach

AECP

Financial Assistance

Community Based Partnerships

Strong Facilitation/Orientation

Contextual Core Curriculum

Mapping the Route to Your Destination…Through AECP

Career Goal Identification

Begin AE Classes

Enter an AECP Academy/Develop Career and Soft Skills – interview skills and conflict resolution

Secure Financial Aid

Enter Postsecondary Program with a mentor

AEIntake

Enter Workforce as a Life-

long Learner

2011 National Career Pathways Network Conference Orlando, FloridaOctober 12–14 Orlando World Center Marriott.

www.ncpn.info