1. Developing Comprehensive Career Pathways Systems in ABE
Commission on Adult Basic Education (COABE) Conference
Tuesday, April 12, 2016
Presented by:
Judith Alamprese, Abt Associates Hope Cotner, CORD
Chrys Limardo, Manhattan Strategy Group

2. Today’s Session Key components of a local career pathways system
ABE program examples of career pathways strengthening
Defined pathway approach
College and career awareness
Instruction
States’ leveraging of ABE initiatives to incorporate career pathways
Career Pathways Exchange—connecting to career pathways resources

3. Moving Pathways Forward Project Activities and Expected Outcomes
Intensive technical assistance to 13 states through customized coaching in strengthening career pathways state systems and expanding local career pathways services
Virtual technical assistance to 9 states in planning and developing career pathways systems
Career Pathways Exchange resources
Expected Outcomes
State system for supporting career pathways at local level
Local career pathways system of services that enable ABE learners to pursue further education and obtain employment in high-growth, high-wage jobs

4. Moving Pathways Forward Project States
5/14/2014

5. Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act: Summary Definition of Career Pathway
Career Pathway: Combination of rigorous and high quality education, training, and other services that:
Align with skill needs of state/local economy;
Prepare individuals for success through range of secondary/postsecondary education options, including apprenticeships;
Include counseling;
Can include concurrent instruction and workforce preparation and training for specific occupation or occupational cluster;

6. Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act: Summary Definition of Career Pathway
Are organized to accelerate educational and career advancement;
Enable an individual to attain a secondary credential and at least one recognized postsecondary credential; and
Help an individual enter or advance within a specific occupation or occupational cluster.

7. State and Local Career Pathways System Components

8. Key Components of Career Pathways
Interagency and Intra-agency Partnerships: Key stakeholders coordinate activities to support and implement a comprehensive local/regional career pathways system, including:
ABE providers
Postsecondary education institutions
Career and technical education institutions
Workforce development providers, agencies
Employers
Vocational rehabilitation
Social services
Industry Engagement: Business and industry partners identify career pathways target sectors and occupations, and the skills, training, and credentials required for participants’ placement into target occupations.

9. Key Components of Career Pathways
Education and Training Systems; Training & Technical Assistance:
Partners provide processes, procedures, and materials for delivery of assessment, instruction, training, advising, transition, and support services aligned with characteristics of WIOA career pathways.
Professional development is provided to support staff in delivering education and training services.
Policy and Guidance: State agencies and local partners provide career pathways system guidance for conducting assessment; delivering instruction; providing advising, support, and referral services; participating in training and technical assistance; providing financial support to participants; and collecting, analyzing, and reporting data.

10. Key Components of Career Pathways
Funding Needs and Sources: Partners identify costs, funding sources, and procedures to obtain funds to implement career pathways services, including ongoing professional development and data systems management.
Data Systems and Evaluation: Partners use data on participant background characteristics, attendance, learning progress, credential attainment, and employment to:
Assess participants’ progress and outcomes; and
Identify program practices and policies that facilitate participants’ attainment of career pathways outcomes.  
Public Relations and Ongoing Communication: Partners provide messaging and ongoing communication with stakeholders and constituents about career pathways purposes, benefits, activities, and outcomes.

11. Illustrative Model of Career Pathways Local System
Postsecondary Education
− Occupational Certificate
− Associate Degree
− BA Degree
Occupational Training
− Industry Credentials
first job--career path progressive jobs in path
Conduct Client Intake
ABE-One-Stop-TANF Offices
− Demographic information
− Background information on education & employment
− Initial education & employment goals
− Barriers to participation
− Basic skills assessment
− Goals for participation
Conduct Client Orientation
−Provide College & Career Awareness
−Develop Initial College & Career Plan
−Develop Schedule for Services
Coordination among ABE, CTE, Postsecondary, One-Stop, TANF, Voc Rehab, Support Services, Employers
Recruit Diverse Clients
− Low-skilled adults
− Adults below secondary level
− ESOL adults
− Out-of-school youth
− TANF recipients
− Unemployed
− Underemployed
− Displaced workers
− Adults preparing for postsecondary education
− Adults in reentry
Provide Client Services
− ABE, ESOL, HSE aligned with CCRS (accelerated learning, contextualized learning, integrated education & training)
− Employability Skills
− Job Readiness, Job Search Skills
− Co-enrollment with postsecondary or occupational training
− Revise Career Plan
Attain High School Equivalency 12

12. Building Local Career Pathways Systems: New Jersey MPF Pilot Test
Goal: defined pathway from ABE to postsecondary education to employment
Pilot Partners: ABE provider, Local Workforce Investment Board, Job Center, community college CTE, TANF office, employer involved in college CTE training
Union County: (GED learners) GED preparation, testing & receipt of GED One- Stop enrollment & receipt of training funding CTE participation, internship & receipt of certificate placement in health care position
Atlantic County: (TANF ESL clients) ESL instruction (ABE) & hospitality certificate training (community college) receipt of hospitality certificate placement in hospitality job

13. Building Local Career Pathways Systems: West Virginia MPF Pilot Test
Goal: Develop integrated basic skills and occupational training in high-demand sectors that results in a certificate and placement in sector jobs
Pilot Sites: 4 ABE programs, coordination among ABE, and community college CTE, and local business
Sector Foci: Oil and Gas, Health Occupations
Key Features:
Coordination between ABE and CTE instructors
Integration of job shadowing
Use of career navigator

14. Strengthening Career Pathways: College and Career Awareness
Oregon: Use of Career and College Awareness (CCA) Course as linchpin to postsecondary participation
MPF Pilot Test: Revise CCA Course and align with Job Center (One-Stop) instruments
Structured course, 10 Lesson Plans and PowerPoint presentations; Learner Materials, 20 hrs. of instruction
Learners’ analysis of skills, interests, experience local labor market and in-demand occupations & job education needed for jobs
Involves guest speakers (college departments, counseling and financial aid, graduates)
College and Career Plan that is updated throughout learners’ ABE participation

15. Strengthening Career Pathways: Instruction
Indiana MPF Pilot Test
Occupationally focused instruction aligned with high-demand occupations
180 Skills—online manufacturing training
Planned outcomes: occupational certificate, job interview, job placement
Montana MPF Pilot Test
EdReady online math instruction
Build base for math instruction; move to integration of occupational applications

16. Lessons from Career Pathways Pilot Tests
Use Partnerships as a Foundation:
Build partnerships as base of career pathways
ABE and American Job Center
ABE and postsecondary education
Develop and link multifaceted services to address diverse needs of learners
Focus on Learner Subpopulations: Determine types of instructional interventions and support systems that are aligned with learners’ skills, life stage, and goals
Plan for Transition Services: Leverage partnerships, services, and resources to provide explicit transition support from ABE to postsecondary education or employment

17. Spotlight on Massachusetts
10/27/15
Spotlight on Massachusetts
Statewide Adult Career Pathways Network includes:
State Adult and Community Learning Services
16 Local Workforce Investment Boards
29 One-Stop Career Centers (OSCC)
40 ACP sites at Community Adult Learning Centers
MA Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development, Dept. of Career Services, and Dept. of Higher Education
Working group in each of the 16 WIB regions; shared responsibility for ACP programs
State Task Force comprised of WIB directors, OSCC directors, community colleges, and ACP directors meets bimonthly; designed state guidelines for ACP
Highlights the state’s priority to strengthen connections and collaborations among the ABE, higher education and workforce systems to maintain and enhance a comprehensive education and training system for the state. ACP program activities can include integrated education and training, workforce preparation, and integrated English literacy and civics activities aligned with regional workforce priorities. 17

18. Spotlight on Pennsylvania
Focused on partnerships and communications as areas to strengthen within career pathways system development
Key activities:
Development of elevator speech
Development of “partnership maps” (state and local)
Customizable tri-fold brochure for state and local use
Survey of local providers to gain insights for targeted professional development going forward

19. Spotlight on Colorado
Student-centered approach to building career pathways system
Program Reflection/Asset Inventory
System Infrastructure Analysis
Gap Analysis
Work Plan for Program/System Improvement
Targeted professional development to address gaps; replicate/scale across state agencies

20. Career Pathways Exchange
The Career Pathways Exchange is a free information service that consolidates and distributes career pathways-related resources, events, and information from federal and state agencies and national organizations.
Subscribers receive:
The latest career pathways information, resources, and events
Topics in alignment with the six key elements of career pathways as well as member feedback
Access to updates on the go through social media
Opportunity to join online discussions in the LINCS Community.
Updates from the project

21. Career Pathways Exchange at a Glance
Launched October 2014
Bi-weekly distribution
Current number subscribers: 1,847
Current number of approved partners: 25
Resources distributed: 114
Events announced: 67
Twitter followers: 852 @Career_Pathways
Facebook Page Likes:
Pinterest:

22. Exchange Interest Areas
4/22/15
Building Cross-Agency Partnerships
Identifying Industry Sectors and Engaging Employers
Designing Education and Training Programs
Identifying Funding Needs and Sources
Aligning Policies and Programs
Measuring System Change and Performance
[I-FANG]

23. Some of our Partners 4/22/15 [I-FANG]
Since the launch of the Exchange at the beginning of October, the Exchange has amassed over 1,000 subscribers sharing resources from federal sources (ED, DOL, HHS), partner sources (21 partner organizations), as well as external sources that we monitor.

24. Project Resources
Systems Thinking to Advance Career Pathways – The Moving Pathways Forward Podcast Series This series of podcasts features interviews with career pathways experts sharing: lessons learned from states’ career pathways systems development, the evolution of career pathways in secondary and postsecondary education, and the influence of legislative initiatives on career pathways services and systems.
The Moving Pathways Forward Podcast Series - YouTube

25. Contact Information
5/14/2014
Judith Alamprese, Abt Associates, Director of Technical Assistance, Hope Cotner, CORD, Chrys Limardo, MSG, Project Director, Project Project website: Facebook: Pinterest:
Moving Pathways Forward: Supporting Career Pathways Integration is funded by OCTAE under contract #ED-VAE-13-C The project is managed by Manhattan Strategy Group and its partners, Abt Associates and Center for Occupational Research and Development (CORD) Communications Inc.