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Pathways to Prosperity Network

Pathways Tennessee

In today’s quickly evolving world, a high school diploma no longer guarantees a high-paying job or long-term stability. In fact, a large percentage of vacant positions and industry occupations over the next 10 years will require some form of postsecondary education. A “skills gap” has developed in which our students often lack the needed knowledge and soft skills to be career ready in our modern workforce. By expanding our vision of “college and career readiness” to include braided academic and career-oriented counseling, which promotes not only a solid academic portfolio but also 21st century soft skills, we can create successful pathways for our students.

The Pathways to Prosperity Network defines a pathway as, “a career academy or comprehensive program of study that includes all requirements for completion of a high school diploma and postsecondary credential with value in the labor market.”

Pathways are currently in development for the 2013 school year.

Image Credit: Corporate Voices for Working Families

Image Credit: Corporate Voices for Working Families

About the Pathways to Prosperity Network

The Pathways to Prosperity Network is a collaboration between the Pathways toProsperity Project at Harvard Graduate School of Education (HGSE), Jobs for the Future (JFF), and six states (Illinois, Maine, Massachusetts, Missouri, North Carolina and Tennessee) focused on ensuring that many more young people complete high school and attain a postsecondary credential with currency in the labor market. The goal is to support young people in entering an initial career while leaving open the prospect of further education.To accomplish this goal, states are engaging employers and educators to build a grades 7th-14th/16th career pathways system for high school aged students.Each state is led by a coalition of stakeholders.The work initially focuses on two to three regional labor markets within each state, but the long-term goal is to create a statewide system of career pathways that can serve the majority of students.

Read Pathways to Prosperity Report

Press Release: Pathways Tennessee

Program Manager: Nicholas Hansen