Background: This study examined students' perceptions of STEM camp experience to gauge whether their participation in an industry-focused STEM camp fostered their familiarity with post-secondary education and facilitated an interest in pursuing STEM-related careers. Related literature points to a lack of experiential learning opportunities with…

"Pathways to Implementation" highlights innovative strategies and effective models in career pathways policy, implementation, and programming, as well as challenges states encounter in this work. This seven-part series addresses the key elements of Bellwether's framework for career pathways policy implementation. Each brief defines the…

In this study, we examine the impact of a large-scale effort in California aimed at establishing career pathways and estimate its causal effects on community college enrollment. By leveraging a discontinuous assignment rule for awarding grant funds, we obtain credibly causal estimates of a $500 million initiative to expand career and technical…

Despite gains of women in senior administrative positions in the larger economy, they continue to be dramatically underrepresented in college athletic administration. Women are underrepresented in a segment of athletic administration, specifically Athletic Director (AD), which has become increasingly driven by business and revenue generation…

Community college (CC) students interested in medical school may lack the resources to be successful. CC students represent diverse backgrounds and often more closely reflect underserved populations' demographics than traditional University students. Yet, there is a negative association between attending a CC and being accepted into a medical…

Linda L. García never imagined she would one day lead the Center for Community College Student Engagement (CCCSE). In fact, she never dreamed of earning a doctoral degree. As children, Linda and her siblings constantly heard from their parents--a father who grew up as a migrant worker and a mother who immigrated to the United States from…

Previous research in different national contexts has shown that individual preferences for certain job attributes, objective labour market conditions, subjective career prospects, and external encouragement shape doctoral graduates' career decisions. For Germany, where the number of awarded doctoral degrees is highest within the European Union and…

The research in this brief takes place within the context of efforts to strengthen the principalship in Chicago Public Schools (CPS). Using eight years of data from CPS, 2012-13 to 2019-20, this brief describes Chicago's principals--their demographic characteristics, their backgrounds, their trajectories into the principalship, and how long they…

Dual enrollment and career pathways are increasingly expanding as viable options for students to complete high school while simultaneously receiving college credits, technical training, or industry certifications. In this research study, dual enrollment and career pathway programs are collectively called alternate pathways. Evaluators can gauge…

While the scope of a transition toward renewable energy, and away from fossil fuels, as well as other sustainable economic practices is daunting, the United States has recently begun to obtain policy momentum in the push to decouple economic activity from greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. This paper presents: (1) an overview of the scope of jobs…

In the present descriptive qualitative study, we present the concept of vocational branding to provide a definition and explain how it may increase interest in a particular vocation or career. We define vocational branding as a set of stories, facts, and ideas communicating the personality, traits, and realistic benefits and challenges of a…

Career decision-making is critical involving the selection of a career path that aligns with one's interests, skills, and values. Many students, however, find it difficult to determine their career pathways for one reason or another. Ultimately, their ability to decide can be impacted by their self-awareness and assessment, interactions within the…

In Delaware, Career and Technical Education (CTE) prepares students for life beyond high school by providing practical labor skills, workforce credentials, and early post secondary credits. Some CTE students graduate with the distinction as a concentrator, meaning they complete required coursework in a specific career pathway, such as engineering…

Purpose: This study investigates the effectiveness of ROTC programs in equipping students with competency-based skills crucial for career readiness. Methodology: Through a content analysis of ROTC curricula and employer expectations, this study compares what is being taught in ROTC to what employers expect college graduates to know. Key Findings:…

This study examined equity and access to career and technical education (CTE) programs. The research used a mixed-methods case study, which explored the factors influencing CTE pathway enrollment at a high school providing CTE education through California Partnership Academies (CPA). The study employed quantitative data sources such as secondary…