Delaware has been a national leader in the career pathways movement, which aims to provide high school students with a structured sequence of courses in a career field, along with early exposure to the workplace and opportunities to build practical, job-related skills. The state launched career pathways in 2014, and today, about 70 percent of high school students, or 30,000 teenagers, are enrolled.
Researchers at RTI International tracked more than 6,000 graduates who had completed at least two courses in a career field and surveyed them to see what they were doing in the years immediately after high school.
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Three-quarters of the students surveyed were enrolled in college or another postsecondary training program after graduation, which is higher than the national average of 63 percent. However, fewer than half were still studying or working in the field they had chosen in high school.
For example, among students who completed a pathway in architecture and construction, fewer than 20 percent pursued construction-related majors. Many shifted instead to fields like science and engineering (40 percent), business (8 percent), or healthcare (6 percent).
Valuable Learning Experiences
According to Sandra Staklis, lead author of the RTI report, the mismatch between chosen career fields and actual careers isn’t necessarily a failure. “When the students talked to us about it, they really considered it valuable to learn something they didn’t like,” she said.
Students also talked about gaining a broader set of skills that are useful in any field. “Students said they were learning those workplace skills like time management and working with other people on a project,” said Staklis.
One student profiled in the report, Kwame, said his teachers in the healthcare field showed him how to break down dense medical material, and he was able to study to earn his paramedic certification. He’s now majoring in public health at a four-year college and hopes to become a surgeon.
Key Findings
Two lessons stood out from the Delaware study. First, workplace experience matters most but is hardest for schools to deliver. Students who participated in internships or apprenticeships were more likely to continue in their field.
Second, students need better guidance, especially when they want to change direction. Once students start a pathway, it can be difficult to switch. “Luke Rhine, vice president for postsecondary success at Rodel, said the findings were encouraging but point to a need for stronger advising, which he calls “navigational support”.
The report also points to more questions for future research. It’s unclear how much of the higher college-going rate can be attributed to pathways themselves. The study is not causal, and students who complete these sequences may already have been more likely to pursue further education.
Criticisms and Future Directions
Some researchers question the structure of the pathways model in a rapidly changing economy. Kerry McKittrick, co-director of the Project on Workforce at Harvard University, argues that it might not make sense to require young students to go through a sequence of technical training classes for jobs that may not exist in five years.
McKittrick argues that what’s most important is for young people to have the opportunity to explore professions beyond what adults in their family do and to develop networks. Notably, she agrees with one of the Delaware report’s central findings: Workplace experience may be the most valuable component of a pathways program.
The Delaware study provides early clues about the effectiveness of career pathways, but more research is needed to fully understand their impact. As the pathways movement continues to grow, it’s essential to consider the criticisms and limitations of the model and to prioritize the needs of students in a rapidly changing economy.
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