Connecting the dots between classroom and career through career pathways
“What do you want to be when you grow up?”
Every young child has heard this question, just like every high school senior hears a similar question: “What are you doing after graduation?” Often, it’s the first time since childhood they’ve been asked directly about their future goals. Except now, the question is suddenly very relevant and, for many graduating seniors, the answer is worryingly unclear.
“We need to be starting that conversation earlier,” says Katie Tackmann, K-12 school counselor at Verndale Public School. “There are plenty of options, either for joining the workforce or further education or training, but students might not know about them. Many students aren’t shown the bigger picture, leaving them to make these critical, career-altering decisions ‘by default’ as graduation approaches.”
Career pathways offer students a way to think about and act on those future plans long before graduation. Each school’s program differs, but at its core, a career pathways program reframes students’ course options to help them see how each one can contribute to a future career. The program also offers additional real-world practical experiences to give students concrete examples of a given career.
Katie and Heather Lehmkuhl, Verndale’s other K-12 school counselor, worked with teachers and staff at their school to incorporate each of the school’s courses into four career pathways:
- Agriculture, manufacturing, and natural resources
- Business
- Health and human services
- STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math)
Students are able to choose their courses and work toward a certain career pathway, then supplement their in-class learning through experiential learning with local businesses.
“We build off of so many more pieces beyond class choices,” says Heather. “Field trips, job shadowing and internship opportunities, and speakers who explain different career options and make them come alive for interested students. Students get the chance to see real-world examples of their potential careers, and they get guidance on which classes will help them prepare.”
When Katie and Heather introduced the idea of career pathways to Verndale high school students last spring, the reactions were very positive. According to Katie:
“You could just see the realization on the students’ faces. ‘Oh, I get it now! There’s a reason I’m taking this math course or that English class.’ These students are so accustomed to just taking a course for the sake of it, just because that’s what’s available. But here, they can see the thought and reason behind taking a specific class. As a result, they have more buy-in to that class.
In fact, since introducing their career pathways program, Verndale has seen a spike in student engagement in career exploration, job shadowing trips, internships…and even daily classes. With the opportunity to connect the dots and visualize their career journey, students are often more willing to commit to it.
“We’ve talked to students more about college and career options this year than ever before,” says Heather. “They’re a lot more interested and driven in their education. They’re focusing more on what they’re doing in school, and where they’re going after graduation.”
Revolutionizing how their students prepare for graduation was no small task. “A few years ago, we were told to dream big for our career pathways program,” says Katie. “And we wanted to do big things. We’re a small school, though, so dreaming big can be a tall order. Sourcewell’s involvement changed that.”
By working together with Sourcewell’s team of career consultants, Katie and Heather gained access to resources and expertise they didn’t have before, and a partner in planning and execution of their program. “Our career consultant Toni has made a huge difference,” says Heather. “She’s brought us resources, and she connects us with other schools in the region to help us compare notes. She always helps us figure out each challenge and keep moving.”
For her part, Toni Hidalgo is happy to help. “Verndale is fantastic to work with. They have a clear vision for their pathways program, and they’ve taken that initiative. Heather and Katie tell me what they’re looking for, or what they’re hoping to achieve, and I can connect them to the schools, the businesses, or the resources they need. They’ll take that and run with it: They always find a way to make it work.”
Toni works with several school districts to help them implement career pathways programs. She and her colleagues at Sourcewell are now helping almost 20 school districts in central Minnesota make career readiness a tangible, actionable concept for area students.
“These career pathways programs offer young people something unique: a drive and a desire to be in that space,” says Toni. “Attendance is better, and students are seeing higher employment rates beyond graduation. When you can offer them a plan to follow, students thrive.”
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Sourcewell’s Career Consultant Program offers consulting services to school districts throughout Cass, Crow Wing, Morrison, Todd, and Wadena counties to help them implement career pathways initiatives, plus other student career readiness programs.
To connect with a career consultant, please contact Sourcewell at education@sourcewell-mn.gov.