WIOA asserts that a career pathway should offer education “concurrently with and in the same context. As workforce preparation activities and training for a specific occupation.” One example of such training is work-base learning. To this end, Ohio has established guidelines for work-based learning. Opportunities and offers a tax credit certificate program for employers that offer experiences to students. The High School Tech internship program provides high school students with work experience in technology-related roles, and placed over 500 students in internships during 2023. Students also have access to pre-apprenticeships; there are currently 152 pre-apprenticeship programs that work with Ohio high schools and career centers. Career pathways include counseling to support students in achieving their education and career goals.
Beginning with the 2015–16 school year
Every district in Ohio has been require to Bahamas Phone Number List adopt a policy on career advising. These policies must specify how districts will provide career advising to all students in grades 6–12. Train staff to advise students on career pathways, and identify and publicize courses that award students CTE credit. The Department of Education and Workforce (DEW) has provided a career-advising toolkit to help accomplish these goals. More recently, DEW launched a communications campaign aimed at students and families.
The Governor’s
Office of Workforce Transformation also CW Leads offers resources designed to inform students of their options. And the most recent state budget allocated dollars for every public school—$7.50 per student for the 2023–24 school year and $10 for the 2024–25 school year—to fund career awareness and exploration. Clearly, Ohio has taken seriously its charge to implement career pathways. But although the programs and initiatives mentioned above are positive steps forward, it’s important to recognize that Ohio hasn’t yet crossed the finish line. Each of the aforementioned areas has weaknesses that must be addressed. For example, it’s important for the state to ensure that every credential an Ohio student can earn is meaningful and fully aligned with workforce needs. Otherwise, students could end up struggling to find employment or being stuck in a job that pays too little. In the realm of graduation requirements, it’s crucial to ensure that schools aren’t gaming the system for their own benefit by encouraging students to earn meaningless credentials just so they can graduate.
