Career exploration and exposure to real-world experiences are essential in today’s education for students in K–12 as they consider postsecondary and career opportunities after high school graduation. UnidosUS and the National Urban League co-authored a white paper in 2024, “A Community-Based Approach to Career Pathways Navigation,” to elevate the promise of career pathways as a transformative force for learners to navigate a future demanding a skilled and adaptable workforce.1 Yet our research found that Black, Latino, and other student populations such as English learners (ELs) have limited access to high-quality career pathways that can help them to develop marketable skills and acquire the credentials necessary to be competitive in our nation’s economy.
The current approach to administering federally funded career pathways is often fragmented, resulting in inconsistent levels of quality, recruitment and retention strategies, transition procedures, and navigation support systems for learners. However, this does not have to remain the status quo. By equipping students such as English learners with the necessary skills and guidance, career pathways can offer a critical path to economic mobility, breaking the cycle of intergenerational poverty and creating a more level playing field for communities from all backgrounds to succeed.
A recently published resource from the US Department of Education’s Office of English Language Acquisition advances the notion that language development is a core aspect of career-connected learning. OELA’s “English Learner Playbook: Unlocking Career Success for Special Populations” cites that ELs are underrepresented in career technical education (CTE) programs—nationally, of the one million English learners (ELs) in grades 9–12, only 8% were CTE participants in school year 2021–22.2 Promoting career-connected learning for ELs not only allows them to gain real-world career experience but can also contribute to meeting our country’s workforce needs.
It is in the best interest of the nation’s economic success to build on the concept of multilingualism as an asset not only in the classroom but in the job market. As we prepare to usher in a change in government under the Trump administration and a new Congress, policy opportunities to strengthen navigation support for all learners could emerge through reauthorization of Perkins and the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA). Robust federal investment can also help. Specifically, the president-elect’s FY26 budget request for the US Department of Education should support expansion of CTE programs at the secondary or high school level that give students access and navigation support to industry-recognized credentials or certification. The president-elect’s FY26 budget request should also leverage Title III of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) to provide supplemental support for ELs’ access to high-quality CTE and career-connected learning such as dual enrollment, which allows high school students to earn college credits.
To ensure the US’ competitive edge in a global economy, smart investments in access and navigation supports for all students, including ELs, are needed to develop the workforce that our employers need and our economy demands.
References
https://unidosus.org/publications/a-community-based-approach-to-career-pathways-navigation
Amalia Chamorro is education policy director at UnidosUS (www.unidosus.org).
