The Convergence of Career and Guided Pathways:
How to Implement Both
Jaime Spaciel
Director, Career Pathways and
Program Effectiveness
Gateway Technical College
• One of 16 colleges in the Wisconsin Technical College System (WTCS)
• Founded in 1911• Serve
approximately 20,000 students annually
• 3 main campuses• 5 discipline-specific
technology centers
Goals for Today’s Presentation
• Understand similarities and differences between career and guided pathways.
• Identify distinct benefits in starting with career pathways before you implement guided pathways.
• Learn how to align career pathways structures with guided pathways principles to get others on board and plan action steps.
• Obtain information on additional resources.
Career vs. Guided Pathways
Career Pathways
• Discrete programs of study, based on employer demand / labor market projections
• Involve employers in development of curriculum
• Various entry/exit points to meet student needs
• Embedded support services / strategies, often pathway-specific
Guided Pathways
• Redesign entire community college experience for all students
• Critical focus on equity
• Reform advising and registration policies
• Wide-scale improvements to support services (no pilots or program-specific interventions)
• Clear “maps” to guide students in program selection
• End goals = completion AND employment and/or transfer
The Umbrella Analogy…
Guided Pathways = holistic approach, considers all facets of educational journey, addresses equity gaps, and includes all areas of college.
Career Pathways = specific focus on curriculum and employment components:
Dual CreditCredit for Prior LearningEmbedded CredentialsCurriculum SequenceIndustry CertificationsArticulation AgreementsAligned Levels of Employment
Evolution of Career Pathways at Gateway
• WTCS System introduced career pathway credentials in 2013
• WTCS System awarded federal TAACCCT grant in fall 2014; funding for career pathway liaison at each of the 16 colleges
• Started as Career Pathways Manager (grant funded) in April 2015; grant funding through September 2018
• College committed to permanent position in July 2017
• College elevated position to Director of Career Pathways and Program Effectiveness in January 2018
Career Pathways Components – 2015-2018
• Developed career pathway maps (67 maps total)
• Designed 30+ embedded credentials with employer input
• Redesign of transfer webpage
• Introduction of career pathways information on website
• Significant increase in program-specific CPL opportunities
• Auto-add embedded credentials at application
• Created industry certification inventory
• Collaborative work with K12 and workforce/WIOA
• Career pathways steering committee
Evolution of Guided Pathways at Gateway
• Applied for 2nd American Association of Community College’s (AACC) Pathways cohort in spring 2017
• Awarded spot in cohort in July 2017; project work started in fall 2017
• Three institutes – November 2017, September 2018, September 2019
• Four site visits – March 2018, August 2018, March 2019, July 2019
Who’s Going to Oversee This?
Give it to the girl with pathways in her title!
Seriously, though…
• Long-standing history with faculty and staff
• Experience with large-scale project management and working with AACC
• Several components reside in my department
Best of all…
Career and guided pathways complement and support each other!
A Word of Caution/Advice…
• While you may be the most technically-connected person to lead this work, you may not be in the appropriate position at your institution to do so
• Must partner with President/VP/Provost/etc. to require engagement in wide-scale changes and address procedural, funding, and buy-in issues
• “Boots on the ground supported by the muscle from above”
Introduction of Guided Pathways at Gateway
• Initiative fatigue
• Viewed as competition
• Confused with career pathways
• Terrified of starting from scratch…again
=
Staff were
FRUSTRATED!
Best Strategies to Combat Frustration
• Figure out how to best utilize existing structures (example – transition CP committees to guided pathways work teams)
• Design an initiative-inclusive student success model – there’s room for everyone!
• Link completed career pathways work to guided pathways model – helps contextualize how much of this work you actually have done and highlights priority areas of focus
Clarify the Paths (2017)
Guided Pathways
• Detailed information on target careers and transfer
• Course sequences, critical courses, embedded credentials, milestone courses
• Math and other coursework aligned to each program of study (in proper sequence)
Career Pathways
We live in this space!!
• Career pathway maps with entry and exit points, transfer options, job titles and wages, etc.
• Scaffolded curriculum
• Embedded credentials
• Integration of appropriate general studies and electives into pathway programs of study
Help Students Get on a Path (2017)
Guided Pathways
• Use multiple measures to assess needs
• First-year experience course
• Full program plans based on career/transfer
• Contextualized, integrated academic supports
• K12 partnerships focused on college/career exploration
Career Pathways
• Program plans aligned with career pathway structures in each program area
• Optional career exploration/ counseling
• Strong partnerships with K12 – dual credit, pathways planning, etc.
• Pathway-specific supports, but not wide-scale
Help Students Stay on their Path (2017)
Guided Pathways
• Ongoing, intrusive advising
• Systems for students to track progress
• Systems/procedures to identify at-risk students and provide supports
• Structure to redirect students who are not progressing to a more viable path
Career Pathways
• Students create academic plans and can track progress at the program and course level
• System alerts advising staff of student success issues and color-codes student based on support needs (red, yellow, green)
Ensure Students are Learning (2017)
Guided Pathways
• Program-specific learning outcomes
• Project-based, collaborative learning
• Applied learning experience
• Inescapable student engagement
• Track mastery of learning outcomes
• Improve teaching practices
Career Pathways
• All programs and pathways have learning outcomes that are assessed and reported annually
• Use assessment data to make improvements to practices
• PBL a focus in all programs
• Almost all programs have applied learning experience
How Did We Determine What to Do Next?
AACC Guided Pathways Institutes:
• Making the case for guided pathways (11/17)
• Onboarding/Advising (9/18)
• Teaching and Learning (9/19)
AACC Guided Pathways Coaching Visits:
• Socialize GP and “Road” model to college (3/18)
• Restructure math and English pathways, remedial courses, and placement in program sequence (7/18)
• Scheduling (3/19)
• Sustainability/action planning (7/19)
How Have We Filled in the Gaps?
• Redesigned curriculum sheets; including part-time schedule for first time in 2020-21
• Streamlined math pathways
• Math and English in first year of program (required!)
• Remedial sequences shortened and co-req’d
• Reengineered pathways information on website
• FYE course – starting 2020-21
• Multiple measures – anticipated 2020-21
• Restructuring advising model
• Modified policies and practices
Getting Others on Board• Paint the picture in realistic but attainable terms
• Identify baseline:
https://www.pathwaysresources.org/pathways-model/planning/preparation-awareness/
• Guided pathways is not an initiative that you can wish away –it becomes a part of the way your organization operates (just like career pathways!)
• Requires leadership at all levels – empower early adopters
• It will take others much longer than you to see where you’re headed – be patient, but do not stop making progress
• Show data – at start and annual update (AACC recommends first-time ever in college fall start cohorts)
Additional Resources
• AACC Pathways Resources website: https://www.pathwaysresources.org/
• Better Together: Career and Guided Pathways Briefing (CLASP): https://www.clasp.org/sites/default/files/publications/2018/09/2018careerandguidedpathways.pdf
Presenter Contact Information
Jaime Spaciel
Director, Career Pathways &
Program Effectiveness
Gateway Technical College
262-564-3080
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jaime-spaciel/