Youth career-connected learning is vital: It contributes to ensuring that young people are on the path to success and builds crucial talent pipelines for employers. As much as we wish that strong career readiness programming would grow on trees, that’s unfortunately not the case. In order to scale access to career-connected learning, we need cooperation at the nonprofit, school, employer, and policy levels. By doing so, there will be better alignment of programs and initiatives to cohesive strategies that change the way education and workforce development ecosystems are run. In fact, including work-based learning and career navigation in state policies has helped expand work-based learning opportunities and have addressed common barriers to accessing these experiences.
That’s why Britebound is proud to support Colorado Succeeds and Rodel, two organizations that are committed to expanding these opportunities for learners in their respective states. Continue reading to learn more about their dedication to changing systems and contributing to the success of tomorrow’s workforce.
Advancing Local Talent
Colorado Succeeds is a coalition of business leaders and policymakers that are working to build a strong workforce and improve K-12 and postsecondary outcomes in Colorado.
Because of Colorado Succeeds’ policy work, they’ve been able to support effective postsecondary pathways and youth workforce development programs through business training and engagement, career-connected learning, policy research and development, thought leadership, and advocating for systems change.
In addition to passing workforce development policies, Colorado Succeeds also supports their implementation by working with school districts, education partners, and business organizations across the state — breaking down barriers to equitable access to career-connected learning programs.
“We are deeply grateful for Britebound’s support, which helps us bring employers, educators, and communities together to transform Colorado’s education-to-employment system. With Britebound’s partnership, we are working to ensure opportunities like earning college credit, pursuing a credential of value, or engaging in high-quality work-based learning are available to all Colorado students. This investment allows more young people — particularly those from rural, low-income, and historically underserved communities — to explore careers earlier, gain confidence in their future, and graduate with clear pathways to economic mobility, while also ensuring Colorado employers have the skilled homegrown talent they need to thrive.” — Scott Laband, President, Colorado Succeeds
With the funding from Britebound, Colorado Succeeds will support advocacy efforts to change systems in Colorado by investing in data systems, communications, and advocacy tools for business coalitions and campaigns to destigmatize nondegree pathways. With Britebound’s support, partners are advancing efforts to leverage the Statewide Longitudinal Data System, to increase the transparency and availability of education and workforce data utilized for decision-making and funding allocation.
From Policy to Practical Experiences
Rodel is an organization dedicated to “cross-pollinating ideas” and connecting partners to strengthen Delaware’s public education system and workforce. They also strategically invest in initiatives and organizations that they believe can contribute to transforming the state into a global leader in education.
A lot of their work is in promoting policy and program changes that can have a significant impact on learners and schools, such as raising academic standards, using recent data to make key decisions, and investing in young people.
“Thanks to Britebound’s support — and aligned with their research on the power of career-connected learning — Delaware’s Rethinking Middle Grades initiative is giving students hands-on, applied opportunities to develop their identities, explore careers, and connect learning to their futures. In partnership with middle schools across Delaware, this work fosters and celebrates a young person’s identity, assets, and aspirations through equity-centered, student-driven programming. Together, we’re breaking down barriers, affirming student voices, and expanding opportunities so every young person in Delaware can envision and actualize a thriving future.” –Kelsey Mensch, Rodel
With their grant from Britebound, Rodel has worked with schools and partners across the state to rethink middle grades as a place where young people are in the driver’s seat of their future. The work focuses on creating strong supports and programming for middle-grade students to meaningfully connect exploration, learning, and a positive self-image to their communities, careers, and a plan for their future. Over the next few years, Rodel will build upon a set of connected activities with an aim to facilitate high quality career exploration programming for 10,000 middle grade students, ensure up to 70% of Delaware high school students participate in a pathways program, and increase attainment of industry recognized credentials in high school by almost 20%.
When it comes to ensuring young people have access to quality education and career-connected learning opportunities, it’s not enough to look at it from an individual or organizational perspective; we must also consider change on a systemic level. Both Colorado Succeeds and Rodel understand the need for advocating for policy creation and change to ensure that young people are put on the path to postsecondary success.
