Research has consistently revealed that adolescents with a migration background are more likely to drop out from vocational education and training (VET) at the upper-secondary level than their native peers. While recent research has provided rich empirical evidence of mechanisms leading to dropouts from VET, little is known about such mechanisms…

This dissertation explores the integration of work-study programs, mentorship, and support systems at Cristo Rey Tampa Salesian High School (CRTSHS) and their role in preparing underrepresented students for post-secondary education and professional careers. Utilizing a case study methodology, this research centers on an in-depth analysis of a…

Extended learning opportunities (ELOs) have gained traction in Maine and nationally as a means for students to develop "college, career, and life" skills through out-of-classroom experiences. As ELOs are not structured or regulated by the state, they vary significantly in range, scope, and access. This report offers insight into…

The manufacturing industry is crucial to the United States economy, constituting more than 10% of the gross domestic product (National Association of Manufacturing [NAM], 2022). However, the sector faces challenges such as a shortage of skilled labor and underrepresentation of women, which threaten its sustainability (NAM, 2023). Various…

This article reports on a skills gap problem experienced in New England states where the economy has improved, but economic opportunity and skills gaps contribute to slower growth in employment, income, and social mobility. The article suggests ways to overcome this gap by building stronger bridges between education and employment…

Planning ahead, arriving on time, taking initiative: these are some of the basics of professionalism. But for most young people, these job skills don't just develop--they must be learned and practiced. Many teens have traditionally honed these skills during a summer job--scooping ice cream, busing tables, lifeguarding. Such summer gigs have long…

Between 1991 and 2016, employment among White, Black, and Latino workers grew by 20 percent, while employment in good jobs soared by 35 percent. Yet the opportunities and benefits of the modern economy have not accrued evenly across the three groups. Discrimination and a history of racial injustice in this country have led to Whites gaining a…

This is the executive summary for the report, "The Unequal Race for Good Jobs: How Whites Made Outsized Gains in Education and Good Jobs Compared to Blacks and Latinos." Between 1991 and 2016, White workers built on their past educational and economic privileges to attain bachelor's and graduate degrees in historically high numbers and…

"Breaking Barriers" shows how to redesign high schools so that all students can move on to college and successful careers. In a negation of the American Dream, a child's zip code is currently a far better predictor of success than hard work, intelligence, or resilience. This book tells the story of a school model that focuses on equity…

Autism spectrum disorder rates are climbing in the United States. Because this population is growing, research is needed to understand how to assist these individuals in pursuit of postsecondary educational and employment opportunities. The purpose of this qualitative study, as reflected in the central research question, was to investigate how a…

"Louisiana Believes," the state's comprehensive plan to prepare students for college and career success, includes a system of related policies and programs that help schools provide students with pathways to future prosperity, give schools the resources to offer these pathways, and reward schools when students achieve their goals. This…

"12 for Life" is an Investing in Innovation (i3) development grant funded by the Office of Innovation and Improvement, U.S. Department of Education. "12 for Life" provides a rigorous STEM curriculum, combined with on-the-job-training, work/life skills development, mentoring, and employment opportunities to high school students…

Mike Rowe wants high school students to rethink that $140,000 art history degree. The creator, executive producer, and host of CNN's Somebody's Gotta Do It and former host of TV's Dirty Jobs has long been passionate about promoting vocational, aka middle-skills, professions. Over the past decade, Rowe has given countless public and private…

Career and technical education (CTE) programs play a vital role in preparing high school students for life after graduation. The Carl D. Perkins Act of 2006 (Perkins) requires states that receive federal CTE funding to align secondary and postsecondary programs, so that students can transition seamlessly from a high school CTE program to a…

Each young person must navigate his/her own pathway into and through postsecondary education and the workforce to long-term success personalized to his/her own unique needs and desires. The pathway to long-term success is often articulated as a straight road through K-12 education into postsecondary education (either academic or technical…