Pathways Resource Library

Tools to help people understand their options

Explore messaging, research, and resources from across the field—along with customizable, white-label tools that you can adapt, brand as your own, and use in your organization’s communications—to help you reach key audiences with language that builds confidence and expands what’s possible.

Toolkit

Skills-Based Hiring Toolkit

This resource may be shared with proper attribution to the organization.

This resource includes a set of skills-based hiring toolkits that include a skills-based job-posting, interview questions, and onboarding plans. Each Skills-Based Hiring Toolkit is packed with valuable resources that will help you transform your hiring strategy.

Research Report

Lumina State of Higher Education

This resource may be shared with proper attribution to the organization.

Gallup and Lumina Foundation conducted a report studying the most pressing issues facing higher education. Insights cover U.S. adults' interest in pursuing higher education, what's keeping them from enrolling and what's causing currently enrolled students to consider stopping out.

White Paper

Degrees of Risk: What Gen Z and Employers Think About Education-to-Career Pathways… and How Those Views are Changing

This resource may be shared with proper attribution to the organization.

This is an examination of what is required to make a person employable, as well as what professional and educational success looks like. This study was commissioned by American Student Assistance (ASA) and Jobs for the Future (JFF). The research aimed to understand current familiarity with and perceptions of non-degree postsecondary pathways from both Gen Z and employer perspectives. This paper also makes recommendations for the way forward to expand high-quality postsecondary options for all learners.

Research Report

The American Workforce Index

This resource may be shared with proper attribution to the organization.

Playbook or Guidebook

Skills-Based Sourcing and Hiring Playbook

This resource may be shared with proper attribution to the organization.

This playbook is a step-by-step guide to implementing more equitable and effective approaches to employee recruiting, hiring, and advancement by embracing skills-first talent management practices.

Research Report

Skills-Based Hiring

This resource may be shared with proper attribution to the organization.

While headlines trumpet the demise of the college degree, this joint report with Harvard Business School Project on Managing the Future of Work reveals a different reality. Many companies have announced dropping degree requirements, but sustained hiring changes remain elusive for most. This report identifies where the reality of skills-based hiring might be lagging well-meaning ambitions, and shows which companies are getting it right.

Article, Research Report

Failing on Purpose

This resource may be shared with proper attribution to the organization.

This survey explores the perspectives and experiences of those in closest contact with the American education system—namely parents, current students, and recent graduates. In partnership with YouGov, American Compass surveyed representative American parents young adults about their views on the purpose of public education; their reflections on the way that the school system has performed; and their desire for reforms to both K–12 schools and higher education. They found that Americans want (1) a public education system less focused on college, more focused on preparing people to build decent lives in their communities, and (2) education reforms to emphasize non-college pathways.

Research Report

Education at a Crossroads

This resource may be shared with proper attribution to the organization.

High school graduates no longer see the traditional 4-year college pathway as their only postsecondary option, according to the latest research from YouScience®. This report contains insights into pathways students are choosing instead, where they turn for influence and guidance, and where there are opportunities for improvement. The report includes data and solutions for:

  • Career and Technical Education (CTE) awareness.
  • Post-graduation satisfaction.
  • Educator/student interactions.
  • Counselor impact.
  • Aptitude discovery.
Article

Bridging the Advancement Gap

This resource may be shared with proper attribution to the organization.

To better understand frontline employee perspectives, McKinsey, in collaboration with Cara Plus, conducted separate surveys of frontline employees and managers of frontline employees across the country in March 2022. This article explores frontline employee career advancement in four parts: first, what frontline employees say they need; second, what employers perceive as the career advancement priorities of frontline employees; third, the common barriers to career advancement; and last, how employers can bridge the differences, with a focus on tactical actions to meaningfully improve career advancement outcomes.

Filters

Filters

Toolkit

Skills-Based Hiring Toolkit

This resource may be shared with proper attribution to the organization.

This resource includes a set of skills-based hiring toolkits that include a skills-based job-posting, interview questions, and onboarding plans. Each Skills-Based Hiring Toolkit is packed with valuable resources that will help you transform your hiring strategy.

Research Report

Lumina State of Higher Education

This resource may be shared with proper attribution to the organization.

Gallup and Lumina Foundation conducted a report studying the most pressing issues facing higher education. Insights cover U.S. adults' interest in pursuing higher education, what's keeping them from enrolling and what's causing currently enrolled students to consider stopping out.

White Paper

Degrees of Risk: What Gen Z and Employers Think About Education-to-Career Pathways… and How Those Views are Changing

This resource may be shared with proper attribution to the organization.

This is an examination of what is required to make a person employable, as well as what professional and educational success looks like. This study was commissioned by American Student Assistance (ASA) and Jobs for the Future (JFF). The research aimed to understand current familiarity with and perceptions of non-degree postsecondary pathways from both Gen Z and employer perspectives. This paper also makes recommendations for the way forward to expand high-quality postsecondary options for all learners.

Research Report

The American Workforce Index

This resource may be shared with proper attribution to the organization.

Playbook or Guidebook

Skills-Based Sourcing and Hiring Playbook

This resource may be shared with proper attribution to the organization.

This playbook is a step-by-step guide to implementing more equitable and effective approaches to employee recruiting, hiring, and advancement by embracing skills-first talent management practices.

Research Report

Skills-Based Hiring

This resource may be shared with proper attribution to the organization.

While headlines trumpet the demise of the college degree, this joint report with Harvard Business School Project on Managing the Future of Work reveals a different reality. Many companies have announced dropping degree requirements, but sustained hiring changes remain elusive for most. This report identifies where the reality of skills-based hiring might be lagging well-meaning ambitions, and shows which companies are getting it right.

Article, Research Report

Failing on Purpose

This resource may be shared with proper attribution to the organization.

This survey explores the perspectives and experiences of those in closest contact with the American education system—namely parents, current students, and recent graduates. In partnership with YouGov, American Compass surveyed representative American parents young adults about their views on the purpose of public education; their reflections on the way that the school system has performed; and their desire for reforms to both K–12 schools and higher education. They found that Americans want (1) a public education system less focused on college, more focused on preparing people to build decent lives in their communities, and (2) education reforms to emphasize non-college pathways.

Research Report

Education at a Crossroads

This resource may be shared with proper attribution to the organization.

High school graduates no longer see the traditional 4-year college pathway as their only postsecondary option, according to the latest research from YouScience®. This report contains insights into pathways students are choosing instead, where they turn for influence and guidance, and where there are opportunities for improvement. The report includes data and solutions for:

  • Career and Technical Education (CTE) awareness.
  • Post-graduation satisfaction.
  • Educator/student interactions.
  • Counselor impact.
  • Aptitude discovery.
Article

Bridging the Advancement Gap

This resource may be shared with proper attribution to the organization.

To better understand frontline employee perspectives, McKinsey, in collaboration with Cara Plus, conducted separate surveys of frontline employees and managers of frontline employees across the country in March 2022. This article explores frontline employee career advancement in four parts: first, what frontline employees say they need; second, what employers perceive as the career advancement priorities of frontline employees; third, the common barriers to career advancement; and last, how employers can bridge the differences, with a focus on tactical actions to meaningfully improve career advancement outcomes.

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