Unlocking Career Potential: Key Takeaways from Leading Career-Connected Learning Programs

Through the course of our work at Catalyze, we have discovered that the most effective career-connected learning programs primarily focus on fostering learner agency. That means empowering young people to take control of their education and career journeys, and equipping them with the confidence and skills to navigate the complexities of the modern workforce. 

Catalyze’s recent webinar Unlocking Career Potential: Real-World Innovations in Career-Connected Learning brought together leaders from Propel America and the National Indian Education Association (NIEA) to share their experiences and insights. The two organizations brought distinct perspectives: Propel America provides young adults aged 18 to 26 with access to career paths in healthcare at no cost, while NIEA was founded by Native American educators to advocate for and determine how Native youth should be educated. 

The discussion highlighted critical elements for building effective career-connected learning programs. These are four key takeaways from the event. 

Leverage the power of career exploration.

Mariana Saucedo, senior director, program design and innovation at Propel America, shared that they engage learners early and often by piloting workshops about Allied Healthcare roles to high school students. The program introduces learners to the healthcare field and provides them with self-assessment tools and professional development opportunities. 

“When we think about defining learner agency, we definitely take a strengths-based approach to supporting our learners. We understand that our fellows come with talents, skills and interests,” Saucedo said. “We help them to build on their existing talents and refine their employability skills by having opportunities to practice and explore before entering the workforce.”

For NIEA’s program, career exploration starts as young as middle school. They use virtual reality to help students explore various career paths through hands-on experiences that allow learners to experiment and discover their interests early.

Align employer and learner needs.

Employer engagement helps to ensure that career-connected learning programs remain relevant and effective. Both organizations have established advisory groups to gather input from employers and adapt their programs accordingly. 

NIEA’s Catalyze funded project in Wisconsin engages a council of partners focused on the construction industry to help identify labor needs and skills gaps across the geographic regions served in the state. As the organization grows, they’re looking to expand their focus to other important local industries, such as healthcare, financial services and casinos. 

Propel America’s employer advisory board shares the latest trends and needs that they see within the healthcare industry. Oftentimes, Saucedo said, the most in-demand skills they identify are “soft skills” such as time management, interpersonal communication and professionalism in the workplace.

Both organizations emphasized that employer engagement is not a one-way street. While it is important for learners to gain in-demand skills and relevant experience, it is equally important for employers to understand learners’ needs, interests, cultural values and generational shifts.

Center cultural relevance.

Casie Wise, senior director at NIEA, highlighted how integrating cultural and linguistic norms into career-connected learning significantly impacts their learners. 

“There's a lack of access to many types of jobs in some of our Native communities,” Wise explained. “What we really focus on is, how can we connect learners and communities to institutions, businesses and employers that really reflect who they are as a Native student, who they are as a tribal member and who they are as a citizen of their culture and identity.”

Many of Propel America’s learners are women of color and mothers. They work to understand their learners’ different lived experiences and provide support services such as transportation and child care. Cultural relevance also shows up in the form of generational differences in the workplace. Propel America works alongside both learners and employers to communicate those differences, understand what skills learners need to build, and encourage employers to think about how the workplace might need to change.

Both organizations agree that embedding culturally relevant elements into career-connected learning programs helps students build a sense of identity and purpose. The connection to their lived experiences also develops self-awareness, which is crucial for navigating their career paths with confidence.

Build relationships and trust.

Woven throughout the experiences and recommendations from both organizations was the importance of building strong relationships and trust with learners, families and communities. 

Wise stressed that the effectiveness of NIEA’s work hinges on the relationships built with tribal communities, elders and parents. "The work is only as strong as the relationships we've built with the community," she said. This relationship-building phase can take time — often six months to a year before implementing a program — but it is essential for establishing trust and ensuring that programs are tailored to the community's needs.

Saucedo echoed this sentiment, emphasizing the importance of addressing the unique needs of different learner groups through surveys and one-on-one coaching. "The talent exists. We want to build systematic processes to simplify their pathway to quick, accessible career pathways while filling the talent demand in healthcare," she explained. 

Strong relationships also establish social capital for learners. Connecting with mentors, role models and community leaders allows learners to build networks that support their career journeys. These relationships provide invaluable guidance and open doors to opportunities that might otherwise remain inaccessible.

These insights offered valuable guidance for developing impactful programs that empower learners to take control of their futures. Ultimately, no matter the industry, community or approach, the goal is to help young people build the agency they need to pursue meaningful and fulfilling careers.