Career connected learning is intended to bridge the gap between K-12 education and the workforce. Yet many programs struggle to deliver on that promise because they are not built around the realities of employer demand.
MGT’s Career Connected Learning Report Series examines strategies that are producing stronger alignment between education systems and local labor markets. Part 1: Employer-Driven Design focuses on why employers must play a central role in shaping career pathways if those pathways are meant to lead to real jobs and long-term economic mobility.
Why Employer-Driven Design Matters
Employer-driven design centers career pathways on actual job requirements rather than generalized workforce assumptions. Employers help identify viable roles, required skills, and credentials that students can realistically earn before graduation.
This approach helps:
Ensure students graduate with job-ready skills
Strengthen employer commitment to K-12 partnerships
Create clearer pathways from school into high-demand roles
Case Study: Pasco County and AdventHealth
In Pasco County, Florida, Pasco County Schools partnered with AdventHealth to address persistent shortages in critical healthcare roles. Together, they redesigned health science pathways around specific middle-skill positions, including surgical services and EMT roles.
By aligning coursework and credentials to AdventHealth’s actual job descriptions, the partnership:
Expanded surgical capacity by reducing technician shortages
Reduced reliance on third-party EMT transport
Created direct, local hiring pathways for students
Established a model that can scale across additional healthcare roles
A Practical Starting Point
Part 1 of the Career Connected Learning Report Series is designed for education leaders, employers, funders, and policymakers who want career connected learning efforts that produce measurable workforce outcomes.
The report outlines key considerations, guiding questions, and lessons learned for communities seeking to build employer-centered pathways that last.
Download Part 1: Employer-Driven Design to learn how centering employer needs can transform career connected learning from a well-intentioned initiative into a reliable workforce strategy.
