Career Pathways is a directed Scholarship Program available through Keyera that aims to extend financial assistance through scholarship grants to deserving trainees to pursue their technical/vocational education training and potential employment within the company.
Three themes that reflect a developing consensus among policymakers and researchers and point to the opportunities for a career pathways model are:
- Students need to stay in school and complete the requirements for a high school diploma;
- The current and future workforce needs some form of post-secondary education and training in order to become financially self-sufficient for the long-term;
- Training programs that emphasize, " work first " do little to promote career progression. Programs need to focus more on a competency-based model that emphasizes the knowledge and skills students need to work in today's jobs.
There are five key components in the implementation of Career Pathways. These are:
- Business and Industry: Community outreach to the local high schools and other agencies;
- Local High School: Identification of local high school students that are interested in pursuing a specific field of study;
- Student: Successful completion of Post-secondary training in a related program of studies;
- Student: Summer employment in a neighboring facility;
- Student: Possible entry-level employment after graduation;
Employers' in many fields have a critical need for applicants for job openings that are increasingly complex and demanding, but individuals with little formal education and training are not qualified to fill these positions. To prepare the supply of possible skilled employees to meet industry's demand, this country's leaders need to be organized around long term, comprehensive career pathways that engage our youth in education and training programs that would motivate them to stay in school and pursue their dreams.
For employers, the career pathways' strategy can offer a means for recruitment and training of new employees with the required entry-level skills, provide succession-planning opportunities for existing employees, and improve current staff retention.
And for economic development agencies and other government officials, career pathways helps ensure the vitality and growth of the local and regional economy by helping employers in the key economic sectors of the region.
What Career Pathways OffersFrom a workforce and economic development perspective, a career pathways model can serve to:
- Better address the workforce needs of employers, particularly those in high-skill sectors.
- Enhance the long-term earnings and economic self-sufficiency of low-income workers, our aboriginal and non-aboriginal youth.
- Strategically link education, workforce and economic development efforts to strengthen the competitiveness of local economies and business.
