Too often, valuable programs and initiatives come and go with the winds of change. In contrast, systems that are built for the long-term are more resilient and more effective than individual stand-alone programs or initiatives.  

Our consultants, with NC3T’s suite of supporting planning tools, can help you develop an integrated and aligned system for your pathways, Career Connected Learning, and workforce development initiatives.

Consulting & Professional Development Services

Systems Building is more complicated than focusing on individual programs or an initiative.  

Therefore, if you want to develop a systems approach to pathways, Career Connected Learning, or workforce education, the best step forward is for one or two of our consultants to talk with you and get a better sense about your needs and interests.

Based on these conversations, we will create a customized proposal that will cover a scope of one to three years. We strongly suggest that you plan for at least two years of consulting facilitation and support, to build necessary momentum and follow through. Your actual implementation timeline may extend beyond two years. We think this multi-year planning perspective is realistic, even if your contracting process only allows for year-by-year contracts with an outside entity.

The project will include a mix of:

  • Asset analysis of the existing resources, initiatives, and programs in your district, college or coalition of partners.
  • Identification of key stakeholders to involve in the process.
  • Facilitation of one or more stakeholder meetings, and an interactive development of an action plan based on the stakeholder input.
  • A series of issue-focused workshops, in-person or virtual, with additional follow-up coaching sessions for small groups leaders and/or instructors

Creating a Pathways System

A Pathways System is more than a set of CTE programs. NC3T’s Pathways System model identifies six interconnected elements – the Profile of a Graduate, Career Development, Pathway Programs of Study, Engaging Teaching and Learning, Employer and Community Engagement, and Cross-System Collaboration. This inclusive system of supportive policies and strategies is based on Hans Meeder’s groundbreaking book, The Power and Promise of Pathways.  

NC3T consultants can lead a school district and its community partners in designing a powerfully impactful Career Pathways System.

Creating a Communication Plan for an Initiative

One of the key leadership challenges for implementing a new approach to Career Connected Learning or an effective Pathways System is being able to communicate the urgency for change, the benefits of change, and the positive vision of what change will bring to multiple stakeholders. NC3T guides the development of your communication plan by helping to identify important and specific changes and action steps that are necessary for a successful initiative and provides resources and templates that will help you craft your initial set of communications tools.

Communications Training for Key Staff Members

For effective communication to occur, it’s critical to share with internal stakeholders a few, easy-to-remember, messages that explain the reason for the new approach, and how system strategies will help effect real change. NC3T will guide your planning team through the creation of these messages and support the design of your internal communications training with additional resources and content like our CareerSmart Conversations.

To request more information, or to get started, click here!