The Alabama Career Pathways Program represents a significant statewide initiative designed to bolster Alabama’s workforce by creating accessible and valuable career pathways for its citizens. Spearheaded by Governor Ivey through the Alabama Attainment Committee, a branch of the Alabama Workforce Council, this program aims to ensure Alabamians are equipped with the skills and credentials necessary for high-demand careers. At the heart of this effort is a statewide post-secondary attainment goal: to add 500,000 highly-skilled Alabamians to the workforce by 2025. This ambitious target is being pursued by aligning educational programs across high schools, community colleges, and adult education centers with clearly defined career pathways in sectors experiencing high demand.
Initiatives Driving Career Exploration and Discovery
A cornerstone of the Alabama Career Pathways Program is empowering individuals to make informed decisions about their future careers. To this end, the program champions several key initiatives focused on career exploration and discovery.
Alabama College and Career Exploration Tool (ACCET)
The Alabama College and Career Exploration Tool (ACCET) stands as a pivotal resource within the Career Pathways Program. Launched on October 1, 2020, ACCET is envisioned as a comprehensive, user-friendly digital platform. This “one-stop digital dashboard” is designed to allow Alabamians to explore and compare various college and career options before committing to a specific pathway. ACCET guides users through a digitally delivered exploration of all 79 career pathways within the 16 Career and Technical Education (CTE) industry clusters. It incorporates interest and career profile assessments, and facilitates the creation of personalized graduation plans. Furthermore, ACCET functions as a digital resume, showcasing industry-recognized credentials and tracking progress against established competency models, making it an invaluable tool for career planning and workforce entry.
Alabama Terminal on Linking and Analyzing Statistics (ATLAS) on Career Pathways
Complementing ACCET, the Alabama Terminal on Linking and Analyzing Statistics (ATLAS) on Career Pathways is another critical workforce development instrument. Launched in July 2020, ATLAS is an integrated workforce and education database. This powerful tool provides essential data for identifying in-demand careers and the credentials that hold the most value in the Alabama job market. By creating ATLAS, the Alabama Career Pathways Program ensures a data-driven approach to workforce development. This allows for regular adjustments to workforce and economic development programs, ensuring they remain aligned with the evolving needs of Alabama’s economy.
Expansion of Jobs for Alabama’s Graduates (JAG)
Recognizing the importance of early intervention and support, the Alabama Career Pathways Program includes a significant expansion of Jobs for Alabama’s Graduates (JAG). JAG is a program dedicated to assisting at-risk youth in transitioning into training programs or directly into the workforce. Under Governor Ivey’s leadership, JAG is undergoing its most substantial expansion to date. To address funding limitations that previously hindered JAG’s reach in high-need schools due to local match requirements, Governor Ivey is implementing a five-phased strategy. The ambitious goal is to extend JAG’s presence to every county in Alabama by the end of her first term, ensuring that vulnerable youth across the state benefit from career pathway support.
Enhancing College and Career Readiness through Strategic Partnerships
The Alabama Career Pathways Program also prioritizes enhancing college and career readiness through strategic initiatives focused on apprenticeships, credentialing, and workforce alignment.
Alabama Office of Apprenticeship (AOA)
To strengthen apprenticeship opportunities within the state, the Alabama Industry Recognized and Registered Apprenticeship Program Act of 2019 established the Alabama Office of Apprenticeship (AOA). Prior to this, Alabama relied on the federal Office of Apprenticeship for registered apprenticeship program approvals. The AOA, as Alabama’s state apprenticeship agency, streamlines the process for industry-recognized and registered apprenticeships. This state-level agency fosters greater responsiveness to local industry needs and facilitates the development of high-quality apprenticeship programs that are integral to career pathways.
Alabama Committee on Credentialing and Career Pathways (ACCCP)
The Alabama Committee on Credentialing and Career Pathways (ACCCP) plays a vital role in defining and validating valuable career pathways. Composed of technical advisory committees featuring business and industry experts from each sector, the ACCCP is responsible for identifying valuable career pathways in each region of Alabama. Crucially, the ACCCP evaluates credentials and determines their inclusion on the Alabama Compendium of Valuable Credentials – the state’s definitive list of credentials recognized for their value in the workforce. Each technical advisory committee within the ACCCP is comprised of seven members with expertise in education, workforce, or economic development within their respective industry segment, ensuring industry relevance and expertise in credential evaluation.
Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) State Combined Plan and GOEWT
Further solidifying the commitment to the Alabama Career Pathways Program, Governor Ivey submitted a new four-year Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) state combined plan in February 2020. This plan outlines how Alabama will leverage federal funding to enhance workforce development. To ensure the successful implementation of the attainment and labor force participation goals of the Career Pathways Program, Governor Ivey established the Governor’s Office of Education and Workforce Transformation (GOEWT). The GOEWT operates under an equity-based framework, working to integrate federal Career and Technical Education (CTE) and WIOA funding streams within the combined 2020 state WIOA plan. This strategic braiding of funding is aimed at developing robust career pathways grounded in work-based learning and the attainment of valuable credentials, ultimately driving Alabama’s workforce forward.
Conclusion
The Alabama Career Pathways Program, through its multifaceted initiatives, is strategically building a robust and skilled workforce for the future of Alabama. By focusing on career exploration, providing data-driven insights, expanding support programs, and strengthening apprenticeship and credentialing processes, this program is designed to empower Alabamians to access and succeed in high-demand careers, contributing significantly to the state’s economic growth and prosperity. The commitment to adding 500,000 skilled workers by 2025 underscores the ambitious and transformative nature of the Alabama Career Pathways Program.
