Connecticut Sets Up New Job‑Pathway Team Led by Ex‑Education Secretary

The state has launched a new career‑pathways commission to boost job prospects for its young people. Governor Ned Lamont signed an order creating the board, which will map out how students can move from school to in‑demand jobs. Miguel Cardona, who once ran the U. S. Department of Education and served as Connecticut’s education commissioner, will head the effort. The commission is volunteer‑based. Its members come from schools, colleges, business groups, labor unions, local governments and the legislature. Over the next five years they will draft a plan that covers four areas: designing clear career routes, expanding industry credentials for students, building statewide work‑learning models with employers, and outlining the policy changes needed to make it happen. Lamont said the state’s future prosperity depends on a system that links classrooms, colleges and companies so everyone works toward shared goals. The board must publish its findings by the end of this year.

Cardona’s background in tackling educational gaps and improving access for marginalized students made him a natural fit. He told a recent summit that Connecticut has pockets of excellence but needs to turn those successes into the norm. He wants all students to see a clear path from school to a good job. The business community will play a key role. The Connecticut Business and Industry Association’s president, Chris DiPentima, joins the commission. A new blueprint from CBIA stresses tighter coordination between schools and employers to prepare high‑schoolers for work earlier. The report notes that the state faces many open jobs, especially in fields that don’t require a bachelor’s degree such as hospitality, health care, transportation and manufacturing. These areas could drive more than half of job growth by 2034. Cardona believes expanding career pathways will lift students, communities and the state’s economy. “When our students succeed, Connecticut succeeds, ” he said.

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