American Student Assistance

While many Gen Zers do not have the information needed to decide what postsecondary pathway is right for them, this can be countered through early hands-on work based learning experiences, such as high school internships. Learn more about how employers are integrating internship programs for high schoolers looking to gain valuable work experience:

When integrating youth #careerexploration and work-based learning programs, it's important to identify potential barriers for students, such as access transportation to work sites, scheduling conflicts, and safety and liability issues. Learn more about how some states are addressing these obstacles:

This month, we want to give a shoutout to one of our partners, American Student Assistance! American Student Assistance is a nonprofit organization based in Boston that helps students make informed choices and develop life skills and awareness regarding their future careers. Thank you for partnering with us, ASA!

In this month's issue of AASA, The School Superintendents Association's School Administrator Magazine, Mastery Transcript Consortium® (MTC) CEO Mike Flanagan and CPO Susan Bell discuss the benefits of school districts moving beyond GPAs and credit hours and instead valuing skills over scores. Read the issue here:

We know from our research at American Student Assistance that access to quality career information is vital to ensuring our young people are #futureready. That's why we've partnered with Getting Smart over the last couple of years to tell stories that illuminate new pathways to prosperity. This piece from Getting Smart highlights some of the models we're looking at that we're aiming to scale nationwide. I highly recommend clicking into the #NewPathways topic tag at the top of the page to explore more of this storytelling and learn about promising pockets of innovation in regions across the country!

Careers in Health Sciences can offer job stability, varying opportunities, longevity, and more. The problem? Few students know about roles outside of doctors and nurses. Getting Smart took the opportunity to expand on what a career in this pathway could look like in their whitepaper, "Health Science Pathways." Read our summary here:

In the Delta Air Lines Career Readiness Program, homeless youth residing in Covenant House Georgia are able to learn about various career paths available at the airline. Those that show interest can participate in 6 weeks of job training and mentorship from Delta employees, after which they have the opportunity to apply and interview for a position at the airline or one of their business partners. Learn more about the program here:

When it comes to #careerexploration, starting earlier is best. However, are states making middle school count through career-connected learning opportunities? To learn more, check out our recap of our panel at #AMLE24:

Pearson's Connections Academy has announced their partnership with CAPS Network to deliver equitable career-connected learning opportunities to the Academy's students, regardless of their geographic location. Learn more about their collaboration here:

Watch this video from #CatalyzeChallenge's Learner Voice Series, featuring the organization's director, Catalyze and alum of Catalyze-supported The Reinvention Lab at Teach For America. Check out their conversation there: