Vantage Point Consulting is proud to announce we will supply The Council for Adult and Experiential Learning (CAEL) with Design and Application build for Connected Pathways, a national career-exploration system, funded by the U.S. Department of Education. Fully personalized, scalable, and adaptable, the technology solution is designed to boost the social mobility of Black, Latinx, and other underserved learners across the country by empowering them to make informed choices as they navigate complex educational and career options.

The program will be available at no cost to all users. Connected Pathways will help students link learning opportunities to rewarding careers aligned to their interests, ambitions, and aptitudes. It also will offer them a demystified yet data-driven understanding of the costs and benefits associated with the many education and career decisions they face. The Connected Pathways program is funded in full by a $4.9 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education’s Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education (FIPSE), which encourages holistic solutions for improving access to postsecondary education.

The CAEL-led Connected Pathways project will provide an inclusive and accessible career awareness platform for high school students and other young adults nationally, with pilot projects tailored to unique regional needs. "Helping students succeed and achieve social mobility requires more than any one organization can provide – we need to work collaboratively to help learners identify their best opportunities, navigate those options, and support them along their path to success,” said Dawn Lang, senior vice president of partnership development at CAEL. “We are excited and honored to work with the partners on Connected Pathways to make a difference for students in need as they work to improve their lives through education." “Linking learning and work, and creating synergies between traditional education and non-college learning, are central to this partnership and the Connected Pathways program,” said Tim Greinert, senior vice president of development for Junior Achievement USA.

The first phase of Connected Pathways will launch in June. As it rolls out nationally over the three-year term of the grant, CAEL and its partners expect to deploy Connected Pathways in various configurations to ensure it meets the unique needs of local communities and complements existing resources. It will serve as a means for disadvantaged students and their families to connect with a network of counselors, teachers, volunteers, social workers, community organizations, and employers to help them successfully navigate the structural inequities that hinder access to lifelong learning pathways and fulfilling careers. Connected Pathways will include an online platform with additional project details, which will roll out ahead of the June launch.