State Policies That Deliver on Workforce Pell’s Promise: Career Navigation Builds Pathways to Quality Careers

Workforce Pell will expand access to short-term education and training, but financial aid alone isn’t enough to help students make informed choices, complete training, and connect their credentials to quality careers. Career navigation can help bridge that gap by connecting students with trusted guidance, labor market information, supportive services, and employer relationships.

This fact sheet outlines how states can strengthen career navigation infrastructure to help students choose high-quality programs, overcome barriers, complete training, and build pathways to quality careers. It highlights three key areas for state investment:

• Career navigation capacity and access — expanding access to career navigators, coaches, and other trusted guidance.
• Transparent labor market information — providing timely, accessible information on occupations, wages, credentials, career pathways, and employment outcomes.
• Employer partnerships — strengthening connections between students, education and training providers, employers, and regional workforce partners.