As skepticism about the return on investment of a college degree grows among young people, Gen Z is embracing a more diverse spectrum of career pathways. This shift is aided by an ever-widening array of education and training options, from traditional college degrees and certificates to apprenticeships and military service. Learners can now pursue more than one million credentials that open doors to both white-collar careers and well-paying skilled trades.
Many of these routes offer great promise, particularly as employers express a growing desire to hire from non-college pathways. But as research shows, when it comes to choice, more is not necessarily better. From choosing a flavor of jam to picking out a health insurance plan, offering more options alone doesn’t yield better outcomes for the consumer. A significant subset of people never sign up for insurance or buy the jam: the choices are simply too overwhelming.
When it comes to education and workforce pathways, the solution to choice overload isn’t fewer choices, however, but more accurate and clear information.
Decisions related to college and career come with lifelong impacts, but students receive a startling lack of support when making those decisions. A new Morning Consult survey commissioned by JFF and ASA found that one-third of individuals between the ages of 16 and 24 say they do not know what career they want to pursue. That’s at least 10 million young people lost in a sea of possibilities with no idea where they are going or how they will get there.
Nearly three-quarters of the young people surveyed said that having greater access to information on different career and education options would help them find a clearer path forward. Failing to guide young people on career options exacerbates inequality: affluent students leverage social capital for clear paths to high-paying jobs, while disadvantaged peers may risk being channeled into unstable, low-wage positions with limited growth potential. As the new school year approaches, we have to improve the ways students find career paths that align with their aspirations and talents.
The transformation begins in our schools, which should look to expand their career navigation services by embracing tools and technologies that boost the capacity of overburdened counselors.
While a majority of educators approve of their students choosing to pursue a non-degree education pathway, half of them worry that the information their high school provides to students is not enough—and that employers may not understand the value of such routes. The American School Counselor Association is helping schools fill this gap with resources like its Career Conversation Starters toolkit, which provides questions designed to help students, parents, and community members better understand the expanding number of postsecondary and career options.
To build on this momentum, we must do a better job of putting digital career exploration resources like Roadtrip Nation, Futurescape, and EvolveMe in the hands of counselors and educators to offer tailored support to learners as they navigate career choices and learn to build social networks. The rise of generative AI also presents new opportunities to help educators personalize career navigation, by connecting a student’s interests and skills to educational programs and career pathways.
Employers, too, have a crucial role to play—especially at a time when so many companies are grappling with labor shortages. Talent acquisition should clearly articulate and amplify the career advancement opportunities associated with entry-level positions—as well as what training, credentials, and skills are required to pursue those opportunities.
Many industries offer fulfilling career opportunities that do not require a college degree but that remain under the radar for the vast majority of students. United Airlines, for example, developed a 36-month apprenticeship program that offers young people full-time, paid training to become well-paid certified maintenance technicians. Chipotle has made big investments in funding employee educational benefits and creating clear pathways to promotion for its frontline, aiming to be the “fastest path to the middle class.”
Of course, getting the word out is easier said than done. Industry groups can come alongside employers to raise awareness among school counselors, families, and Gen Z. The National Retail Federation Foundation has spent decades highlighting career paths within the retail sector, while working with employers like Lowe’s, Target, and Disney to build industry-recognized courses that credential students to work in supply chain management, customer service, and retail business roles.
Similarly, the electronics manufacturing industry struggles with worker shortages despite recent investments in the semiconductor sector. IPC, a nonprofit supporting the industry, is launching apprenticeship programs and promoting opportunities for students, but there is more work to be done to build awareness and interest in this important sector.
State policymakers, meanwhile, can support pathways by designing accountability standards that look beyond college readiness and also define success as career readiness. Current standards are heavily geared towards preparing students for four-year colleges, using standardized tests as the main measure of both student and school performance.
This approach increasingly overlooks the needs of today’s students and what it takes to succeed in the labor market. Accountability frameworks should be redesigned to prioritize career readiness, empowering the K-12 system to better prepare students for a larger variety of high-quality postsecondary options, including apprenticeships and work-based learning.
In Indiana, the state’s Commission for Higher Education is developing a Comprehensive Career Coaching and Navigation Framework that includes specific milestones for each grade level. By grades 6 through 8, for example, students will be expected to articulate how their talents connect to potential future careers.
Meanwhile, high school students would be required to engage with structured career exploration opportunities aligned to their interests. As part of the effort, the state is awarding $25 million in grants to school corporations, colleges, and career coaching providers.
Improving how students navigate their career paths will require a collaborative effort between policymakers, education leaders, employers, and workforce systems. The goal should not only be to address the existing guidance gap but to establish comprehensive support systems that anticipate and support the varied educational needs and career ambitions of all students in the years to come. In doing so, we can build a future where all young people can access quality learning pathways that lead to meaningful, quality jobs.
