When people hear “career pathway,” they may picture a straight line from training to a job. Danielle Knotts, manager of career pathways at Workforce Solutions, describes something broader. On a recent episode of the Workforce Solutions Podcast, she told Gulf Coast Workforce Board Executive Director Juliet Stipeche that the term depends on the person.
“You can be on a career pathway just to want to learn how to read to your kid,” she said. “That’s a career pathway.”
Knotts described several kinds of adult learners. A parent might want to communicate better with a child’s school. A recent high school graduate who wants to go to college might not have passed the TSI college placement test and need a bridge course first. A 50-year-old who never finished high school can now work toward a diploma through a competency-based program, take an online self-paced high school program with 10 classes, or go straight to the GED test if they already have the knowledge. A professional trained in another country, such as a doctor new to the U.S., might be working toward returning to their field.
“We’re not one size fits all,” she said.
Knotts said Houston’s mix of cultures and languages shapes what local adult learners need. She called it “a gift and a curse.” The diversity is a strength, but it also means many residents need to build their English skills.
“We have to be able to communicate in English, not specifically for advancement, but for safety,” she said. “And I think safety is at the core of everything.”
Along with English, adult education programs help learners build numeracy and digital literacy. Knotts said technology is the trend that will affect adult learners most in the next few years, and that learning to use new systems often takes formal classes or continuing education. She also pointed to new companies coming to the region that need workers with new skills. Adult education will keep helping people earn credentials in high-skill, high-growth fields, either to move up in their current careers or to switch to new ones.
You can watch the full episode here:
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