MDRC Research on Career Pathways

As postsecondary credentials have become increasingly important for accessing higher quality employment, a growing number of education and workforce programs are implementing career pathways approaches to help both youth and adults prepare for further education and better jobs. In recent years, MDRC has conducted research on a range of career pathways programs and their components. This issue brief describes the career pathways approach, highlighting core design elements, and profiles MDRC projects that shed light on the effectiveness of this approach and its potential to improve education and career outcomes.