Educators need more flexible career paths and education options because traditional one-size-fits-all approaches are outdated. People no longer stay in the same career for life but instead move between jobs cyclically. 21st century jobs demand transferable skills that can be acquired outside of traditional education. Educators must offer various paths toward employment synchronized with learning and job experiences to accommodate the many different and evolving careers people will have throughout their working lives.

1. Empathize & Define

2. Say
“One-size-fits-all approaches
are never good.”
“One degree for one job is no longer realistic.”
“There seems to be more emphasis on
credentials than skills and strengths.”
“Our traditional path
was designed for life-long careers.”
“The actual path most people take now is
much more cyclical.”
“We need to change.”

3. Think
We need more/other
options for paths to careers
Education is too slow to change
Quality people can be trained in any position
People don’t stay in the same career for life
21st century jobs demand
transferable skills

4. Feel
Expecting most of today’s
learners to follow the same
path is narrow minded
Learning and job
experiences should be
synchronous

5. Need Statement
Educators need a way to offer various
paths toward employment because
learners are preparing for many different
and new careers throughout their
employment years.