FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
New resource offers practical guidance for aligning education, employers, and economic development efforts.
IOWA CITY, Iowa — ACT today announced the release of its Pathways to Success Toolkit, a comprehensive resource designed to help communities build stronger connections between education systems and workforce opportunities.
Developed in partnership with Metropolitan Community College of Nebraska and College of Southern Nevada, and with grant support from ECMC Foundation and assistance from IntermediaryEd, the Pathways to Success Toolkit provides community leaders, higher education institutions, educators, and employers with actionable strategies to design and implement effective career pathways. The toolkit is intended to support state and local efforts to prepare learners for high-demand careers while addressing regional workforce needs.
In addition, with the U.S. Department of Education’s recent proposal to expand Workforce Pell Grants to include workforce-aligned credential programs, this toolkit serves as a timely blueprint for the creation of Pell-eligible programs ahead of the July 1 implementation.
“We are proud to have helped shape a resource that reflects what communities truly need to build stronger education-to-workforce connections,” said Tammy Green, executive director of statewide workforce initiatives at Metropolitan Community College. “For Nebraska, this toolkit represents an important opportunity to strengthen collaboration across education, workforce, industry, and community partners so more learners can access clear pathways to good jobs, economic mobility, and long-term success. Just as importantly, it helps communities build systems that can better support individuals and families in moving out of poverty and into more stable, sustainable futures.”
The toolkit outlines five key strategies for building successful pathways initiatives, including fostering cross-sector collaboration; aligning shared goals for success; leveraging resources and funding opportunities; creating tailored education training and IET programs; expanding community outreach and engagement; and enhancing career pathways with integrated support services. Each strategy is accompanied by activities, templates, case examples, planning tools, and frameworks that communities can adapt to their unique economic and demographic contexts.
Grounded in lessons learned from nearly 600 ACT Work Ready Communities across the country and from the success of efforts at the Metropolitan Community College and the College of Southern Nevada, the resource reflects proven approaches to strengthening local talent pipelines. By equipping stakeholders with shared language and structured guidance, the toolkit aims to accelerate progress toward more equitable and efficient workforce systems. In fact, more than 6,000 additional learners were enrolled in education programs during the pilot initiative, with nearly 90% earning a stackable credential and more than 1 in 3 improving their score on ACT’s National Career Readiness Certificate.
“Strong pathways don’t happen by accident — they are intentionally designed through collaboration and data-driven decision-making,” said Stavan Corbett, executive director of the division of workforce and economic development at the College of Southern Nevada. “We’ve seen it firsthand — this toolkit empowers communities to take that work further, faster.”
The Pathways to Success Toolkit is available now to community leaders, educators, workforce development professionals, and policymakers seeking to enhance education-to-career alignment and expand opportunities for learners of all backgrounds.
“Too many learners, especially those from under-resourced communities, face disconnected systems that make it hard to translate education into opportunity,” said Tina Gridiron, chief impact officer at ACT. “The Pathways to Success Toolkit is about changing that reality and helping communities align around shared goals to build pathways that lead to meaningful careers and long-term economic mobility.”
Read more about the Pathways to Success Toolkit here.
About ACT
ACT is transforming college and career readiness pathways so that everyone can discover and fulfill their potential. Grounded in more than 65 years of research, ACT’s learning resources, assessments, research, and work-ready credentials are trusted by students, job seekers, educators, schools, government agencies, and employers in the U.S. and around the world to help people achieve their education and career goals at every stage of life. Visit us at www.act.org
Contact: publicrelations@act.org
