Latest news with #careerpathways
CNA
01-07-2025
- Business
- CNA
Revamped *SCAPE to open in November with focus on youth-led programmes
A space for youths in the heart of Orchard Road is set to complete its third revamp since it began almost two decades ago. From November, *SCAPE's latest and biggest iteration will move away from retail offerings and focus more instead on youth-led programmes, such as career pathways and community building. It expects an annual footfall of more than 2 million people and hopes to reach over 30,000 youths annually. The refreshed *SCAPE is part of the SG Youth Plan, a five-year blueprint on how to support the nation's youth that is set to be released next year. Muhammad Bahajjaj reports.
Yahoo
18-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Majority of high schoolers say they don't feel prepared for post-graduation
This story was originally published on HR Dive. To receive daily news and insights, subscribe to our free daily HR Dive newsletter. Fewer than 30% of high school students feel 'very prepared' to pursue a postsecondary pathway, whether a traditional four-year college degree, work or other options, according to a June 10 report from Jobs for the Future, Gallup and the Walton Family Foundation. Even among students interested in a specific pathway, only 46% said they feel 'very prepared,' the report found. 'In order to build a stronger economy, we have to help young people understand not just what jobs are out there, but what pathways are available to them to pursue and succeed in those jobs,' said Maria Flynn, CEO of Jobs for the Future. 'Young people need support exploring their career interests and education pathways at a much earlier age so they graduate high school with a tangible understanding of the kind of training and skills they'll need for the jobs of tomorrow,' Flynn said. In a survey of Generation Z high schoolers and their parents, both groups were most aware of two traditional post-graduation pathways: pursuing a four-year college degree and joining the workforce. About a third of high schoolers and more than half of parents said they knew 'a great deal' about bachelor's degree options and paying jobs. However, both said they didn't know as much about other pathways, such as certification programs, internships, apprenticeships, military options or entrepreneurship. At least half of parents said they know 'only a little' or 'nothing at all' about pathways other than college degrees and paid jobs. Notably, parents were the most trusted source for post-graduation guidance, with 90% of students saying they relied on their parents for information about degree and job pathways. After that, students said they relied on teachers (54%), other family members (52%) and school counselors (48%). Fewer than a third of students said they trust career websites or social media posts from strangers. Among recent high school graduates, fewer than half said their school prepared them for any option other than college or a job. Nearly 1 in 10 said their high school didn't prepare them for any option. Although students pointed to in-person college visits, internships and jobs as the most helpful experiences for learning about their options, many hadn't participated in those options. About half of students said they've never had a job or internship, and more than a third said they've never gone for a college visit. More than half of hiring managers say recent graduates are unprepared for the workforce, and 1 in 6 say they're reluctant to hire from the Gen Z cohort, according to a report from Employers expressed concerns about a lack of professionalism, excessive phone use and poor time management skills. Compared to five years ago, employees and executives alike say entry-level workers seem unprepared for their jobs, according to a General Assembly survey. Leaders cited a lack of training in both soft skills and technical skills, yet employees and executives also said companies don't provide enough training to new hires, the report found. Additional post-graduation pathways, including 'earn-and-learn' programs such as apprenticeships, internships and work-study programs, can help workers gain skills and experience while earning a paycheck and benefit employers through higher retention and fewer workforce gaps, according to a Government Accountability Office report. Employers named barriers such as administrative burden and cost, which some federal agencies are trying to address with new initiatives, GAO found. Recommended Reading Employees want change — and feedback may be part of that
Yahoo
01-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Goshen celebrates CTE graduates
GOSHEN — Nearly a dozen Goshen High School seniors celebrated with families and school staff their recent achievements of graduating from the Career and Technical Education pathways during the school's first ever CTE signing event, held on Wednesday. 'A lot of times you see athletic signings, for students who are going to continue as athletes at the next level, and when you take a look at some of our CTE students, a lot of them are continuing on in some way, shape or form at some level,' said Jon Everingham, GHS assistant principal and CTE director. 'It could be entering the workforce, it could be entering the military or moving on to some postsecondary opportunity like a trade school or university and so it's just a way to kind of recognize students, much like the athletic department does, and celebrate.' To qualify for the signing, students had to be enrolled in the CTE program and have a minimum of six credits in their pathway. Any CTE seniors who qualified for any post-secondary placement such as college or direct entry into the workforce from their pathway, or enlistment in the military, were invited to attend the signing event. High school Principal Cathy DeMeyer said all graduating nursing students who completed the program received an offer of employment from Goshen Hospital. 'When students enter into the CTE programs, it's not just to help them get a high school diploma,' Everingham said. 'We're also looking to get them anywhere from 12-19 dual credits that they can use after high school and also industry recognized certification. So, if you are entering the workforce and you have an industry recognized certification, it just puts you ahead of the game in terms of the next applicant that's applying for the same job.' A year ago, there was only one half-day CTE program — building trades — but by next year, there will be 12 CTE programs, including radio, TV and broadcasting; fire rescue, health science, education; advanced manufacturing, welding this year; and next year engineering technologies, entrepreneurship academy for business, aviation mechanics through the Boys & Girls Club, supply chain logistics, and work-based learning opportunities and apprenticeships with Horizon Education Alliance or HEA. The event also marked the presentation of the CTE Student of the Year Award, which sent to Sherlyn Gonzalez, a student dually enrolled in the Construction Trades and Welding pathways at the high school, one of few women enrolled in either program. 'I like doing hands-on learning,' Gonzalez said. 'It's something I want to do as a career.' Gonzalez plans to attend Ivy Tech in the fall to earn an associate's degree in Welding Technologies and maybe eventually pursue a degree in Engineering. Gonzalez has always had an interest in hands-on skills, despite being a woman, starting early working on cars and remodeling with her dad. 'I'm not that good, but I'm learning little by little,' she said. Gonzalez said she wasn't ever concerned that she was making the wrong decision when she enrolled in the male-dominated classes, and she found boys in her classes to be respectful and supportive. Welding Technologies teacher Bryan Eck provided a statement ahead of the small award presentation. 'As a student in our Welding Technologies program and a participant in the intensive 3-hour Construction program, Sherlyn demonstrated exceptional skill, a strong work ethic, and unwavering dedication. With her talent and determination, she will be a true leader in the skilled trades in the future. Sherlyn is on track to attend Ivy Tech this fall to pursue an associate degree in their welding technologies program' he wrote. Gonzalez spoke positively about her teacher as well. Like many CTE teachers, Eck, in welding, comes from a professional background, rather than an education-based background. 'He teaches hands-on really well,' Gonzalez said. 'He's not a teacher, but he's a good teacher.' It's the first time for the distinction, making Gonzalez the inaugural recipient of the award, with Everingham at the helm of the CTE programming offered by Goshen High School.
The Independent
30-05-2025
- Business
- The Independent
Many international students hope to launch careers in the US. Their pathways may dim under Trump
Since coming from China as a teenager for boarding school, Bob Zeng has imagined building a career in the United States. But as he prepared to graduate Thursday from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, it felt like the last chapter of his life in America. Zeng said he has been rethinking his plans because of the Trump administration's pledge to aggressively revoke the visas of Chinese students. Having completed a masters degree in science and management, he is thinking about moving to Europe. Or going home to China. 'I am worried about working here,' said Zeng, 30. 'You never know what's going to happen.' Many international students come to the U.S. with hopes of gaining work experience and returning to their home countries or pursuing a career in the U.S. But the administration's intensifying scrutiny of international students — and signs that formal career pathways for them may be closed — are leading some to reconsider their plans. Beyond the steps the administration already has taken — expanding the grounds for terminating students' ability to study in the U.S., adding new vetting for student visas, moving to block foreign enrollment at Harvard — a key nominee has raised the possibility of ending a program that encourages international students to stay and gain work experience. About 240,000 of the 1.1 million people on student visas in the U.S. are on Optional Practical Training — a one-year post-graduation period where they are authorized to work in fields related to their degrees. It can last up to three years for graduates in science, math and technology fields. President Donald Trump 's nominee for director of United States Citizenship and Immigration Services, Joseph Edlow, said during his confirmation hearing on May 21 that he would like to see an end to post-graduate work authorization for international students. 'What I want to see would be essentially a regulatory and sub-regulatory program that would allow us to remove the ability for employment authorizations for F-1 students beyond the time that they are in school,' said Edlow, referring to the F-1 visas on which most international students attend college in the U.S. A program offers international students a foothold for careers in the US The opportunity to gain career experience at U.S. companies, especially in technology and other fields where American companies dominate, has long been a draw of studying here. Many enter the H-1B visa lottery, hoping to be selected for one of the employer-sponsored visas that offer a pathway to permanent residency in the United States. Threatening practical training opportunities would have long-term consequences for the U.S. in attracting international students, said Fanta Aw, CEO of NAFSA, which represents international educators. 'We turn global talent away at our own expense,' Aw said. Like many international students, Marko, 29, finds himself glued to the news with a growing sense of alarm. His Optional Practical Training expires in a month, and he has applied for an extension but hasn't heard back, leaving him in limbo. Lawyers for the tech company where he works in New York City advised him to carry proof of his legal status in his wallet, which he finds 'dehumanizing.' 'The message being sent now is that: You are not one of us, and we are going to get rid of you,' said Marko, who asked that only his first name be used because he is worried about being targeted for removal from the country. He has lived in the U.S. for a decade spanning college and graduate school, but his family and friends back home have encouraged him to leave. His hope is that he gets the OPT extension and can then apply for an H-1B visa and continue his life in the U.S., but he also worries about anti-immigrant sentiment and who will be targeted next. Foreign students have been targeted on several fronts In his first administration, Trump floated the idea of curtailing OPT, but that did not materialize. During the campaign, he suggested he would give green cards to foreign students who graduate from U.S. colleges, a sentiment that students and educators hoped would signal more welcoming policies for international talent. But since taking office his administration has cracked down on international students in several ways. In April, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement began terminating the legal status of people with student visas who appeared in a database of police encounters. Many caught up in that effort were on OPT, and had to leave their jobs or risk violating laws about working without legal authorization. ICE eventually restored students' status after widespread legal challenges, but not before some chose to leave the country pre-emptively, fearing deportation. In mid-May, some recent graduates received letters threatening to terminate their status if they did not update their employment records. While the letters gave them an opportunity to fix any reporting issues, it sent another wave of uncertainty through international graduates. This week, Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced the government would move to revoke visas of Chinese students with connections to the Chinese Communist Party or studying in 'critical' fields. Yurong 'Luanna' Jiang, a Chinese student who graduated Thursday from Harvard University, said in an interview that she had hoped to stay in the U.S. for a few years but she has been unsettled by the Trump administration's crackdown on visas. "In terms of the plan going forward, I would say everything is up in the air at this point,' said Jiang, who is now open to going anywhere in the world to work in international development. 'At this point, it's difficult to say what will happen.' ___ Gecker reported from San Francisco. Toness and Associated Press writer Michael Casey contributed from Cambridge, Massachusetts. ___ The Associated Press' education coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP's standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at
