Career pathways are a series of secondary, postsecondary, and/or adult education and training services that progressively lead to higher credentials and more advanced employment opportunities, with supports designed to help clients progress through these steps. The career pathways framework prepares participants for fields that are growing or in high demand (sometimes with a focus on fields growing in their geographic area), including health care, manufacturing, office administration, construction, and green industries. This Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation resource describes the effectiveness of programs that were identified by the Pathways to Work Evidence Clearinghouse as using a career pathways approach. It summarizes what is known about these programs and their impacts so Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) and other program administrators, policymakers, researchers, and the general public can apply the evidence to their context.

ProLiteracy hosted a virtual training on September 25, 2023, where participants learned innovative strategies for guiding learners through the journey of career exploration and how to integrate them into classroom activities. The presenter discussed the importance of teaching essential career-related vocabulary, user-friendly tools for skill and interest assessment, and online resources that open doors to vital information about diverse careers. Attendees learned how to connect adult learners with real-world insights that will enhance their digital literacy skill set.

In observance of National Adult Education and Family Literacy Week, September 19-25, this compendium highlights nine practices that represent holistic approaches to delivering adult education programs. These programs represent approaches for modeling effective integrated education and training (IET) programs—transitioning adult learners from adult basic education to postsecondary education or training, and increasing access to adult education services. The practices are drawn from programs in Alabama, Arkansas, Indiana, Kentucky, Massachusetts, North Carolina, Ohio, and Texas.

The U.S. Department of Education, Office of Career, Technical, and Adult Education (OCTAE) has issued guidance to state directors of adult education on the continuity of operations during the current COVID-19 environment. The guidance, presented in frequently asked questions format, addresses WIOA performance reporting, performance negotiations, states’ upcoming competitions to award local provider contracts, distance learning requirements, testing protocols, and policies regarding costs covered.

By March 2020, states are required to submit WIOA Unified and Combined State Plans for the period of 2020-2023. To assist States and their partners, the Departments of Labor, Education, Agriculture, and Health and Human Services hosted a webcast series highlighting content and submission requirements for the State Plans. Topics covered included dislocated workers, the Wagner-Peyser Act, Unemployment Insurance, Adult Education, and Vocational Rehabilitation.

This webpage provides information on City College of San Francisco’s noncredit Vocational English as a Second Language classes which introduce students to work-related vocabulary and help with employment-related language skills. Also provided is a link to I-BEST/Supported Instruction classes, as well as information about the college’s Adult Education Program and a link to the current schedule of classes.

The Northstar Digital Literacy Assessment defines the basic skills needed to use a computer and the Internet in daily life, higher education, and employment. Northstar’s Standards for Essential Computer Skills provide lists of skills pertaining to basic computer use, connecting to the Internet, using email, utilizing Windows and Mac operating systems, and navigating the suite of Microsoft products, including Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.

The Literacy Clearinghouse of the American Library Association (ALA) brings together resources promoting literacy in individuals of all ages. As part of the Literacy Clearinghouse, the Digital Literacy Webpage defines digital literacy as “the ability to use information and communication technologies to find, evaluate, create, and communicate information, requiring both cognitive and technical skills.” The webpage includes links to resources such as white papers and webinars that pertain to digital literacy.

More than 36 million U.S. adults cannot read, write, or do basic math above a third grade level. No state is immune to low literacy, and in Washington State, one in six adults lacks basic skills for acquiring a livable wage job. While Seattle is one of the most literate cities, tens of thousands of individuals struggle with low literacy. To address Seattle’s low literacy rates, Literacy Source program staff and volunteers assist adults in gaining the basic literacy skills needed to succeed in school, find a job, and fulfill life goals.

Established in 1998, the Oklahoma Department of Libraries’ TANF Literacy Initiative is a collaboration between the Oklahoma Department of Libraries (ODL) and the Oklahoma Department of Human Services (DHS). Library and community-based literacy programs offer basic literacy instruction to TANF participants with up to 30 hours of weekly instruction in reading, math, writing, and life skills. After initial assessments by DHS staff, TANF participants are referred to local programs where they remain until they are employed or reach a sixth-grade proficiency level and are referred to other DHS education partners. The TANF Literacy Initiative is supported by funds provided to ODL by DHS. Participating programs receive resources, support, and funding.