UnidosUS & National Urban League Report Recommends ‘Pathway Navigators’ to Expand Career Opportunities for Underserved Black and Latino Learners

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NEW YORK and WASHINGTON, D.C. (September 4, 2024) –  Today, UnidosUS and the National Urban League released a position paper on the central role that community-based organizations can play in supporting pathways for Black, Latino and low-income learners to gain exposure to career options and opportunities. A Community-Based Approach to Career Pathways Navigation highlights how many of these learners lack access to high-quality opportunities and proposes addressing these challenges by investing in and scaling a community-based pathways navigation model, so they can acquire the necessary credentials to be competitive in our nation’s economy.

The paper also highlights career and technical education (CTE) programs that youth of color have access to, and how they go about receiving information and guidance for these programs.

“What we recommend is a reimagining and restructuring of pathways programs to feature a centralized program institution that we are calling Pathway Navigators. They will act as a central hub to ensure consistent program quality, efficient use of resources and equitable opportunities to learners throughout the system. Increasing and improving access to high-quality career pathways for the communities we serve can truly transform people’s lives for the better,” said Elizabeth Zamudio, UnidosUS Vice President of Education.

“As we navigate the complexities of our educational system and changing demographics of the future workforce, it is essential that our approach reflects racial and ethnic diversities and responds to cultural and linguistic differences. Expanding opportunities to learn and acquire the skills young people need to be successful also strengthens our nation’s ability to develop the workforce that will secure our global competitiveness,” said Horatio Blackman, National Urban League Vice President, Education Policy, Advocacy & Engagement.

The promise of career pathways as a vehicle for social and economic mobility holds significant potential for students of color, the report finds. If done right, a strong navigation approach within career pathways programs can lead not only to educational advancement opportunities but also to avenues to transcend generationally entrenched economic disparities.