The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), signed by President Obama in July 2014, defines in law the term “career pathway.” The WIOA definition articulates the interdependence of career pathway programming with industry sector strategies and identifies the specific features and functions of career pathway PROGRAMS. WIOA also supports development of career pathway SYSTEMS—the cohesive set of policies, practices, resources, and data necessary for dynamic career pathways that respond to employers’ and participants’ needs. 

Leading career pathway practitioners from around the country developed the Alliance for Quality Career Pathways Shared Vision Strong Systems framework. Check out this side-by-side analysis of WIOA’s career pathway language and the Alliance definition. Then see how WIOA performance measures stack up with the Alliance career pathway participant metrics.