Ask the Experts: College, Career, and Military Readiness

Oct 23

College, Career, and Military Readiness (CCMR) prepares students for life after graduation. It is made up of curriculum, resources, programs, and activities that help students have the tools they need to enter college or the workforce and begin a career.

Scroll down to the bottom of this post to meet our amazing experts and find links to their organizations.

What is most important for people to know about CCMR?

“The path to economic justice and mobility is only successful with the intentional importance placed on both college AND career. In order to do so, students must have access to early awareness and exploration of the various CCMR pathways available to them. This includes pathways that lead directly to high-demand, high-wage careers that don't necessarily require four year degrees.” -Tania Curry

“In essence, CCMR is designed to empower students to make informed choices about their futures. It equips them with the skills, knowledge, and resources necessary for long-term success in their chosen paths, whether that be higher education, a career, or military service. Recognizing the importance of a well-rounded education and early career exploration and planning, CCMR fosters greater opportunities for students as they transition beyond high school. It ultimately aims to prepare them not just for immediate readiness but for lifelong achievement.” -Jamal Williams

What is the biggest misconception about CCMR?

“One of the biggest misconceptions about CCMR is that it solely promotes college as the preferred or only pathway for high school graduates. In reality, CCMR is designed to be inclusive and recognizes that students have diverse interests, skills, and goals. While it does emphasize college readiness, it also places a strong emphasis on career readiness and military readiness, ensuring that students are prepared for a wide range of post-high school opportunities.”-Jamal Williams (edited)

“The biggest misconception about CCMR is that we are fully preparing all students for long-term career attainment. CCMR pathways and programs serve as foundational spaces where students can begin to acquire transportable skills, and many times, students will require additional, stackable credentials after high school graduation in order to advance their socioeconomic mobility. Graduating students from high school is not enough. Districts have the power to be catalysts of economic mobility.”-Tania Curry

What are the strongest levers currently being pulled in the area of CCMR and where do you see areas of untapped potential?

“The momentum around high-quality career and technical education is promising as students have the ability to acquire skills through activity, project, and problem-based learning. That said, there's a significant opportunity in eliminating the 'or' between college and career and streamlining certification and dual credit programs to avoid siphoning students and posing one option as better than the other.” -Tania Curry

How can community members meaningfully engage with CCMR? What is one call to action?

“Community members can meaningfully engage with CCMR in several ways to support and enhance the educational experiences of local students. One impactful call to action for community members is to become mentors or volunteers in CCMR programs. They can contact their local schools to share their expertise, provide guidance and support, offer workshops, and promote awareness.” -Jamal Williams (edited)

“There needs to be a continual push towards aligning business and industry workforce needs with what students are being taught in the classroom. I would urge both schools and businesses to strengthen partnerships that are developing true workforce pipeline models that are creating clear paths to and through postsecondary attainment that leads to living wage careers.” -Tania Curry