Emerging Initiatives

FutureReadyNYC

Through FutureReadyNYC (FRNYC), eight CUNY campuses are partnering with more than 30 selected public high schools who are working to develop labor market-aligned career-connected pathways to provide a head start to help students develop competency in 21st century skills, gain career-connected coursework, work experience, early college credit, and/or an industry valued credential to prepare them for rewarding high growth careers.

A career-connected pathway is an educational program in a school–a sequence of connected academic and elective classes, work-based learning, early postsecondary credit and credentials, and advising experiences–that helps students make clear connections to college and career opportunities. As the higher education partner for FRNYC, CUNY works in collaboration with a community of school leaders, educators, students/families, community-based organizations, and employer partners to support high schools in implementing model career and college pathways.

The promise of career-connected learning is that students graduate high school with academic excellence integrated with real world skills and experience, a head start on college and career, and a strong plan toward a path to a rewarding career and long-term economic security.

For more information, please contact Mike Glenwick at michael.glenwick@cuny.edu.

New Paths to Career Success

New Paths to Career Success is an innovative holistic education model building equitable access to sustainable careers. New Paths brings together high school, college, community-based organizations, and industry partners to create a blended experience in which students in their last year of high school enroll and continue for 18 months into their first year after high school graduation. Through New Paths, this cohort of students participate in college coursework, workforce training, and paid work experience to prepare for a career after high school. After students complete New Paths, they have earned up to 10 college credits, an industry-valued credential, and up to $5,000 in paid work. They are guaranteed enrollment at CUNY or may opt to apply directly into a job New Paths has prepared them for.

New Paths is designed specifically to serve students who have been historically underserved and have not had the same access to opportunity as their peers. The 2023 pilot is designed to gather learning on how this model can best be designed to address the needs and potential of its participating youth. The project will pilot at Kingsborough Community College in collaboration with New York City Public Schools, including the International High School at Lafayette, which serves students who are newcomers to the United States, along with five transfer high schools that serve students who were behind in high school: Liberation Diploma Plus, Olympus Academy, Professional Pathways, South Brooklyn Community, and Urban Dove Team Charter.

For more information, please contact Michael Rothman at michael.rothman@cuny.edu.