A tiered measurement approach

When you are ready to design an outcomes-focused career pathway, be sure to measure progress at three levels: the career pathway system as a whole, the program you are designing within the system, and the individual level for each program participant.

System Measures

Your complete career pathway system will include education, training, credentials, and support services. Track how effective your system is at reducing recidivism rates, increasing workforce participation rates, and delivering a return on investment to demonstrate the success of your career pathway system.

Program Measures

Within a career pathway system exist career pathways programs. Every program equips participants with the skills and knowledge needed to exit their career pathways into a position in the field. Use program measures like placement of participants into apprenticeships, forestry-related academic programs or tree maintenance and climbing positions to track the effectiveness of your program. The remainder of this guide is aimed at helping you develop career pathways programs in alignment with pre-apprenticeship guidelines set by the U.S. Department of Labor.

Participant Measures

How will you know if program participants are positioned for success? Collect data on credential attainment, employment retention rates, and earnings progression to assess how well individuals are thriving as a result of program participation. For example, tracking participant credential attainment for TCIA Tree Care Apprentice certification, Chainsaw Safety certification, and OSHA 30 training will give you baseline data to help determine if you have achieved success.