By Katarina Webb; School Success Manager
In education, there is no one-size-fits-all approach, especially when it comes to preparing students for life after high school. As a School Success Manager with Career+ Pathways™, I’ve had the privilege of working alongside dedicated educators across Indiana who are reimagining what success looks like for their students. Together, we’ve championed innovative strategies, like the Locally Created Pathway (LCP), to provide students with opportunities that are meaningful, personal, and directly connected to their goals.
This work is about more than meeting graduation requirements. It’s about helping students see a future they can believe in and take steps to make it real. We’re celebrating what we’ve learned, the schools and students who’ve thrived, and the powerful impact of career-connected learning on graduation outcomes across Indiana.
What Is the LCP, and Why Does It Matter?
The Locally Created Pathway (LCP) is part of Indiana’s Graduation Pathways initiative and provides an opportunity for schools to reimagine how students achieve success. It places real-world, career-connected learning at the center of the high school experience. While traditional graduation pathways may rely on test scores or academic credits, our LCP is grounded in the belief that students learn best when they can explore careers, build employability skills, and engage in hands-on, meaningful experiences.
Our LCP is designed to be career-centered from the ground up. Every element is focused on helping students explore industries, interact with professionals, and gain practical knowledge that prepares them for life beyond high school. Whether through industry tours, employer chats, skills bootcamps, service-learning, or microcredentials, students are exposed to careers in a way that goes far beyond classroom instruction. They don’t just learn about careers; they experience them.
Because the LCP is flexible, schools can shape it to reflect local workforce needs and student interests. That might mean building partnerships with nearby manufacturers, hospitals, IT firms, financial institutions, or farms – whatever makes sense for the region and the students being served. This flexibility ensures the pathway remains relevant, responsive, and rooted in opportunity.
At its core, our LCP empowers students to connect what they’re learning to who they want to become. It creates a sense of ownership, boosts engagement, and builds confidence, especially for students who may not feel represented by traditional academic tracks. And for schools and communities, it fosters stronger partnerships, greater alignment with local industries, and a shared investment in preparing the next generation of talent.
Celebrating School Successes
When schools take true ownership of their Locally Created Pathway using the Career+ Pathways™ framework, incredible things start to happen, especially for students. Instead of following a rigid, one-size-fits-all plan, schools are empowered to co-design career pathways that reflect local industry needs, student interests, and regional priorities. This approach leads to more relevant and engaging experiences that connect students to real postsecondary and career opportunities.
A powerful example of this local ownership is how schools are leveraging Career+ Experiences, such as service-learning projects and employer engagements, as key components of their LCP. In these cases, students choose the organizations they want to work with, allowing them to contribute meaningfully to their community while developing career-aligned skills. These experiences not only build workforce readiness, but also foster a sense of civic pride and ownership in their career journey.
To date, 206 students across the state of Indiana have utilized our LCP to meet their graduation requirements. That’s 206 students who, without this pathway, may have lacked a graduation option that truly aligned with their strengths, interests, and postsecondary aspirations. The Locally Created Pathway isn’t just a flexible option; it’s a critical support that ensures more students stay on track, demonstrate their readiness, and pursue meaningful postsecondary and career goals. It opens doors to success that might otherwise have remained out of reach.
These successes are not just academic; they’re transformational. When students see that their school trusts them to explore, contribute, and lead, they rise to the occasion. They begin to understand that their education isn’t just something happening to them. It’s something they are actively shaping. That shift in mindset is one of the most valuable outcomes of a well-executed LCP.
Highlights from the Field
This year brought a wide range of powerful, hands-on learning experiences that helped students see the real-world relevance of their education. One of the most impactful strategies we used was taking students on industry tours and engaging them in employer chats. These experiences gave students direct access to professionals in various fields and helped them explore careers they might never have considered. From manufacturing floors to healthcare facilities to IT firms, students were able to ask questions, observe real work environments, and connect classroom learning to future careers.
We also designed and participated in several Skills Bootcamps, which were truly a standout part of the year. These immersive, employer-led events gave students the opportunity to gain hands-on experience and practical insight into high-demand industries. The Bootcamps covered a wide range of sectors, including supply chain and logistics, healthcare, manufacturing, information technology, precision agriculture, and financial services.
Whether students were working with diagnostic medical tools, experimenting with robotic arms, mapping out logistics systems, or learning about data security and digital finance, they were actively engaged in learning that was both relevant and exciting. These Bootcamps allowed students to “try on” careers in a low-risk, high-impact environment, and in many cases, sparked a new sense of direction and purpose.
Perhaps most powerfully, students walked away with more than just knowledge. They have also gained confidence. Many remarked how these experiences helped them visualize their future in ways they hadn’t before. When students see themselves in a role, or hear directly from someone who once stood in their shoes, something clicks. And that spark, that moment of clarity, is what makes this work so rewarding.
Building Relationships with School Personnel
None of this would be possible without strong, ongoing relationships with school staff. Counselors, principals, teachers, and support staff are the heartbeat of LCP success. Over the past year, I’ve had the privilege of working closely with one counselor in particular to support students using the LCP to meet their graduation requirements. Together, we’ve engaged in constructive, honest conversations about what worked well and what challenges we encountered during the school year.
These regular check-ins allowed us to refine our strategies, celebrate successes, and identify areas for improvement. Our collaborative approach ensures that the pathway remains responsive to students’ needs and that no student falls through the cracks. This partnership has also helped build trust and a shared commitment to student success.
Looking ahead, we are actively planning for next year’s graduating seniors who may also benefit from the LCP. This proactive planning includes identifying students early, aligning resources, and tailoring experiences to best support them in crossing the graduation finish line.
This kind of relationship, rooted in open communication, mutual respect, and shared goals, is what truly makes LCP implementation sustainable and impactful. When school personnel feel supported and empowered, they are better equipped to champion these pathways and foster meaningful opportunities for their students.
The Impact of Career Advisors
A key driver of the successes we’ve seen across schools has been the dedicated work of Career Advisors. These professionals serve as vital connectors, guides, and advocates for students navigating their educational and career journeys.
Across over 20 schools, Career Advisors made a measurable impact by:
- Engaging 520 students in the HireME! program, which helps students prepare for job readiness and employment.
- Facilitating 7,480 student participants in 122 in-person Career+ experiences, ranging from industry tours to employer chats and skills bootcamps.
- Supporting 8,564 students through “Go-For-Growth” planning sessions designed to identify postsecondary interests and develop college and career plans.
- Holding 916 individualized follow-up meetings to further explore assessment results and provide targeted guidance on career interests, academic planning, and graduation pathways.
With the support of Career Advisors and teachers, students completed over 32,492 career-aligned lessons, building valuable, recognized skills that enhance their employability and readiness for life after high school.
These lessons go beyond simply checking a box—they represent real, industry-aligned skills that students can showcase in interviews, on resumes, and in future job applications. Each credential is purposefully designed to reflect the skills today’s workforce demands, including professional communication, customer service, digital literacy, time management, financial literacy, and more..
For many students, completing these lessons was the first time they received tangible recognition for skills they already had or discovered new strengths they didn’t know they possessed. The experience builds confidence while also helping students articulate their abilities in a way that resonates with employers.
Even more powerful, the microcredentials they earned often serve as stepping stones. They spark interest in related careers, open doors to internships or part-time jobs, and help students see how their skills connect to real opportunities. Whether students are heading to college, straight into the workforce, or still deciding what’s next, skills microcredentials provide a meaningful advantage on their journey.
Career Advisors’ relationships with students, educators, and employers help ensure that opportunities are accessible and meaningful, guiding students toward success with personalized support every step of the way.
Lessons Learned and Looking Ahead
Supporting the LCP has taught me that student-centered design requires adult flexibility and a willingness to adapt. Every school is unique, and what works well in one setting may need to be adjusted in another. It’s normal for processes to evolve as we learn what best supports students and staff. Embracing a growth mindset, both personally and organizationally, has been key to making progress.
One important lesson is the value of clear, consistent communication. Keeping school teams informed and involved ensures everyone understands pathway goals, timelines, and expectations. Regular check-ins and honest conversations about challenges allow us to course-correct quickly rather than letting issues grow. Transparency builds trust and buy-in, which are essential for sustained success.
Another insight is the power of early identification and proactive planning for students who may need the LCP to graduate. By identifying these students sooner rather than later, schools can better align supports, schedule experiences, and connect students to resources without the pressure of last-minute decisions. This approach also reduces stress for students and families and improves graduation outcomes.
I’ve also learned that building strong partnerships with employers and community organizations is critical. These relationships create authentic learning experiences that deepen student engagement and open doors to future opportunities. The Skills Bootcamps and employer chats are great examples of how employers can bring classroom lessons to life and inspire students.
Finally, it’s clear that documentation and data tracking are important for demonstrating impact and guiding improvements. Collecting feedback from students, educators, and partners helps us understand what’s working and where adjustments are needed. It also helps advocate for continued support and resources at the district and state levels.
Looking ahead, I’m excited to continue supporting schools in making their LCPs dynamic, relevant, and student-driven. The flexibility of the pathway allows schools to innovate and tailor experiences as workforce needs and student interests evolve. By embracing collaboration, reflection, and adaptability, we can ensure that every student has a clear and achievable path to graduation and beyond.
Final Thoughts
The work isn’t always easy, but it’s deeply meaningful. Every LCP success story is a reminder of why we do what we do: to ensure all students have a pathway to a fulfilling, empowered future.
If you’re an educator, counselor, or administrator looking to explore or expand your LCP, I’d love to connect. Let’s continue sharing what works, learning from what doesn’t, and always striving to meet students where they are.
Because when we build strong pathways and strong relationships, our students walk toward their futures with confidence.
Bio
Katarina Webb , School Success Manager at Career+ Pathways™! Starting as a Career Advisor through a partnership with Ivy Tech, Katarina now leads a team supporting schools across the GLC region. Outside of work, she enjoys traveling, the creative arts and spending time with her family and fur babies.
