By Nisa Gül · Co-author: Katarina Webb
A Locally Created Pathway (LCP) is an Indiana-based high school graduation program that connects students with real-world career experiences like internships, job shadowing, and work-based learning, helping them meet post-secondary requirements by blending academics with practical skills for immediate job prospects or college credits. It focuses on career exploration, skill-building, and hands-on learning, moving beyond traditional testing to prepare students for life after high school. The Career+ Pathways™ LCP offers students a variety of employer-connected experiences. These experiences may include facility tours, employer chats, or brief, skills-focused encounters. While often viewed as one-time exposure events, when designed intentionally they can serve as meaningful, verifiable evidence within a student’s LCP.
On their own, tours are valuable learning moments. When paired with intentional reflection, basic employer confirmation, and Career+™ documentation, the same experience becomes auditable LCP evidence. A short student reflection tied to a clear learning objective, confirmation of participation from the host employer, and verification by a coach or designated staff member transforms a one-off visit into documented pathway progress — without adding significant workload for teachers.
Effective documentation should remain minimal and focused on observable learning. Schools do not need lengthy write-ups or proprietary employer materials. Instead, two simple artifacts work across grade levels and industries:
- A student reflection connected to a stated learning objective
- A brief employer participation note or short rubric confirming attendance and observed behaviors
These non-proprietary artifacts protect employer confidentiality while clearly demonstrating student engagement and learning.
Framing tours as part of a student portfolio strengthens their connection to classroom instruction and microcredentials. Rather than treating site visits as standalone events, schools can integrate them into existing coursework by setting a single learning objective before the visit, using a short reflection prompt afterward, and recording employer feedback alongside any related microcredential progress. This approach aligns classroom outcomes with real-world observation and creates a record for LCP reporting.
The logistics are intentionally low-lift. Each visit requires one learning objective, a brief student reflection, and minimal employer confirmation. Coaches or designated staff can then log the experience in Career+™, attach artifacts to the student profile, and verify completion. This keeps teacher time to a minimum while ensuring documentation meets LCP expectations.
Employers also benefit from this streamlined approach. Hosts are asked only to confirm participation and note general behaviors such as engagement or professionalism — not to disclose technical processes or proprietary information. This preserves employer comfort while enabling schools to demonstrate meaningful work-based learning.
Over time, repeating this simple structure builds a portfolio of experiences that supports both graduation requirements and postsecondary planning. Student reflections that connect observations to skills or career interests provide clearer insight into learning and intent. When stored alongside employer notes and coach verification, these records allow counselors and advisors to view a student’s pathway holistically and reference concrete experiences during guidance conversations.
Career+™ already supports the systems needed to operationalize this work, including experience logging, post-experience surveys, microcredential tracking, and role-specific dashboards. By standardizing a small set of artifacts and a consistent workflow around tours and chats, schools can scale verifiable LCP evidence across classrooms and employer partners without creating new administrative burden.
Getting Involved
Schools interested in strengthening career-connected learning opportunities for students through tours and employer engagement can start by connecting with Career+™ to explore available opportunities. Participation does not require new curriculum or added coursework. Tours and chats can be layered into existing classes, advisory periods, or career exploration activities, with Career+™ supporting coordination and documentation.
Employers interested in supporting students can get involved at a level that fits their capacity. Many begin by hosting short site visits or participating in brief career chats that introduce students to workplace environments and expectations. These low-commitment opportunities allow employers to contribute to local talent development while maintaining flexibility and protecting proprietary information.
Whether you are a school or an employer, getting started can be as simple as one well-designed visit. Career+™ partners with both sides to coordinate experiences, capture documentation, and ensure each interaction becomes a meaningful, traceable step in a student’s Locally Created Pathway.
In practice, a single, well-documented visit becomes more than a field trip. It becomes a defensible piece of a student portfolio — connected to classroom learning, validated by employers, and recorded in a pathway schools can report on and build from.
Interested in hosting or participating? Contact Career+ Pathways™ team!
Bio
Nisa Gül is a Social Media Manager and Virtual Assistant at Skyepack, where she supports content creation, blog writing, and digital engagement for the Career+ Pathways™ program. She works closely with the team to transform ideas into polished, audience-ready pieces. Outside of work, she enjoys designing, painting, and spending time with friends in cozy, creative settings.
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.
