We believe learning should have no limits, whether in school or in the workplace. Our vision is for every learner to have engaging opportunities for career exploration and development and to access education and training environments designed with their needs in mind. We also want to equip workplaces with effective practices to see, recruit, and retain diverse talent so these well-prepared learners can shape the workforce of the future.
Explore how CAST can help you with your workforce & career education needs. Contact our team at workforce@cast.org.
The reauthorization of the Perkins Act recognizes the fluidity of our current job environment, and demands that employers respond to special populations. CAST knows how to do that. We have tools and technology and capacities that we want every employer to have.
Linda Gerstle, CAST CEO
Learn how CAST products and services align with Perkins 5 requirements
What is workforce development?
Workforce development is the ongoing preparation and maintenance of a skilled, talented, and motivated workforce through a coordinated investment in individual skill development and capacity building in schools, organizations, and communities (Jacobs, 2003). Across CAST, a strong and engaged team advances our workforce development efforts.
Individual Skill Development
Investment in individual skill development is an essential ingredient for promoting workforce development. When individuals have multiple, authentic opportunities to grow skills, they can follow their interests, use their talents and ultimately thrive in the workplace.
Strengthening Capacity for Career Development
Schools, colleges, universities, and apprenticeship programs are training grounds that prepare individuals for future careers. Supporting and strengthening institutional awareness of the strengths within the variability of future workers and the anticipated needs in the workplace is a critical piece of equitable and effective workforce development.
Fostering Community
Individual skill discovery and development takes place in an ecosystem that includes not only the individual and educational institutions but the community as well. Fostering and promoting those conditions that build skills and enable everyone to make meaningful contributions creates an environment in which workplaces can find and maintain a skilled, motivated, and talented workforce.
Featured Projects
Supporting CTE Teaching in Remote & Hybrid Learning Environments
We're partnering with CTE programs in NH to support hands-on teaching in remote and hybrid environments
Multi-Gen STEM Makerspaces Will Boost School, Career Prospects
We're developing and researching a sustainable model for multigenerational making and learning that can support a STEM career trajectory.
CTEfolio: Supporting Hands-on Learning in a Remote Environment
Bringing our e-portfolio work into CTE programs so students can show what they know in new ways.
Learning Outside the Box: Co-Developing a CTE Pathway in Outdoor Recreation
Learn how CAST is helping build stronger career pathways for New Hampshire students in outdoor recreation.
IMTfolio: Opening Advanced Manufacturing Career Pathways to People with Disabilities
We're building a portable e-portfolio to help document young people's prior learning in competencies relevant to future apprenticeships.
AccessATE: Accessibility for Community College Technician Education
Supporting community and technical colleges in developing and maintaining accessible materials and practices.
ARMI: Career Exploration Pathways into Advanced Manufacturing for Diverse Learners
We're building a more inclusive talent pool for futuristic fields as robotics, biofabrication, and hybrid electronics.
CEE-STEM: Exploring STEM Careers with Opportunity Youth
Our STEMfolio tool leverages mobile technologies and competency-based progress monitoring to help youth develop STEM interests and skills.
Project OPEN: Providing UDL Resources for Postsecondary Learning
Whether your postsecondary learning is in-person or online, UDL on Campus has resources and tips for course and assignment development and delivery.
Citation
Jacobs, R. L., & Hawley, J. D. (2003, February). Workforce development: Definition and relationship with human resource development. In Academy of Human Resource Development Conference Proceedings (Vol. 10, pp. 1014-1020).