Governor Lamont Signs Executive Order Establishing the Connecticut Career Pathways Commission

(HARTFORD, CT) - Governor Ned Lamont today announced that he has signed an executive order (Executive Order No. 26-2) directing the establishment of the Connecticut Career Pathways Commission.

The commission is being tasked with developing a five-year strategic plan for consideration by state executive branch leaders and legislators to ensure that Connecticut has a modernized career pathways system incorporating all the latest innovations in artificial intelligence, automation, and global competition that provides students and jobseekers with the tools needed to obtain good-paying, long-lasting careers and can quickly adapt as new state-of-the-art innovations are developed.

Its membership - all of whom are unpaid volunteers - will include leaders from the K-12 and higher education and workforce board systems, employers, labor representatives, municipal leaders, governmental leaders, legislators, community representatives, and students. It will be chaired by Miguel Cardona, former secretary of the U.S. Department of Education and commissioner of the Connecticut State Department of Education.

"Connecticut's long-term economic competitiveness depends on how well we work together to prepare people not only for the jobs of today but also for the jobs of the future," Governor Lamont said. "AI, automation, and global competition are reshaping work faster than any of us have seen in our lifetimes. We need a career pathways system that doesn't just prepare people for today's jobs, but one that can learn, evolve, and respond to the changes and opportunities we know are coming. We must have a system where students and jobseekers can see the full arc of opportunity, a system where employers help shape the programs that prepare their future workforce, and a system where everyone - from classrooms to campuses to companies - is aligned around shared goals and shared outcomes."

The executive order requires the commission to seek stakeholder and public feedback throughout the development of the plan. The plan must include recommendations on state statutory, regulatory, and administrative reforms needed to support the improvement and expansion of career pathways, including streamlining state funding sources, aligning credentialing and credit-transfer policies, modernizing instructional delivery, and reducing administrative and regulatory burdens.

Their work will be organized around four pillars:

1. Pathway Design and Delivery: Develop statewide definitions, quality standards, and design principles for high-quality pathways; identify priority industry-aligned pathways; and outline a governance process for ongoing pathway development and management.
2. Credentialing and Quality: Recommend strategies to expand dual enrollment, early college, and the attainment of credentials of value-including industry-recognized credentials, licensure, and ce1iifications; strengthen credit transfer and articulation; ensure that credentialing systems reflect employer needs and labor market demand; and ensure that students are supported with effective education and career advising that helps them navigate multiple high-quality pathway options.
3. Work Based Learning and Employer Engagement: Propose a statewide model for work-based learning, including employer engagement structures, standard agreements, and strategies to expand internships, apprenticeships, and other experiential learning opportunities.
4. Policy, Funding, Data, and Accountability: Recommend state statutory, regulatory, and administrative changes; propose funding models and incentive structures; and outline a statewide data strategy to track participation, credential attainment, employment outcomes, and wage progression.

The governor is asking the commission to provide his office and the Connecticut General Assembly with a final report by December 31, 2026.

**Download: Governor Lamont's Executive Order No. 26-2