Special to the Journal
The Healey-Driscoll Administration awarded new Innovation Career Pathway designations to 36 high schools across Massachusetts, of which 22 are new to the program.
Innovation Career Pathways provide students with work-based, applied learning experiences in high-demand industries such as Advanced Manufacturing, Information Technology, Environmental and Life Sciences, Health Care and Social Assistance, Business and Finance, and Clean Energy.
In Revere, CityLab High School was one of six schools chosen as a new Clean Energy Innovation Pathway school. This designation will enable CityLab students to explore careers in high-demand industries they may want to pursue while also bolstering workforce pipelines to meet the needs of employers at no cost.
“We are thrilled to be one of the six schools in Massachusetts that were awarded this new Clean Energy Innovation Pathway,” said CityLab Principal Stacey Mulligan. “This pathway will prepare students for well-paying roles in sustainability professions. These professions will include solar and wind energy technology, green building technology, electric and autonomous vehicle technology, and much more. When CityLab students graduate from these programs, the city of Revere will have a pool of expertly trained talent right here to choose from and hire.”
Innovation Career Pathways, a program that started in 2017–2018 with a handful of school districts, is now in 25% of Massachusetts high schools. Next year, the program will serve over 8,000 students.
“I was thrilled to see first-hand how students are exploring different career paths in high-demand industries like manufacturing,” said Governor Maura Healey. “We’re excited that students will have the opportunity to explore our Clean Energy Pathway next school year. We want to ensure that what students learn in school helps them get where they want to go while also meeting our workforce needs. That’s why we are continuing investments in transformational programs like Innovation Career Pathways with our FY25 budget.”
Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll added that these Innovation Career Pathways will provide students with opportunities to explore careers in high-demand industries through partnerships with local employers and workforce boards so that they can succeed in and out of the classroom.
“These programs are a win for students, for schools, for employers, and for our economy—making Massachusetts a place where families want to live, learn, and work and supporting our fast-growing businesses,” she said.
Governor Healey’s fiscal year 2025 budget continues critical investments in programs that “Reimagine High School” like Innovation Career Pathways, Early College, and Career Technical Education, with $47.8 million for these high school pathways programs, including a $5 million dollar investment in broader pathway program support.
“We want to transform the traditional high school experience, and expanding Innovation Career Pathways is one key way we are working to do just that. I am excited that the program will reach nearly a quarter of all eligible high schools across Massachusetts as we work to Reimagine High School, increasing student engagement and creating new opportunities for them to find their own paths to successful futures,” said Secretary of Education Dr. Patrick Tutwiler.
Department of Elementary and Secondary Education Acting Commissioner Russell D. Johnston said one of DESE’s goals as an agency is to make sure that learning is relevant and tied to the real world.
“Innovation Career Pathways do just that, helping students see the path that connects their learning today to their career in the future,” said Johnston.
According to the Governor’s Office, a key component of Innovation Career Pathways is developing partnerships with local employers and MassHire Career Boards to foster work-based learning experiences for CityLab students. The partnerships enable CityLab students to gain work experience and insight about whether the field is something they would like to pursue in college or a career after high school.