#1 Conversation with Parents/Guardian
A. Describe the conversation you had with your parents/guardians about choosing an education-to-career pathway.
B. How did you prepare for the conversation? For instance, did you reference research on high-paying non-degree jobs
C. What was your most powerful argument? Examples: share a positive story from a friend who pursued a non-degree pathway, talked about your passion and how you researched the best route to achieve your goals.
#2 Conversation with Employer
A. How do you describe your skills and abilities to potential employers?
B. Was the hiring company aware of the non-degree education program/organization you pursued?
C. How long was your job search?
D. What barriers did you face when applying for a position (example: we know many HR systems are set up to input degrees/colleges and not credentials.)
#3 Advice for Peers
A. What advice would you offer to other students who want to pursue a non-degree program vs. a traditional 2- or 4-year degree program?
#4 Explain Your journey
A. What path did you consider, and what and/or who influenced your decision to seek a non-degree education pathway?
B. Did anyone help you throughout your journey? If so, who?
C. Did you use any tools or resources to help make your decision?
D. What are you doing now? What program are you currently pursuing or graduated from?
E. Are you employed? If so, where?
F. Do you see yourself pursuing more training in the future?