{"id":240099,"date":"2026-09-03T12:48:49","date_gmt":"2026-09-03T22:48:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/?p=240099"},"modified":"2026-09-03T13:28:03","modified_gmt":"2026-09-03T23:28:03","slug":"push-for-living-wage-career-pathways","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/2026\/09\/03\/push-for-living-wage-career-pathways\/","title":{"rendered":"Hawaiʻi\u02bbs new push for living-wage career pathways"},"content":{"rendered":"Reading time: <\/span> < 1<\/span> minute<\/span><\/span>

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The University of Hawaiʻi<\/span> has joined a national initiative to transform how students transition into the workforce. In partnership with the Hawaiʻi<\/span> Workforce Funders Collaborative (HWFC<\/abbr>), and supported by a $50,000 subgrant, the “Advancing Work-Based Learning Through Quality Coaching” project aims to ensure every resident has a clear path to a thriving local career.<\/p>\n

The need is urgent. According to the 2025 Strada State Opportunity Index<\/a>, only 18% of four-year students receive timely labor market information. To bridge this gap, a cross-sector coalition\u2014including the State Workforce Development Council, Chamber of Commerce Hawaiʻi<\/span>, Hawaiʻi<\/span> P–20, and the Hawaiʻi<\/span> Department of Education\u2014will streamline career coaching and employer engagement, and focus on removing barriers for rural, Native Hawaiian and first-generation learners.<\/p>\n

Statewide action plan<\/h2>\n

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“Work-based learning and quality career coaching sit right at the intersection of education, economic mobility and talent retention,” said Christine Beaule, 糖心视频<\/abbr> director of workforce development. “This initiative gives us the implementation structure and national expertise to move from a shared statewide vision to coordinated, scalable action.”<\/p>\n

The initiative is led by the State Higher Education Executive Officers Association<\/a>. Over two years, the coalition will develop a statewide action plan to remove systemic barriers and align education-to-career pathways with local economic needs.<\/p>\n

“Hawaiʻi<\/span> already has strong organizations doing important work in career navigation and work-based learning. This initiative gives us an opportunity to connect those efforts more intentionally as a system,” said HWFC<\/abbr> Executive Director Matt Stevens. “HWFC<\/abbr> can help convene partners, integrate workforce data and measurement into the process, and identify where targeted investment can strengthen the capacity needed to move a shared strategy forward.”<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

New partnership bridges the gap between local classrooms and thriving jobs.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":16,"featured_media":240101,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[25],"tags":[947,603],"class_list":["post-240099","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-academic-news","tag-uh-system","tag-workforce-development","entry","has-media"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t