College & Career Readiness Radio

Our guest for this episode of College & Career Readiness Radio is Joanna de Peña, founder and CEO of Top Notch Scholars.Joanna says one of the biggest misconceptions about college is that attending a prestigious four-year university guarantees success. Students need to understand that their character, work ethic, and commitment matter more than the name of the institution.She says that fear of missing out (FOMO) creates tremendous pressure for students. Social media celebrations and college acceptance announcements can make students feel that community college or other pathways are somehow less valuable.Joanna challenges educators and families to reconsider the language they use when discussing college options. Negative messages about community colleges and trade schools can influence students to make financially risky decisions.The financial consequences can be significant. She shares examples of families using savings intended for homeownership to cover college tuition gaps, even when more affordable pathways are available.Joanna believes schools should present students with the full range of postsecondary options, including community colleges, four-year universities, trade schools, and other programs, before encouraging them to make a decision.College enrollment shouldn't be the only measure of success. Joanna argues that schools should pay greater attention to whether students complete their programs, graduate, and achieve their goals.Joanna encourages families to compare financial aid packages carefully. Students can apply to their dream schools while remaining realistic about affordability, tuition gaps, and long-term debt.Starting at a community college can be a smart financial strategy. Students may complete their first two years at little or no cost before transferring to a four-year institution to finish a bachelor's degree.Joanna introduces another way to think about college savings. Families that avoid unnecessary tuition expenses may be able to redirect those funds toward savings, investments, or even a future home purchase.Financial literacy should be part of the college planning process. Our guest wants students to understand how manageable debt, savings, credit, and financial decisions can influence their opportunities long after graduation.Joanna encourages schools to celebrate every postsecondary pathway. Students pursuing community college, four-year degrees, technical training, or military service should all feel confident and supported in their decisions.Beyond college applications, she reminds educators that students need opportunities to enjoy high school, participate in extracurricular activities, explore careers, complete internships, and develop relationships.Joanna's final message is a reminder that students have multiple routes to a fulfilling future: "Success is yours, no matter what educational pathway you choose."College & Career Readiness Radio is brought to you by MaiaLearning, your fully comprehensive college and career planning tool. Schedule a demo today.

Our guest for this episode of College & Career Readiness Radio is Nathan McNeely, CTE Director at Grant Regional Career Center in Marion, Indiana. Nate defines size as being about access—whether enough students and schools have access to CTE programs that align with student interest and labor-market demand.He explains that scope is about opportunity. Programs should reflect local needs while also preparing students for opportunities regionally, nationally, and even internationally.Nate says that quality is about outcomes. Dual credit, credentials of value, work-based learning, and other experiences should produce career-ready graduates, not simply students who completed a CTE program.He reports on a problem regarding demand, which can exceed available seats, making partnerships between comprehensive high schools and career centers critical. High schools can provide introductory experiences while career centers offer more advanced, equipment-intensive programming.He says that having a pathway isn't enough. Students also need meaningful internships and work-based learning experiences connected directly to that pathway.Nate emphasizes that employers often need support understanding how to create high-quality experiences for high school students. Schools and community partners have to educate employers about what meaningful internships should look like.He tells listeners that a welding student shouldn't spend an internship sweeping floors. Schools and employers should agree upfront on what the student, school, and employer will each contribute to the experience.McNeely recommends using advisory boards as more than a compliance requirement. Employers should actively influence programs, particularly when determining which credentials actually have value in the local workforce.Nate says schools may need a both/and approach to credentials—earning credentials required for accountability while also providing additional certifications that employers actually want.He clarifies that strong CTE programs prepare students for whatever comes next, not one path or another. Some students may enter the workforce immediately, while others use CTE, dual credit, and credentials to gain an advantage as they continue into postsecondary education.Nate emphasizes that a true pathway shouldn't be a dead end. It should connect coursework, credentials, dual enrollment, work-based learning, postsecondary opportunities, and ultimately employment.His final message is collaborate! Bring schools, career centers, employers, chambers, higher education, and other stakeholders together because collaboration creates better opportunities for students.College & Career Readiness Radio is brought to you by MaiaLearning, your fully comprehensive college and career planning tool, including the ability to plan and track CTE courses and work-based learning, award credentials, and build student portfolios for post-secondary use, and more. Schedule a demo today.

Our guest for this episode of College & Career Readiness Radio is fourth-generation educator, coach, and multiple-time best-selling author Chip Baker. Chip is the creator of The Success Chronicles, a YouTube channel and podcast where he interviews people from all walks of life about what it truly takes to be successful in life. Drawing from thousands of these conversations, Chip and host Dr. TJ Vari connect the dots between post-secondary success and the skills, mindsets, and experiences students need for college and career readiness worldwide.​After years of interviewing high performers, Chip identifies a core throughline: the ability to overcome adversity and “grow through, not go through” tough times. He argues that on the other side of our hardest challenges is our maximum growth, and that educators play a pivotal role in helping students develop resilience and perseverance. For Chip, relevance is key—students engage and persist when learning is tied to real-world applications, pathways, projects, internships, and work-based learning that clearly connect to their futures.​Chip highlights the quiet but powerful impact of educators, counselors, and support staff who consistently show up with care, presence, and high expectations. These adults build quality relationships, provide relevance, and communicate, “I really care about your success,” which Chip sees as the foundation for student growth and long-term achievement. He notes that many successful people attribute their progress to someone who poured into them when they doubted themselves, or to their own decision to “be the one” who changes the trajectory of their family through education, learning, and new environments.​From The Success Chronicles, Chip distills recurring traits of successful people: resilience, self-belief (“you are enough”), strong support systems, core principles, lifelong learning, time management, self-awareness, reflection, and intentional goal setting. He emphasizes that learning is not optional, and that managing time—saying no to what doesn’t matter so you can say yes to what does—is essential for sustained success. These traits align directly with many districts’ portraits of a graduate and provide research-informed guidance for the skills schools can intentionally teach and assess.​Chip shares powerful quotes and themes from his guests such as “failures are fuel for success,” “consistency is the truest measure of performance,” and “don’t let your life be driven by your to-do list—let it be driven by your to-be list.” He uses these ideas with students, helping them “conquer themselves” by understanding their triggers, interests, and values so they can eliminate distractions and build a life aligned with who they are. Explaining why he started The Success Chronicles, Chip says he simply wanted to serve, give, and stop “keeping to himself” the powerful conversations that had expedited his own growth. He loves highlighting unsung heroes who do the work without seeking recognition and believes “success leaves clues” that students and educators can use in their own journeys. His closing message to educators is his personal tagline: “Live, learn, serve, inspire—go get it."Listeners can find on YouTube and on all major podcast platforms, and explore his more than 30 books, merch, and resources through links in his social media bios or by searching his name on Amazon.

This episode of College & Career Readiness Radio features our guest Patrick Jones, an experienced educator, business leader, and expert in career readiness. Patrick argues that the “internship shortage” is really a systems problem rooted in how higher education and K-12 interface with employers, not a lack of student interest or talent. He explains the friction employers face—especially smaller organizations—when trying to work with colleges, and calls for more employer-friendly structures, incentives, and even intermediaries that can broker relationships at scale.Patrick emphasizes that today’s students often arrive at college with less work experience and limited exposure to the full range of roles in industries they care about. He shares examples of helping students see beyond the obvious job titles (like “athlete”) to the many supporting careers in areas such as sports marketing, finance, operations, and analytics, and stresses the importance of discovery experiences that broaden their sense of what’s possible.He also makes a compelling case that any internship is better than no internship, because the biggest barrier is access, not perfection. Even imperfect or loosely structured internships can teach punctuality, communication, hierarchy, feedback, and “managing up,” especially when paired with reflection and guidance from an advisor or faculty member.Patrick introduces his Discover–Ready–Find framework, the focus of his forthcoming book. Discover helps students understand how the labor market really works and why relying only on degrees and GPAs is risky. Ready reframes college as a platform for building emotional maturity, durable skills, and early work experience, starting as early as the first year. Find helps students develop a career “taste palette,” so they can intentionally seek environments and roles that fit who they are, rather than taking the first offer by default.Throughout the conversation, Patrick returns to one central theme: students don’t just need more programs—they need caring adults and well-designed systems of support that prepare them for the realities of work. His message to educators is clear: build real relationships, create more on-ramps to authentic work experiences, and help young people connect their education to opportunity with purpose.

Our guest for this episode of College & Career Readiness Radio is Brian Johnson. Brian explains why simply “placing kids” isn’t enough and why districts must define clear quality criteria so work-based learning experiences are aligned, mentored, and meaningful.He shares the six basic characteristics he uses to vet opportunities: minimum hours, alignment to a student’s pathway of study, a professional mentor/supervisor, a real-world environment, student interest, and space for students to discover what they don’t want.Brian describes his student intake process, where he learns about each student’s pathway, interests, dislikes, and dream organizations and uses that to co‑design potential placements.He has students spend two weeks actively using their own networks—family, neighbors, community—to try to find a placement, teaching them that finding a job is a skill and giving them “skin in the game.”Brian notes that 50–60% of students typically find their own placements, and then he steps in to formalize details with partners and ensure the experience meets district criteria.He talks about preparing and coaching industry partners, including helping them understand the developmental realities of working with teenagers and why their feedback is so powerful.Brian outlines a clear termination process: partners coach first, but if performance doesn’t improve, they are encouraged to end the placement just as they would in real life.He emphasizes that termination should be a learning experience, not the end of the road, and he builds in a redemption process so students can reflect, get coaching, and try again.In the redemption phase, students must fully own the search for their next experience, while Brian commits to supporting them (including making calls alongside them if they struggle to find something).He explains how he creates “competitive opportunities” where students must apply and interview, even if there are enough slots, so they feel pressure, practice competing, and learn to handle rejection.Brian shares how he uses “rejection therapy” and real examples (like a student losing an opportunity after signaling wrestling was a higher priority) to help students understand professional expectations.He contrasts asking for unpaid favors from industry with offering a “menu” of ways to partner—career fairs, speaking in classes, mentoring, hosting interns, hybrid options—to make participation realistic.Brian cautions that relying on philanthropy alone is not sustainable and urges coordinators to approach this work more like relationship‑based sales that respect a business’s needs and constraints.He calls for advisory boards and partners who truly bring value and ideas to the table instead of just “checking the box” of attendance.Brian explains why work-based learning must be part of a district’s DNA, not a last‑minute add‑on in 11th or 12th grade, and why culture and expectations have to be built over time.He describes “curiosity fairs” for pre‑K–4, where students dress as what they want to be and meet real professionals from those fields, alongside more traditional career fairs in grades 5 and 7.He emphasizes using parents and families as the first and strongest partner network in elementary schools, inviting them in as speakers and role models from all kinds of jobs.He encourages schools to think less about hitting home runs and more about consistent exposure so students don’t reach senior year with no idea what they want to do.Brian’s closing message is that educators should stop trying to control everything: they should own the systems and supports, but students must own their journeys, their effort, and their outcomes.

Our guest for this episode of College & Career Readiness Radio is Thomas Murray. Tom Murray says that strong leadership is the foundation of any innovative, student‑centered district and that every major initiative will rise and fall with the quality of its leaders.​Tom explains that the best leaders are learners who empower others, adapt, delegate to build capacity, engage their communities, reflect on their work, and ultimately lead as servants.​He emphasizes that leadership is not about titles and that some of the most influential leaders in schools are classroom teachers, support staff, or bus drivers who care deeply, solve problems, and earn others’ trust.​Murray points out that a healthy culture cannot coexist with toxic leadership and that every interaction in a school system is either building the culture up or tearing it down.​Tom says that districts must be intentional about leadership development through coaching, mentoring, and clear pipelines for aspiring leaders, instead of expecting people to figure it out alone.​He argues that “college and career readiness” must truly mean college and career, treating four‑year college as one important option among many pathways.​Tom Murray notes that giving students access is not enough and that real success depends on creating a sense of belonging where students feel the space was designed with them in mind.​He believes the ultimate purpose of pathways work is to ensure every student has enough exposure and support to graduate ready to live life on their own terms.​Tom says that pathways work should start in elementary school so students can learn who they are as learners and see a wide range of careers beyond what they encounter at home.​Murray shares that Future Ready Pathways offers free, research‑informed resources to help districts design pathways that expand access, opportunity, and belonging for all students.Tom Murray says that strong leadership is the foundation of any innovative, student‑centered district and that every major initiative will rise and fall with the quality of its leaders.​Learn more at FutureReadyPathways.org.

Our guest for this episode of College & Career Readiness Radio is Alisa Morse, K12 Director for the CAPS Network.Alisa Morse explains the concept of “profession-based learning” as an umbrella term for connecting students with real-world industry experiences, including internships, co-ops, client-connected projects, and career discovery.​She highlights that high-impact client-connected projects involve students working directly with industry partners to solve open-ended problems that aren't mission critical but offer authentic challenges, mentorship, and opportunities for innovation and self-discovery.​The CAPS Network brings industry experts into classrooms, enabling all students—not just those in internships—to participate in practical, relevant projects and develop durable professional skills like teamwork and project management.​Profession-based learning can be adapted for every age group, with new initiatives starting in middle and even elementary school to foster career awareness early and address gaps in work-based learning equity.​Alisa details how projects can fit into core classes (e.g., connecting biology with local Parks and Rec projects), elective/academy pathways, short challenge events, or through mentorship and internal partnerships within the school community.​She emphasizes the importance of self-reflection and metacognition during and after these projects to deepen learning and help students make informed decisions about their future.​The episode includes practical advice for rural schools and underserved communities: start with internal resources like school staff, local Chamber of Commerce, and county economic development offices to connect students with real work experiences.​Alisa shares free resources (experience.work and CAPS Network website) that help educators launch and operate profession-based learning, including customizable templates and guides for partnering with industry.​Her call to action for educators is to “go where students lead”—following their interests and energy to create transformative learning opportunities, and embracing humility to allow students’ passions to guide school improvement.You can reach Alisa at [email protected], if you want to discuss college and career readiness with the host of the show, including MaiaLearning as a solution to bridge the gap between industry partners and the school system, book time here.

Our guests for this episode of College & Career Readiness Radio are Dr. Steve Regur and Ed Hidalgo from connectthework.com.Ed Hidalgo emphasizes the importance of giving students agency in their academic and career planning, focusing on self-discovery and personal strengths.Steve Regur discusses strategies for fostering student empowerment, including the use of personalized learning plans and reflective activities.Both guests highlight ways that schools can use career frameworks and tools to help students connect learning to future opportunities.Ed notes the value of career exploration starting in elementary and middle school, not just high school, to build awareness and readiness early.Steve shares how engaging families and community partners increases student motivation and ensures relevance in career readiness programs.They underscore the need for teaching students practical skills for navigating career pathways, such as networking, informational interviewing, and tracking progress.Ed and Steve both advise educators to provide students with multiple pathways, including technical, community college, and four-year university options.They stress that continuous feedback, goal-setting, and self-reflection are key elements for students to remain engaged and confident about their future plans.The guests share real-life examples of students discovering strengths and interests through structured curriculum, assessment tools, and mentorship.Closing advice centers on cultivating student curiosity, encouraging student voice, and building strong school-to-career connections to prepare learners for purposeful futures.If you want to see a tool that can help teachers facilitate all of what Ed and Steve talk about on the show, book a demo now. If you want to discuss college and career readiness with the host, book time here.