Career pathways programs are designed to support individuals in acquiring the knowledge and skills necessary to obtain employment in high growth fields that pay family-sustaining wages. Creative fields provide a broad range of opportunities for young people to build on their interests and acquire skills that transfer across industries, and New York City–where the arts and creative culture are a significant part of the economy and overall fabric of the city–is an ideal environment for creative career pathways work to take place.
In our Creative Career Pathways report, a product of a partnership among HERE to HERE, CareerWise New York, Pathways to Creative Industries, The Thinkubator, and DreamYard, we highlight the viability of creative career pathways for young people in New York City using research, data analysis and the voice of students.
Creative career pathways could be especially meaningful for students from the Bronx, which has the lowest employment rate–among both adults and youth–in the city. The Bronx is widely regarded as a creative hub, where a wide range of cultures have made their imprint on the city through a variety of art forms and mix in very dynamic ways. Aligning meaningful career pathways to the creative interests that many young people in the Bronx possess can serve as an important gateway for all young people, and could particularly resonate with those who may otherwise face challenges in the transition from high school to postsecondary spaces and/or careers.
Given the role that arts and culture play in creating social cohesion, promoting equity, and strengthening the economy, particularly in under-resourced communities, it is all the more important to ensure that young people in the Bronx–and across New York City–know about and have access to creative career pathways.
Download Creative-Career-Pathways-Report.pdf