CBIA Foundation Releases Workforce Blueprint to Strengthen High School-to-Career Pipeline

The CBIA Foundation for Economic Growth & Opportunity, with support from JPMorganChase, today released the Connecticut Workforce & Education Strategy Blueprint—a comprehensive plan to align high school workforce programs with the state’s current and future economic needs.

Unveiled at the 2026 Connecticut Workforce Summit, the report identifies high school as the critical intervention point for connecting students to careers and addressing workforce shortages, economic mobility, and the state’s aging labor force.

“Connecticut’s economy depends on whether we can connect students to real career opportunities earlier and more effectively,” said CBIA Foundation director Dustin Nord.

“This blueprint focuses on practical steps to reduce barriers, improve coordination, and ensure our education‑to‑workforce system is aligned with the needs of our employers.”

The report examines how well Connecticut’s high school workforce programs align with the economy’s current and future needs.

It also addresses limitations in the current systems that prevent these programs from maximizing their potential.

Key Findings

• More than half of projected job growth is accessible to workers without a bachelor’s degree.
• High school program enrollment does not align with key industries facing strong workforce demand, including healthcare, hospitality, transportation, manufacturing, and management.
• Fragmentation across more than 200 school districts creates barriers for students and makes it difficult for employers—particularly small and mid‑sized businesses—to engage at scale.
• Proven career pathway models improve graduation rates, earnings, and economic mobility, especially for students from underserved backgrounds.

Developed with research support from Economic Leadership LLC, the report draws on labor market analysis and stakeholder forums held across Connecticut with educators, employers, workforce leaders, and community organizations.

To address these challenges, the blueprint outlines four core priorities for action:

• Reducing structural barriers for students to access work-based learning opportunities
• Establishing clear coordination mechanisms to align school-based programming with regional labor market demand
• Improving information infrastructure to inventory existing workforce programs to identify gaps
• Strengthening employer-education alignment through intermediaries

“JPMorganChase is proud to partner with the CBIA Foundation to help prepare Connecticut’s young people for good jobs—many of which don’t require a four-year degree,” said J.P. Morgan Connecticut market executive for commercial banking and member of the Connecticut market leadership team Matt McSpedon. 

“By working together to align high school career programs with the needs of local employers, we’re helping students build valuable skills to step into rewarding careers and building an economy that works for everyone.”

“Connecticut’s workforce shortages and our young people’s career opportunities are directly connected,” said CBIA president and CEO Chris DiPentima.

“This report shows that aligning high school programs with real workforce demand can open doors for students while helping employers fill critical roles and remain competitive.”

If implemented effectively, the report finds that by 2030 Connecticut can expect:

• Clearer career pathway visibility for students and families
• Streamlined employer engagement through regional structures
• Stronger access to industry expertise for educators
• Measurable progress aligning high school programs with workforce demand

“The recommendations in this report are ambitious but achievable,” Nord said.

“We know that employers want to engage, and educators want to help students succeed. This lays out the roadmap to build a workforce pipeline that works consistently for students, employers, and communities across the state.”

Cardona Solutions president and former U.S. Education Secretary Miguel Cardona was part of a panel discussion that reviewed the report and solutions for better aligning education with employer demand.

“Improving upward mobility for Connecticut students by increasing career pathways in our schools will benefit them, our communities, and our state’s economic viability,” Cardona said.

“When our students win, our state wins. Let’s get it done!

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The CBIA Foundation for Economic Growth & Opportunity is a 501(c)(3) organization created to address the evolving needs of Connecticut’s economy. The foundation’s primary goal is charting a course for sustained economic growth that drives further predictability and greater opportunity for all Connecticut residents.

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CBIA is Connecticut’s largest business organization, with thousands of member companies, small and large, representing a diverse range of industries from every part of the state. For more information, please contact Scott Beaulieu (860.244.1929).