Refers to structured routes that connect entry into a job by adult learners and workers, often through skills-based hiring that can open pathways to better paying entry-level roles for workers without a college degree. These routes also connect adults and workers to continued education, training, and credential opportunities that support long-term career advancement.

Extended pathways often build on prior learning and work experience; address common barriers faced by adults; and link employers, educators, and workforce partners to promote sustained mobility and equitable career growth.

This approach is founded in the recognition that:

• Many adult learners and workers are not starting their career search with a blank slate: many possess valuable skills and knowledge from community college, military service, on-the-job training, and life experiences.
• Career "dead-ends" can be addressed by providing structured opportunities for reskilling, upskilling, and credential attainment beyond the initial point of hire.
• Employers, educators, and workforce organizations can strengthen internal worker mobility, improve retention, and promote a more inclusive, equitable workforce through extended pathways.