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."

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Our guest for this episode of College & Career Readiness Radio is Corey Koopmans, founder of InternCrew.

Corey says workers' compensation, liability, age restrictions, payroll requirements, and administrative responsibilities can all become barriers for employers interested in hiring high school interns.

According to Koopmans, large companies present an additional challenge. A local office may want to partner with a school, only to encounter corporate policies that make hiring high school students difficult.

Corey describes an employer-of-record model as one way to remove much of that friction by managing screening, onboarding, payroll, insurance, compliance, time tracking, and feedback.

Paid work-based learning is an important part of the equation for Koopmans. Removing administrative barriers can bring more employers into the process and ultimately create more paid opportunities for students.

Corey also sees an opportunity to extend internships beyond the traditional school calendar. Year-round management can allow students to continue working during the summer when some industries have even greater demand.

Authentic work experience requires authentic accountability, according to Koopmans. Students need to understand workplace expectations, receive meaningful feedback, and experience real consequences when those expectations aren't met.

He views even losing an internship as a potential learning experience. Students can learn about attendance, performance, professionalism, and workplace norms before entering their first full-time job.

When it comes to internship quality, he argues that students need to actually engage in meaningful work. A welding student, for example, shouldn't spend the experience simply sweeping the floor instead of developing relevant skills.

Corey suggests that scaling internships may also require employers to rethink how the work itself is structured. Shorter shifts, project-based teams, and “gig-style” arrangements could create paid opportunities for more students while still providing value to employers.

From an employer perspective, Koopmans sees internships as part of a larger talent strategy. Early exposure can introduce students to careers while helping organizations develop a pipeline of potential future employees.

Ultimately, Corey believes students shouldn't simply be around the work. High-quality internships should allow them to do the work, build relevant skills, receive feedback, and understand what success looks like.

His final message captures the value of these experiences: “There's no such thing as success and failure. There's only success and learning, and learning can only occur through experience.”

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 internship experiences for students. 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.