The context

August Bryant works with students in grades 6 through 12 as an In-School Career Coach at Anne Arundel Student Career Excellence (MS/HS). They do not have a traditional classroom or a fixed subject. Instead, they meet students where they are: in elective periods, lunch blocks, and flex times.

Their role is to provide targeted career interventions that feel relevant and personal. Because their time with students is flexible, they have to find ways to hook student interest quickly and keep students engaged without the structure of a daily class.

The strategy

August uses a tiered approach to make career exploration a direct response to student needs. His strategy consists of three main layers:

• Targeted individual assessments — August pulls students for individualized sessions to help them find a starting point for their future.
• Monthly guest speakers — August schedules one or two guest speakers every month based on the specific careers students ask to learn more about.
• Large-scale events — once or twice a year, August coordinates major career events with school administration to maximize student exposure to various industries.

How it comes together

August integrates these three strategies by focusing on student motivation and consistent follow-up.

Targeted individual assessments. When working one on one with students who feel stuck, August identifies their primary driver. If a student is career-oriented, they begin with Interest Assessments. If a student is more motivated by financial independence, they start with the Lifestyle Calculator. This ensures the entry point into Pathful feels personally relevant to their own goals.

Monthly guest speakers. This layer is driven by a request log. August keeps a running list of career interests mentioned by students in conversation, then monitors the Pathful session calendar to find unique roles that match those interests — as well as roles students may not have considered. By scheduling a tangible session or guest speaker within a month of a student's request, August turns their curiosity into a real-world learning opportunity.

Large-scale events. For these bigger moments, August works with Pathful to bring in multiple speakers at once, and works closely with administration to demonstrate how these events positively impact student engagement. This moves career exploration from a small-group activity to a school-wide priority supported by leadership.

What students take away

A major part of this process is helping students realize what they do not want to do. August views ruling out a career as a significant win for a student's clarity.

"Honestly one of my favorite moments is when a student thinks they will like a career, but when they watch a job shadowing video or learn more they lose interest. We then can have a discussion about what they were envisioning and what option fits that goal better."

By using Pathful to test-drive these roles, students save time and gain a more realistic understanding of the workforce.

Why this works

This strategy succeeds because it is driven by student voice rather than a top-down curriculum.

• It builds peer buzz. When students find success with the Lifestyle Calculator or a specific guest speaker, they tell their friends. Students now seek August out in the halls to ask when they can take their own "lifestyle test."
• It increases focus. August has observed students who are usually distracted stay fully engaged for 30 minutes while taking notes on a job shadow video. The engagement is higher because the student chose the content.
• It's low pressure. Because these interventions happen during non-academic blocks, students feel more comfortable exploring and changing their minds without the pressure of a grade.

How to try it

You can start building a responsive career model by following these steps:

• Start with the "why." Use the Lifestyle Calculator for students who are more motivated by adulting and future independence than a specific job title.
• Create a request log. Write down every career a student mentions, then use the Pathful calendar or custom requests to bring those specific roles to life.
• Use flex time. Look for gaps in the school day, like lunch or elective periods, to hold small-group Interest Assessment sessions.

The impact

By giving students a say in what they learn, August has created a culture where students actively pursue career coaching. They leave their sessions with a stronger understanding of their interests and the actual skills required for the real world. This approach allows students to pivot their interests early, helping them build a clearer and more confident path toward their future.