Doing Together What We Cannot Do Alone: Designing a Network to Build a Field

Abstract

The Pathways to Prosperity (PtoP) Network at JFF has a bold vision: to reimagine how young people are prepared for the future of work in the United States. Launched in 2012, the PtoP Network is leading a national effort to improve education, workforce, and economic outcomes by building career pathways systems that prepare all young people for economically sustainable futures. This capstone examines my work to design and implement a strategy to engage high-level leaders (“the leads”) from different sectors and roles across the PtoP Network in intentional and deliberate activities to increase their impact, build their affinity for and connection to the Network, and advance the career pathways field. I examine design considerations for leaders of networks and elevate tensions inherent in the complex work of cross-sector collaboration. My analysis focuses on themes of delivering value and navigating uncertainty in the network design process, with implications for my leadership in the midst of ambiguity, for the future of the PtoP Network, and for collaboration across the education sector. Overall, the findings offer insights into the promise of networks to support field-building through careful design.