Former U.S. Education Secretary Miguel Cardona will chair Connecticut’s newly created Career Pathways Commission, after Gov. Ned Lamont signed an executive order to establish the panel. The commission is tasked with producing a five-year strategic plan aimed at modernizing the state’s career pathways system. In its stated framework, the commission will consider how state leaders can expand and improve career pathways using “innovations in artificial intelligence, automation, and global competition,” with the goal of supporting “good-paying, long-lasting careers.” Lamont wants the final report by the end of this year. Cardona, who previously served as commissioner of the Connecticut State Department of Education, said the panel will bring together leaders from the administration, the private sector, K–12, and higher education to create “synergy” around student preparation and options after graduation. For colleges and universities, the commission signals increased attention to alignment between postsecondary programs and workforce outcomes, with potential downstream effects on partnerships, curriculum design, and credentialing tied to employer demand.