THE CHALLENGE
Students often struggle to understand how
high school coursework connects to future
careers and postsecondary opportunities.
The district needed a resource that could
present dozens of career pathways in a
clear, engaging, and easy-to-navigate format.
The guide needed to:
Support graduation planning
Increase awareness of CTE opportunities
Communicate certification pathways
Help students connect coursework to careers
Maintain consistency across multiple program areas
The publication supports the district's Programs of Study initiative by helping students connect career interests with educational planning.
THE SOLUTION
I designed a comprehensive guide that
organizes every pathway into a consistent
visual framework.
Each major includes:
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Program overview
Four-year course sequence
Industry certifications
Career outlook data
Supporting imagery
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Each pathway follows the same layout pattern, making it easier for students to compare options across disciplines. For example, Design & Multimedia Arts, Digital Communications, Teaching & Training, and Programming & Software Development all use the same visual structure.
WHY THIS PROJECT MATTERS
This project demonstrates more than graphic design. It required information architecture, audience analysis, visual communication, content organization, and large-scale publication design.
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"Great design helps students see the possibilities and choose a path with purpose!"
Research
Reviewed CTE program requirements, career pathway data, certification requirements, and district planning materials.
Information Architecture
Organized content into four major categories:
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Arts & Humanities
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Business & Industry
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Public Service
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STEM
Visual Development
Created a repeatable page framework that could scale across dozens of pathways. Developed a consistent visual language using:
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Color coding
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Career imagery
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Course progression graphics
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Career outlook tables
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Certification callouts
Final Design
Designed and assembled the complete 36-page guide for student use.
DESIGN DECISIONS
Consistent Navigation
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Every pathway uses the same visual structure, reducing cognitive load and helping students quickly locate information.
Visual Progression
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The four-year pathway graphic visually illustrates academic progression from 9th through 12th grade. This element appears consistently throughout the guide.
Career Relevance
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Each major includes career outlook data, wage information, and certification opportunities, helping students understand real-world applications.
Scalable Design System
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A modular layout was created so new programs could be added without redesigning the entire publication.
WHAT I LEARNED
This project challenged me to organize a
large volume of educational content into
a format that was approachable for
students and families.
The experience reinforced the importance
of consistency, visual hierarchy, and
information architecture when designing
large-scale publications.
SKILLS DEMONSTRATED
Visual Design
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Publication Design
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Layout Design
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Typography
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Visual Hierarchy
Learning & Communication
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Information Architecture
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Audience Analysis
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Educational Materials Design
Career Pathway Communication
Technical
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Adobe InDesign
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Adobe Illustrator
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Adobe Photoshop
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Print Production