Maine Career Exploration Model

The Maine Career Exploration Model is a systems approach embedded in curriculum that connects competency development, real-world learning, and stackable micro-credentials that build into portable, metadata-backed credentials. Students demonstrate their skills through Evidence of Learning, JMG’s structured process that validates mastery and ensures credentials represent demonstrated ability. These credentials are designed to be understood across education and workforce systems, helping students communicate their skills in ways that are transparent, trusted, and future-ready. Through a progression from middle school skill building to high school credential attainment, students develop the knowledge and skills needed for continued education, meaningful careers, and lifelong mobility.

Middle School Skill Builders

The Maine Career Exploration Model is designed to begin with Skill Builders for middle school students. Skill Builders are short, focused learning experiences aligned with the same skills and competencies that drive high school micro-credentials. Skill Builders help younger learners practice foundational skills such as communication, goal setting, or leadership, while building confidence and motivation.

The Evidence of Learning at this stage emphasizes reflection-based demonstration, helping students show they understand the skill and can connect it to their experiences. This prepares them for the deeper, performance-based Evidence of Learning required in high school. Students gain early recognition for growth, develop the language to talk about their skills, and step into high school ready to engage in authentic skill demonstration through micro-credentials.

High School Credentials & Micro-credentials

In high school, micro-credentials are verified, competency-based certifications that students earn by demonstrating mastery of specific skills. To earn a micro-credential, students must submit Evidence of Learning, which is reviewed against clear rubrics. This process not only validates the skill but also helps students build the language to articulate their learning and its application in real-world contexts.

Micro-credentials are awarded as digital badges. Multiple micro-credentials can then be stacked into a larger credential of value (also awarded as a digital badge), such as Job & Career Ready, Financial Literacy, or Leadership Development. Each badge includes embedded metadata naming the issuing organization, demonstrated competencies, skill definitions, and supporting evidence. The metadata behind digital badges make the credential verifiable, portable, and shareable with colleges, employers, and even AI-powered hiring systems. This ensures learners can confidently explain their strengths in academic, career, and community settings.

Together, Skill Builders, Micro-credentials, and Credentials form a structured continuum. This continuum ensures every student, starting in middle school and continuing through high school, has a pathway to demonstrate, articulate, and be recognized for the competencies that matter most for their future.

Evidence of Learning

A Core Component of the Maine Career Exploration Model

Evidence of Learning is JMG’s structured process for capturing, reviewing, and validating competency demonstration. It is the defined and operational system that ensures students demonstrate what they know and can do through real application, not completion alone.

Evidence of Learning is not a single assignment or artifact. It is a structured, repeatable process embedded across the Maine Career Exploration Model.

Evidence of Learning was developed and is implemented statewide by JMG as a defined component of the Maine Career Exploration Model. It provides a consistent, transparent, and scalable approach to competency-based education aligned to career readiness and workforce expectations.

This approach strengthens the credibility of stackable, portable credentials that students can carry into continued education and career pathways.

What is Evidence of Learning

Evidence of Learning is the curated body of student work that demonstrates competency in action. It includes projects, performances, reflections, and real-world applications that show how students apply skills in meaningful contexts. Each submission is aligned to clear performance criteria and reviewed through a shared rubric process.

Unlike traditional grading systems, Evidence of Learning focuses on demonstration and growth. It captures how students think, solve problems, communicate, and apply skills across academic and career-connected experiences. Evidence of Learning serves as the validation layer of the Maine Career Exploration Model, ensuring that micro-credentials and stacked credentials are grounded in authentic, observable skill demonstration and can be recognized across education and workforce systems.

Validated Skills, Meaningful Credentials

The Maine Career Exploration Model is grounded in 30 competencies that support skill development and personalized pathways. Through Evidence of Learning, students demonstrate competencies and earn Micro-credentials awarded as digital badges. As these accumulate, Micro-credentials stack to earn Credentials that validate readiness for continued education, employment, and long-term success.

Digital Literacy

Students demonstrate how to use technology safely, professionally, and responsibly to access information, create content, and understand media.

Entrepreneurial Mindset

Students develop skills to think creatively, make decisions, and take initiative to solve problems and reach their goals.

Financial Literacy

Students learn how to manage their school and work finances, budget smart, and gain skills in financial flexibility.

Job & Career Ready

Students develop the skills they need to succeed in the workplace, including resume writing, job interviews, effective communication, and professional conduct.

Leadership Development

Students grow as leaders by learning to collaborate, listen, motivate others, and take action in their school or community.

Multicultural Foundations

Students demonstrate an understanding of diverse perspectives, build inclusive relationships, and show respect for others in every environment

Pathway Navigation

Students explore career and college options, set goals, build a professional network, and learn to manage their time effectively as they plan for their future.

Personal Growth

Students build confidence, take responsibility, stay motivated, and understand their strengths as they grow and reach their potential.

The Maine Career Exploration Model is the proprietary property of JMG.

JMG retains exclusive rights to its content, structure, and implementation. Use of this model and its materials is strictly limited to entities with a specific, written agreement authorizing such use. Any reproduction, distribution, or adaptation outside of an expressly authorized contract is strictly prohibited.