“Pipeline” Is Limiting in Language and Practice

A note on evolving to “pathways” as a more expansive approach to academics and careers

I recently shared on Threads that in education and career growth, I wish we used “pathway” instead of “pipeline.” Around the time that I moved from teaching in the classroom to managing a teacher residency program (circa 2016-2017), I watched a video (I wish I could find it) where an educator working in South Dakota was talking about how her students didn’t “leak” from the “pipeline” when they experienced difficulties in school. That stuck with me, but at the time, I didn’t have the language for why.

Metaphors aren't just fancy language; they're powerful tools that shape our understanding, influence big decisions, and even direct our actions, especially when we're talking about something as complex as education and career development. For years, conversations about education and the workforce have relied on the language of pipelines: the STEM pipeline, the college pipeline, and the talent pipeline. The image is industrial and straightforward—a straight shot from point A to point B, meant to deliver “outputs” into jobs and economic mobility. But here's the truth: people aren’t fluid being pumped through a tube. And their journeys, especially those of first-generation students, students from marginalized communities, and adult learners, rarely follow a single, uninterrupted line.

Recently, I have (thankfully) seen more educators, researchers, and equity advocates calling for a shift from pipelines to pathways.

Despite its widespread use, the "pipeline" metaphor is an inaccurate and limiting way to think about today's educational and career paths. I have attended conferences and workshops organized and led by folks I really respect and have cringed at the number of times “pipeline” was mentioned in the agenda or session line-up. The metaphor might be tidy, but it's also deeply flawed:

1. It’s linear.

Pipelines assume a single route: from school to college to career. But learners often take detours, switch directions, or pause and restart. Life doesn’t move in straight lines, and neither do people.

2. It centers systems over people.

Terms like “leaky pipeline” imply that people who leave the system are the problem, instead of asking whether the system truly serves their needs. That’s a deficit mindset; and one that disproportionately blames students from marginalized communities. Additionally Indigenous communities where pipeline projects in the US threaten sacred homelands and water supplies the term pipeline can be especially offensive.

3. It’s mechanical.

Pipelines conjure images of machinery, not human development. They ignore identity, agency, curiosity, and the powerful mix of personal, cultural, and economic factors that shape our choices.

Pathways offers a more precise and empowering analogy, accommodating all conceivable routes between academic origins and destinations, much like a city's intricate street network. Pathways offer a different vision; one that honors flexibility, individuality, and multiple forms of success.

1. Pathways are plural.

There’s no one-size-fits-all journey. Dual enrollment, apprenticeships, community college transfers, military service, entrepreneurship—these are all legitimate paths forward.

2. They honor agency.

Pathways put students in the driver’s seat. They reflect the idea that people can chart their own course, make informed decisions, and pivot as needed.

3. They align with equity.

Leading organizations like Jobs for the Future and Advance CTE are embracing pathways to design systems that support all learners, especially those historically underserved. That means holistic support, community partnerships, and culturally responsive strategies.

Words shape how we think. They influence what we build. When we talk about “pipelines,” we’re talking about control, uniformity, and output. When we talk about “pathways,” we’re talking about discovery, dignity, and design.

It’s a small shift in language, but a huge shift in mindset.

Let’s build systems that meet people where they are and help them move forward on their terms. Let’s stop forcing everyone into the same tube and start creating roads worth walking.

What words are shaping your work right now?

Have you seen the difference between “pipeline” and “pathway” thinking in your own life—or in your classroom, institution, or organization?

Drop a comment and share your experience. I’d love to hear how you're reimagining success, opportunity, and belonging.

If this piece resonated, consider subscribing or sharing it with someone who’s rethinking education, equity, or career readiness. Let’s keep walking new paths—together.

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