The State of Illinois and regional partners have made significant strides in articulating career pathways based on rigorous market analysis. But ongoing analysis and coordination are necessary for continuous improvement toward higher quality education and training. To reap the potential benefits of a career pathway approach, the region should ensure its existing and emerging programs reflect labor market demand in their communities. Doing so requires mechanisms for strong industry engagement in each segment of a career pathway, as education and training providers identify employers’ skill needs, work-based learning opportunities, specific job placements, and evidence-based improvements. Such engagement is critical to demonstrating the region’s human capital to industry and the return on investment to regional and state leaders. Partners in the region’s career pathway system should identify strategies to better capitalize on labor market information, regional economic development goals, and local employer input. Integrated education, workforce, and related data would enable partners to evaluate participation and outcomes with a focus on decreasing inequality. Improved coordination also allows pathways to leverage a broader range of resources, such as collaborating with area employers to develop apprenticeship programs and related curricula. In particular, aggregating conclusions across public and private entities would help spur regional employment and productivity growth. Program providers and system administrators should develop appropriate procedures to align career pathway programs with labor market demand.