The Skilled Trades Gap: High Demand, Low Student Interest
By Brennan Martin Across the country, a quiet crisis is growing in plain sight. While industries struggle to find qualified workers for essential roles, student interest continues to concentrate in a narrow set of career pathways. Nowhere is this misalignment more pronounced than in the skilled trades. Electricians, welders, HVAC technicians, plumbers, and construction professionals […]
Five Things Employers Consistently Tell Students
By Bailey Grams When you think of places where students can get advice on their future, you probably first think of parents, teachers, counselors, and other school staff. But they aren’t the only ones who have valuable knowledge to share with the next generation! Many local employers take a great interest in the success of […]
The 2026–2027 Credentials of Value List Has Been Released: What Schools Should Know
By Kimba Rund Indiana has officially released the updated 2026–2027 High School Credentials of Value (CoV) List, along with additional implementation guidance connected to the state’s redesigned diploma requirements. While many of the overall structures remain the same, this year’s release includes several important updates designed to improve clarity, organization, and long-term planning for schools. […]
The Most Overlooked Career Accelerator for Students: It’s a Job
By Eric Davis When we talk about preparing young people for the future of work, the conversation usually jumps to advanced coursework, credentials, internships, or carefully designed work-based learning experiences. All of those matter. But in the process, we’ve quietly overlooked one of the most powerful, accessible, and proven learning environments available to teenagers today: […]
Indiana Career Interest vs Workforce Demand: Where Students Align—and Where Gaps Remain
By Brennan Martin Indiana students are already thinking about their futures. Through Career+ Pathways™, career interest survey data from grades 8–12 shows clear trends: Healthcare & Social Assistance , Professional Services , and Building & Trades lead student interest. But how do these preferences compare to actual workforce demand? When aligned with Indiana labor market […]
How Employer Tours Change Student Career Decisions
By Nisa Gül • Co-author: Katarina Webb For many students, career decisions feel abstract until they see real work happening – until they step onto a shop floor, into a hospital wing, or through the doors of a local business and realize what a job actually looks like day to day. Classrooms provide knowledge, but […]
Closing the Talent Gap: Career+ Pathways™’ Response to Looming Workforce Shortages
By Nisanur Gül – Co-Author Katarina Webb A Nationwide Challenge The United States is on the brink of a workforce crisis. Across sectors—from advanced manufacturing floors to hospital wings—employers are already experiencing pressure as seasoned staff retire and fewer qualified candidates emerge. Despite the urgency, most companies allocate only 1–3 percent of their HR budgets […]
From Switzerland to Indiana: Why Work-Based Learning Works
How global research is shaping Indiana’s bold new diploma redesign By Kimba Rund Switzerland’s dual vocational education and training (VET) system is widely recognized as one of the most effective approaches in the world for preparing students for careers. Roughly two-thirds of Swiss youth enter VET programs after compulsory schooling, combining classroom learning with structured […]
Powering Collaboration: Policy, Partnerships & Community in the Career+ Pathways™ Ecosystem
How regional collaboration drives lasting workforce impact. To build a sustainable workforce, we can’t work in silos. Real change happens when educators, employers, and policymakers unite around shared goals — and that’s exactly what Career+™ is designed to do. Across the country, we see growing urgency to address workforce shortages and prepare students for high-demand […]
Strengthening America’s Workforce: Why Investing in the K-12 Talent Pipeline Is Critical Now
The United States is facing a critical workforce shortage that threatens economic momentum and future growth nationwide. Over the next five years, millions of jobs will remain unfilled unless bold and strategic action is taken. Projections show that the U.S. must fill tens of millions of positions by 2030 to sustain and grow its economy […]
