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 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 […]
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 […]
Adopting Durable Credentials of Value in the Age of AI: A K–12 Perspective
As artificial intelligence reshapes the world of work, K–12 systems face a new imperative: ensuring students graduate with Credentials of Value —signals that they are ready not just for today’s careers, but for tomorrow’s evolving economy. But what makes a credential truly valuable? The answer lies in combining durable skills , employer relevance , and […]
Reimagining ‘Plan A’: Paving New Pathways for Indiana’s Youth with Career+™
In a world where the traditional path from high school to college, often regarded as ‘Plan A’, is no longer the only route to success, Career+™ emerges as a pioneering initiative reshaping the future for Indiana’s youth. This comprehensive program offers a new vision, breaking down barriers between education and the workforce Mission: A New […]
