The Coalition for Career Development argues that the first priority of America’s education system should be to “prepare young people for successful lives as adults, including satisfying careers that will allow them to achieve economic independence.” In the face of historic levels of student loan debt, high college dropout rates, rapidly changing workforce needs, and a growing workforce skills gap labeled as a crisis by many CEOS, it’s hard to disagree that our education system doesn’t have a role to play.

Thankfully, many institutions are rising to the challenge. Career development is defined by the Coalition as “the process that helps individuals establish career and life goals and to then develop the skills needed to pursue personalized career pathways.” Come join our panelists to learn about their varied solutions to this challenge, the impact they’re having, and what more is needed to scale these solutions to all kids. From curriculum to apprenticeships, online to offline connections, and real-world experiences for credit, these organizations are helping students explore and identify career opportunities early in order to develop their unique pathways to the workforce.