Learning About Careers: A Dichotomy-Inside or Outside the Classroom?

Only 57% of today’s learners believe that our school systems have successfully prepared them for careers. But with ever competing priorities, many school systems simply can’t take on one more task to work career-connected education into the school day. The results? Students do not have equitable access to the information they need to make informed career and postsecondary education plans. Panelists will debate the dichotomy of two promising career-connected learning models that aim to either change education systems, or take this learning outside the classroom. Citizen Schools and Project Lead the Way are seeing results in the classroom by fundamentally shifting how kids learn about careers. ASA will share what they’ve learned from 3 years of grant making and, with Roadtrip Nation and Ender (a competition platform for kids), discuss how self-directed, digital-first experiences outside the classroom can rapidly close the equity gap in exposing learners to career and the paths to reach them.