Children dream about what they want to be when they grow up — from doctors and teachers to artists and sports stars. Some children want to enter the same profession as a family member; others want to chart their own course. Whatever the childhood dream, the goal of entering a fulfilling career that enables economic independence — like buying a car, living in a place you choose, and enjoying life with family and friends — continues to be the goal for most.
Today, far too many students don’t get the support they need to achieve this goal. While 63% of jobs require a postsecondary degree or credential, only 49% of students are earning credentials. Of those credentials that are earned, many do not equip students with the skills needed for careers that enable the economic independence that students need to make a living.
SCORE’s mission is to catalyze transformative change in education, and we believe more solutions are necessary to ensure students have the opportunity to get the education and training they need to find success. With this in mind, SCORE launched the Future Forward Innovation Grant to support the incubation and scaling of innovative education-to-work models in Tennessee. We have seen firsthand how strong education-employer partnerships transform the ways students are prepared for careers.
SCORE considered nearly 100 applicants for the Future Forward Innovation Grant, and seven innovative partnerships rose to the top in our selection process because of their potential to transform education-to-work pathways and be a model for others. Each featured:
- Strong education-employer partnerships. When leadership from both an employer and education partner are at the table, they can better design, build, and launch an innovative credential program. Their collective experience and knowledge produce an even better pathway for students because it is rooted in learning that is purpose-built and practical.
- A focus on preparing students to meet local workforce need. This approach works well for the student and the community, as it provides students with what they need to be a successful part of their local workforce and for careers they might not otherwise be prepared for.
- Ability to teach the field. These practical solutions can generate proof points — those real-world outcomes that show efficacy — which can then inform statewide practices and other education-to-work pathways.
Over the next year, SCORE will get a front row seat to the work happening in these seven partnerships, not just by providing financial investment but also by hosting a cohort-based fellowship experience that fosters learning and problem-solving with other recipients. Additionally, a team of expert advisors will be at the ready, spending time with each recipient and lending their expertise to support the incubation, launch, or scaling of these models. These kinds of partnerships have the potential to change the trajectory of education-to-work pathways across the state. We are eager to identify best practices and learnings so that they can be applied as solutions for other Tennessee communities facing similar challenges.
Tennessee is a leader in education and economic development. The two are inextricable. If we want our state’s workforce development goals to be met and students to be prepared to take advantage of this economic opportunity, we must better connect education and industry. When we invest in innovative solutions, we help ensure that every student has the opportunity to be ready for life, including being prepared for a career that fulfills a childhood dream, continues a family legacy, or opens new doors — all the while meeting a community workforce need.
We look forward to sharing what we learn from the partnerships and models supported through the Future Forward Innovation Grant.