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A widening skills gap continues to threaten the U.S. economy, and despite a broad consensus that the U.S. education system is not preparing students for success in work and life, little progress has been made to revolutionize PreK-12 education. For the past 100 years, the education system has remained largely unchanged. Traditional, teacher-centric education persists as the norm, and student performance is still largely measured on rote memorization, perpetuating a “teaching to the test” culture.

Instead, students need access to real-world, problem-based, applied learning experiences that empower them to not only learn technical skills and subject-matter knowledge required to enter a field or further study, but also to gain the in-demand, transportable skills that employers across industries seek. These skills – including problem solving, critical and creative thinking, collaboration, communication, and ethical reasoning – are  critical to students’ success later in life.

In fact, 92 percent of executives say such skills are equally important or more important than technical skills. While thousands of schools across the country have implemented programs to better prepare students for the workforce, another significant hurdle remains: proving and identifying students’ competencies in these hard-to-measure areas.

Not surprisingly, 89 percent of executives say they have a difficult time finding people who possess crucial skills like the ability to communicate clearly, solve problems, collaborate, and more. With no clear or confident way to confirm these skills during the standard recruitment process, employers face continued challenges as they make talent decisions.

Moreover, students who have worked hard to master these in-demand skills have had no reliable way to promote their strengths and signal that they’re well-prepared for college and careers – until now.