Redefining Education and Workforce: Bold Insights from Horizons 2024

The 2024 Horizons summit began with a powerful call for bravery in addressing systemic barriers to education and employment. Astronaut José Hernández shared, “I grew up a migrant farm worker, and not in spite of that, but because of that, I became an astronaut.” Rejected 11 times by NASA, Hernández said, "With each rejection, I gave myself a few days to mourn and then set about identifying what skills I still needed." He became a pilot, earned a SCUBA certification, and learned Russian, ultimately achieving his dream of flying in space on the Space Shuttle Discovery’s mission to the International Space Station in 2009.

Inspiring Stories of Bravery

Jobs for the Future (JFF) CEO Maria Flynn echoed this sentiment, urging the 2,000 attendees to adopt bolder strategies in overcoming the systemic barriers that hinder Americans from accessing quality jobs. JFF’s ambitious goal, or North Star, is clear: “By 2033, 75 million people facing systemic barriers to advancement will work in quality jobs.”

Participants embraced the challenge, presenting bold, innovative, and sometimes controversial ideas in various discussions and live podcasts. They candidly addressed the shortcomings of our education and workforce systems while highlighting opportunities for collaboration and shared goals.

Strategic Partnerships for Quality Jobs

The event included several exciting new partnership announcements:

• ASA Center for Career Navigation at JFF: American Student Assistance (ASA) and JFF are strengthening their partnership with a $25 million investment. This includes $15 million to launch a center for helping young people ages 16-24 navigate education and career paths, plus $10 million to support JFF's North Star goal.
• 75 Million Network: JFF announced a coalition, including the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation , Opportunity@Work , REDF , Jobcase, Inc. , Mohawk Valley Community College , and ETS , to expand access to quality jobs and achieve their North Star goal. They also launched a national job quality survey with Gallup to track progress.
• Skills for the Future: Flynn, alongside Earl Lewis and David Steward, announced a new initiative uniting AstrumU, ETS Solutions, and JFF to develop tools for skills verification, promoting career advancement.

Uniting Through Service

Horizons gained national media attention when Maryland Governor Gov. Wes Moore endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris for president live on stage. Moore also highlighted his state's service program, inviting high school graduates to participate in a year of service, noting that shared service helps reduce partisanship and fosters collaboration toward common goals.

Secretary Perspectives on Education

The need for better education and training, from K-12 to upskilling for experienced workers, was a key theme. U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona and former secretaries Arne Duncan and Margaret Spellings discussed this from a bipartisan perspective. Duncan urged voters to demand more from officials in K-12 education, saying, “None of this should be about left and right. It has to be about a better outcome for our kids.” Duncan and Spellings emphasized collaboration to improve graduation rates and literacy, while Cardona called for a shift away from the "four-year college or bust" mindset. He advocated for policies that provide meaningful and affordable training and career education opportunities for students.

Transforming Higher Education

Leaders in postsecondary education stressed the need for change. Scott Pulsipher , president of Western Governors University and a new JFF board member, candidly discussed how outdated systems hinder the transition to skills-based training and hiring. “The biggest challenge is, I would argue, a cultural one—meaning that all of us sitting in this room are also some of the biggest barriers to shifting away from the credit hour and degree base within traditional higher education. Because we're the ones who had that experience, and we value that experience more than something new.”

David Wilson , president of Morgan State University, an HBCU in Baltimore, provided strong evidence of successful transformation. He explained how declining enrollment prompted Morgan State to reassess their curriculum, consult with employers, and introduce new degree programs that align with future job markets. This led to the creation of Maryland’s first bachelor’s degree program in cloud computing and record enrollment in 2022.

New Skills, New Jobs

U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo expressed optimism, viewing this moment as a potential “turning point in U.S. competitiveness” due to federal investments in manufacturing, especially semiconductor technology. Her goal is to create 1 million new jobs by enhancing domestic semiconductor manufacturing, which requires training but not necessarily a college degree. “America will outcompete if everyone has a chance—not a handout, a chance, and a chance means good job training, with wraparound services to get to the end of the training, and a job at the end of the tunnel,” Raimondo said.

Speakers discussed whether skills-based hiring is just a trend or a lasting change. Byron Auguste , CEO of Opportunity@Work, noted that debating degrees vs. skills can worsen the stigma for those successful without academic credentials. “What is helpful is, ‘How do we value learning, wherever you get it?’” Auguste said.

Humans, Amplified by AI

Last year, Flynn predicted AI would transform the workplace. This year, LinkedIn's Aneesh Raman and neuroscientist Vivienne Ming expressed optimism about humans harnessing AI for success. Raman emphasized, “We need to think about human capability with the same excitement we’re thinking about AI capability.” He added, “And we need to ask what’s possible for humans in the age of AI, not what’s left.” Ming shared, "If we train children for an uncertain future and they celebrate it, what an amazing opportunity." She added, "I get to change the world in a way no one else has ever done before."

The Currency of Connectivity

Sessions on connections and economic mobility included a discussion featuring JFF board member Richard V. Reeves , researcher Raj Chetty, and Camille M. Busette of the Brookings Institution. Chetty, who analyzes data like tax records and the Census, revealed a stark truth: Black men, regardless of being born into wealth, have an equal chance of falling to the bottom or staying at the top. He emphasized that understanding this downward mobility is crucial to addressing racial disparities in America.

Conclusion

The 2024 Horizons summit underscored the need for bold, collaborative efforts to break down systemic barriers in education and employment. By embracing innovative strategies and forming strategic partnerships, we can create a future where quality jobs and education are accessible to all. Join us in supporting these initiatives and contributing to the transformation of our education and workforce systems.