America Succeeds ... has spent the better part of the last two years exploring the misalignment between what is being taught in schools—both K-12 and higher education—and the knowledge, skills, and behaviors required by the modern workplace. They describe the future of work as the “Age of Agility,” which became the title of a report, and a tour of more than 10 major cities, their overall effort aiming at building momentum and discourse around this important topic.

From the first afternoon of insights from school, industry, and non-profit leaders, to the full morning of engaging discussions and small-group strategizing, there was much to learn and a wide range of perspectives on how best to move forward.

The overarching impression the event left was of the importance of cross-sector collaboration in efforts to prepare students for the future of the work. Whether it be schools collaborating with industry partners or commerce groups partnering with policymakers, they hold the power to create new agile and relevant education pathways. It is challenging to create this type of new partnership for a number of reasons—whether political, logistical, or organizational. But it is important that the conversations continue. It is working, and it will continue to enable the creation and proliferation of more innovative and impactful learning opportunities for students.

Read the full article about the age of agility by Erik Day at Getting Smart.