Schools have always been a place where young minds are shaped, molded and prepared for the future. Their key objective is to ensure the physical, emotional and relational safety of their students. After that is accomplished, however, another priority needs to be equipping students with the skills necessary to be able to secure gainful employment in their future.

We are seeing schools tackle this need in some exciting ways. A transformation is happening in classrooms; they are now filled with excitement and wonder as students explore various industries and career paths. K-12 schools can help students discover their passions and interests by offering career education and guidance.

There are a variety of approaches offered, from inviting engagement in the classroom by industry professionals to providing internships or work-study programs. There are also educational tools offered by organizations such as World of Work, which incorporates the introduction of six industry professions into curriculum every school year. This allows students to be exposed to 78 different careers by the time they graduate!

Another important aspect is the development of soft skills. Picture this: a group of students working together to solve a problem while communicating effectively and demonstrating teamwork skills. Schools can help students develop soft skills such as communication, teamwork, problem-solving and adaptability, all of which are highly valued by employers.

Extracurricular activities such as drama, music and sports, can also help students build their soft skills while they are having fun.

As we know, we are in a world where technology is rapidly evolving, and the ability to learn from a variety of locations in numerous ways was further accelerated while we were going through and coming out of the pandemic. Students are learning basic computer skills, coding, analyzing data and competing in robotics competitions and hack-a-thons to showcase their technical expertise.

Next, have you ever considered that schools could be incubators for young entrepreneurs? Schools can promote creative innovation and critical thinking by offering entrepreneurship classes, supporting student-led initiatives and encouraging students to participate in programs such as DECA or Junior Achievement.

Another topic schools are increasingly tackling is the area of financial literacy. Through programs such as Foundations in Personal Finance or FitMoney, students are able to learn the building blocks of financial literacy such as creating a budget, saving money, investing wisely and more.

Of course, not every K-12 school is offering programs in all of these areas, but that is the beauty of the options Utah parents have available to them in our communities. These options allow parents to find the ideal fit for their child, one that effectively addresses the child’s care and safety while providing various resources, tools and pathways that help their child graduate with a career-oriented foundation in place.

This is the case whether the child is considering going directly into industry, serving our country in one of the armed forces, attending a two-year or four-year university, or enrolling in a technical college or trade school.

There are many paths toward gainful employment, but they can start with the right programs being offered by our K-12 schools.

Brian Epperson is CEO of Target River and vice chair of the Utah Valley Chamber of Commerce’s Education and Workforce Committee.