Advise and Mentor Learners, Alumni, and Workers

The landscape of postsecondary education and career options can be overwhelming for learners and families. Pointing learners in the direction of a door and telling them to open it and walk through is not enough. Across the U.S., education and workforce systems offer up hundreds of doors without clear labels, paths to reach them, or a view of what might be on the other side. Aiming for a door only to realize you do not fit in, cannot schedule classes around your work shifts, or are not interested in the field can be an expensive and time-consuming mistake.

Advising that is aligned to a learner’s interests, strengths, and values can be life-changing if it helps them find the best postsecondary path. In the 21st century, college and career advising can take many shapes, be it a person, an online portal, or an AI chatbot. As learners and employees navigate a lifelong career and education journey, an innovative solution for advising could be a system in which a learner builds a strong, trusting relationship with an adviser who might not be employed by a specific educational institution and who could, alongside AI-enabled tools, continue to advise that learner throughout their education and career.