I-Corps: WorkReadyGrad application

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Economists and educators are grappling with how to best prepare students for a rapidly changing economic landscape. Research suggests that changing workforce needs will require students to develop transferable knowledge and skills through deep learning connections between school, work, and life. This I-Corps team will explore the launch of an application called WorkReadyGrad.com which seeks to close the skills gap by elevating the quality and frequency of dialogue between students and potential employers. The proposed work is a web-based social networking and electronic-portfolio tool that facilitates this connection, and connects students to professionals for career and educational mentoring in STEM fields. Made for students in middle school through college and professionals across a wide range of careers, the tool can connect students with information, resources, and potential employers. Complementing this student service, the proposed tool will enable employers to communicate future hiring needs and to groom new talent. Specific to this I-Corps application, WorkReadyGrad intends to engage in customer discovery by engaging companies and civic institutions to build a more diverse pool of STEM workers. By launching in Atlanta, WorkReadyGrad is able to connect colleges and employers with an underserved, under-utilized workforce that is more than 50% African American.. Short-term success will be gauged by skill sets and certifications that students obtain and the growth of their professional networks. Short-term success will also be gauged by the number of professional mentors enrolled from public and private employers and the quality of their engagements within the WorkReadyGrad environment. Long-term success will be measured by enrollment and completion of post-secondary education and by the quantity and quality of job placements from post-secondary institutions. It is anticipated that the time horizon to short-term impact is approximately 3-12 months and to long-term impact is approximately 2-10 years.