Utah’s economic success story is one of innovation, resilience and growth. From aerospace to health care to advanced manufacturing, our state’s employers are fueling record job creation. But behind that growth is a question every community should be asking: Are our schools and employers working closely enough to sustain it?
For generations, business and education have not been intertwined enough. Employers helped launch early career and technical education (CTE) programs and continue to shape the skills our students learn. Yet, as workforce shortages deepen and skilled talent becomes harder to find, the need for stronger, more intentional partnerships between schools and employers has never been greater.
A shared challenge and opportunity ahead
Across Utah, we’re seeing the effects of demographic change. Baby Boomers are retiring faster than new workers are entering trades, health care and technology fields. Meanwhile, many young people remain unaware of the rewarding, high-skill, high-demand jobs available right in their own communities that they would thrive in.
That’s where collaboration comes in. When schools and local employers work hand in hand, students gain exposure to real-world careers, and businesses help shape the very talent pipelines they rely on. This isn’t just about filling positions; it’s about giving employers a direct role in shaping the education experience itself. When businesses engage early, they build relationships with students, influence skill development and create a clear path from classroom to career.
Utah is beginning to address this challenge head-on. In March, the Utah State Board of Education selected Utah-based YouScience to deliver the state’s new First Credential Career Mapping Tool. The legislation requires students to graduate with meaningful credentials and pathways aligned with Utah’s workforce demand.
When schools and local employers work hand-in-hand, students gain exposure to real-world careers, and businesses help shape the very talent pipelines they rely on.
This is an important step forward. By connecting aptitude discovery, coursework, credentials and postsecondary pathways into one longitudinal system, Utah is building infrastructure that links education to economic opportunity. Yet, progress also depends on employers stepping into the equation.
What collaboration looks like
Partnership doesn’t have to mean big budgets or complicated programs. Often, the most meaningful engagement starts small:
- Guest speaking or job shadows that show students a day in the field.
- Internships or apprenticeships that bridge classroom learning with hands-on experience, guided by aptitude data — provided by YouScience — allow students to enter CTE pathways that fit their strengths and stick with them.
- Teacher externships that give educators a glimpse into evolving industry practices.
- Advisory boards that ensure CTE programs reflect current and future workforce needs.
When local professionals share their time and expertise, they don’t just inspire students; they help shape curriculum, drive relevance and build a stronger sense of community connection. They also create a direct pipeline of talent they have helped develop, making it possible to hire students into entry-level roles right out of high school who are already capable, prepared and aligned to their needs.
Utah’s new statewide college and career readiness system creates clearer visibility into student progress toward credentials and workforce-aligned pathways. Employers now have an unprecedented opportunity to plug into a structure designed to make partnership easier and more transparent. The infrastructure is being built. The question is whether businesses will engage with it.
The payoff for students and employers
The benefits go both ways. Students who experience work-based learning are more motivated, more confident and more likely to pursue careers that match their strengths. Employers, in turn, gain access to a deeper, more prepared labor pool, stronger local pipelines and employees who feel invested in the company’s success because they were supported from the start. They also reduce the high costs of recruiting and retention by building their own workforce from the ground up, shaped around their culture, expectations and long-term needs.
A Utah blueprint for the future
We already have powerful examples here in Utah of partnerships between high schools, technical colleges and local employers helping students find their purpose while keeping Utah’s economy competitive. But we need more of them, especially in rural and fast-growing communities where workforce needs are outpacing supply.
Together, we can ensure that Utah’s students don’t just graduate; they thrive in careers that sustain families, strengthen communities and keep our state’s economy strong for generations to come.