Coalition prepares Arizona graduates for college and careers

High school students are gearing up for the day after graduation. As some begin to explore college courses, others are thinking about careers.

However, a high school diploma does not always mean they are fully prepared for an actual job, college or the world they encounter.

A new Arizona coalition is here to help students to realistically prepare for the day after high school graduation. The program focuses on a ‘four-core’ futures that every Arizona graduate should be ready to face – enrollment, employment, enlistment and service and entrepreneurship.

These futures are supported by eight essential competencies that combine academic knowledge, durable human skills and digital fluency to ensure future-proof students.

Chad E. Gestson, the executive director of NAU’s Arizona Institute for Education and the Economy, joins “Arizona Horizon” to discuss how graduates can be adaptable while facing a rapidly changing economy.