It should come as no surprise that postsecondary education is more important than ever before. Gone are the days when a high school diploma alone would be a springboard to a stable career and a family-supporting wage. But how can we ensure that students have equitable access to quality education and training after they finish high school, especially in underserved populations?

In June 2021, a collaborative of funders launched the Catalyze Challenge to source innovations to deliver diverse and equitable opportunities for America's students to achieve economic success. Just as adults are facing an unprecedented moment in history, today's students are grappling with challenges, too: rising college tuition, a crushing job market, a global pandemic, and an economic downturn. This innovation challenge will fund and elevate programs that help students navigate the transition from education to employment and empower students to make informed choices about their future

ASA is on a mission to expand high-quality work-based learning opportunities for high school students nationwide. While federal legislation exists to encourage and incentivize youth work-based learning, it is not enough to ensure these opportunities are available, accessible and equitable for all students. This means states often take the lead in work-based learning policy, but a recent audit shows wide disparity in how states define the experiences that make up work-based learning, fund these initiatives, build infrastructure and communications, ensure accountability, and collect data for impact measurement.