America Succeeds Updates

America Succeeds Update: October 2021

In case you missed it.

October has been an exciting month for us here at America Succeeds. We loved seeing so many friends and colleagues at this year’s PIE Network Summit in our hometown of Denver, and just in time for Halloween, we’re sharing a treat, our new Durable Skills report – The High Demand for Durable Skills.

We recently partnered with Emsi Burning Glass to analyze 82 million job postings from the past two years (2019-2020) to quantify the demand for Durable Skills. Building on existing research around 21st-century skills, (soft skills, employability skills, and human skills), we grouped the top 100 related keyword terms into 10 Durable Skills competencies.

In examining the labor market insights from the millions of job postings, we can clearly demonstrate workforce demand for Durable Skills across industries, occupations, and geographies. We hope this data informs that work and helps us thoughtfully meet the challenge of ensuring today’s students have the opportunity to succeed in whatever future pathway they choose.


Reunited in the Rockies

It was a pleasure to attend this year’s PIE Network Summit. Stephanie Short joined a panel discussing the structural barriers connecting K-12, higher education, and the workforce, Eric Lerum moderated the ‘Most Actionable Research’ breakout session, and America Succeeds (alongside various partners) took home ‘The Best Defense’ award from The Eddies!

Highlights Joins the Durable Skills Coalition 

We’re excited to announce that Highlights for Children has joined the Durable Skills coalition! Companies like this truly understand that students who graduate from K-12 learning skills like leadership, communication, and collaboration are better prepared to succeed when they start their careers.

NC Stride Teacher Recruitment Action Plan

BEST NC, in collaboration with the NC STRIDE Planning Team, has shared the NC STRIDE Teacher Recruitment Action Plan. We’re excited to watch as this comprehensive plan helps ensure that the state attracts high-quality teaching candidates for North Carolina’s hardest-to-staff subject areas and schools. 

First Place Goes To: One Million Degrees

Earlier this month, three college-attainment nonprofits pitched their organizations at the 4th-annual Evergreen National Education Prize awards ceremony, and presented virtually as part of the National College Attainment Network’s national conference. Ultimately, Chicago-based One Million Degrees took first place, receiving $100,000 in funding!


Watch for our upcoming Equity in Education report with data and recommendations for addressing five areas. It will hit your inboxes in November. Get a sneak peek of the work here.

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