New collaboration supports aptitude, curriculum, and real-world pathways to address growing student readiness gap
AMERICAN FORK, UT. and INDIANAPOLIS, — YouScience and Project Lead The Way (PLTW) today announced a strategic collaboration to transform how students are prepared for the future of work.
YouScience is an education technology company transforming college and career readiness through its award-winning platform YouScience® Brightpath, which evaluates student aptitudes. PLTW prepares PreK–12 students for careers, college, and life through hands-on curriculum, equipping students with STEM knowledge, credential preparation, transferable skills, and more.
Through this collaboration, YouScience and PLTW will work to create a more connected student journey—one that begins with scientifically backed aptitude discovery, extends through engaging, real-world classroom experiences, and culminates in clear, actionable pathways into postsecondary education and careers.
PLTW’s hands-on, problem-based learning programs across STEM fields and skilled trades have long been recognized for engaging students in meaningful, real-world challenges. Through PLTW’s Gateway Career Center, students begin career exploration in middle school, providing an early introduction to career pathways. By introducing YouScience’s aptitude-driven insights, the collaboration aims to ensure students are not only engaged but also aligned to opportunities where they are most likely to succeed from an early age.
"Students are graduating with diplomas, but too often without direction. Solving this requires more than incremental change. It requires alignment across discovery, learning, and real-world experience," said Edson Barton, CEO of YouScience. "Project Lead The Way has been a crucial leader in delivering high-quality, applied learning experiences in classrooms across the country. Together, we have an opportunity to connect those experiences to what students know about themselves and where they can succeed, so every student can move forward with clarity and confidence."
At a time when the gap between education and workforce readiness continues to widen, this collaboration brings together two leaders in career-connected learning to better align student discovery, classroom experiences, and real-world opportunities.
Recent findings from YouScience's 2026 Post-Graduation Readiness Report and PLTW's 2025 Student Survey underscore the urgency of this work.
- A Crisis of confidence: 77% of graduates feel only moderately, slightly, or not at all prepared for the next step and 69% report lacking strong confidence in their plans after high school.
- The majority of graduates are drifting: 62% of students report they are "drifting" post high school without a clear post-secondary roadmap.
- A proven solution: 75% of PLTW high school students agree or strongly agree that PLTW helps them learn about different jobs and careers, and 78% of PLTW high school students agree or strongly agree that the things they learn in PLTW connect to the real world. Additionally, 71% of graduates say that understanding their aptitudes and career alignment would have made them more engaged in school.
This highlights a critical need for integrated, scalable solutions that move beyond traditional guidance to provide students with the information they need to make life-shaping decisions confidently.
"When students have the opportunity to explore aptitudes, they are equipped with critical information to pursue career pathways that fit them best," said Joel Kupperstein, Executive Vice President and Chief Product Officer at Project Lead The Way. "YouScience can provide a key layer of insight into how students think and where they can thrive. By combining that with PLTW's proven learning experiences, schools can help ensure students are not just participating in career exploration but actively building toward futures where they are connected and ready to succeed."
YouScience and PLTW aim to provide schools and districts with a more cohesive system to support student decision-making, improve engagement, and strengthen connections between education and workforce needs.
As the workforce evolves, a well-rounded education must go beyond traditional subject matter and help students identify their interests and aptitudes, discover suitable career paths, and gain the specific skills needed to pursue them. This collaboration represents a critical evolution in college and career readiness, aligning educational milestones with the real-world demands of today's accelerating industries.
