Two years ago, during AEFL Week 2022, the U.S. Department of Education launched the $1 million Future Finder Challenge to reimagine career navigation for adult learners. The Department invited innovators — including educators, strategists, developers, and user-centered designers — to submit prototypes for digital career navigation tools that would help adult learners understand, choose, and prepare for career opportunities. Since then, a multidisciplinary community has united in a shared commitment to adult education and adult learners. That community supported the development and deployment of five digital tools designed for those learners.
“The Future Finder Challenge has been a game changer, having brought together the edtech and adult education ecosystems to reimagine what is possible for adult learners. I have been so inspired by watching, listening, and learning about the incredible work that Workbay and Gladeo are doing. They are innovative, human-centered companies that are helping adult learners to transform their lives.” — Dr. Amy Loyd, Assistant Secretary for the Office of Career, Technical, and Adult Education (OCTAE), U.S. Department of Education
Now, nearly two years after the launch, we’re bringing the challenge to a close. We can’t think of a better way to mark AEFL Week 2024 than by celebrating the extraordinary impact of this challenge.
Checking in with the finalists and winners:
In designing this challenge, the Future Finder team aspired to do more than identify innovators whose tools demonstrated the greatest potential to support learners. The team also set out to support those innovators in achieving sustainability and generating broader impact for the field of adult education. The challenge team is thrilled to celebrate each finalist and winner’s successes beyond Stage 2 of the challenge.
BestFit (finalist):
Since the end of Stage 2, BestFit has launched a digital “back office” — a suite of software tools that includes automated task management and enables asynchronous collaboration between case managers and clients. This summer, BestFit began a pilot program with Integrity Transformations Community Development Corporation (ITCDC) in Atlanta, through which they aim to assist 1,000 low-income Atlanta residents in completing job training. ITCDC’s case managers and program staff will use BestFit’s intake tool, eligibility screener, and support plans to automatically refer clients to critical benefits and resources. To support this collaboration and ensure learners have access to the necessary wraparound support, BestFit has secured additional funding from Emory University’s Philanthropy Lab and Atlanta’s Civic Impact Fund.
Gladeo (grand-prize winner):
Since being announced the challenge grand-prize winner — for which the team gained national recognition — Gladeo has enhanced its digital platform with AI insights, language translation capabilities, and a skills gap analysis feature, making career exploration more accessible and personalized for a diverse audience of learners. The team has recently partnered with CAST.org to integrate Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles, ensuring its intervention is accessible to all learners. As it deploys across the adult education community, Gladeo continues to present at major conferences, sharing its expertise and FutureReady Career Development program with educators and workforce development professionals nationwide.
Territorium (finalist):
Territorium has introduced new features that allow learners to share collections of digital credentials and build public, resume-like profiles that showcase their skills, credentials, and work experiences. The organization has collaborated with the University of Texas System to launch an AI-powered credential wallet for microcredentials, partnered with the American Association of Colleges and Universities to transform skills and learning development, and worked with several educational institutions — including Northwest Florida State College and Kean University — to accelerate skills-based education and hiring. Territorium’s efforts have gained global recognition, including an award for edtech leadership from 1EdTech.
Wingspans (finalist):
Since the Future Finder Challenge, Wingspans has introduced an educator dashboard for reporting and analytics, expanded its user base to more than 50 community colleges, and secured a spot in the Techstars Workforce Development Accelerator with a $120,000 investment. The team has also partnered with six workforce organizations to promote high demand industries like the semiconductor field. Wingspans’ approach earned them victory in the Tools Competition, selected from 1,900 global submissions, along with an Implementation Impact Award in collaboration with Calbright College, receiving a total of $250,000 in additional funding.
Workbay (runner-up winner):
Workbay is rapidly expanding its corrections and re-entry community programs across state and county Department of Corrections systems, serving hundreds of thousands of justice-impacted learners. The team is also engaged with more than 2,000 Fair Chance Employers and Fair Chance initiatives — and aims to help 10,000 justice-impacted families receive an extra $5 per hour this year, totaling $10,000 per family.
A community effort:
By supporting the development and deployment of these five teams, the entire Future Finder Challenge community helped guide the landscape of career navigation tools toward greater accessibility and authentic value for adult learners. Gladeo and Workbay’s digital tools are already being used by thousands of adult learners, and the challenge team is excited to follow the continued growth of BestFit, Territorium, and Wingspans.
“Throughout the Future Finder Challenge, Gladeo and Workbay have grown and developed as champions for adult education and adult learners. Now that they are part of the adult education family, we will never let them go. I’m also grateful to have such amazing people on my team with the voice and the vision to bring this challenge to life.” — LaToya Newson, Director, OCTAE, Division of Adult Education and Literacy, U.S. Department of Education
The challenge team is grateful to each and every member of the Future Finder community, from the Stage 1 entrants to all who helped build awareness of the initiative. The team is especially eager to thank the judges and reviewers, accelerator mentors, and subject matter experts who helped make this challenge a success. In closing the challenge, we acknowledge and thank the millions of adult learners and more than 80,000 educators working to support them. Thank you for being part of this community — you have our deepest admiration and gratitude.