On a sweltering day in August, Frances Hall watches as members of the Beatties Ford Road community dance, play games, and laugh. Despite the heat, it is a day of relative ease for residents of one of Charlotte, N.C.’s most chronically underserved neighborhoods. Hall, CEO of Beatties Ford Road Vocational Trade Center, is the architect of … Continued
Why do talent gaps exist in the United States? Charles Koch Foundation (CKF) Vice President for Future of Work Laura Demarse gives a surprising answer on a new episode of SchermCo’s Square Pizza podcast. “There are millions of Americans who are currently not connected to the workforce,” says Demarse. “[But] it’s not because they don’t have … Continued
Americans are anxious about rapidly evolving technology, especially when it comes to how it will shape the future of work. Technology is a disruptor, but at the Charles Koch Foundation we view this disruption as an opportunity, not a problem. Here’s why. Technology cannot replace what is human In 1921, at the dawn of the … Continued
The United States has a housing deficit. One reason for the gap: a lack of workers in the construction industry. Goodwill Industries of the Southern Piedmont and the Lennar Foundation are working in North Carolina to expand pathways to skilled careers in the construction trades. In June, a new cohort of more than 200 participants … Continued
For nearly two decades, Mike Rowe has been laboring to reshape the conversation about work, dignity, and opportunity in America. His popular TV show “Dirty Jobs” and scholarship program has helped thousands of Americans find work in the skilled trades. Now Rowe is taking his message directly to towns and cities across America. Last fall, … Continued
High school and college graduates are not the only ones fretting about their futures. As The Wall Street Journal reports, “Roughly a quarter of American professionals hit a wall in their careers before their peak earning years, going at least five years without a real boost in pay or position.” Those findings come from a new … Continued
On May 6, SkillsUSA held its annual National Signing Day, a nationwide celebration that showcases the next generation of skilled professionals who will build, expand, and sustain American prosperity. Parents, school administrators, and employers attended events across the country where students signed sign letters of intent for a job offer, internship or apprenticeship, or career and … Continued
Ball State University student Michael E. Moore grew up just outside of Indianapolis. At Southport High School, he played multiple sports and was president of the school’s chapter of DECA, a nationwide organization for young leaders and entrepreneurs. After choosing Ball State for its small class sizes and opportunity to better know his professors, Moore … Continued
In a rapidly changing economy — one where it seems many college graduates are in jobs unrelated to their degrees — do Americans need a traditional four-year university experience? Or do they need access to shorter learning pathways? The answer is: both. Consider the results of a Gallup and Lumina Foundation poll published in April 2026, which found: About … Continued
At the Charles Koch Foundation (CKF), we believe that people closest to a problem are best positioned to solve it. Merit America has been doing exactly that for working adults who have the potential to succeed in a labor market that hasn’t always made it easy to prove their value. And now Fast Company has … Continued
