Across the US, now more than ever, workers are experiencing unprecedented levels of instability, with many people facing unemployment or struggling financially in low-paying, temporary, or part-time jobs. Long standing racial and gender injustices in the US continue to hinder the education, employment, and earning potential of Black, Indigenous, Latinx, and other historically marginalized communities. 

Four-year degree enrollment has significantly increased over the past few decades, but so has student debt—ballooning to $1.5 trillion in 2019. Too many students do not graduate, while others learn skills that are misaligned with the fastest growing professions of the new economy. Meanwhile, there are still many careers—from nursing and elderly care to plumbing and information technology—that do not require four-year degrees. Many of these professions have vacancies that go unfilled due to employer-reported lack of skilled labor.

The nature of work is constantly changing—and has been complicated by massive economic disruptions, including Covid-19, and technologies such as artificial intelligence and automation. Many workers will need to continually learn new skills that are adapted for the jobs of today and tomorrow. Education systems and employers will also need to coordinate more closely to match demand and address growing inequities. 

The good news is that innovation and technology also create new opportunities for workers. All across the US, tech entrepreneurs, community colleges, vocational schools, and employers are reimagining pathways to employment that are fairer and more inclusive. 

This Challenge—powered by MIT Solve, the Morgridge Family Foundation and New Profit—seeks the most promising solutions that accelerate pathways to current and future employment across the US. Solutions that focus on non-coastal states, US interior regions, and/or racial justice are encouraged to apply. To that end, we seek solutions that: 

• Drive resources and support to Black, Indigenous, and Latinx entrepreneurs and innovators, who receive a fraction of funding in both the nonprofit and for-profit sectors, despite their frequent proximity to workforce challenges and the systems-focused solutions needed to solve them.

• Increase access to high-quality, affordable learning, skill-building, and training opportunities for those entering the workforce, transitioning between jobs, or facing unemployment. 

• Enable learners to make informed decisions about which pathways and jobs best suit them, including promoting the benefits of non-degree pathways to employment.

• Implement competency-based models for life-long learning and credentialing.

• Match current and future employer and industry needs with education providers, workforce development programs, and diverse job seekers.

Prize Funding + Available Support for the Reimagining Pathways to Employment in the US Challenge

Up to US$625,000 in prize funding is available for the Reimagining Pathways to Employment in the US Challenge.

Finalists will be invited to a Virtual Pitch Event on January 25, 2021 to present their solutions to distinguished judges. Challenge winners will have access to a US$625,000 prize pool made possible by Challenge partners Morgridge Family Foundation, New Profit, CSU Global, and Gary Community Investments. These grants will fund the development of validation pilots with innovative US Workforce Boards for the benefit of an anticipated 1 million displaced workers. This funding will allow solutions to be offered at no cost to participating workers. MIT Solve will support the development and implementation of these partnerships. In addition to funding, winning teams will receive IBM Cloud Credits and virtual coaching with IBM experts.

Eligibility Requirements

The Morgridge Family Foundation and New Profit are especially interested in solutions that benefit the non-coastal and US interior regions. 

The Reimagining Pathways to Employment in the US Challenge is open to solutions that have at least a working, tested prototype that are:

1. Currently deployed in at least one US state
2. Operating in another country, but have plans to expand to at least one US state

If you have a relevant solution, we hope you’ll apply! 

Please note:

• Solutions that focus on non-coastal states, US interior regions, and/or racial justice are highly encouraged to apply.
• Solutions from Black, Indigenous, Latinx, and other historically marginalized communities are highly encouraged to apply.
• Applications can be for-profit, nonprofit, or hybrid solutions, as well as those not formally registered as any such organization.
• Applicants can be individuals or teams, including but not limited to students, entrepreneurs, or established start-ups. 
• Individual applicants must be at least 18 years old. 
• Teams must have at least one member who is at least 18 years old. 

How are we CrowdSolving the Reimagining Pathways to Employment in the US Challenge?

1. SOURCING SOLUTIONS Anyone who meets the criteria above can participate in the Challenge and submit a solution. Whether you’re working on a pilot or have an existing product, we’re looking for innovators and entrepreneurs with the best solutions.

2. SELECTING SOLUTIONS Once the submission deadline passes, judging begins. After an initial screening by the Morgridge Family Foundation, New Profit, and Solve staff, Challenge judges select the most promising solutions as Finalists. These Finalists will be invited to pitch their solutions at a Pitch Event, where judges will select the winners.

What type of solutions will be accepted to the Reimagining Pathways to Employment in the US Challenge?

Solution applications must be written in English. The Reimagining Pathways to Employment in the US Challenge considers solutions at various stages of development. 

• Prototype: A venture or organization building and testing its product, service, or business model. If for-profit, a new company getting off the ground that has raised little or no institutional capital (less than $500,000) in pre-seed fundraising.
• Pilot: An organization deploying a tested product, service, or business model in at least one community. If for-profit, a young company that is working to gain traction and that has raised less than $2 million in institutional capital in seed funding.
• Growth: An organization with an established product, service, or business model rolled out in one or, ideally, several communities, which is poised for further growth in multiple communities or countries. If for-profit, an early-stage company that has established a track record and is seeking to raise a round of roughly $2 million to $15 million in institutional capital in a Series A or potentially B round.
• Scale: A sustainable enterprise working in several communities or countries that is looking to scale significantly, focusing on increased efficiency. If for-profit, a successful company that is scaling its operations and seeks to raise a round of more than $15 million in institutional capital. 

The most important thing is that your solution addresses the focus of the Reimagining Pathways to Employment in the US Challenge.

Through open innovation, the Reimagining Pathways to Employment in the US Challenge is looking for a diverse portfolio of solutions across stages of development and team members’ gender and background. We believe that there is no one solution to the world’s most complex challenges—and encourage people of all backgrounds to submit their applications.

How will my solution be evaluated?

The judging committee for the Reimagining Pathways to Employment in the US Challenge will be comprised of experts and leaders from across industries. After an initial screening by the Morgridge Family Foundation, New Profit, and Solve staff, the judges will score the screened solutions based on the following criteria:

• Alignment: The solution addresses the challenge that has been set forth.
• Potential for Impact: The planned solution implementation has the potential to impact lives and drive economic growth nationally.
• Scalability: The solution can be scaled to affect the lives of more people.
• Feasibility: Solution implementation is feasible, and the team has a plan for financial sustainability.
• Innovative Approach: This is a new solution, a new application of a solution, a new business model, or a new process for solving the challenge, and the team clearly identifies its competitive advantages (e.g. intellectual property).
• Diversity: The solution and solution team embody and address diversity throughout their application.

Selected finalists will pitch before the Reimagining Pathways to Employment in the US Challenge judges and a live audience during a virtual pitch event January 25. The judges will determine which solutions are the most promising and those selected will have access to prize funding and additional support, including:

• US$625,000 prize pool made possible by Challenge partners New Profit, CSU Global, and Gary Community Investments
• At least five teams will each be awarded a minimum of US$125,000 in grants. These grants will fund the development of validation pilots with innovative US Workforce Boards for the benefit of an anticipated 1 million displaced workers. MIT Solve will support the development and implementation of these partnerships. Winning teams will also receive IBM Cloud Credits and virtual coaching with IBM technical experts. 

What's the deal with the US Workforce Board validation pilots? 

See more information here.

Reimagining Pathways to Employment Challenge in the US Timeline

• June 22, 2020 - Reimagining Pathways to Employment in the US Challenge opens
• November 20, 2020 - Deadline for applicants to submit a solution
• January 25, 2021 - Virtual Pitch Event for Finalists

What is the difference between the Reimagining Pathways to Employment in the US Challenge powered by MIT Solve and the XPRIZE Rapid Reskilling challenge?

Both challenges are part of the Future of Work Grand Challenge.

XPRIZE is focused on finding disruptive ideas and technologies (e.g. AI, XR, behavioral psychology) to radically reduce the time it takes to train and place workers, while MIT Solve is focused on early-stage proven solutions for building long-term pathways to jobs, including career navigation and placement support. Both prizes will work in partnership with workforce boards to validate solutions. XPRIZE’s Rapid Reskilling prize will place 25,000 displaced workers into living-wage jobs in the next 24 months—through a $5M prize to incentivize disruptive technologies to cut the time it takes to train and place workers in half. MIT Solve will power a six-month competition through its award-winning open innovation platform to find and support the best-in-class solutions to help workers assess their skills, find high-growth jobs, match and get placement support.

What are workforce boards?

Workforce boards fund and deliver programs that help job seekers to meet the changing workforce needs of employers across the US.

530+ workforce boards and 2,400 American Job Centers comprise a locally-driven system that is designed to meet the specific needs of their regional labor markets.

They are accessible to all and provide critical access points for people in underserved communities. Thousands of workers interact with these organizations to use digital tools for job searches, get career navigation advice, learn new skills, and much more.

Across the country, future-focused workforce boards are adapting their operations, strategies, technologies, and investments to the changing world of work and the ever-shifting labor market brought on by Covid-19.

What are validation pilots?

At least five winning solutions will be selected in January 2021. Each winning solution will be partnered with a workforce board to pilot their innovation in a specific region. MIT Solve will support the development of each validation pilot to ensure that it is a mutually beneficial partnership.

Validation pilots will offer winning solutions the opportunity to:

• Test their innovation with displaced workers in a different labor market
• Expand their reach to new US region
• Develop their solution in partnership with workforce development experts
• Test their innovation with de-risked funding  

How will solutions be matched with workforce boards?

MIT Solve is developing a process for matching winning solutions with workforce boards. This process will take into account the unique capabilities and needs of both the solutions and workforce boards. Matching will occur after the selection of at least five winning solutions. We will share more information about this process shortly. 

Who are the workforce boards? 

Six workforce boards have been selected through a competitive process to participate the validation pilots. Each workforce board serves a distinct region and community. A description of each workforce board is provided below.

For those unable to join us for the Winner Announcement Event on February 10, you can find a recording here.