Can High School Students Be Career-Ready? U.S. Chamber of Commerce and College Board Discuss Landmark Partnership to Make It Happen with YourUpdateTV

Nationwide media tour conducted by U.S. Chamber of Commerce and College Board in partnership with D S Simon Media on topic of preparing students earlier for career success.

NEW YORK, Feb. 09, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) --

Millions of high school students are preparing to graduate, but a new national study suggests most are not prepared for the workforce.

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce and College Board conducted a nationwide media tour featuring Greg Walker, Senior Vice President, State and District Partnerships, College Board and Neil Bradley, Executive Vice President, Chief Policy Officer and Head of Strategic Advocacy, U.S. Chamber of Commerce discussing a first-of-its-kind partnership designed to better align high school education with the skills employers say they need, launching new Advanced Placement (AP) Career Kickstart courses that blend academic rigor with real-world career readiness.

This collaboration responds to findings from The New Hire Readiness Report 2025: Insights from Hiring Managers on Entry-Level Workforce Preparedness, a joint survey of 500 hiring managers nationwide. The report reveals a significant readiness gap: 84 percent of hiring managers say most high school graduates are not prepared for the workforce, and 80 percent believe today’s graduates are less prepared than previous generations. Only 38 percent say it is easy to find candidates with the right skills, while 94 percent prioritize critical thinking and problem-solving, and 96 percent say financial literacy is essential for young professionals.

To address this gap, College Board is developing new AP Career Kickstart courses, aligned with industry competencies and informed by leading employers. The first two courses — AP Business with Personal Finance and AP Cybersecurity — are currently being piloted in classrooms nationwide and will launch officially in fall 2026. The courses are designed to build professional skills, confidence, and workplace readiness while still offering students the opportunity to earn college credit.

Students who complete these courses will also be eligible for employer-endorsed credentials, giving them more options after graduation, whether they choose college, technical training, apprenticeships, military service, or direct entry into the workforce.

For more information, visit cb.org/careerready or uschamber.com

About YourUpdateTV:
YourUpdateTV is a property of D S Simon Media. The video included and release was part of a media tour that was produced by D S Simon Media on behalf of U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

Media Contact:
Michael O’Donnell
D S Simon Media
212-736-2727
modonnell@dssimon.com

A video accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/ac9ace47-3a14-4e1b-9c7a-96f2e5fdeead

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