Educators from across the country gathered in September at the headquarters of Brilliant Pathways for a three-day “Hope and Future” symposium designed to help schools adapt to a fast-changing educational and workforce landscape.

The nonprofit, which focuses on college and career readiness, convened 20 participants from New York, Hawaii, Florida, Pennsylvania and Maine for an intensive few days of workshops and discussions on challenges ranging from artificial intelligence and student debt to shifting public attitudes about higher education.

“The world of education is in a constant state of flux — especially today,” said Brilliant Pathways CEO Tara Smith. “Schools that get ahead of these trends can give their students enormous advantages in their postsecondary future.”

For 35 years, Brilliant Pathways has hosted a fall conference for educators. This year the organization is switching formats and hosting four symposia. “Our educators and partners select one of the four, depending on which dates work best for them,” said Smith. The symposia emphasize small-group, hands-on sessions to foster peer learning and practical problem-solving. Participants return home with strategies to immediately apply in their schools.

Education leader Ray McNulty, one of the leaders of the first symposium, said the future workforce will place a premium on agility, teamwork, and resilience — qualities AI cannot replicate, but Essential Skills that Brilliant Pathways teaches. “Workers won’t lose their jobs to artificial intelligence,” he said. “They’ll lose them to people who know how to work with AI and with others.”

Employers, he added, increasingly value candidates who have overcome setbacks over those with flawless transcripts. “The workforce wants people who have skills,” McNulty said.

Despite these realities, schools often remain tied to traditional models focused on grades and test scores. McNulty noted a growing shift toward micro-credentials and certificates, which allow students to explore multiple pathways instead of committing to one lifelong career.

Educators at the symposium also discussed how outside forces — from climate change to social media misinformation — shape classrooms and student opportunities. “We have to adapt and change based on our kids’ needs,” said Judy May, superintendent of Friendship Central Schools in New York.

Board chair Bob Seaberg urged schools to broaden the definition of success beyond degrees alone. “Instead of a career ladder path, we must help students build a career portfolio,” he said. “That’s a combination of their personalities, experiences, and the skills the future requires.”

Smith emphasized that while the challenges ahead are real, they also offer reasons for optimism. “If students don’t have a sense of hope, it’s going to be really hard to get them excited,” she said. “The time of waiting for solutions is over. Now we want to be part of creating them.”

Brilliant Pathways will host three additional symposia in October. “Through our research, we realized that we needed to dig deeper. Our educators and partners need new perspectives and strategies to help students, families, and schools navigate these profound changes,” said President Rick Dalton.

More information on the three upcoming symposia can be found at brilliantpathways.org/symposia.