Back to school. Back to real careers.
The largest schools careers platform in the U.S., connecting students aged 14–24 with real employers — and the pathways into them. This issue recaps every partner opening doors this year.
Our back-to-school recap of the employer partners opening real doors for young people is out now — grouped by industry, written for the advisors who point the way.
Inside you'll find no-degree pathways that actually pay, earn-while-you-learn apprenticeships, median pay and openings data for every industry, and a profile of each partner: who they are, what they pay, and the kind of student they're looking for.
Browse the full issue below — no download needed. Turn the pages like a magazine, or grab the PDF to print and share in your department.
Tip for counselors: use the arrow keys to turn pages, or download the PDF to print and hand out.
Industry by industry
Pay, growth and typical entry route for each industry featured in this issue. Pay & growth figures: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2024 — national medians, actual pay varies by role, employer and location.
01 · Construction & building materials
The people who pour the roads, raise the steel and mix the concrete the country is built on — and most are hiring straight out of school. Median annual pay $58,360, with 649,300 new openings a year. Typical entry needs no degree; paid apprenticeships are common. Roles to start in: laborer, equipment operator, CDL driver, estimator trainee, surveying tech, apprentice electrician.
02 · Manufacturing & transportation
From railcars to soda cans, these are the plants and lines that make the physical stuff of everyday life, and keep it moving. Production median pay $45,960; transport & moving pay $42,740. Typical entry needs no degree, with funded certs and training available.
03 · Manufacturing & engineering
Welding, machining and engineering the equipment that keeps hospitals, data centers and factories running. Welder median pay $51,000, with 45,600 welder openings a year. Typical entry needs no degree; paid training is standard.
04 · Landscaping & grounds
Outdoor work with something to show for it: crews who design, build and care for the spaces communities actually use. Median annual pay $38,480, with projected growth of +4%. No degree needed, and the route to crew lead is fast.
05 · Pest & wildlife services
Part science, part fieldwork, part adventure — protecting homes and habitats from the things that creep, crawl and fly. Median annual pay $44,730, with projected growth of +5%. No degree needed; a truck and tools are provided.
06 · Healthcare, life sciences & family care
Caring for patients, children and communities — and a surprising number of these roles don't need a four-year degree to start. Entry-role median pay $37,180, with 1.9M openings a year. A certificate is often enough to start, and it's the fastest-growing field in the country.
07 · Energy & electrical
Powering homes and cities and leading the shift to cleaner energy, with apprenticeships that pay while you learn. Electrician median pay $62,350, with projected growth of +9% and 81,000 new openings a year. Paid apprenticeship is the typical entry.
08 · Waste & environmental services
Turning waste into resources and keeping communities running — essential work with fast, clear routes to a CDL and a career. Collector median pay $40,620, in an always-on, recession-proof industry. No degree needed; CDL training is often fully funded.
09 · Semiconductors & hardware
The chips behind every phone, server and car, and the teams designing the hardware the digital world quietly runs on. Technician median pay $51,180, with projected growth of +11%, backed by $52.7B in CHIPS Act funding. A two-year program or certificate gets you in the door.
10 · Technology & connectivity
The networks that keep homes, schools and businesses online, and the field, store and service teams behind them. Telecom tech median pay $64,310, with 23,200 tech openings a year. No degree needed; paid training is standard.
11 · Professional services
Tax, advisory and consulting firms where early responsibility, real mentoring and global reach come as standard. Field median pay $80,920. No-degree apprentice routes are available, talent demand is strong, and the promotion path is clear.
12 · Facility & property services
Keeping schools, campuses and homes running — first jobs that turn into skilled trades, management and more. Maintenance median pay $48,620; property manager pay $66,700. No degree needed, and the manager track moves fast.
13 · Everyday services & retail
The brands students already know, hiring for real first jobs with training, flexible hours and genuine room to grow. Retail median pay $34,570; food-service pay $31,030. No experience needed to start, and it's typically just months to shift lead.
Real talk to share with students
Six things worth saying out loud this year — short enough to drop into a corridor conversation, true enough to change a mind.
Many employers now weigh communication and reliability as heavily as a GPA.
A lot of well-paid careers don't need a four-year degree. Skilled trades are in serious demand.
Don't wait for graduation to build experience. Part-time work, volunteering and clubs all count.
Some apprenticeships pay you while you learn — earning and training at the same time.
Students can figure this out now. They just need real information and someone to point the way.
The students who land well aren't smarter. They just started exploring earlier.
The career quiz
America's most-used career discovery quiz. In about eight minutes every student gets personalized matches, salary guides, pathways and live roles with partners hiring near them. Free for students and schools.
Share the quiz with your students →Know a counselor who'd use this?
Send the Back to School guide to a colleague, a fellow teacher, or your school's careers lead. Every share helps another student see what's actually out there.
