Our Employer-Provided Innovation Challenges (EPIC) initiative connects high school and college students with the opportunity to solve real challenges for local businesses, powered by our network of education, business, and community partners.
At our second annual EPIC summer convening, we celebrated the achievements of this year’s student participants, spotlighted the partnerships that make the program possible, and looked ahead to expanding access to meaningful, work-based learning experiences.
Why it matters: Learning beyond the classroom and working directly with employers provides students with career connections and employable skills while increasing awareness of in-demand industries.
The demand for work-based learning opportunities for students is on the rise. Employers, policymakers, educators — are all in search of better ways to connect students to careers, increase awareness of in-demand industries, and equip students with employability skills. While internships have long been the method for providing these opportunities, there simply is not enough capacity to meet the need.
To address this challenge, the U.S. Chamber Foundation is piloting employer sponsored project-based learning as a solution that scales, can be credentialed, and can deliver high impact career awareness and career preparation for learners. EPIC engages high school and postsecondary students with challenges to real-world problems sponsored by business.
ABOUT EPIC
Employer Provided Innovation Challenges (EPIC) provides access to a national network of employer facing organizations and other challenge providers to deliver high-quality, project-based learning.