FRANKFORT, KY — Kentuckians now have a one-stop-shop for finding answers on career and education questions. During a “virtual ribbon-cutting” ceremony at the Capitol Rotunda earlier this month, leaders from the Commonwealth Education Continuum launched the website, Futuriti.org.
This new platform aims to help Kentuckians “find their future” by providing state-specific data about the numerous career paths and education options available to them.
“There are many online education and career resources available to Kentuckians, but there has never been a mechanism to connect the dots to help them capitalize on all the opportunities available,” said Lt. Gov. Jacqueline Coleman, co-chair of the Continuum. “This is a groundbreaking website that breaks down silos and provides access and opportunity to Team Kentucky.”
The development of this career and college access platform began in 2021, following the recommendations of the Continuum, which called for a website and communications campaign aimed at connecting Kentucky’s middle and high school students, as well as adult learners, with advising resources and information regarding early postsecondary opportunities, postsecondary institutions, career pathways, financial aid information.
“Futuriti will help us meet our attainment goal of 60% of the population with a postsecondary credential by 2030,” said Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education (CPE) President and Continuum Co-Chair Aaron Thompson. “There are no sites like Futuriti.org in other states, and I am thrilled that Kentuckians can begin finding their futures with this incredible tool.”
The newly launched website features an interactive portal, called Future Finder, that can be used to explore:
- Job descriptions and wages for more than 700 careers;
- Highlights of in-demand careers;
- Cost, completion and debt information on all public and private universities, community colleges, and technical schools;
- The majors offered at Kentucky public and private universities; and
- Career pathways offered at each Kentucky high school and technical center.
CPE has led this work, with assistance from the Kentucky Center for Statistics (KYSTATS) and the Kentucky Department of Education (KDE). Feedback was gathered from students, education and workforce professionals, and other members of the Commonwealth Education Continuum to ensure the website is user-friendly for all audiences and contains all the information needed to make career, education, and training decisions.
“Not only will this website help students understand what career options are available to them,” said KDE Commissioner and Continuum Co-Chair Robbie Fletcher, “it also will capture the imaginations of students who are still in the early stages of planning what they want to do after graduation. Setting a career goal early can help motivate students to new levels of success in their academic studies.”
The website is organized into three main sections which are designed to lead Kentuckians through the process of choosing a career path, continuing their education, and starting their career. Within the education section, there are tips and tools connecting students with financial aid and scholarship information, and direct links to the Kentucky Higher Education Assistance Authority’s (KHEAA) website. There is also an archive of resources to assist educators, parents, counselors and others in answering their questions.
Kentuckians also have the ability to better understand the high demand jobs in their regions through Futuriti. The KYSTATS database includes labor market information that helps users to understand how regional workforce needs can differ.
Preliminary marketing funding for Futuriti was made possible by a $13,000 grant from the NASH Catalyst Fund. The Catalyst Fund aims to lift up examples of “systemness” that advance educational opportunity and excellence through collaborations that span the educational continuum from pre-K through postsecondary education.
“Futuriti is meant not just to be a campaign to encourage higher education, but to be a culture shift that will merge the separation between high school, college, and careers into one systematic approach to building a well-educated Kentucky workforce with increased educational attainment and labor force participation rates that meet or exceed the national average,” said Amanda Ellis, Vice President of Student Access and Success at CPE.
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