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PPC 2026: Building Houston’s Workforce of the Future

Imagine a Houston where every high school graduate steps directly into a stable, high-wage career, whether they attend college or pursue another pathway.

To bring this vision to life, we must close the gap between today’s classroom experiences and tomorrow’s economic needs. The 6th Annual Postsecondary Pathways Conference (PPC 2026) is designed to unite our region around this work and move us forward together.

Group of diverse individuals gathered in a cozy office space, showcasing BridgeYear's values on the wall, emphasizing community and support for youth career pathways.

Solving the Youth Employment Gap in Houston

Despite Houston’s growing economy and expanding job market, many young people continue to struggle. A key data point from our partners at Good Reason Houston makes the challenge clear:

80% of Houston public school graduates are not earning a living wage by their late 20s.

Postsecondary pathway - Solving the Youth Employment Gap in Houston

That means four out of every five students who graduate today may face difficulties paying bills, securing housing, or supporting a family a decade from now.

The Solution: PPC 2026

This challenge highlights the need for coordinated, career-connected learning across our region. Students deserve strong advising systems that support every future, not only four-year college pathways. They also need clearer, more visible routes into high-demand fields such as healthcare, energy, construction, and technology.

This is the purpose of the 6th Annual Postsecondary Pathways Conference.

Proudly presented by ConocoPhillips, PPC 2026 brings together leaders in education, workforce development, and industry on Thursday, January 29, 2026, at The KBC Houston. Our shared goal is: Building the Workforce of the Future.

BridgeYear: Building the Workforce of the Future

What We Will Explore Together

The world of work is evolving quickly, and the jobs of 2036 may look different from the jobs available today. PPC 2026 will offer research, insights, and real-world examples that help educators and employers anticipate these changes.

1. The 10 to 20 Year Forecast

Our Industry Panel features leaders from Houston’s fastest-growing sectors. Panelists will discuss not only current hiring needs but also the skills and roles that will be in demand over the next decade.

Attendees will gain insight into emerging industries, workforce trends, and the types of preparation that will help students succeed in careers that may not yet exist. This session is designed to give educators and counselors a forward-looking perspective so they can better guide students toward stable, high-growth opportunities.

2. Data That Drives Decisions

In partnership with Kinder Institute and Good Reason Houston, we will unveil new research and an interactive dashboard.

This resource will help attendees understand how Houston’s labor market is shifting and where the strongest opportunities are. Educators will leave with a clearer picture of how to guide students toward training programs and careers that offer stability and growth.

3. Real-World Connections

We are excited to offer a breakout session that includes a facility tour with CenterPoint Energy.

Attendees will receive an inside look at what it takes to power Houston and learn the specific skills required for these roles. This firsthand understanding will help counselors guide students toward job opportunities with confidence and accuracy.

Career Test Drive by BridgeYear

Why Employers and Educators Must Unite

For Employers

This conference provides a direct opportunity to influence Houston’s future talent pipeline. Many industries are experiencing difficulty finding skilled workers, and PPC 2026 creates space for employers to collaborate with educators who are preparing the next generation. Employers can share which skills are needed, which training gaps they are seeing, and what will matter most in the years ahead.

Hiring skilled worker opportunity with employers in Houston

For Educators and Counselors

Educators want the best for their students, but keeping up with rapidly changing job markets is challenging. PPC 2026 offers educators and counselors direct access to workforce leaders who can clarify career requirements, hiring trends, and the types of experiences that make young people competitive candidates.

A Focus on Opportunity Youth

BridgeYear believes that a four-year university degree is valuable, but it is not the only path to success. Many high-demand careers in the Houston region can be accessed through short-term certifications, apprenticeships, and on-the-job training.

PPC 2026 will highlight these non-degree pathways and provide guidance on how to support students who are:

  • Exploring apprenticeship opportunities
  • Looking for certification programs
  • Seeking affordable and efficient ways to enter a high-demand career

We want to normalize the idea that success looks different for every student.

Join the Movement

We cannot continue using the same approaches and expect different outcomes for Houston’s youth. PPC 2026 invites our region to rethink how we prepare students for the workforce and to build solutions together.

Reserve your seat today.

Register now at BridgeYear.org/PPC

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learn MORE ABOUT the careers we offer

BridgeYear exposes youth to affordable and accessible careers that provide youth economic stability and independence. 

All careers we highlight:

  • Require less than a 4-year degree
  • Are in-demand by employers 
  • Provide a living wage
  • Offer career ladders/opportunities for advancement

Why non 4-year degree pathways?:

Traditional education has long placed great emphasis on four-year degrees, forcing many students – like those who cannot afford college, those with GPAs at or below 2.5 and those who simply aren’t interested in a four-year degree – to disengage from planning their future after high school. This has caused many to feel their only options are unskilled jobs, like in retail or food service, which often offer unstable wages, zero benefits and slim opportunities for advancement.

How do you know employers are in need of BridgeYear’s careers?

Instead of relying solely on workforce data, we partner directly with employers and corporate sponsors to learn what labor gaps they are facing now and in the future so we can help them recruit for their most immediate needs. Currently, we have partnerships with Gulf States Toyota, to promote the career of automotive technician, and the National Kitchen and Bath Association, to promote trade careers in the kitchen and bath industry including Electrician, Finish Carpenter, and Kitchen and Bath Designer.  

How our program impacts advanced youth

Graduating high schoolers from low-income communities are part of the most vulnerable populations affected by the current crisis. COVID-19 has made their transition to college and the workforce less secure than ever, compromising crucial employment years that impact opportunities to escape poverty. 

According to a national survey conducted by Equitable Futures early in the pandemic, the coronavirus crisis has caused young people to feel great uncertainty about their future. Among a sample of “Black and Hispanic youth and white young people from households with lower incomes,” the percent of those who reported feeling very clear about their future job or career dropped from 43% in 2019 to 27% in 2020. The report also showed that a majority of youth value college differently with nearly 1 in 3 claiming they now think college is not worth pursuing compared to pre-pandemic. Today, this situation is expected to be worse due to plunging community college enrollment (NSCRC) and a 102% increase in student debt over the last decade (US Federal Reserve). These shifts all point to an important reality: youth need help forging non 4-year pathways that won’t trap them in a cycle of poverty.

Advanced youth, especially high school seniors and opportunity youth, have been BridgeYear’s primary programming focus since 2016. Our Career Test Drive® program helps youth plan their path out of high school by exposing them to affordable, in-demand pathways they can pursue immediately.

How our program impacts intermediate youth

To better prepare all students for opportunities after high school, BridgeYear offers our Career Test Drive® program to 7th-9th graders to increase awareness and strengthen career choice.

For 7th through 9th graders, our program was designed to help students make informed decisions that will prepare them for viable career paths after high school. As a result of House Bill 5, 8th grade students in Texas are asked to select an endorsement area for their high school studies. Selecting an endorsement – and specifically, selecting a Career and Technical Education (CTE) pathway within an endorsement – offers students the opportunity to earn a free, industry-recognized credential. Yet when so few students receive these industry recognized certificates in the greater Houston area, too many students are missing this opportunity to become competitive in today’s workforce. 

By exposing youth to in-demand careers they can get obtain accreditation for during high school, our Career Test Drive® program helps students decide what CTE pathway aligns with their skills and interests and inspires them to optimize their time in high school to succeed in the workforce. 

READ MORE ABOUT facilitation options

Our Career Lab program offers two facilitation options: our full-service BridgeYear Facilitation option and a Self/Teacher Facilitation option. 

BridgeYear Facilitation

  • BridgeYear manages full setup, refilling and maintenance of all materials.
  • Trained BridgeYear staff facilitate the entire experience in-person and offer students moments of critical thinking and discussion around the activity and career.
 

Available to schools and organizations located within the Greater Houston area. For those outside Houston, BridgeYear Facilitation is available for an additional cost to cover travel. 

Self/Teacher Facilitation

  • BridgeYear ships all materials to you, including extra supplies and refills. 
  • BridgeYear provides videos and an instructors manual that explain each step of the activity for use during classroom facilitation.  
 

Available to schools and organizations located outside the Greater Houston area. For those inside Houston, BridgeYear Facilitation is already factored into your quote.  

READ MORE ABOUT in-class facilitation

Via our full-service model (BridgeYear Facilitation) or through pre-recorded videos (Self/Teacher Facilitation), our Career Lab program will lead your students through in-depth career exploration all from the comfort of your classroom: 

    • Students explore one career per class period.
    • Each Career Lab activity is designed to be completed on student’s desk.
    • Career Labs can be purchased to be reused with multiple class periods. We sell extra materials and refills to ensure you have enough for each student.

This experiential learning program provides schools and teachers an accessible experience they can implement with each class period throughout an entire school day.

READ MORE ABOUT OUR HANDS-ON ACTIVITES

BridgeYear firmly believes that hands-on learning is essential to career exploration and building career identity.

All Career Test Drive® (CTD) Program simulations are designed like science labs in order to:
  • Maximize engagement: Students are more likely to enjoy career exploration if activities are engaging and fun.
  • Mimic real-life careers: By simulating real career tasks, youth are able to determine whether a career fits their interests and skills.

Students need more than just talking, they need doing.

After watching students withdraw from the monotony of career brochures, speakers and staged videos, co-founders Victoria Chen and Victoria Doan reimagined career exploration to provide an immersive, hands-on opportunity for young people to explore their options after high school.

As one student put it: “The [CTD Program] gave me more ideas on what I can become in the future and brought more light to skills I did not know I had.”