Launching Futures Toolkit

Durable skills – like communication, collaboration, adaptability, and leadership – lay the foundation for student success in schools, careers, and life. In the world of education, durable skills go by many names, like soft skills, 21st-century skills, and essential skills. 

Pathsmith™ Durable Skills Framework – The Pathsmith™ Durable Skills Framework translates employer demand, sourced from over 80 million job postings, into a clear, structured, and equity-conscious guide for evaluating durable skills among early-career professionals.

Space Skills Alliance: SpaceCRAFT Competencies Framework and Transferable Skills Competencies — One of the most useful workforce resources available, the SpaceCRAFT Framework was developed specifically to identify competencies needed across the space sector. In addition to technical competencies, it includes a dedicated “Transferable Skills” framework that identifies the durable skills employers seek across nearly all space occupations: communication, problem-solving, resilience, teamwork, planning and organization, digital fluency, self-reflection, and proactive learning. Excellent source for creating educator reflection questions and skill-identification rubrics. Durable skills developed: Communication, resilience, collaboration, problem-solving, organization, self-management.

Challenger Center: Mission-Based Learning — Challenger Center’s space mission simulations place youth in authentic aerospace roles such as flight director, communications specialist, engineer, and mission scientist. Rather than focusing solely on technical content, the simulations intentionally develop teamwork, collaboration, communication, leadership, critical thinking, and problem-solving—skills that aerospace employers consistently identify as essential to workforce success. Students must work together under time constraints, analyze information, make decisions, and solve complex challenges as a team. Grades 5-9th. Durable skills developed: Communication, teamwork, collaboration, problem-solving, leadership, adaptability.

American Rocketry Challenge — The world’s largest student rocketry competition is recognized by aerospace industry leaders as a workforce development initiative because students work in teams to design, build, test, iterate, and launch rockets. The experience mirrors real aerospace engineering processes and requires persistence, project management, collaboration, and systems thinking in addition to technical skills. Grades 6-12th Durable skills developed: Teamwork, persistence, project management, systems thinking, problem-solving.

In this training, educators learn how to weave durable skills-building into their STEM activities.

Watch the Field Training

Help youth see the relevance of what they are learning by highlighting real-world applications and career pathways related to aerospace engineering, satellite operations, Earth observation, advanced manufacturing, robotics, aviation, cybersecurity, and space exploration. Invite industry professionals to share their experiences and provide authentic insight into the diverse opportunities available across the sector.

Career-Connected STEM Activity Checklist – A planning tool with strategies for connecting STEM activities to aerospace careers. Best for: Educators to use while planning STEM and aerospace activities. 

Civil Air Patrol Aerospace Education Program — Free aerospace lessons, STEM activities, engineering challenges, and career exploration resources. Best for: Hands-on aerospace learning and leadership development.

Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum Learning Resources — Engineering challenges, aviation activities, and career resources from the National Air and Space Museum. Best for: Engineering design and aerospace career exploration.

NASA Kids’ Club (K-4) — Interactive games and activities that introduce young learners to space science. Best for: Early aerospace exploration.

NASA Next Gen STEM and Next Gen STEM Learning Resources — NASA lessons and engineering challenges that connect youth to real missions and careers. Best for: Career-connected STEM and engineering design.

PLANETS (Project for Learning About NASA and Engineering Through Science) — NASA-inspired engineering and science activities designed specifically for afterschool and summer programs. Best for: Structured Earth and space STEM experiences.

BlueCube Aerospace — Kits, camps, and workshops that immerse middle and high school students in hands-on aerospace engineering. Best for: Career-connected aerospace learning.

NASA Career Videos and “Surprisingly STEM” Series — Short videos showcasing the people and careers behind NASA missions. Best for: Introducing youth to aerospace careers.

In this training, educators practice developing career-connected STEM activities, exchange feedback with peers, and leave with three ready-to-use activities.

Watch the Field Training

By increasing awareness among families and caregivers, educators can help youth recognize that space and aerospace careers are attainable, diverse, and connected to many educational and career pathways. Celebrate local role models, industry professionals, veterans, technicians, engineers, researchers, and entrepreneurs whose work contributes to aviation, aerospace, Earth science, and space exploration.

Five Ways to Connect Your Child to Careers: Family Guides for Elementary School, Middle School and High School: Three resources for afterschool programs to share with families on how they can engage their children in career-connected learning at home.

NASA JPL Family STEM Activities — These family-friendly engineering challenges encourage communication, teamwork, creativity, and persistence while exploring space and engineering concepts together. Activities include rocket design, robotic challenges, and engineering design projects appropriate for a wide range of ages. Best for: Expanding awareness of career opportunities and community engagement. 

NASA Family Science Night — Family Science Night provides structured activities designed to strengthen collaboration, communication, curiosity, and confidence in STEM learning. The model is especially valuable for helping families understand how STEM experiences connect to future career opportunities. Best for: Expanding awareness of career opportunities and community engagement.

Space Foundation Discovery Center — Provides family-friendly events, career spotlights, and learning opportunities that showcase the many ways people contribute to the space industry beyond becoming astronauts. Best for: Expanding family awareness of career opportunities.

Smithsonian Air and Space Family Resources — Offers activities and stories that help families explore aviation and space careers together while highlighting diverse professionals and pathways. Best for: Family engagement and career conversations.

In this training, educators learn practical strategies to involve parents, caregivers, and community partners in STEM career exploration, with actionable steps to build ongoing family engagement and career-connected STEM activities to share with families and partners.

Watch the Field Trainings: Part I & Part II

Strong partnerships help bridge the gap between early interest and future career success, ensuring that young people can see, explore, and pursue opportunities within the rapidly growing Earth and space economy. These connections provide youth with access to mentors, workplace experiences, internships, career speakers, college and credential information, and real-world learning opportunities.

Space Workforce for Tomorrow (SWFT) — SWFT is an industry-led coalition focused on preparing the future space workforce. While not a curriculum provider, it offers valuable insight into the workforce competencies employers believe are essential for success in the growing space economy, including collaboration, innovation, communication, leadership, and continuous learning. Excellent for workforce awareness and rationale for why durable skills matter. 

Aerospace Industries Association Workforce (AIA) Resources — AIA’s workforce research consistently identifies skill gaps and highlights the importance of preparing students with both technical expertise and workforce-ready competencies. Industry reports emphasize communication, collaboration, leadership development, continuous learning, and adaptability alongside STEM knowledge. Excellent for understanding employer needs and connecting activities to workforce competencies and durable skill development. 

Making Connections Framework – This research-based framework, created with UC Irvine’s Connected Learning Lab, helps out-of-school time programs connect learning across schools, families, and communities. It offers practical strategies for supporting youth as they move between settings, sustain STEM interest over time, and access experiences that build toward future opportunities. 

Aviation Technician Education Council (ATEC) — Introduces youth to careers in aircraft maintenance, avionics, drone technology, and aerospace technical fields that often require certifications or technical training rather than four-year degrees. Excellent for skilled trades and technical career exploration.

Strengthening Career-Connected Learning: The Building Bridges with Industry Playbook – This playbook, developed in partnership with Jobs for the Future, provides out-of-school-time education leaders with practical guidance for initiating, strengthening, and sustaining employer partnerships. It includes strategies for planning, outreach, and relationship development, as well as examples of emerging approaches from afterschool networks across the country.  

• Watch the Playbook launch.