October 20, 2025
Future Plans was honored to be featured in SHP Architects’ recent e-magazine article, “The Role of CTE in Bridging the Talent Gap.” The piece highlights a challenge facing communities across Ohio and the nation: how do we build a robust talent pipeline for the future, when the needs of employers are changing faster than ever, and the old ways of planning just aren’t enough?
The Problem: Building for Yesterday’s Jobs SHP’s team sees it firsthand. As architects, they help design learning environments and training centers for schools, colleges, and community groups. But too often, organizations receive capital funds and then build the same training offerings as everyone else—without a clear understanding of what their local students actually want, or what their regional employers truly need. With over 1,000 career clusters and countless in-demand fields, this “copy-paste” approach leads to duplication, wasted resources, and missed opportunities.
The Solution: Data-Driven, Student-Centered Planning That’s where Future Plans comes in. By collaborating with SHP, we use our student data to identify abilities and interests, guiding decisions about which career pathways to offer. Instead of guessing, we help communities invest in programs that match real local demand—aligning student aptitudes with the skillsets required for high-wage, high-growth careers. This approach doesn’t just fill seats; it builds a pipeline of talent ready to power the next generation of Ohio’s workforce.
Why It Matters: Collaboration Over Competition SHP’s article makes a powerful point: we need to do a better job of collaborating, not competing. When organizations work together—sharing data, insights, and best practices—they can avoid duplication and create a learning ecosystem that supports every student. This is especially important as technology, automation, and demographic shifts reshape the job market. Career & Technical Education (CTE) schools are uniquely positioned to lead this charge, but only if they embrace strategic, data-driven partnerships.
The Future Plans Mission: Ending Poverty by Unlocking Individual Greatness At Future Plans, our mission is clear: end poverty by helping individuals discover their unique strengths, pursue focused training, and find meaningful careers. We believe that every student has greatness within them—and that by connecting their interests and abilities to real opportunities, we can build stronger communities and a more resilient economy.
A Call to Action As SHP Architects notes, the talent gap is everyone’s problem—and it will take everyone working together to solve it. Let’s move beyond “one-size-fits-all” solutions. Let’s use data, collaboration, and creativity to build training programs that truly serve our students and our communities.
Thank you to SHP Architects for their leadership and partnership. Together, we’re building spaces—and futures—that help every learner thrive.
