Rewriting the Roadmap: Jean Eddy on Reimagining Career Education

The ASA President & CEO on middle school mindsets, learner agency, and how technology—especially AI—can help students build meaningful futures.

What if the real crisis in education isn’t about test scores—but about direction? After decades in higher ed leadership, Jean Eddy, now President & CEO of American Student Assistance (ASA), saw too many students on campus with no clear purpose—just going through the motions. That moment sparked a transformation in her work, and under her leadership, ASA is tackling a fundamental gap in our system: helping kids discover who they are, what they’re good at, and what they want their futures to look like—starting not in high school, but in middle school. In this conversation, Jean shares how career exploration, digital tools, and the smart use of AI can unlock opportunities for every learner—putting them in control of their own path, long before graduation day.

What prompted you to get involved in education way back when?

Prior to taking on the role of CEO at ASA, I had a career in higher education. For three decades, I worked with too many young people on college campuses who were struggling to identify why they had chosen college or how they could find a major that would lead to a career.

To address this challenge, under my leadership, ASA has led the charge to transform K-12 career education to equip our nation’s youth with the information, resources and skills they need to confidently navigate the world before them. I also discussed this challenge in my 2023 book, Crisis-Proofing Today’s Learners: Reimagining Career Education to Prepare Kids for Tomorrow’s World, which posits that there is an epidemic of young people leaving high school who are not prepared for what comes next.

‘…there is an epidemic of young people leaving high school who are not prepared for what comes next.’

I believe that in order for young people to find happiness and success in a changing world, they need access to career information and experiences inside and outside the classroom — in their communities, homes, and in the digital spaces they love and trust.

This work needs to start early — in middle school — which is when research shows is the best time for young people to explore options. It’s too late to do that when a student is already in high school.

What highlights from your past inform your current approach?

For me, college was a time to “try on” different subjects and build my skill sets. And fortunately, I found a mentor who invested in me and encouraged me to try things which eventually led to my first career in higher education. I am one of the lucky ones, but I also know that my path wouldn’t have been so circuitous if I’d started earlier.

In my book, I talk about a Japanese concept referring to something that gives a person a sense of purpose and reason for living. When it comes to guiding our young people to choose careers that are right for them, Ikigai means helping them find the intersection between what they love, what they’re good at, what the world needs, and what they can be paid for.

To help youth find their Ikigai, one proven way is by giving all learners equitable access to career exploration beginning in middle school when they are impressionable, open minded, and have a thirst for learning.

If students aren’t exposed to the world of potential career options, they won’t know what’s possible.

‘If students aren’t exposed to the world of potential career options, they won’t know what’s possible.’

You’ve transformed ASA with pure logic, how did you arrive at that visionary approach toward career exploration even to middle school?

I stood on a college campus where I worked and realized that something was terribly wrong. It occurred to me that for every student who walked by studying something that would become their future, just as many walked by with absolutely no idea why they were there in the first place. Many had enrolled in college because that’s what they thought they were supposed to do or didn’t know what else they could do after high school. Many dropped out or pursued careers that didn’t interest them.

At ASA, we decided to do some research to see when the best time was to arm young people with the information they needed to make decisions for education after high school.

Evidence shows that 87% of learners are interested in ways to match specific skills and interests with potential careers, and 85% would like to learn about the requirements for the careers they are interested in.

Moreover, more than 65% of high school students and recent high school graduates feel they would have benefited from more career exploration in middle or high school.

The research findings showed that arming young people with information about education and careers, starting in middle school, will give them what they need to make informed, confident choices as they leave high school.

What is technology’s role in helping students? And let’s shift it to keep learners in the driver’s seat: what is a student’s role in helping technology?

Career exploration in the classroom works as long as kids have a choice, but it is nearly impossible to scale the impact evenly across the country in any reasonable timeframe. We’ve seen promising new models and pockets of excellence in districts and schools–all with stellar outcomes (an example is the Cajon Valley School District in San Diego).

At the same time, we also understand that there isn’t always time for every teacher in every classroom to incorporate career exploration into the curriculum. Student-led, digital experiences beyond the classroom are the best way to scale equitable access and give millions of kids the agency they crave. Research tells us that more than 90 percent of kids possess smartphones across all demographics across the country.

‘Student-led, digital experiences beyond the classroom are the best way to scale equitable access and give millions of kids the agency they crave.’

By leveraging technology, we meet kids where they are (on their devices), enabling them to take advantage of highly effective digital tools designed to encourage them to explore and experiment with and discover careers that match their strengths and interests. ASA’s Futurescape® and EvolveMe® are great examples.

I believe that technology is the great equalizer in terms of reaching kids from all backgrounds, and this is the best way to engage millions of kids with their future planning.

From your wider perspective, what are your thoughts on the impact of AI in education? Your thoughts on the future of learning and work?

Our research shows that GenAI is already impacting how teens think about learning, work, and what’s possible for their futures.

To better prepare young people for success in the world of work, we must do more to harness the power of AI to improve career readiness for all.

This includes integrating GenAI into career readiness programming and out-of-school career experimentation and skill-building tools.

We must also support educators and leaders of youth-serving organizations in developing curricula that foster digital literacy and real-world learning, and creating safe spaces where teens can explore and discuss their concerns about the impact of AI on the workforce.

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Victor Rivero is the Editor-in-Chief of EdTech Digest. Write to: victor@edtechdigest.com

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