CHARLOTTE, NC – 15/09/2025 – (SeaPRwire) – In a landmark initiative designed to fundamentally transform how students perceive and prepare for their future careers, Discovery Education, the global leader in PreK-12 educational technology, has launched an unprecedented and expansive collection of digital learning assets. This strategic release, timed to coincide with the nationally recognized Workforce Development Month and to support ongoing educational objectives, represents a significant investment in equipping educators with the tools to bridge the palpable gap between theoretical classroom learning and tangible, real-world career applications. The comprehensive suite includes meticulously curated high-quality digital content, groundbreaking immersive learning experiences, and a series of captivating virtual field trips, all engineered to ignite student curiosity, foster essential skill development, and illuminate a multitude of professional pathways previously unexplored by the K-12 demographic.
Workforce Development Month, an observance originally established in 2005 by the National Association of Workforce Development Professionals, serves to highlight the critical importance of a robust and skilled workforce to the nation’s economic vitality and global competitiveness. Discovery Education’s new initiative directly supports this mission by providing no-cost, easily accessible resources that demystify the world of work for millions of students. The offerings are designed to be integrated seamlessly into existing curricula, providing educators with a versatile toolkit to inspire the next generation of innovators, engineers, farmers, and tradespeople.
The cornerstone of this new initiative is the enhanced Careers Hub, a dynamic digital portal housed within the award-winning Discovery Education Experience platform. This hub is far more than a simple resource library; it is an interactive career exploration ecosystem. Aligned with a comprehensive framework of 14 distinct career clusters, the Hub offers students a multifaceted view of the professional world. Through in-depth career profiles that detail day-to-day responsibilities, educational requirements, and growth potential, students gain invaluable insights. The Hub further enhances learning with immersive virtual field trips that transport students to corporate headquarters, manufacturing floors, and scientific laboratories, and interactive tools that allow for skill-building and personal reflection. For educators, the Careers Hub acts as a one-stop-shop, simplifying the process of finding vetted, standards-aligned career readiness activities and lesson plans that resonate with diverse student interests and learning styles.
A pivotal feature within this ecosystem is the award-winning Career Connect program. This innovative service takes student engagement a monumental step further by facilitating direct, meaningful connections between the classroom and the corporate world. Educators can now effortlessly request and schedule virtual classroom visits from a vast network of industry professionals, with filters available for job type, industry sector, spoken language, and geographic location. This allows for tailored, relevant interactions that bring textbook concepts to life. In a significant expansion, Career Connect now proudly incorporates the esteemed IF/THEN® STEM video collection. This addition provides classrooms with access to a library of compelling video profiles showcasing diverse and dynamic professionals in STEM fields, and, most importantly, the opportunity to extend that learning by arranging virtual speaking sessions with individuals in analogous roles, providing authentic role models and mentors.
The immersive learning segment of the release features three cutting-edge, experiential programs designed to drop students directly into simulated professional environments:
- Operation Communication: This groundbreaking new immersive game, developed by the STEM Careers Coalition, places students in grades 6-12 into a high-stakes, simulated workplace. Participants must navigate a complex web of challenges, including managing intricate production schedules, mediating team dynamics, and ensuring ultimate customer satisfaction. The game uniquely focuses on honing active skills, with a special emphasis on the critical role of effective communication—both verbal and written—in maintaining operational smoothness and achieving business objectives. Upon completion, students are encouraged to utilize the new Career Finder tool to explore specific career pathways that align with the skills they just practiced and enjoyed. The STEM Careers Coalition, an alliance of industry leaders and non-profits, has provided over 11 million students with equitable access to such STEM resources since 2019.
- HAUL! Learning Experience: Representing the forefront of educational technology, this cutting-edge experience offers students in grades 6-12 a breathtaking 3D adventure into the world of modern mining. Part of the broader “Dig Into Mining – The Story of Copper” program—a educational initiative created in partnership with Freeport-McMoRan—HAUL! challenges students to operate massive machinery within a virtual copper mine. Their goal is to successfully navigate the extraction process and earn their Haul Truck Operator’s Scorecard, all while gaining a profound appreciation for the complex application of STEM principles in one of the world’s most vital and large-scale industries.
- HARVEST: From Seed to Success: This immersive simulation empowers students to step into the boots of a modern farmer and manage every facet of agricultural production. From consulting with agronomists to analyze digital soil samples to making critical decisions on crop selection, fertilizer application, and the precise timing of the harvest, students experience the science and business of farming firsthand. The experience includes a simulation of operating a combine harvester. The program is generously supported by comprehensive educator guides and ready-to-use student activities, making classroom integration effortless. This resource is a product of Cooperative Minds, an educational initiative from Discovery Education and the CHS Foundation.
Complementing these digital experiences are two premier virtual field trips that break down the walls of the classroom:
- “Forging Innovation: A Mission Possible Virtual Field Trip” (Premiering October 9, 2025): Students will embark on a fascinating journey into the world of steel, the backbone of modern infrastructure. Powered by Nucor and available via the STEM Careers Coalition, this VFT explores the entire lifecycle of steel, from raw materials to finished product. Students will learn how its properties are manipulated for different uses and why it remains a cornerstone of architectural and engineering innovation. The experience includes real-world case studies and interactive design challenges that demonstrate how professionals use steel to solve complex problems.
- “Careies at Sea and Shore: A Virtual Field Trip to Maritime Manufacturing Centers” (Premiering October 29, 2025): This exclusive virtual field trip, funded by the Defense Department’s Industrial Base Analysis and Sustainment Program, pulls back the curtain on the highly advanced world of naval manufacturing. Students will tour facilities where submarines are built and meet the engineers, welders, and technicians who are creating the next generation of national security systems. An integral component of the Operation Prevention program with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the VFT also powerfully connects the dots between healthy, drug-free life choices and the attainment of meaningful, high-security clearance careers in the future.
To ground these resources in pedagogical research, Discovery Education recently published the “Education Insights 2025-2026: Fueling Learning Through Engagement” report. This seminal study delves into how student engagement is defined, measured, and cultivated in contemporary learning environments. To unpack the report’s findings and provide practical strategies for educators, Discovery Education will host a special town hall-style webinar on Thursday, October 8, at 2:00 PM ET. Education leaders from across the nation will share their insights and expertise. All educators are invited to attend this complimentary professional learning opportunity.
“Discovery Education is immensely proud to collaborate with our visionary partners to make this transformative collection of engaging resources available to teachers and students nationwide,” stated Catherine Dunlop, Senior Vice-President of Corporate Partnerships at Discovery Education. “With leading economists projecting over 170 million new jobs will be created globally by the year 2030, the imperative to engage students early and often by connecting classroom learning to real-world careers has never been more critical. These career readiness resources are designed to empower educators to effectively captivate student interest and open their eyes to the vast universe of workforce opportunities that await them.”
For further information about Discovery Education’s award-winning digital resources and transformative professional learning solutions, educators are encouraged to visit www.discoveryeducation.com, and stay connected with Discovery Education on social media through LinkedIn, Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook for ongoing updates and resource highlights.
About Discovery Education
Discovery Education is the undisputed worldwide edtech leader whose state-of-the-art digital solutions support educators in engaging all students and elevating academic achievement on a global scale. Through its award-winning, multifaceted multimedia content, robust instructional supports, and innovative classroom tools—noted for their efficacy, engaging nature, and user-friendly design—Discovery Education helps educators deliver equitable and powerful learning experiences every day. Discovery Education serves an estimated 4.5 million educators and 45 million students worldwide, and its resources are accessed in over 100 countries and territories. Inspired by a shared vision to improve learning, Discovery Education’s partnerships with school districts, states, and trusted community organizations empower teachers with essential edtech solutions that inspire innate curiosity, build enduring confidence, and dramatically accelerate student learning.