Michael Ellison, Co-Founder and CEO, CodePath

As AI becomes increasingly embedded in how people learn, we’re entering a critical phase where ease of access can quietly erode depth of understanding. The data in the Broken Marketplace report is striking, yet not surprising. The growing dependence on AI tools isn’t a matter of laziness or disinterest, it’s a reflection of a system that hasn’t yet taught students how to effectively wield these tools.

In our work preparing college students to thrive in tech careers, CodePath sees the urgency of building AI-native fluency. The students we serve, many of whom are first-generation or from under-resourced backgrounds, are deeply motivated to succeed, but they’re also under pressure to move quickly. AI can feel like an equalizer, but without the right guidance, it can also become a crutch.

The risk isn’t just misinformation or over-reliance. It’s the gradual loss of skills that are the most essential to long-term success, like a life-long learning mindset combined with the mental agility to quickly master ever evolving, powerful tech tools and change how we think and workThe real question isn’t whether young adults are using AI or not, but whether they’re being taught to use it in ways that develop agency and long-term fluency. That means holistically integrating AI into education across disciplines as a context for deeper learning and mastery, not just a productivity tool.

The greatest value-add in the future of work won’t come from generating answers quickly, it will come from asking the right questions in the first place.

Saba Alemnew, Manager, Surgo Health

Mental health and wellbeing are central to how youth define success. Our Youth Mental Health Tracker data of over 4,500 young people across the US revealed that even among youth not experiencing clinical symptoms, 1 in 5 young people report lacking optimism or a sense of meaning, underscoring that wellbeing is foundational to thriving.

Surgo Health data reveals a deep emotional disconnect between youth and parents. One in four young people say they don’t receive the emotional support they need at home, 14% feel unaccepted by their families, and nearly one-third report a parent has insulted or put them down. These emotional fractures have real consequences: youth who feel unsupported are 3.3 times more likely to lack meaning in life and 2.5 times more likely to experience depression or anxiety.

Parents are also the primary gatekeepers to care: 40% of youth turn to them first when struggling. But fear remains a barrier: 83% of youth who don’t seek help cite fear of telling their parents, and one-third say their parents don’t support their desire to access care.

This emotional divide mirrors a broader perception gap with similar misalignments found in workforce pathways: young people feel unheard, unseen, and unsupported. At the same time, youth are telling us exactly what they need: open, two-way, validating conversations with trusted adults; environments that promote purpose over pressure; and systems that treat them as whole people. Addressing the “broken marketplace” means fixing more than guidance pathways; it means creating emotionally supportive ecosystems that center mental health and wellbeing as a driver, not a barrier, to opportunity.

Stephanie J. Hull, President and CEO, Girls Inc.

Participants in Project Accelerate, a Girls Inc. initiative supporting young women as they enter college and the workforce, report that learning self-advocacy is the most valuable part of the program and that mental health is one of their most significant areas of focus as they launch their careers. Our evaluation aligns with the Broken Marketplace research, affirming that a sense of purpose and mental wellness go hand-in-hand.  

The Broken Marketplace report shows a disheartening but not altogether surprising disparity in feeling prepared for the workforce between young women and young men. While women still experience greater challenges, this study demonstrates that having a navigator who is properly prepared and resourced—a core element of participation in Girls Inc.—can make a positive difference. We know that it takes a holistic approach to prepare girls and young women for success, as the Broken Marketplace report confirms.

Internships are another key element of the Project Accelerate experience and are cited by participants as particularly valuable. Paid internships are especially important in a job market where, as the Schultz research notes, employers are looking for experience even for entry-level positions. In a survey of companies that host Project Accelerate interns, it was demonstrated that the resources and support companies provide during these early work experiences are making a difference both for interns and for the companies where they are placed.