Overview
EXPLR Edge™ is our industry-backed credential program that equips middle and high school students with transferable skills for academic achievement, personal growth, and career success. Built on EXPLR’s Future-Ready Skills Framework©, Edge emphasizes the competencies most sought after by employers in high-demand industries and supports career-connected learning and lifelong adaptability.
Framework
The Future-Ready Skills Framework© defines the core skills every learner needs to thrive in school, work, and life. Edge maps every lesson, activity, and capstone to these standards, turning knowledge into verifiable, portable badges students can use on college applications, LinkedIn, and resumes.
Rationale
The Framework was developed in response to rapid changes in the global job market driven by technological advancements, economic shifts, and evolving workplace expectations.
According to the World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs Report 2023, there is an anticipated 23% structural labor market churn in the next five years due to automation, AI, and other tech developments. The report highlights the growing importance of cognitive skills such as analytical thinking, creative thinking, and tech literacy, alongside self-efficacy skills like resilience, flexibility, and lifelong learning.
This is why EXPLR Edge™, built on the Framework, prepares students to succeed in a changing economy—especially in high-growth sectors like AI, energy transition, advanced manufacturing, and sustainable infrastructure.
Core Skills
The Framework is organized into eight Core Skills. Each Core Skill contains strands and competencies that define what learners should know and be able to do.
View the standards →
- Analytical Thinking
- Collaboration
- Communication
- Creative Thinking
- Ethics & Responsibility
- Project Execution
- Self-Efficacy
- Tech Literacy
Edge credentials are designed to develop—and verify—these Core Skills.
EXPLR Edge™: Levels
- Explorer: Intro-level badges that build foundations.
- Creator: Apply skills in real-world or industry projects.
- Innovator: Demonstrate mastery through a capstone or portfolio.
Built with Industry
EXPLR Edge™ is co-developed with educators and industry partners to ensure skills match real career needs—so your badges connect directly to future opportunities. While every course links learning to industry, some focus on high-growth fields such as Agtech, biotech, and cybersecurity, with strands tailored to real career pathways.
Access & Cost
Some EXPLR Edge™ credentials are free thanks to corporate partners. Others require a small fee to keep programs sustainable and widely accessible. In all cases, the goal is to open doors to opportunity.
