As one of the leaders who helped shape Catalyze from the beginning, Jamie Jutila, Senior Program Officer for the Walton Family Foundation Education Program and Chair of the Catalyze Advisory Board, reflects on how both the initiative and the broader career-connected learning field have evolved over the past five years and where they may be headed next.

As we head to Horizons, we're excited to reconnect with members of the Catalyze community and learn from partners and programs across the country that are also helping more young people access meaningful pathways to the future. Every conference offers a chance to step back, reflect on what’s working, and gather new ideas that can strengthen our collective efforts. Here are five things we’re especially excited to explore in D.C.

In May, we shared how Catalyze designs our Learning Labs to move beyond traditional networking and create space for meaningful peer learning. There, we highlighted insights from our panel discussion featuring leaders from CareerWise and Propel America, who offered reflections on what it takes to scale impact thoughtfully and sustainably.

During our May Community of Practice gathering, Catalyze hosted a conversation on sensible scaling, exploring what it takes to grow impact while maintaining quality, strong partnerships, and long-term sustainability.

Round 3 celebrates local innovation and partnership, investing in programs that connect Birmingham youth to real-world career pathways.

For the past five years, Catalyze has supported innovators across the country working to connect learning with opportunity. At SXSW EDU 2026, we were excited to bring that community together in Austin — sharing lessons, sparking new partnerships, and learning alongside educators, employers, and practitioners building the future of career-connected learning (CCL).

As the Catalyze team heads to SXSW EDU next week, we’re carrying a set of questions rooted in career-connected learning – particularly how we move from early curiosity to meaningful exposure to real opportunity.

Insights from the 2025 Impact Report.