One-off events like facility tours or guest speakers are ineffective for talent development. Successful programs require a structured, immersive curriculum co-created by the employer and a school partner, defining specific skills and learning objectives in a real-world environment.

Formal AI competency frameworks are still emerging. In their place, innovative companies are assessing employee AI skills with concrete, activity-based targets like "build three custom GPTs for your role" or completing specific certifications, directly linking these achievements to performance reviews.

Ambitious graduates shouldn't join the organization doing the most good in year one, but rather the one that best equips them with skills and networks. This builds "career capital" that prepares them to achieve far greater impact in years 10, 20, and 30 of their careers.

In an uncertain job market, the best career move for new graduates is to get as close to the core of their desired industry as possible, even if it means working for very little pay. This proximity to "the action"—like an internship at a top firm—provides experience and connections that are far more valuable long-term than a slightly higher salary in an irrelevant job.

The most promising junior candidates are those who demonstrate self-learning by creating things they weren't asked to do, like a weekend app project. This signal of intrinsic motivation is more valuable than perfectly completed assignments.

Employers now value practical skills over academic scores. In response, students are creating "parallel curriculums" through hackathons, certifications, and open-source contributions. A demonstrable portfolio of what they've built is now more critical than their GPA for getting hired.

Unlike purely theoretical coursework, programs sponsoring real industry problems allow students to build applicable skills. An engineer designed a fuel cell test station for a senior project, which directly led to an internship where his first task was to recreate that same project, proving the value of practical experience.

Instead of learning skills based solely on personal interest, a more strategic approach is to identify the biggest, most expensive pain points in your target industry. Then, deliberately acquire the specific skills needed to solve those problems, making yourself an invaluable asset before you even apply.

When evaluating potential interns, academic leaders value self-starters over students who simply follow instructions well. Proving you can learn a new skill independently or have pursued a project on your own is more compelling than a perfect transcript. Initiative signals a capacity for real research contribution.