ASU Changing Futures®: CareerCatalyst

Change the future with CareerCatalyst

CareerCatalyst is changing futures We are at a crossroads. Skill development is not keeping pace with the rate of changes in the workplace. A recent IBM survey indicates that executives estimate 40% of their workforce will need reskilling due to AI and automation in the next three years. Automation and artificial intelligence are reshaping industries, creating both opportunities and urgent demands for employees to upskill or reskill to stay relevant. From technical capabilities to essential leadership and interpersonal skills, ongoing learning is becoming increasingly vital for career growth.

To build resilience in the face of rapid change, Arizona State University’s CareerCatalyst program is reimagining professional education.

Powered by the nation’s top-ranked university for innovation, CareerCatalyst is transforming skills education for professionals at every career stage. In 2024, CareerCatalyst engaged over 200,000 learners through 500 cutting-edge courses and 250 stackable microcredentials, certificates and digital badges.

Focused on high-demand fields such as AI, microelectronics and health care, CareerCatalyst offers flexible, affordable and personalized pathways. These bite-sized learning opportunities empower employees to meet new demands in their current roles, prepare for emerging opportunities or transition out of roles with limited growth potential. “[We’re looking at] how do we create the conditions in which people have access to high quality career education that results in impactful skills acquisition and is signaled effectively to the market and to potential employers?” says Stuart Rice, senior director of Learning Design at ASU’s Learning Enterprise.

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CHANGING FUTURES | FROM ARIZONA. FOR THE WORLD.

CareerCatalyst learners develop in-demand skills for the future of work.

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CHANGING FUTURES | FROM ARIZONA. FOR THE WORLD.

ore skills will shift mation and e. bs may be displaced ed 170 million new ted, resulting in a net bs.

—2025 Future of Jobs Report World Economic Forum

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Partnerships that redefine professional development This kind of education isn’t just for individuals — it’s the right vehicle at the right time for businesses and organizations seeking continuous learning solutions. CareerCatalyst partners with Fortune 500 companies and offers on-demand courses, career bootcamps, executive education and custom partnerships to address skills gaps and labor shortages within their unique workforces.

By enabling both businesses and workers to stay competitive, relevant and responsive to emerging trends, CareerCatalyst is shaping the future of professional development, reflecting the dynamic nature of a changing economy and ensuring that our workforce thrives in it. “[We are] trying to find ways to support working [people] to get the skills they need to remain relevant and resilient in the face of changes to the workforce,” says Rice.

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CareerCatalyst partners with businesses to deliver workforce solutions that drive growth, innovation and adaptability in a changing economy.

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ASU knows that the future belongs to those who understand AI.

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AI is the new workplace superpower AI literacy has become a cornerstone of career success as technology reshapes the way we work. “There used to be a saying that if you know how to work in Excel, you will get a job. That same saying is now true for AI. If you truly know how to leverage AI, you will get a job,” says Patrick Rossol-Allison, associate vice president at ASU’s Learning Enterprise.

“This skill is becoming the key to success.”

Thriving in an AI-enabled world requires learning how to integrate and collaborate with AI tools to amplify human potential. ASU’s CareerCatalyst program is addressing this need by equipping professionals and pre-professionals with accessible, practical knowledge to leverage AI in meaningful and ethical ways.

The urgency is clear. As innovations like ChatGPT reach people at record-breaking speed, global demand for AI skills has grown by 190%, creating both opportunities and challenges. CareerCatalyst courses, such as AI for Marketing Professionals, AI for Business Analytics Professionals and AI for Leaders in Business, provide learners with targeted tools to adapt and lead in this rapidly changing environment.

“At ASU, we combine technical and ethical principles to ensure learners are prepared to lead with integrity in the AI-driven future,” says Dr. Peiyu Chen, Chair of the Department of Information Systems at the W. P. Carey School of Business.

By bridging the gap between emerging technologies and practical application, ASU’s CareerCatalyst is empowering individuals to thrive in the age of AI.

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Support CareerCatalyst and shape a better future Through Changing Futures®, we’ll develop new innovative workforce initiatives for learners at all ages and stages of career development. Our mission is to create accessible learning pathways that work for everyone— regardless of background, prior education or financial circumstances.

While companies and individuals fund reskilling efforts, philanthropy plays a unique and essential role in closing the opportunity gap. Millions of workers lack the financial means to access educational tools that will help them keep pace with the job market. Donor support removes financial barriers, ensuring that economic circumstances don’t determine who gets to build a better future.

Supporting CareerCatalyst helps the American workforce build resilience and relevance by expanding access to affordable, flexible learning. With philanthropic investment, we can ensure that all workers have the opportunity to thrive. Join us.

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CHANGING FUTURES | FROM ARIZONA. FOR THE WORLD.

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About Us Success today depends on the ability to continuously learn and adapt. ASU’s Learning Enterprise expands universal access to opportunity for all learners, at every stage of life. From a college-preparatory school to dual enrollment, low-risk pathways to college, open and innovative online course offerings, specialized career certificates and lifelong learning opportunities, the Learning Enterprise programs ensure education is available and effective for everyone. With accessible digital learning tools and resources, we’re evolving the American research university model to maximize learning opportunities in today’s changing world.

ASU Charter ASU is a comprehensive public research university, measured not by whom it excludes, but by whom it includes and how they succeed; advancing research and discovery of public value; and assuming fundamental responsibility for the economic, social, cultural and overall health of the communities it serves.

asuchangingfutures.org

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CHANGING FUTURES | FROM ARIZONA. FOR THE WORLD.