AI Studio Teams: Portfolio-Based Pathways to AI-Era Careers
Stanford CREATE AI Challenge | Track 3: Augment Career Opportunities
Funding Request: $50,000 Implementation Partner: El Segundo Unified School District Project Duration: 12 months
Executive Summary
The pathway from education to employment is breaking. As AI transforms the workforce, entry-level positions are disappearing at an alarming rate, creating an "experience paradox" where young people cannot gain experience because employers no longer offer the entry points that traditionally provided it. Meanwhile, the credentials that once signaled workforce readiness are losing value as AI capabilities render many traditional skills obsolete within months of graduation.
AI Studio Teams addresses this crisis by replacing the broken credential-to-career pipeline with a portfolio-based pathway that demonstrates actual capability through real work. Our model creates cross-grade teams of 8-12 high school students who complete authentic projects for local employers, building verified portfolios that prove their ability to work effectively alongside AI systems.
The Innovation
Unlike traditional career preparation that relies on classroom simulation, AI Studio Teams operates at the intersection of three transformative approaches:
- Portfolio Over Credentials: Students graduate with employer-validated work samples, not just transcripts
- Near-Peer Mentorship: 12th graders mentor 10th graders; 11th graders mentor 9th graders, creating sustainable learning communities
- Employer Integration: Local companies provide real projects, quarterly portfolio reviews, and micro-internship pathways
Why El Segundo
El Segundo represents an ideal implementation environment: a compact district (5 schools, 3,400 students) with direct access to major employers including aerospace leaders (Boeing, Northrop Grumman), technology companies, and entertainment industry headquarters. This concentration enables authentic employer partnerships that would be impossible in larger, more dispersed districts.
Expected Outcomes (12 months)
| Metric | Target |
|---|---|
| Students with employer-validated portfolios | 96 students (8 teams of 12) |
| Employer partners providing real projects | 12 companies |
| Micro-internship placements | 24 students (25%) |
| Portfolio quality score (employer-rated) | 7.0/10 minimum |
| Gender parity in participation | 50/50 target |
This proposal directly addresses CREATE AI's Track 3 focus on "AI solutions that support skill-building, mentorship, and pathways to meaningful work." AI Studio Teams transforms how students develop career-ready capabilities by embedding AI collaboration into authentic project work validated by actual employers.
Proposal Contents:
- Problem Statement - The Entry-Level Job Crisis
- Solution - AI Studio Teams Model
- Learning Science - Evidence Base
- Outcomes - Measurement Plan
- Equity - Fairness & Inclusion
- Timeline - Implementation Roadmap
- Team - Project Leadership
- Budget - Resource Allocation