Welcome to Playground Post, a bi-weekly newsletter that keeps education innovators ahead of what’s next.

Here’s what we have on deck for today…

1. Want better entry-level talent? Start talking to 12-year-olds

2. TIME’s 2025 edtech rankings

3. 20% of students boosted their GPAs with this AI teaching assistant

Want better entry-level talent? Start talking to 12-year-olds

With over 8.2M job openings nationwide and 40% of business owners unable to fill positions, there’s no hiding from the fact that we need better talent pipelines.

Even worse, a recent YouScience survey revealed:

• 86% of entry-level hires need major training

• 60% of employers doubt their talent pipelines will meet future needs over the next decade

• And while 23% of companies engage with high schools, only 6% reach middle schools — despite this being a crucial age for career exploration

These findings add to the mounting evidence that we need stronger career pathways connecting education with industry.

The traditional divide between classroom and workplace isn't just outdated — it's actively hurting both students and employers.

TIME’s 2025 edtech rankings

TIME is, once again, partnering up with Statista to develop it’s ranking of the World’s Top EdTech Companies.

• The list will identify the most innovative, impactful, and growing companies in EdTech

• Any companies developing / providing education technology should apply

• You can submit your application here

20% of students boosted their GPAs with this AI teaching assistant

While the US education system faces a 300K teacher deficit and a $150B funding gap, edtech startup Nectir just raised $6.3M to make AI learning assistants available to every student.

Nectir is a one-stop solution for schools looking to deploy AI safely. It integrates seamlessly with all major learning management systems and allows students, teachers, and administrators to quickly create custom AI assistants.

Early results have been promising. After just one term of implementing Nectir AI course assistants, Los Angeles Pacific University reported a:

• 20% increase in GPAs

• 13% rise in average final scores

• And a 36% boost in student motivation

Some of the most impactful AI solutions in education aren't replacing teachers, they're amplifying their impact by handling repetitive tasks so educators can focus on what they do best — inspiring students and helping them succeed.

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We’ll be back with another edition on Friday. See you then!

To stay up-to-date on all things education innovation, visit us at playgroundpost.com.