Every year, employers say the same thing: They need people who can think through problems they’ve never seen before, communicate clearly under pressure, and work well with teams that don’t all think alike.
And every year, they struggle to find them.
According to NACE’s Job Outlook 2025 survey, the top three skills employers want are problem-solving, teamwork, and written communication. The 2026 GMAC Corporate Recruiters Survey found communication and problem-solving still top the list, with adaptability jumping to third. And SHRM reported in 2024 that nearly three in four employers say they have a hard time finding candidates with the soft skills their teams need.
These aren’t new complaints. They’re getting louder because the gap keeps widening.
Destination Imagination has been working on this problem for over 40 years. Not by teaching kids what to think. By teaching them how. Here in New Hampshire, this is our 45th year of running programs supporting student empowerment.
K–college students tackle open-ended STEAM challenges in teams, own every decision, and iterate on success as a team until something works. No adult interference in the solution. No single right answer. Just real experience doing the hard thing that most classrooms don’t have room for anymore.
The World Economic Forum projects that 39% of workers’ core skills will need to change by 2030. The young people coming through DI are already building the ones that will matter most.
That’s not a pipeline problem. That’s a pipeline opportunity.
For more information about New Hampshire Destination Imagination, visit NH-DI.org.