Most of the jobs that today's young people will have in 2030 don't exist yet.
Institute for the Future
Your future should be created by design. Not left to chance.
This course shares four strategies for high school students to go from feeling anxious, to feeling curious and confident about what's next after high school.
Using our step-by-step strategies, students will discover how to align their strengths and interests with a career pathway, ready to adapt and compete in a global economy.
let's help young people design their future
Yes! I am ready to sign up and design my future.
Designing a future is about more than choosing a college, a major, or a job.
*Volume pricing available for schools and extra-curriculuar programs.
Contact us to learn more.
PAY IN FULL
$389
3 Month Plan
$135
3 payments of
1 time payment
We Have a Problem!
Today's young people face increasing stress and anxiety about deciding what's next.
The societal pressure to go from high school to college has left many with debt, and degrees that haven't prepared them for a changing workforce.
Today's young people won't all work in offices. Many are disillusioned and anxious about navigating their career in hybrid, and remote environments.
Students need the skills and strategies to identify and build relationships with mentors who can guide their career pathway.
The pandemic showed them how quickly things can change. They want to learn the skills and mindset to adapt and lead in a rapidly changing world.
It's the course we wish we had growing up. I know it would have saved me time, stress, and money.
Design Your Future:
How to Figure Out What's Next
enrollment is open
12 months access to the course
2 live monthly group coaching sessions with Sabba & Michael
20 + exercises with instructional videos & examples
Step-by-step video lessons for each activity
Bonus: Strategies and calendar for time management
Bonus: Access to live sessions with experts across different industries
10+ email templates to network with mentors, inquire about opportunities, and get recommendations
Support in our Slack channel
Knowing your strengths, showcasing your experiences, and building a network helps you stay relevant in a rapidly changing world.
this course includes:
This course is designed for students 14+
to strategically design what's next after high school or college.
"Sabba was a terrific speaker and thought partner for my high school students. She was a dynamic presenter who used interactive digital tools to understand exactly what students were interested in and tailor her content to their needs. Students were inspired by Sabba, and she helped me think through the structure of the class and offered ideas that will improve the class next semester."
andrew hume | the calhoun school
I'm dr. quidwai
When I graduated in 2007 I thought school had prepared me. I was wrong.
A few months after graduation there was a global recession. Many people, like me lost their jobs, and struggled to find new opportunities, it was scary and confusing. I went to school. I got good grades. I went to college and got my Bachelors and Masters!
So why was I struggling in my career?
In 2012 I read Linchpin by Seth Godin. It changed how I approached my career. I started sharing my skills, my strengths, and interests with others using social media.
I went from bouncing around jobs to creating my own job as "Director of Innovative Learning," at the University of Southern California and being recruited by Apple.
That's right. I graduated during another world crisis. When the world shut down in 2020 and everything moved online, this time I wasn't just prepared, I was leading a new vision for what was possible. I was turning my dissertation into a documentary. I led my team at Apple to learn how to work remotely thanks to my network including Mural, and many from the Design Sprint world. I had a strong online presence that kept me connected to people and opportunities.
In 2007 I did not know how to set goals that aligned with the future of work. I did not know how to showcase my work online and build relationships with people that could create opportunities. In 2020 I did. So I quit Apple and launched Designing Schools to teach every young person how to be strategic about deciding what's next.
When I graduated in 2020 I was prepared for a changing world of work. School hadn't changed. But I had.
Designing your future should not happen by accident.
"I wanted to launch a business and go to college. This course gave me the strategies to take an idea and make it real. Learning about my strengths made me see how I can apply them, and the templates and exercises in the course let me complete it all in under 4 weeks."
alumni | isabelle denton | poudre schools
What Will I Get in the Course?
Self Awareness
This course shares four strategies for students to go from feeling anxious, to feeling curious and confident about what's next after high school. Using our step-by-step strategies, students will discover how to align their strengths and interests with a career pathway, ready to adapt and compete in a global economy.
As adults, we know that designing your future is not about getting a job. In fact, many of the jobs and opportunities have yet to be created. This understanding allows students to focus on how their skills, strengths, and interests can be aligned to a variety of pathways, today and in their future.
01
Map Your Goals
02
Build a Professional Network
03
How to use LinkedIn to achieve your goals and build a professional network.
What every LinkedIn profile must include.
Writing your "about me" in a story like format that highlights your strengths, interests, and experiences.
How to ask for feedback on your portfolio using our email templates.
How to ask for recommendations on your LinkedIn profile using our email templates.
Activities include:
How to identify and expand your circle of influence made of peers, mentors, and sponsors.
Let's visualize your future. You have to know where you want to go, to create a plan for how to get there.
Confidently articulate your strengths & skills.
What makes you unique? This isn't obvious to you but it will be to others.
How to develop and maintain a growth mindset.
Activities include:
What's your story? Reflecting on the best moments, the hard times, and the turning points.
Creating personal and professional SMART goals.
Define what success looks like, and what barriers you may face.
Creating an action plan for the next six months.
Activities include:
How to identify and use your values to stay accountable to your goals.
Michael specializes in the art and craft of storytelling to showcase your skills, strengths, and ideas in unique ways. He'll help you create the types of examples you can't show on a paper resume or traditional application.
So next time you have to fill in the line, "Is there anything else you want to share?"
You'll have an answer. A place to take people where you showcase your unique story, examples of your projects, and experiences, recommendations, and more. Giving you a competitive advantage over the ones who leave that line empty.
Michael is an award-winning cinema and broadcast journalism educator who has been teaching for over 20 years. He founded the Media Arts program at Mira Costa High School in California, United States. He is an Apple Distinguished Educator, Google for Education Certified Innovator, PBS Digital Innovator, the 2015-16 Los Angeles County Teacher of the Year, and a member of the National Geographic Teacher Advisory Board.
And... I have a special guest joining me to teach storytelling and content creation
meet Michael
Content Creation
04
Activities Include:
The four elements you need to include when showcasing an example of your work.
How to create a manageable content creation calendar.
Why comments on posts are content creation, and how to participate in comments on LinkedIn using our templates.
Storyboard templates for how to showcase your projects, assignments, and experiences.
"In class we also learned things like team work, accountability and how to work on deadline. The entire experience set me on a course through college and into my journalism career where I still lean on all those lessons every day."
alumni | Alicia hastey
producer at cbs
This Course Includes...
10+ templates to reach out to mentors, and get recommendations
office hours with sabba & michael
20+ activities that can be facilitated by any teacher or done independently
instructional videos for each activity in the course
option for in-person or virtual facilitation by sabba and michael
Today's learners have so many opportunities available to them, and so many unique pathways to choose from.
When we support early career exploration, we save them time, money, and anxiety as they design their future.
*Volume pricing available for schools and extra-curriculuar programs.
Contact us to learn more.
PAY IN FULL
$389
3 Month Plan
$135
3 payments of
1 time payment
Are you giving your student the chance to
DESIGN THEIR FUTURE?
click here to learn more
Lead and learn.
This Training Will: