K12 Skills Lab Launch a Success!
This fall marked the official launch of the K12 Regional Skills Lab, bringing hands-on learning and real-world career connections to classrooms across the Central Coast. Nearly 13,000 elementary students explored what it means to be career-ready, practicing essential “Power Skills” like communication, teamwork, perseverance, and coachability through engaging lessons and local career stories.
Engaging, Fun, and Relevant Lessons
Early feedback from teachers has been overwhelmingly positive. In our first surveys, 100% of classrooms reported high student engagement for the Power Skills lessons. Teachers across grade levels described the lessons as “fun, easy to implement, and powerful.”
From kindergarteners practicing communication with puppets to sixth graders building hydraulic hands, the Skills Lab lessons are sparking creativity and curiosity in classrooms across 35 participating schools.
“Great activity… students gave it a 5 out of 5!”
— 5th Grade Teacher, Atascadero Unified
“The lesson plans were really clear and organized. I loved that the materials were already prepped—it made it easy to teach.”
— 5th Grade Teacher, San Luis Coastal
Connecting Education to the Real World
Students were especially inspired to see real people in their own communities using these same Power Skills in exciting careers.
“They were super excited to make connections having seen Meathead Movers around town and seen employees at our school wearing the shirt,” shared one San Luis Coastal 3rd grade teacher after watching the teamwork video featuring Aaron Steed of Meathead Movers.
The Power Skills lessons featured local professionals and organizations including:
Communication (Kindergarten): Ethan Ventura, Poor Richard's Press
Attention to Detail (1st Grade): Dan Sutton, JB Dewar
Time Management (2nd Grade): Dustin Reese, American Riviera Bank
Teamwork (3rd Grade): Aaron Steed, Meathead Movers
Coachability (4th Grade): Kyle Robertson, Melfred Borzall
Diverse Teams (5th Grade): Brigadier General Nick Hague, Vandenberg SFB
Perseverance & Grit (6th Grade): Jake Daniels, GreenSight Technologies
One 5th grade teacher noted that “the video with Brigadier General Nick Hague was so engaging for the students because they felt connected to him because of the location.”
You can view all the Power Skills videos on the K12 Skills Lab Vimeo page.
Made Possible Through Community Collaboration
The Skills Lab represents a true partnership between educators, industry, and community leaders working together to inspire the next generation. The program is made possible through a state grant and the generous involvement of local businesses and workforce champions who share their stories and support lesson materials for classrooms across the region.
Together, we’re showing students that the future is bright—and it’s right here on the Central Coast.
Next month, the Skills Lab will feature the Healthcare and Life Sciences Sector, where students will step into the role of nurses, radiologic technologists, biomedical engineers, and more.
Stay tuned for more stories from classrooms and industries connecting learning to life across our region!