By Amber Folkman, Director of Education Implementation, Pipeline Connects 

This article is part of a year-long blog series, Partner Profiles: Bringing the AZ STEM Ecosystem to Life. We’ll be highlighting the organizations statewide that build bridges and create connections to unite a wide array of STEM-focused industries.

Young people are natural scientists. They ask questions, explore how things work, and look for ways to make sense of the world around them. My Future AZ is helping Arizona students recognize that those same instincts can lead to more possibilities than they may realize.

At the heart of My Future AZ’s work is a simple but important message: there is no single route into STEM.

A future in STEM might begin in a welding CTE class or an agricultural technology course. It could include an OSHA certificate in bioscience, an apprenticeship, a certificate program, or a college degree. By helping students understand the range of options available, My Future AZ makes career exploration more accessible and helps young people see pathways that align with their interests and goals.

“The door is wide open, and it opens earlier than most students are told or given access to,” said Amber Folkman, Director of Education Implementation at Pipeline Connects.

My Future AZ is part of Pipeline Connects, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit created to address the disconnect between talent, education, and industry demand. Pipeline Connects powers both Pipeline AZ and My Future AZ, providing statewide infrastructure that connects K–12 learners and career seekers with education, training, and employment pathways.

That connection is increasingly important as Arizona’s economy grows across industries including semiconductors, aerospace, advanced manufacturing, healthcare, and logistics. The students who will eventually fill those roles are sitting in classrooms right now.

For Folkman, helping students prepare starts with broadening their understanding of what STEM looks like in the workforce. It is a welder working on aerospace components, a dental hygienist who understands the responsibilities and earning potential of the profession, or a student in a rural community who discovers a career that allows them to build a future close to home.

When students can see themselves in a career, they can begin planning for it.

That is particularly important in rural Arizona, where access to career exploration resources can be limited. My Future AZ has seen what can happen when barriers are removed. In Santa Cruz County, reducing cost and capacity barriers has helped drive rural school adoption, with superintendents committing, educators engaging, and students participating.

Pipeline Connects is now pursuing opportunities to bring My Future AZ to Indigenous community members in Chinle and Tuba City in a way that is shaped by the communities themselves. The vision includes co-created, in-person professional development for educators and materials that reflect the communities they serve.

Language is an important part of that work. Making career awareness and exploration available in a community’s native mother tongue can help include students and multiple generations of their families in conversations about the future.

“Access is not just about a platform,” Folkman explained. “It’s about trust, language, and belonging.”

My Future AZ is also bringing career exploration beyond the traditional school day. A recent summer pilot with West-MEC gave students in grades 7–9 the opportunity to become student career mentors. The results were encouraging: 100% of participants reported enjoying the experience, and 95% expressed interest in CTE programs.

The work is earning recognition, too. Pipeline Connects was recently named the ACTEAZ Non-Profit Organization of the Year, recognizing its commitment to helping Arizona students better understand and navigate education and career opportunities.

For Folkman, that visibility matters because it can help another student, educator, or family discover resources they may not have known existed. A rural student may discover a career available in their own community. An educator may find a no-cost, Arizona-built resource to help students plan for their futures. A family may gain a clearer understanding of the many pathways available to their child.

“Our young people deserve every advocate, every spotlight, every open door we can give them,” Folkman said.

Through My Future AZ and the statewide infrastructure of Pipeline Connects, more Arizona students can see the opportunities ahead and find a pathway that works for them.