Beyond Next: Building the Future Workforce Before It Arrives
At the 2025 U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation's Talent Pipeline Management (TPM) National Learning Network Summit, The Dee Howard Foundation Executive Director Christopher Mammen delivered a featured "TPMx" talk titled “Beyond Next: Building the Future Workforce Before It Arrives”. The message was clear and urgent. The future is already unfolding and workforce systems must be prepared before it arrives not after.
A Future That Has Already Taken Off
The presentation began with a bold question: Would you feel comfortable boarding a pilot-less commercial flight within the next ten years? This is not a distant scenario. Autonomous cargo drones are already flying in Texas. Vertiports are being planned across major U.S. cities. Air traffic systems for autonomous aircraft are in development now. These technologies are no longer in the future, but are active today. The challenge is whether education and workforce systems are keeping pace.
What It Means to Think “Beyond Next”
Mammen introduced a new mindset called “Beyond Next,” designed to help communities stop reacting to current labor shortages and instead begin anticipating the workforce needs of tomorrow. Drawing on his experience implementing the TPM framework in San Antonio, he shared how strong employer partnerships and educator collaboration can build pipelines that evolve alongside emerging technologies.
The Dee Howard Foundation’s model includes:
- Starting in middle school, where students begin exploring aerospace careers
- Providing educator externships with aerospace companies, giving teachers first-hand insight into innovation
- Using project-based learning, aligned with industry trends, to bridge the gap between classrooms and future jobs
- Bringing more leaders to the table, not just HR teams, but also government affairs professionals, school district superintendents, higher education presidents, and research and development leaders who can align innovation, education, and workforce strategy
A Call to Action Across All Industries
While rooted in aerospace, the Beyond Next concept applies to all sectors. Healthcare, manufacturing, cybersecurity, and logistics are being transformed by artificial intelligence, robotics, and automation. If systems wait for job postings before acting, they will always be behind. Instead, education providers must be brought into strategic conversations early so curriculum and training can adapt before demand spikes.
Communities have two choices: continue chasing what is next or build what comes after. Watch the full TPMx presentation above and learn how you can be part of building what’s Beyond Next.
Video Credit: U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation - Full 2025 TPM NLN Summit Video, Day 1