The nation's workforce demands look vastly different today than they did just a few years ago. The COVID-19 pandemic, economic challenges, and complex technological developments across all industries continue to change the way America works. Unfortunately, labor market demand has not coincided with similar shifts in America's education systems, leaving today's youth unprepared to enter the workforce upon receiving their high school degree and, in some cases, even bachelor's or graduate degrees. Instead, an over-emphasis on higher education as the gold standard has led to a workforce vacuum in which students lack real-world skills upon graduation. Policymakers must meet the moment by improving workforce programs and practices to tackle the greatest workforce challenges in recent times -- this brief provides some recommendations on how to do just that.