Mind the Gaps: Three Divides Shaping Today's Grads
Explore gaps in experience, skills, AI fluency & what institutions can do right now to close them.
Students believe they're ready for the workforce. Their schools are less certain. And the employers waiting to hire them are the least convinced of all. This three-way divide is at the heart of the NSLS's State of Higher Ed 2026, and it's reshaping how higher education must think about student success.
Join The National Society of Leadership and Success (NSLS) for a panel-style roundtable unpacking the latest findings from our State of Higher Ed 2026 report. Our guests will explore three specific, measurable gaps in experience, skills, AI fluency and what institutions can do right now to close them.
This webinar will discuss:
- Why 83.8% of students feel prepared for the workforce, while only 37% of recruiters agree, and what that gap actually means
- The experience gap: only 19.4% of undergraduates have completed an internship, even though 94% say it prepared them for their career
- The skills mismatch: what students think employers want vs. what recruiters actually prioritize
- The AI disconnect: why students' financial anxiety and AI anxiety haven't yet converged, and why that window matters
- Actionable strategies institutions can use to close all three gaps without adding to an already strained budget
Whether you work in student affairs, career services or academic leadership—or you're a student curious about what employers actually expect—this conversation is for you.
Can't attend the webinar? You should still register—all registrants will receive a recording of the webinar and a copy of the presentation slides.
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