WDR Lab Student Challenge 2025

We are now accepting submissions for the 2025 Student Challenge!

The objective of the WDRLab Student Challenge 2025 is to spark innovative, interdisciplinary programming, scholarship, and research to address complex issues of workforce development, while also creating a cadre of ‘change agents’ whose projects, stakeholder engagement, knowledge generation, and dissemination enhance the workforce development opportunities for underrepresented and marginalized groups.

In recent years, advancements in artificial intelligence and automation have put pressure on the labor market to understand the demand for new skills, new jobs, and occupations and to implement more accessible and effective alternatives to workforce learning and development. Consequently, the need to understand the demand for new skills, implement innovative educational solutions, and create more inclusive workplaces has become increasingly important to mitigate social inequalities, reduce disparities, and prepare the current and future workforce.

What are we looking for?

The challenge is open to all CEHD graduate students. We are looking for proposals with the capacity for collaborative work within organizations of any type including government, corporate, grassroots organizations, or non-profits aimed to address one or more topics in two overarching themes:

Connect demand and supply – assess needs, strengthen recruitment and staffing, and develop skills.

Examples of projects include (but are not limited to):

  • Identification of skill shortages and development opportunities in the current workforce.
  • Improvement of the connection between formal educational systems, employer-supported training, other training providers, learners, and employers to mitigate gaps in high-demand and emerging skill sets.
  • Development of innovative education, training strategies, and platforms to address current, emerging, and future workforce needs (soft and technical skills).
  • Development of innovative life-long learning and career development approaches that support individuals to learn, assess and develop their skill set.
  • Proposing new cross- and interdisciplinary strategies to develop and retain members of the workforce.

Provide technology-based interventions through data analytics and/or artificial intelligence applications in the workforce.

Examples of projects include (but are not limited to):

  • Using data tools to conduct performance analytics for informed workforce-related decision-making
  • Using AI in workforce planning and forecasting
  • Development of AI-driven tools that can be used in delivering training and offering personalized learning pathways
  • Developing innovative approaches to using AI in recruitment
  • Proposals for using AI in continuous evaluation of training effectiveness

Why submit a proposal?

  • Two selected research proposals will receive $1,000 and $500 – for first and second place.
  • The recipients will have the opportunity to become WDRL fellows.
  • The recipients will receive support through two mentoring meetings with WDRL faculty and affiliates during the 12-month funded period.
  • The selected proposals will be posted on the WDRL, departmental, and CEHD websites and social media for dissemination purposes.
  • Upon completing their projects, fellows will present their findings and serve as resources for future cohorts.  

How to submit a proposal?

The Student Challenge is open to all masters and doctoral students in CEHD.

Proposals can be submitted by individual students or in collaboration with other students. In the case of collaborative proposals, students from other colleges are welcome to join, but at least one student must be a CEHD student. This is a student proposal, so faculty members are not allowed to collaborate on these projects.

You will need to upload the following documents:

  • Research proposal. The proposal should provide an overview of the context, the addressed problem, the research question(s), the research method, the theoretical framework supporting the research, and the expected outcome. The proposal should clearly show how this work will create an actionable outcome and tangible impact in the real world. Proposals should be maximum of 750 words long, excluding references.
  • Updated CV (3-4 pages maximum).

Questions?

If you have questions about the Student Challenge or want to know more about prospective lab projects, please e-mail wdrlab@umn.edu with “student challenge” in the subject line.