Top colleges are intensifying career‑focused programming—co‑ops, internships, employer partnerships and skills training—as graduates face a tighter market. Forbes’ list of career‑launching colleges highlights models like Northeastern’s long‑running co‑op and Carnegie Mellon’s integrated early career planning. Meanwhile, sector forecasts for 2026 predict deeper investment in short‑term credentials, credential quality metrics, and state funding for workforce programs. Institutions are aligning curricula to employer needs, expanding experiential learning, and embedding AI and workplace skills into degree and certificate pathways.