ASCEND
You already have skills. NextREADY GPS helps you name them, grow them, and show them — one level at a time. This is what it means to ASCEND.
define
describe
collaborate
reflect
evaluate
present
12 Weeks · Three Paths
Same starting point — where does each path lead?
synthesize
formulate
organize
describe
You already know more than you think.
Self-directed · browser-based · at your own pace
Level 1 is a conversation between you and 39 skill areas — the Hand of Learning, 21st-century thinking skills, and the Life, Work, and Learning skills that show up in every career. For each one, you write a single sentence connecting that skill to something real in your life. That sentence is your iCAN statement. When you've written 39 of them, you have a self-portrait that no test could produce.
- Interpersonal Skills
- Integrity
- Professionalism
- Initiative
- Dependability & Reliability
- Adaptability & Flexibility
- Lifelong Learning
- Teamwork
- Customer Focus
- Planning & Organizing
- Creative Thinking
- Problem Solving & Decision-Making
- Working with Tools & Technology
- Scheduling & Coordinating
- + 4 more
- Reading
- Writing
- Mathematics
- Science & Technology
- Communication
- Critical & Analytical Thinking
- Basic Computer Skills
Learning happens when you're seen.
Coached · peer-connected · evidence-building
Every performing art, every trade apprenticeship, every jazz session works the same way: you play, someone responds, you adjust. Level 2 makes that loop explicit. You demonstrate a skill in a short clip. You ask: "What do you think?" A peer watches, responds, and the conversation deepens both of you. Your navigator sees the record — not to grade you, but to know where to meet you next.
Learning — Record & Share
60–90 seconds. One skill. One real example from your life. End with: "What do you think?"
Unlearning & Relearning — Watch & Respond
Each day you see two clips from cohort members. A quick reaction, a voice note, or a written response closes the loop.
Nominate standout work
Star a clip that moved you. Weekly, the most-nominated work surfaces as a cohort spotlight — the bandstand goes public.
The Circles of Learning
Recording your clip and saying "what do you think?" is a rightward move — giving from me to we. Watching a peer's clip and responding is a leftward move — receiving from we to me. Each full cycle — give and receive — is one turn of the gear. Skills deepen not by being repeated, but by being shared.
Giving · me → we
Record clip · end with "what do you think?" · nominate strong work
Receiving · we → me
Watch peer clips · respond with reaction or voice note · adjust your next clip
Your work speaks for itself.
Team-based · career-connected · portfolio-producing
At Level 3, the unit of learning is the team, and the unit of evidence is something you made together. You don't demonstrate that you understand collaboration — you show up to a team project and do it. The iCAN statement at this level isn't a sentence about a skill. It's the work itself, with your name on it, connected to a career path that was always closer than you knew.
Community interview series
Interview three people in your community about their careers. Connect what they say to your LS21 skill codes. Present findings to the cohort.
Team skill assessment
With a team of three, design a penny drop activity for a new topic. Run it with five people outside your cohort. Document what you learned.
Graduate profile
Your complete NextREADY Graduate Profile — 39 iCAN statements across three levels of evidence, with a SOC code mapping to the careers that match your skills.
At Level 1, you identify, define and provide personal examples of Durable Life Skills. This qualifies you to be invited to Levels 2 and 3, which involve coaches, navigators, and team coordination — real costs that ASCEND covers through partnerships. In 2026, the McCune Foundation has funded all three levels at no cost for 200 participants across all five NM STEM Innovation Hub regions. Level 1 is yours to begin today, free, right now, with no commitment required.