Like many professional athletes, 2024 NFL Walter Payton Man of the Year, Arik Armstead, hosted his own sports camp for years. It was his way of using his unique skills to help others — but then he had a realization: He could help address another problem.

Worthy candidates are shut out of jobs because they lack a college degree or educational background — even though they have the aptitudes and skills to do the job. This not only holds back job seekers, but employers and businesses miss out on top-tier talent. 

Armstead, defensive end for the Jacksonville Jaguars, wanted to empower young people to pursue purposeful careers and then create more pathways to get them there. He challenged businesses to help high school students develop skills that can lead to success outside an athletic arena. Thus, the Arik Armstead Football Camp evolved into the Armstead Academic Project, which works with business leaders to expose high school students to different careers, many of which don’t require a degree.

Armstead runs Armstead Academic Project with his wife, Mindy. Together, they are part of a movement to shift our culture from one of exclusion based on factors like academic pedigree to one that recognizes the value of all workers, regardless of where they built their skills. When more and more students open up to these alternatives and find fulfilling work, the programs lose the stigma they sometimes carry, which encourages others to pursue them.

“Businesses have a huge impact on their community, not only from goods and services but also opportunities,” Armstead said. “It’s so amazing how you could be from a community, work in a business in that community, and continue to live in that community. I just think that ecosystem can be very special.”

Armstead, 31, is among the growing number of NFL players and legends — like Shaun Alexander, Demario Davis, Miles Killebrew, and Rachaad White — using their platform to inspire others. He accepted the Man of the Year award Thursday at the NFL Honors ceremony in New Orleans, which is host to this year’s Super Bowl.

“We’re constantly being divided, but I believe in humanity. I believe that we’re all more alike than we are different, and I believe that all of us have the power to be the change that we want to see in our society,” he said. “Let’s define success by a new metric. Not by things that we acquire, but by how many people we positively impact.”

Moving from sports camps to career camps

Relying on outdated degree pathways will ultimately leave employees and businesses out of tomorrow’s economy. 

Consider that only 6 in 10 employers today believe college graduates possess the skills needed for entry-level roles, even as Americans are buried under $1.7 trillion in education-related debt. 

At the same time, companies face unprecedented challenges in finding enough workers to fill nearly 8 million open jobs. 

Armstead realized athletes like him — who embody the spirit of success through hard work and community — had the credibility to work with businesses to embrace new talent pools and support the education and training opportunities that will help job seekers and businesses succeed in a dynamic economy. 

Through its Stay Hungry Career Camps, AAP brings together community-based education nonprofits and corporate partners to expose high school students to meaningful career pathways. In addition to building stackable skills, the camps enable students to connect with industry mentors, a unique facet that drives successful experiential learning. 

But it’s not just the students who benefit from the camps. “We’ve seen the response from the companies involved,” Armstead said. “Their employees leave inspired as well, too.” 

In addition to energizing current employees, companies that invest in talent-building programs like AAP’s Career Camps improve their reputation in the community, gain immediate access to a wider pool of skilled workers, and, perhaps most importantly, help future-proof their businesses by exposing the next generation of talent to unique and fulfilling opportunities in their industry. 

Career camps help students discover alternative education and career pathways

Most recently, Armstead teamed up with Shoe Palace, a family-owned shoe store in California, and flavored-syrup maker Torani to host career camps.

• At Shoe Palace, about 30 student leaders with the youth organization Improve Your Tomorrow toured the Shoe Palace headquarters and got a behind-the-scenes look at how its business is run. Students spoke with members of the design, buying, and warehousing departments and received career coaching.
• Torani hosted its camp at its “Flavor Factory” headquarters and welcomed nearly three dozen students from the Fresh Lifelines for Youth program, a Bay Area nonprofit that serves youth impacted by the justice system. The camp introduced students to several career pathways, from manufacturing and technical maintenance to social media and food science. Students heard from several Torani team members about their career trajectories, gaining insight into what experience and skills are required to secure similar jobs. 

“When we talk about social capital and economic mobility, our young people need to see what is possible in life,” Armstead said. “We show them both they can attain higher education in college and also different career pathways they can attain. And hopefully, pique their interest in something that they’re passionate about and want to love and enjoy doing.”

Armstead is working to help other NFL players, along with their corporate sponsors and nonprofit partners, adapt the Career Camp model in their communities. 

How community and connection help people succeed

At the heart of AAP’s mission is the belief that every person, no matter their socioeconomic status, deserves direct access to the resources they need to thrive.

Nearly 40 million Americans are experiencing poverty. While socioeconomic status can impede opportunity, Armstead and Mindy, a psychiatrist, do not believe it must. They were struck by a study published in Nature that found having friendships that cut across class lines significantly increases a person’s ability to scale the economic ladder. 

Armstead said his Career Camps have led to internship opportunities for participants, creating a win not only for the young people involved in the program, but for businesses looking to fill talent gaps. 

“I think when you look at why kids become successful, you see they had a community around them. They had multiple people pouring into them,” Armstead said. “It’s our responsibility to make sure no kid is left behind.”

The Armstead Academic Project is supported by the Charles Koch Foundation, which as part of the Stand Together community funds cutting-edge research and helps expand postsecondary educational options.

Learn more about Stand Together’s efforts to transform the future of work and explore ways you can partner with us.