Grow the skills colleges and employers are looking for.
Take on challenges, earn XP, and build the skills that actually open doors.
Join the students already on the list
Built on the Pathsmith™ Durable Skills framework.
Every Nextreks island maps to the durable-skills domains defined by Pathsmith and America Succeeds, the same standard behind state Portraits of a Graduate.
PATHSMITH™
Durable Skills
10 domains · 74 skills
Hover a segment to explore the framework behind every Nextreks challenge.
- Communication: Communications (hybrid/remote), Presentation, Written Communication, Verbal Communication, Negotiation, Social Media, Customer Service, Public Speaking (monologue/in-person)
- Leadership: Management, Leadership, Mentorship, Decision-Making, Project Management, Advocacy (internal to an organization), Risk Management, Thought Leadership (awareness of, developing into)
- Metacognition: Detail Oriented, Planning, Teaching, Organizational Skills, Time Management, Adaptability, Goal Setting, Constructive Feedback
- Critical Thinking: Problem-Solving, Research, Prioritization, Investigation, Critical Thinking, Intellectual Curiosity, Analytical Thinking
- Collaboration: Interpersonal Relationships, Coordinating, Teamwork/Team Orientation, Scheduling, Team Building, Cooperation, Remote/Virtual Teams
- Character: Accountability, Self-Motivation, Trustworthy, Tactfulness, Reliability, Personal Integrity
- Creativity: Innovation, Creative Thinking, Visionary, Ideation, Experimentation, Brainstorming
- Growth Mindset: Self-Starter, Proactivity, Curiosity, Resourcefulness, Entrepreneurship, Action-Oriented Skills, Results-Focused Skills, Self-Sufficiency
- Mindfulness: Hospitality, Compassion, Empathy, Patience, Active Listening, Emotional Intelligence, Humility, Cultural Sensitivity
- Fortitude: Resilience, Motivational Skills, Optimism, Tenacity, Assertiveness, Self-Discipline, Calmness Under Pressure, Self-Confidence
76%
of job postings request at least one durable skill.
America Succeeds
8 of 10
of the top workforce skills by 2030 will be durable skills.
World Economic Forum, 2025
How the islands map
Observer
Mindfulness
Builder
Fortitude
Analyzer
Metacognition
Communicator
Communication
Connector
Collaboration
Professional
Character
Innovator
Creativity
Problem Solver
Critical Thinking
Visionary
Growth Mindset
Leader
Leadership
Colleges and employers have moved past GPA.
So what does your student show them instead? Not a number. One link to a living page of things they actually did, each one dated, and some of them confirmed by someone who is not us.
73% to 42%
GPA screening has collapsed as a filter. That is the share of employers still using it, 2019 versus today.
NACE
One link. Everything you are.
- Trait Cards & skill progression
- Trek experiences
- GPA & transcripts
- Volunteer hours
- Extracurriculars
- Anything else you add
Yours forever. It doesn't expire when you graduate. Share it with colleges, employers, or coaches anytime.
Riley Okafor
Class of 2027 · Builder · Communicator
Builder
Communicator
Leader
Every claim on the page says how it is known, so a reader never has to take our word for it, or yours.
Real challenges. Real skills. Real opportunities.
10 Trait Cards, 1 Durable Skills Credential, 1 real company Trek, before graduation.
Ten Trait Cards, one for every island.
Each card names the Pathsmith Durable Skills Framework domain it certifies, the level reached, and the date it was earned. Not a score. A record of what was shown.
Trait Card
Leader
Leadership
Level
3/4
Applying
A Durable Skills Credential, on full completion.
The skills are defined by America Succeeds and Pathsmith, the same standard behind state Portraits of a Graduate. We evidence them. We do not grade them.
Credential
Durable Skills Credential
Riley Okafor · Class of 2027
- Defined by
- America Succeeds
- Domains
- 10 of 10
- Verify at
- nextreks.com/riley
Treks, found and sent to you.
Internships, research programs, competitions and volunteer roles, matched on what your student is into and when they are free. We send them. You decide what to pursue.
Trek
Lumen Labs
Product Design Trek
Two weeks with a real product team, on one shared question.
85%
of employers now use skills-based hiring
5x
more predictive: hiring for skills vs education
The Nextreks difference.
Why students, parents, and counselors choose a journey over a transcript.
Verified, not claimed
Every Trait Card is real behavioral evidence validated against the Pathsmith™ Durable Skills Framework. Verified data, not a self-reported profile.
Built for minors
Privacy by design, aligned with COPPA and FERPA. Nothing is public unless a student chooses to share it.
Treks, sent to you
We search the open world of opportunity and send the ones that fit: internships, research programs, competitions, volunteer roles. Your family decides what to pursue.
There's a way in for everyone.
Nextreks works differently depending on where you sit. Find your path in.
Students
Stop saying what you’re good at. Start showing it. Build real projects, earn Trait Cards, and get a portfolio with your name on it.
I’m a StudentParents
Give your student something colleges and employers can’t ignore: verified skills, a live portfolio, and a real company experience.
I’m a ParentCounselors
A self-directed program that helps your students prove readiness beyond the transcript, without changing your curriculum.
I’m a CounselorCompanies
Meet early-career talent with proof: verified skills and a live portfolio you can review before the interview even starts.
I’m a CompanyAnswers to your questions.
The most common ones, answered. Still curious? Join the list and ask us anything.
Join waitlistCore is $499 for the year, billed once. That covers all 80 Challenges across 10 islands, 8 each, human-reviewed capstones, Trait Cards, and the live portfolio at your own URL. Nextreks Explore is a separate $99 a month add-on that sends your student real opportunities as their proof grows, and you can turn it off any month. Your work is never deleted.
Proof, not promises
Be first in line for Fall 2026.
We open to a small group first. Add your email and we will let you in the moment Nextreks goes live.
Riley Okafor
SampleClass of 2027 · nextreks.com/riley
Ran the fundraiser drive, 3 weeks
March 2026
AttestedLeadership
Applying
10 Trait Cards · 1 Trek