skip to main content
Three young aspiring tech leaders meet with a startup founder.

<style data-emotion="css 52w8fk">.css-52w8fk{padding-right:0.25rem;}</style><span class="css-52w8fk"><span>How do our programs impact career and education outcomes?</span></span>

Explore how our courses, experiences, tools, and videos are making a very real difference in the lives of young people.

Here's how our student-centered approach is making an impact:

A young woman in a cap and gown smiles confidently.

More relevant education experiences

69% of students reported the Roadtrip Nation Experience course helped them view their education as relevant to their life. Plus, Roadtrip Nation participants earned a higher GPA than their peers, and demonstrated greater academic improvement by a factor of 2.

A young woman in firefighting gear looks on to her next challenge.

Better long-term career satisfaction

In following up with past roadtrippers, 92% reported that their current job gives them the opportunity to do work they find engaging. As a benchmark, Gallup found that the percentage of “engaged” workers in the U.S. reached an all-time high of 36% in 2021.

A young man in a suit and bow tie smiles for the camera.

Increased confidence, clear next steps

Roadtrip Nation Experience students reported a 24% increase in their ability to seek out role models and network. They also reported 15% growth in the sentiment, "I have confidence in the next steps I need to take to achieve my career and education goals.”

Impact Reports: Dive deeper into our impact

Purpose Driven

Outcomes & Core Learnings from 20 Years of Roadtrip Nation

What happens when we center career exploration around learners' interests, values, strengths, and goals? In 2021, we evaluated findings from two decades of independent, third-party studies to identify consistent outcomes across our varied story-driven offerings. Overall, participants reported increased career engagement, confidence, education relevance, skill development, social capital, and well-being.

View the "Purpose Driven" Report
Roadtrip Nation's 2021 impact report. The front cover shows a young women leaning on a railing and looking into the distance. The title of the report reads "Purpose Driven: Outcomes and Core Learnings from 20 Years of Roadtrip Nation." Alongside the cover, another copy of the report is flipped open.

Measuring Our Impact

The 2020 Roadtrip Nation Impact Report

In this retrospective report, we surveyed more than 100 roadtrippers who have taken part in Roadtrip Nation's road trip experiences. We wanted to understand how the trip and the interviews they participated in impacted their lives after the road. There were four key findings: after the road trip, roadtrippers were more engaged in their work, had increased social capital, improved well-being, and growth in self-perception.

The front cover of Roadtrip Nation's 2020 impact report, showing a collage of photos that show roadtrippers out on the road traveling in the green RV and meeting people. The title reads, "Measuring Our Impact: 2020 Roadtrip Nation Impact Report."

Roadtrip Nation's Theory of Change

In our work, we strive to create a world where all learners and career seekers have access to opportunity and pathways to pursue their vision for themselves. View our Theory of Change to learn more about how our stories, tools, and experiences drive toward this vision, and explore the impacts we're measuring as we work alongside our valued partners to create a more equitable future of work for all.

Core Outcomes for Students & Career Seekers

These are the six core outcomes that consistently stand out across Roadtrip Nation career experiences and programs.

  1. Career EngagementParticipants developed a greater awareness of career possibilities and pathways, and this translated into increased goal-setting and knowledge about how to explore and pursue their career interests.

  2. ConfidenceConfidence, motivation, and sense of agency grew as participants gained a greater sense of their own interests and encountered stories of people from similar backgrounds and experiences.

  3. Education RelevanceWidening the lens of possible careers helped participants feel that school is relevant to their lives and who they want to be—now and in the future—which resulted in improved academic performance.

  4. Skill DevelopmentParticipants developed critical 21st century skills—adaptability, problem-solving, communication, collaboration, and more—which will be extremely valuable as they prepare for an unpredictable future of work.

  5. Social CapitalParticipants developed relationships with mentors and supporters—and felt empowered to continue making connections. This is especially impactful because social capital can increase access to resources blocked by systemic barriers.

  6. Well-BeingParticipants in Roadtrip Nation programs reported a greater sense of purpose and comfort with who they are. Their experiences positively impacted their mental health and gave them more hope for the future.

A young man looks out the Roadtrip Nation RV window, alongside a quote that reads, "I wouldn't be where I am today without Roadtrip Nation."
Two young people sit on a hill at White Sands National Monument and look out at the Roadtrip Nation RV parked in the distance, alongside a quote that reads, "Roadtrip Nation was life changing for me."
Three students at Universal Studios talking to one of the people who works on Jurassic World, alongside a quote that reads, "It made me want to get serious with college and my future."
A young woman looks out the Roadtrip Nation RV window as it drives along the highway at dusk, alongside a quote that reads, "My road trip pushed me to see endless possibilities."
A roadtripper hugs the person they just interviewed, alongside a quote that reads, "The most impactful aspect was the human connection, feeling like we are not alone."

Explore right from your inbox.

Subscribe to our newsletter to stay updated on new road trip opportunities, documentary releases, and more!

Marketing Permissions