Each year, our team publishes a comprehensive list of observances to support education and career development initiatives. Leverage these moments to spark meaningful learning experiences, strengthen career readiness programming, and build momentum for workforce development with the students and communities you serve.
Happy New Year! As organizations return from the holiday break, it’s a natural time to reset priorities, reconnect with learners, and launch new goals for the year ahead.
January is National Mentoring Month, an opportunity to recognize the impact of trusted relationships and community support in helping learners build confidence, plan their next steps, and stay engaged. Whether you’re highlighting peer mentoring, educator-led advising, or community partnerships, this month offers a strong foundation for goal-setting and growth.
February is packed with opportunities to build momentum around career-connected learning and postsecondary planning.
Career and Technical Education Month® (CTE Month®) is a time to spotlight programs that help learners gain real-world skills, explore high-demand pathways, and connect classroom learning to future careers.
February is also Financial Aid Awareness Month (#FinAidFeb), a great reminder to meet students and families where they are with clear, supportive guidance—especially around FAFSA completion and understanding funding options.
And of course, Black History Month continues to be a critical time to honor the achievements and leadership of Black Americans while creating space for thoughtful reflection, meaningful learning, and inclusive classroom conversations.
March is a strong month for recognition, engagement, and visibility.
During Women’s History Month, educators and community leaders can highlight the contributions of women across industries and support students in exploring pathways where they may not always see themselves represented. This is also a great time to connect classroom discussions to career awareness—through guest speakers, career exploration activities, and projects that connect learning to real-world impact.
As daylight changes and spring approaches, March can also be a natural checkpoint for goal progress, student motivation, and mid-year planning.
April is Financial Literacy Month, making it a timely opportunity to help learners connect personal finance concepts to long-term planning. Career decisions and education goals are closely tied to financial realities, and even simple activities—budgeting scenarios, career salary comparisons, and postsecondary planning discussions—can help students build stronger decision-making skills.
This month also includes several observances that support student services, health and wellbeing, and workplace appreciation—useful touchpoints for recognizing the professionals who help learners thrive.
May is commencement season—a time of celebration, reflection, and looking ahead. It’s also a high-impact month for encouraging students to finish strong and take meaningful next steps into summer learning, work experiences, and postsecondary planning.
May is also Mental Health Awareness Month, a key reminder that readiness and success are not only academic. Supporting student wellbeing, connection, and access to resources helps ensure learners can sustain progress toward their goals. Consider this a great month for building awareness of support systems, normalizing help-seeking, and reinforcing positive school culture.
Graduations continue in June, alongside the transition into summer learning, internships, and career exploration experiences. For many students, this is when planning becomes real—enrollment steps, job applications, training opportunities, and important deadlines.
June is also a good time for schools and organizations to reflect on what worked during the year, capture outcomes, and prepare resources that will help learners and families stay engaged through the summer months.
July is Minority Mental Health Awareness Month, which highlights the unique barriers many individuals from historically underserved communities may face in accessing mental health resources and support. This observance provides an important opportunity to promote culturally responsive practices, trusted community supports, and stigma-reducing conversations.
For many organizations, July also serves as a strategic planning month—ideal for preparing staff resources, strengthening partnerships, and identifying priorities for the upcoming school year.
August marks the beginning of the academic year for many schools and colleges and is often a busy season of onboarding, scheduling, and setting expectations. It’s an ideal time to reinforce routines, establish student supports early, and launch career readiness activities that can carry through the year.
As students return to classrooms, August is also a great time to focus on belonging, engagement, and strong “first-month” experiences that build confidence and connection.
As school returns in full swing, September is a natural time to strengthen planning habits and re-energize academic and career goals.
It’s also College Savings Month, which can be a useful reminder for families to review long-term planning tools and take small, practical steps toward affordability. For educators and counselors, September is a strong month for beginning-of-year goal setting, career exploration lessons, and introducing students to planning tools that help them map pathways and track progress.
October includes several observances that highlight leadership, emotional intelligence, and school culture.
With National Principals Month, it’s a great time to recognize the leadership that helps schools run smoothly and ensures students and staff have what they need to succeed.
October is also Careers in Construction Month, offering a strong opportunity to spotlight high-demand career pathways, apprenticeships, and skilled trades—especially through hands-on learning, guest speakers, or career pathway showcases. It’s also a natural moment to reinforce career readiness skills like teamwork, communication, and resilience.
November is National Career Development Month and National Scholarship Month®—a dedicated time to help learners explore career possibilities, build plans, and take action toward their goals.
As the end of the calendar year approaches, it’s also a great time to help students reflect on progress, celebrate achievements, and identify next steps for the new year.
December is Universal Human Rights Month, a time that encourages global reflection on dignity, equity, and opportunity. For education and workforce programs, it’s a meaningful opportunity to reinforce the idea that every learner deserves access to support, guidance, and pathways that lead to a fulfilling future.
As the year wraps up, December is also a natural time to celebrate wins, recognize the people who made them possible, and prepare students and staff to begin the new year with clear purpose and renewed energy.
As you reflect on the memories made and goals accomplished this past year, we hope these observance dates inspire you to set new goals and make plans to cultivate new opportunities in 2026.
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