According to a 2019 Burning Glass Labor Report, problem-solving ranks among the top three most demanded skills by employers of the 21st century. Increasingly, educators are being asked to narrow the gap between formal education and practice in technical and engineering fields. In fact, companies are looking for demonstrated competencies in problem-solving and relying less and less on formal degrees and credentials. A major challenge is assuring that high school students are prepared to tackle complex and difficult problems in their future professions. Universities, particularly institutions such as UC San Diego, are committed to developing these problem-solving skills for technical environments in all students both present and future. The Jacobs School of Engineering and UC San Diego Division of  Extended Studies have formed a collaboration to spearhead this initiative to significantly enhance the options for high school graduates regardless of which path they choose.