Tech Entrepreneurs and Mentors Help Students Join Tomorrow's Workforce There are many insights to be learned not found in textbooks.

With most of America's 76 million students currently being homeschooled, this gives the nation's school systems an opportunity to improve decades-old practices. I'm always seeking the silver lining in things, and in my opinion, this is a great use of time and energy during shutdowns.

Kids have access to many learning apps and platforms, but school districts, teachers unions and colleges have been resistant to change. Mentors give students a perspective outside of the traditional education system, as well as offer a glimpse of what things are like in the real world. Such coaching is valuable in fields like business, technology and sciences, where there are many insights to be learned not found in textbooks.

Mentoring also helps future graduates to join an evolving U.S. economy in which 52 percent of workers will be gig workers by 2023, according to a 2018 study by MBO Partners. The practice is effective in the corporate world, too: CNBC reported that 91 percent of workers who have mentors are satisfied in their jobs. Here's how mentors help mentees join tomorrow's workforce.