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Preparing students for tackling real-world questions in science is a national goal in meeting the challenges of the 21st Century. Beginning with Next Generation Science Standards early in education (K-12), increasing national attention to the scientific process and inquiry-driven learning can strengthen our ability to generate graduates who are poised to meet the rapidly changing needs of the global workforce. Starting with these NGSS guidelines, we link them to skills developed in capstone courses and compare current goals to anticipated workforce trajectories. Using published assessments of employer needs combine with additional capstone-specific surveys, we will assess how attributes of capstones articulate with desired skills needed to meet the rapidly changing venues in which our graduates are employed. We identify current workforce expectations for students matriculating from range programs and discuss how current capstone approaches build needed skills. We will consider training in teamwork, critical assessment of available information, policy awareness, development of alternative scenarios, and tools for informed decision-making. We will describe how capstone courses can prepare students for careers in natural resource agencies (local, state, federal), non-governmental organizations, private industry and as landowners. In addition, as many career-level positions now require post-bachelor training, we evaluate how well the capstone experience can also prepare students for continued education in certificate, MS and PhD programs. We assess how workforce needs are addressed by current capstone examples and how the capstone experience can become increasing relevant to the broad array of potential employment opportunities in the future.