Based on an in-depth review of hundreds of education-to-career initiatives, this report from Jobs for the Future and American Student Assistance identifies the pathways offering the most innovative options for young people seeking postsecondary and career opportunities. It also calls attention to segments of the “earn and learn” landscape where there’s room for continued innovation.
According to the report, college has served as a pathway to the middle class for millions of people over the years. But it’s now clear that society’s emphasis on college as the only path to success has also created barriers to economic advancement for individuals who lack access to college pathways, including people of color and people from low-income backgrounds. Moreover, requiring a degree as a condition of employment restricts the size of the labor pool, limiting employers’ access to talent and resulting in workforces that aren’t racially and ethnically diverse.
The study highlights the dynamic ecosystem of innovative programs and providers that are transforming established models by leveraging the core building blocks of a learner’s experience to develop groundbreaking, often hybridized approaches. The result, as the report reveals, is a constantly evolving array of options that will create unparalleled opportunities for learners and employers alike to learn, grow, and realize the extraordinary potential ahead of them.