A paper from the American Enterprise Institute examines current and proposed regulatory frameworks for managing competency-based programming at the state, accreditor, and federal levels. The paper highlights key concerns with and among these systems, as well as recommends strategies for improving oversight of competency-based education.
More than 1M short-term workforce credentialing programs are offered today, but little has been done to help adults identify which programs meet industry standards and lead to higher-paying jobs. That’s changing.
America once led the world, but the global economy is evolving, and other nations are surging ahead. We must recommit to innovation and training.
U.S. adults with a post-high school education have better health and well-being, are more likely to have jobs that align with their natural talents and interests, and increased civic engagement
There is overwhelming evidence that pursuing a college education provides substantial economic and non-economic benefits to students. But how much a degree is worth depends heavily on the institution a student attends. Unfortunately, value also is still influenced by a student’s race, income, and gender, due to inequities in today’s higher education and workforce systems.
Federal law merely suggests that training providers confer a credential, but they are not required to do so, denying some participants an economic edge.
Shortcomings associated with short-term credentialing programs have for years been neglected. Too often these programs have led to low-wage jobs, including some that workers could have found with no credential at all. People who are Black and brown were routinely tracked into career and technical programs rather than directed toward programs leading to college degrees. Many programs weren’t designed with students’ needs in mind, and schools sometimes designed them with little attention to labor market demands.
Innovative partnerships between community colleges and city and business resources can help support students and workers of color through the college and career pipeline.
Today’s students learn skills at work, in life, and many other ways outside of colleges and universities. But too often, skills and knowledge learned outside of traditional classrooms aren’t counted towards a credential or degree or recognized in the job market.