Workforce Development
The economy is still recovering from the Great Recession, which was characterized by skyrocketing unemployment rates. Many adults found themselves without the skills needed to find work in the new, knowledge-focused economy, and colleges and universities have ample opportunity to create programs to help people find careers in growth industries.
Stackable and Sub-Degree: How Postsecondary Institutions Can Support the Middle-Skill Economy
Matt Sigelman | Chief Executive Officer, Burning Glass TechnologiesMiddle-skilled workers have long been an overlooked segment of the learning population, but—standing 35 to 40 million strong—they pose a real opportunity for growth for continuing education divisions and for…
Filling the Middle-Skill Jobs Gap: Career Education Starts and Ends with Local Employers
Sunita Cooke | Superintendent and President, MiraCosta Community College DistrictAs a California Community College educator and administrator for more than 25 years, I find that it is a very exciting time in our evolution, as community colleges are being…
The Local Benefits of a Collaborative Postsecondary Ecosystem
David Alvey | Mayor, Kansas CityPostsecondary institutions are an integral part of regional development ecosystems for their local communities. But the link between high schools, postsecondary institutions and local employers isn’t always as strong as…
Six Ways Colleges Can Think Differently to Meet the Workforce Needs in America
Van Ton-Quinlivan | Executive Vice Chancellor of Workforce and Digital Futures, California Community CollegesThinking differently doesn’t come easily to higher education institutions. There are decades of tradition to overcome and campus interests that favor preserving the way things are now. But if colleges…
“Full Employment” Economy Exposes Education System Deficits
Diane Bosak | Vice President for Workforce Strategies & Policy, Achieving the Dream Inc.A strong economy with historically low unemployment levels should be viewed as a positive for employers and jobseekers alike, but the skills gap and worker shortages in key occupations signal…
Focusing on Relevancy and Flexibility: Solidifying the Place of the Community College
Lenore Rodicio | Executive Vice President and Provost, Miami Dade CollegeCommunity colleges play a critical role in the health of a community. Providing individuals—often from traditionally-underserved demographics—with an entry point into postsecondary learning and opportunities for upskilling and reskilling, all…
The Evolving World of Community Colleges: Market Position, Competition and the Future
Ian Roark | Vice President of Workforce Development, Pima Community CollegeLike their university counterparts, community colleges are facing an uncertain future: lower enrollments, changing student demographics and increased competition from universities looking to grow their share of workforce development programming…