In today's globally competitive economy, low-income students, students of color, opportunity youth, and adult learners need a postsecondary education and work-based learning opportunities to secure family-sustaining jobs and careers. Since the Great Recession, the economy has added 11.6 million jobs. Ninety-nine percent of them have gone to…

The nation's workforce demands look vastly different today than they did just a few years ago. The COVID-19 pandemic, economic challenges, and complex technological developments across all industries continue to change the way America works. Unfortunately, labor market demand has not coincided with similar shifts in America's education systems,…

In the 21st century, education has become America's most significant marker of class privilege. People with bachelor's and advanced degrees have mostly prospered, while wages for those with less education have fallen. This divergence in economic fortunes lies at the heart of our country's present economic and political discontents. Federal and…

Workforce development in the United States today is spread across higher education institutions (primarily public two-year and for-profit colleges), labor market institutions, and workplaces, with public funding from a range of sources. But outcomes for students and workers are weaker than they could be, especially among disadvantaged students and…

The higher education system does not work well for taxpayers, students, or higher education institutions. Student loans were expected to be such a good deal for taxpayers that their projected revenues were used to offset costs associated with the Affordable Care Act and increasing the size of Pell Grants. Less than a decade ago, the federal…

Achieving prosperity for all Americans could not be more urgent. Although the United States remains the most prosperous nation on earth, millions of citizens are losing faith in the American dream of upward mobility, and in American-style capitalism itself. This crisis of confidence has widened the divide afflicting American politics and cries out…

Over half of jobs in the U.S. require training beyond high school but not a four-year degree. These skilled jobs are the backbone of America's economy, and filling them is critical to America's success in the 21st century. Every day, in communities coast to coast, working people, students, and families are looking for opportunities to get ahead.…

In the nation today, 4.6 million young adults ages 16 to 24 are out of school and unemployed. More than one-third live in poverty. For these young people, commonly referred to as opportunity youth, building skills and gaining work experience are key to upward mobility. However, they face significant barriers to entering the labor market.…

Career and Technical Education (CTE) is a key ingredient to meet the needs of Utah's economy. Utah System of Higher Education (USHE) institutions offer CTE programs in all regions of the state, working closely with local business and industry leaders to develop and deliver programs specifically tailored to local workforce development needs. This…

Career and Technical Education (CTE) is a key ingredient to meet the needs of Utah's economy. Utah System of Higher Education (USHE) institutions offer CTE programs in all regions of the state, working closely with local business and industry leaders to develop and deliver programs specifically tailored to local workforce development needs. This…

In light of the growing labor market demand for jobs requiring a minimum of subbaccalaureate credentials, this Statistics in Brief presents recent changes in subbaccalaureate awards in the decade between 1997 and 2007, using 2002 as a midpoint. It describes changes in the number and types of awards conferred, overall and within particular fields…

This document profiles 31 federal programs from which funding for adult literacy may be available. The document's three sections present descriptions of the following types of sources of funding and programs: (1) single pieces of legislation that contribute the major federal share of federal support for adult education in the United States; (2)…