Micro-credentials (MCs) are a rapidly expanding element of modern teacher professional learning. In this brief, we provide a concise review of what is currently known about MCs: how they work, their strengths, their shortcomings, and what we still need to learn. For districts and states that are considering introducing MCs, this brief is designed…

The emergence of a digital economy has changed companies' business and talent model. However, the gap between supply and demand for digital skills and talent poses a serious dilemma for many companies: do they acquire tech start-ups as a talent strategy or reinvent the company as a tech firm, hire new digital talent and reskill current employees?…

As many as 4.4 million U.S. jobs are going unfilled due to shortages of workers with the right skills. Many of these opportunities are in so-called "middle-skill" occupations, such as IT or advanced manufacturing, where workers need some sort of post-secondary credential but not a four-year degree. Expanding access to high-quality career…

The Student Outcomes surveys include a series of questions that focus on the specific skills acquired by former students. Many of the skills are employability skills. The former students who responded to the Student Outcomes surveys were very likely to say their institutions helped them develop skills and that those skills were useful for…

The debate over the value of a college education appears to be settled, not only do employers value employees with a bachelor's degree, they may actually value them too much. This author believes that there is a dramatic credentials gap in the American workforce between the education levels employers are requesting in job postings and the…

Competency-based education (CBE) is widely viewed as an innovative alternative to traditional higher education, yet most programs serve only a narrow slice of the postsecondary population. Few are intended for adults who need to boost basic skills in order to succeed in college coursework. However, if designed with the needs of a broader range of…

Postsecondary education and credentials are key to economic mobility for individuals and economic competitiveness for our nation. Although the economic return to credentials varies significantly by field of study, generally workers with higher levels of education have higher wages, work more hours, and suffer lower rates and shorter durations of…

For many accounting students the focus of their fourth or fifth years is finding a job to start them on an exciting and financially rewarding career. Colleges provide significant guidance and direction to these students in the form of internship assistance, resume writing workshops, interview practice, networking events and career guidance. At…

The Carl D. Perkins Vocational and Technical Education Act of 2006 (Perkins IV) is the principal source of federal funding to states for the improvement of secondary and postsecondary career and technical education programs. States are provided with funds for distribution to local educational agencies (LEAs) and postsecondary institutions for…

In 2007, Michigan undertook a bold mission: to retrain tens of thousands of adults to qualify for jobs in emerging and expanding sectors of the economy. The state's proposal to jobless, dislocated, and low-income residents was simple but appealing: enroll in up to two years of postsecondary education, and Michigan would cover up to $5,000 in…

This Policy Brief is intended to help the National Commission on Adult Literacy consider state and federal policy strategies that hold promise for increasing the number of lower-skilled adults, including those with limited English skills, who earn postsecondary credentials that can open the door to family-supporting jobs and careers. It examines…