High-quality non-degree workforce programs at community colleges, including both credit-bearing and non-credit programs, play a crucial role in equipping low-income and marginalized workers and learners with the skills and credentials they need to secure quality jobs and careers in a variety of occupations. Financing these programs can be a…

Many public workforce training programs lead to industry-recognized, third-party awarded credentials, but little research has been conducted on the economic benefits of these credentials in the labor market. This paper provides quasi-experimental evidence on the labor market returns to industry-recognized credentials connected to community college…

Colorado is a state primed for blurring the lines between secondary, postsecondary, and workforce policies and programs to serve Colorado's young people better. The state has a growing economy, political leadership committed to advancing innovative, affordable education pathways, and a commitment from state agencies and state-based advocates that…

Research suggests that high-quality work-based learning (WBL) can be a promising approach to solving the leaky pipeline for undertapped demographic groups such as women and students of color, including for STEM fields Community colleges are especially important vehicles for WBL due to their diverse student populations and their partnerships with…

Student performance evaluations are a traditional method for assessing a student's skills during a work-integrated learning (WIL) experience. While these assessments provide students with feedback on the development of their skills, little documentation of student performance exists after the WIL experience. This paper explores the role of…

Policymakers are interested in extending federal higher education dollars to programs fewer than 15 weeks. This analysis shares key facts about the outcomes and equity implications of very-short-term (15 weeks or fewer) programs. This analysis of nationally representative survey data from the Adult Training and Education Survey, combined with…

Nondegree credentialing and training has existed for many years. Reasons for pursuing nondegree education vary, from wanting to pick up in-demand skills, meet a job requirement, or get a pay raise to exploring a new occupational area or engaging in lifelong learning. Having a nondegree credential is not unusual, either; one 2014 analysis by the US…

Career and technical education (CTE) programs (programs that teach students specific workplace skills aligned with the labor market) may track data for lots of different reasons: to comply with funding requirements, to manage their services and continually improve, to measure their progress toward their goals, and to evaluate whether they are…

GPS Education Partners is a community-based nonprofit organization and the only manufacturing-specific, statewide Department of Workforce Development Youth Apprenticeship Program in Wisconsin. During 1-2 years of study at GPS, students meet high school graduation requirements, receive industry-specific and job-specific training and technical…

This First Look report provides selected key findings on adults' attainment of nondegree credentials (licenses, certifications, and postsecondary certificates), and their completion of work experience programs such as apprenticeships and internships. This version of the report corrects an error in three tables in the originally released version…

In order to provide institutions with more insight into student experiences and perspectives on their careers and the preparation they received on campus--and to promote discussions about how such students' might be better served--the research team at World Education Services (WES) conducted a survey of both current international students and…

This article examines two Canadian high school work experience programs that focus on rural youth. The first encourages students to consider work in skilled trades, while the second encourages them to become qualified as healthcare aides. Both programs were designed to encourage high school students to explore careers in fields where labor market…