Even in good economic times, many adults in the United States have trouble finding jobs that pay enough to support their families. One policy response has been to help these workers build more skills, with promising findings from some sector-based programs that train individuals to work in specific high-demand industries. The Pay for Success Clean…

This qualitative phenomenological study employs a phenomenological approach to investigate the lived experiences of veterans returning to higher education. It aims to explore and understand the experiences and difficulties faced by veterans as they reintegrate into college education. Thematic analysis is used to analyze qualitative data,…

The purpose of this qualitative study was to understand how ten student veterans persist after entering private, 4-year institutions of higher education during or following their military service. The study's conceptual framework, drawing from Vacchi's Model of Student Veteran Support (2011, 2013), employs a narrative approach to spotlight the…

In this paper, we aim to understand how perceptions of adult learning and continued vocational education and training (CVET) are related to participation in these activities. Specifically, participation within the previous 12 months in different kinds of adult learning and CVET is analysed, distinguishing between (1) formal, (2) non-formal…

Many years of lived experience supervising PhDs and other research-based higher degrees provides the contextual background to reflections on practice and conceptual underpinnings to a specialised branch of adult continuing education for professional managers within industry contexts. Special Attention is focused on the Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)…

This research investigates the initial degree programme of a new Higher Education Provider (HEP) through a practitioner-based case study focusing on the experiences of senior leaders enrolled as mature degree apprentices. The qualitative study utilised an interpretivist and constructivist approach involving in-depth interviews and a focus group.…

Education and skills policy since the 1970s have exhorted employers to put themselves at the 'heart of the system', to engage voluntarily with colleges and other providers, in a range of roles and activities, some of which may be beyond their competence and experience. However, employers do have an important role to play, but that role should be…

Active-duty Air Force enlisted members face challenges associated with the transition into higher education. The problem addressed in this study was that 1 in 6 Air Force enlisted members find transitioning to higher education a challenging and stressful process. The purpose of this qualitative descriptive case study was to examine perceptions of…

Short-term certificate (STC) programs at community colleges represent a longstanding policy priority to align accelerated postsecondary credentials with job opportunities in local labor markets. Despite large investments in developing STCs, little evidence exists about where and when STCs are opened and whether community colleges open new programs…

This spotlight discusses the critical role of immigrants in the U.S. labor market and the importance of services that support their economic integration. Immigrants represent a significant and growing portion of the U.S. workforce and are essential for addressing labor market needs, especially in multilingual and diverse roles. The workforce…

This study investigates Agile Education and addresses the need for more empirical data on how graduates experience and describe the effectiveness of their Agile Education when applied in the IT workforce. The widespread adoption of agile methods has increased IT employers' demand for professionals with agile experience and created a gap between…

Recent trends in higher education indicate a steady increase in the number of adult and non-traditional learners returning to complete college degrees. Though higher education can provide numerous economic and career enhancement opportunities, adult learners experience several challenges when they return to college. The purpose of this qualitative…

In the UK context of an ageing population, degree apprenticeships represent a new opportunity to study for a degree while working. Apprentices are full-time employees granted time to study for a degree with a significant workplace learning component. The aim of this study was to focus on whether degree apprenticeships are working for adult…

This mixed methods study used structural equation modeling (SEM) to determine the fit of a model of thriving in 264 adult Hispanic undergraduates, then performed a content analysis of student comments. Thriving was defined as intellectual, interpersonal, and psychological engagement in the student experience. The student comments confirmed the SEM…

This fact sheet focuses on how adult students in Michigan are accessing, affording, and completing postsecondary credentials. Adult learners are adult individuals, often considered to be aged 25+, who return to education, often at the high school and undergraduate levels. [This fact sheet was prepared with the Michigan Center for Adult College…