Research shows that employers play a key role in work-based learning (WBL) programs such as internships but are seldom involved in conversations around the topic (Greenfield & Stevens, 2018). While the benefits of work-based learning are well documented, employers are often unaware of the benefits they would receive from participating in an…

Increasingly, companies are dropping four-year degree requirements in job postings, favoring skill-based requirements--such as communication and writing--instead. These types of nonacademic "soft skills" are viewed as essential for employment--employers consistently cite these abilities as among the most valuable in job applicants, yet…

Child care has been in a downward spiral for twenty years and is a main factor exacerbating the growing worker shortage. New attention before and financial aid during the pandemic perhaps slowed the spiral, but it hasn't reversed it. The primary cause of the shortage in Greater Minnesota is simple: family child care providers, who supply the bulk…

Employers expect to hire college graduates who are prepared for their careers with strong skillsets prior to entering the workforce. The purpose of this action research study is to explore the perceptions of undergraduate engineering students' career readiness competencies and supervisors' expectations to further enhance the skills necessary to be…

Higher education continually faces scrutiny regarding the value of a degree and the investment of money and time. Is a college degree worth the cost of attendance? Do graduates face a burden of financial debt that is crippling them and/or society? Should the government limit funding to educational institutions that are unable to establish that…

Getting a head start on college coursework in high school has become an even more important goal for high school students in recent years, due in part to the rising costs of obtaining traditional four-year college degrees coupled with the disruptions in learning for high school and college students due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Now more than ever,…

In 2022, Corporation for a Skilled Workforce launched Advancing Community Equity and Upward Mobility (ACE-UP), a community of practice aimed at designing and elevating strategies for community colleges and their industry partners to develop more inclusive workplaces and bolster students' academic and career outcomes. This brief describes final…

Apprenticeships remain an important source of skilled workers in Australia; however, commencements have not kept pace with the skills demand projected in the previous decade. During that same decade, undergraduate university enrolments grew considerably. In investigating whether young people who would previously have chosen an apprenticeship have…

Academic staff experience high levels of work-related stress and poor mental health. As a result, many institutions face high staff turnover. These outcomes may be driven by complex and, at times, apparently oppositional objectives academics need to meet around research and teaching. These factors may present both practical and social…

The dual learning system gained prominence as part of the education system in Kazakhstan, involving training students in close collaboration with businesses to equip them with the skills and expertise needed for a modern workforce. This study contributes to existing literature examining the adoption and implementation of German-originated training…

This guide will delve into the current landscape of state-funded STEM-focused internships and work-based learning opportunities available to high school students in Massachusetts. By examining these programs in detail, the aim is to highlight the specific learning opportunities they provide, the types of industry partnerships they promote, and the…

Skills Bootcamps were introduced to support adults to upskill and retrain in priority high-growth sectors with skills shortages. Skills Bootcamps are short, flexible courses, that are co-designed with employers and run for up to 16 weeks. Most are equivalent to the National Vocational Qualification (NVQ) levels 3-5 in the national qualifications…

This Playbook provides steps in which workforce development boards (WDBs) can blur the lines between high school, postsecondary education, and the workforce. WDBs can play a significant role to Raise the Bar for student success by developing an "education-to-workforce system" focusing on Unlocking Career Success. The three steps detailed…

The need for employees in the exact and natural sciences sector with both work experience and academic qualifications, especially combined with an entrepreneurial mindset, is rising. The University of Groningen offers an alternative Master's program entitled Science, Business and Policy (SBP). SBP combines entrepreneurship education with the…

This paper analyses the effect that the fulfilment of the European Higher Education Area (EHEA) has got among engineers in the information and communication technologies (ICT) sector. The focus is on Spain, and the comparison of the technical and managerial knowledge and skills most demanded by the sector in 2008 and 2018, coinciding with the…