Public Viewpoint: How Colleges Help Students Succeed Beyond Graduation

Work-based learning opportunities, including internships, have long been lauded as a high-impact practice, yet less is known about the longer-term impacts of these experiences, both economic and noneconomic.

Equity challenges continue to prevent many students from gaining access to college, completing postsecondary education, and experiencing economic mobility and other outcomes beyond completion of college.

How do students experience the development of the skills and confidence they need to be successful in their future careers? In 2021, more than 50,000 undergraduate students from over 90 colleges and universities participated in the inaugural Career and Workforce Preparation module of the National Survey of Student Engagement. Entering students feel optimistic about the career development experiences they will undertake, but the largest gap for seniors is participation in activities to build their social capital. Join Farouk Dey, vice provost for integrative learning and life design at Johns Hopkins University; Jillian Kinzie, co-director of NSSE; and Dave Clayton of Strada as they discuss the findings and what they mean for improving equitable career-building outcomes.

At a time of falling enrollments and low student confidence in the value of their education, we need to do everything we can to deliver a valuable, quality experience for our next generation of workers, leaders, and citizens.

Steep declines in undergraduate enrollment during 2020 and 2021 threaten to widen existing equity gaps in college completion and career opportunities. Re-engaging students who have changed or delayed their plans for postsecondary education will require institutions to respond to the new concerns and priorities that have emerged for these young adults during the pandemic.

The number of organizations offering nondegree credentials is proliferating, and interest from learners in these credentials — certificates, certifications, and licenses — is growing. But even though these credentials are now in the spotlight, we have relatively sparse data on outcomes. To provide more understanding, through a Strada-Gallup survey we asked more than 14,000 adults across the nation about earnings, job satisfaction, and perceptions about the worth and benefits of nondegree credentials. This month’s Strada Public Viewpoint release compares learner outcomes across degree, nondegree, and combined pathways. By examining programs of different lengths and the experiences of different populations, we aim to provide insights that inform our understanding of the value and potential limitations of nondegree credentials. Join Strada researchers and expert panelists at 2 p.m. EDT Wednesday, July 28, for a discussion about the findings and implications for the field. As part of the ongoing Strada Public Viewpoint research started in March 2020, Strada Education Network has talked to tens of thousands of people in the United States about their experiences with work and education during the pandemic. The research is intended to inform education and training providers, policymakers, and employers who are helping people complete valuable and purposeful education pathways.

The high school classes of 2020 and 2021 have endured massive disruption to their education experiences. As enrollment trends show, many of these learners are choosing not to continue their education journeys beyond high school. Of vital interest to Strada Education Network and stakeholders across the country is the sharp decline in postsecondary education enrollment from students attending high-poverty high schools.

When the pandemic struck last year, education and work were disrupted for millions. How are those individuals doing now? Have they reconnected with education and training, or do they plan to in the near future? What education options most appeal to them? Are those who lost jobs or income back to work? Strada Education Network’s latest Public Viewpoint research turns its attention to those whose education plans and work lives were upended by the pandemic. Join us at 2 p.m. EDT May 19 for the latest findings and a webinar conversation.

When do people believe their student loans were worth it? The amount of the loan, how much money someone makes and how much education they completed doesn’t tell the whole story.

As the economy recovers, Americans with less education are most likely to be left behind. Employers will play a central role in helping these individuals reskill, upskill, and get back to work. How do Americans feel about hiring practices and the education and training opportunities employers provide? What are employers’ perceptions of their role in the recovery? What barriers are Americans facing that educators and employers can tackle together?

Examining Enrollment, Completion, Purpose, and Value

This article by Madeline St. Amour originally appeared in Inside Higher Ed.

Massachusetts will be the recipient of financial and technical help to build “data-driven approaches” to linking residents to jobs in growing industries, thanks to a partnership between the National Governors Association and the Strada Education Network.

This article by Carol D’Amico originally appeared on RealClear Education.

This article by Jeffrey J. Selingo originally appeared on the Washington Post.