SkillsFWD grantees will change how employers source, grow, and advance talent
Learning happens in the classroom and on the job, but also during certificate programs, skills bootcamps, and military service. More than 70 million Americans have taken advantage of these learning opportunities instead of pursuing a bachelor’s degree. While these experiences are valuable, their benefits can be difficult to communicate to employers. A group of innovators … Continued
In case you missed it: Bottom-up solutions that bring together employers and workers
How can employers, community-based organizations, and other stakeholders work together to create opportunities for U.S. workers to reach their full potential? Charles Koch Foundation (CKF) Executive Director Ryan Stowers explored that question in a series of recent interviews with business leaders and lifelong learning innovators. Connecting overlooked talent with the employers who need them Since … Continued
SkillsFWD: Learning and employments records will make skills “the language” for hiring
SkillsFWD’s mission is to create a more equitable skills-based hiring ecosystem by expanding adoption of learning and employment records (LERs). Supported by the Charles Koch Foundation, Walmart, and several other organizations, SkillsFWD drives LER innovation by supporting entrepreneurs who are making LERs more accessible, interoperable, and scalable. We spoke with Walmart Foundation’s Sean Murphy about … Continued
Sound fiscal policy is essential for economic opportunity and prosperity
By Jeremy Horpedahl Sound fiscal policy — government spending, taxation, and public debt — can promote economic opportunity and prosperity. But it also can be a drain. As economist and Nobel Prize winner James Buchanan put it, all societies will wind up somewhere between the extremes of “anarchy and Leviathan.” How, then, do we strike … Continued
In just three years, SkillUp has helped millions of Americans take a next step toward a fulfilling career
Employers are changing their approach to hiring by focusing more on aptitudes and skills and less on credentials. And by connecting individuals to the learning programs that can help them build the skills they need to fill in-demand jobs, SkillUp is helping both workers and employees. The organization recently released its 2023 Impact Report, showcasing the nearly … Continued
In case you missed it: Ryan Stowers on how to reform postsecondary education
The Chronicle of Higher Education recently published a letter by Ryan Stowers that calls for reform of the postsecondary education system for the benefit of all learners — not just those who have the time and money to pursue a college degree. Change will allow institutions to unlock the potential of more Americans, helping them use … Continued
In case you missed it: WGU’s Scott Pulsipher on how postsecondary education must change
What is the purpose of education? Western Governors University President Scott Pulsipher tackles that question in a three-part Forbes series. Pulsipher also discusses how postsecondary education must change in order to fulfill that purpose. WGU’s Pulsipher: The purpose of postsecondary education is self-actualization The purpose of education, WGU’s Pulsipher says in his first column, is not just to … Continued
Education Design Lab: Working with Montana employers to build micro-pathways from the bottom up
A September 2023 Gallup survey found an increasing number of U.S. workers are concerned artificial intelligence will make their jobs obsolete. Worries like this one are not new. Whether it is trade or technology, change produces anxiety. But new learning models, including micro-pathways (programs that can be completed in under a year to unlock job opportunities), can … Continued
In case you missed it: Colleges, universities must refocus mission
Human dignity — our belief in our own worth — is tied to action. How we spend our days matters, as does the career we pursue. Indeed, Americans increasingly want jobs tied to who they are as individuals. Given that demand, what should be postsecondary education’s mission, and what should it mean to be a … Continued
What we’re reading: Restoring free speech on college campuses
College and university students are back on campus. Their dorms, classrooms, and quads are filled with people from different backgrounds, cultures, and beliefs. Engaging with this multitude of experiences should help students develop the intellectual and social muscles they will need to tackle society’s most pressing problems. But, according to the latest College Free Speech Rankings from … Continued