Improve Student Employability: Addressing the Great Misalignment in Higher Education

Changing Higher Ed

In this episode of the Changing Higher Ed podcast, Drumm McNaughton welcomes back Dr. Zack Mabel, Research Professor and Director of Research, and Kathryn Campbell, Associate Director of Editorial Policy and Senior Editor/Writer, from the Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce (CEW). They discuss the findings of CEW's recent report, "The Great Misalignment: Addressing the Mismatch Between the Supply of Certificates and Associates Degrees and the Future Demand for Workers in the U.S. Labor Markets," which highlights the severe disconnect between the credentials higher education institutions are producing and the skills employers need in the workforce.

Key Discussion Points

The Extent of the Misalignment:

• Only 50% of colleges use labor market data to guide program development or share the information with prospective students.
• To align with projected labor market demand through 2031, at least 50% of middle-skill credentials would need to be granted in different fields of study in half of the nation's local labor markets.

Importance of Labor Market Alignment for Middle Skills Providers:

• Misalignment between credentials produced and employer needs varies substantially across regions.
• Perfect alignment may not be realistic, but the magnitude of the mismatch shows considerable room for improvement.

Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Access to Aligned Programs:

• American Indian and Alaska Native adults are 3 to 18 times more likely to live in a community with no local middle-skill provider.
• Among those living near middle-skill institutions, Hispanics are the least likely to reside in communities with a strong alignment between credential production and workforce demand.

Strengthening Career Counseling and Transfer Pathways:

• The current counseling system in high schools is understaffed and under-resourced to provide sufficient guidance.
• Over a quarter of middle-skills students are in liberal arts and sciences programs oriented toward transfer, but fewer than half successfully make that transition within six years.

Using Labor Market Data for Program Improvement:

• Institutions need to utilize labor market data more strategically and systematically.
• Colleges need sufficient resources and staff expertise to collect, analyze, and translate this information into action.
• A collaborative regional approach to program development is essential.

Three Key Takeaways for University, College, and Community College Presidents and Boards:

1. Explore ways to collaborate with other local education and training providers to optimize the alignment of credentials with labor market demand.
2. Invest heavily in interpersonal connections and support services that help students choose and complete programs leading to high-demand careers.
3. Be vocal about the need for resources and support to effectively utilize labor market data for program improvement.

Read the transcript on our website →

https://changinghighered.com/improve-student-employability-the-great-misalignment-report/

#HigherEducation #StudentEmployability #MiddleSkillJobs

About Our Podcast Guests

Kathryn Peltier Campbell is Associate Director of Editorial Policy and Senior Editor/Writer at the Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce. In her role, she directs content development for CEW’s reports and collaborates on editorial strategy. She has extensive experience editing and writing publications focused on topics such as diversity and equity in postsecondary education, higher education’s civic mission, and the value of liberal education in contemporary contexts. She has a deep interest in ensuring that every individual has the opportunity and means to contribute to—and thrive in—the workforce, civil society, and life. Kathryn has an MA in English from the University of Virginia, where she additionally earned a BA with a double major in English and physics.

Zack Mabel is a research professor of education and economics at the Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce, where he leads research projects that leverage insights from labor and behavioral economics to promote educational opportunity, equity, and economic mobility. His work is motivated by the goal of improving college and later life outcomes for members of historically marginalized groups to achieve a shared vision of economic prosperity in the United States. Prior to joining CEW, he worked most recently as a policy research scientist at the College Board. Zack earned his BA from Brandeis University, MPP from the University of Michigan, and EdD in Quantitative Policy Analysis of Education from the Harvard Graduate School of Education.

About the Host

Dr. Drumm McNaughton is a consultant to higher education institutions in governance, accreditation, strategy and change, and mergers. To learn more about his services and other thought leadership pieces, visit his firm’s website: https://changinghighered.com/.

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