Career Pathways in Disparate Industry Sectors to Serve Underserved Populations in the U.S.

1. Career Pathways in Disparate Industry Sectors to Serve Underserved Populations in the U.S. Debra D. Bragg, University of Illinois

2. Political Backdrop • American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (2009) Ask: American Graduation Act - $12B • Receive: • Trade Adjustment Community College Career Training Act (TAACCCT)- $2B • “First in the World” – new $75M annual investment

3. Community College Summit White House, October 2010 Community colleges are “one of the keys to the future of our country. We are in a global competition to lead in the growth industries of the 21st century. And that leadership depends on a well-educated, highly skilled workforce” (The White House, 2011, p. 11).

4. OECD, 2014

5. es “Growth” • OECD (2014): • Income inequality high in the U.S. • Middle class and disadvantaged families “struggling with changing job market” • High cost of education and health care

6. 2004 2014 US Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics (2014)

7. 8.7M Jobs lost 2010 2004 2014 US Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics (2014)

8. “Jobless Recovery” 8.7M Jobs Lost 22% Jobs Still Not Recovered 2014 2010 2004

9. What’s the Problem? Middle Skills Gap vs Job Polarization Mismatch between skills and jobs “Hollowing out” of middle skill jobs

10. The Solution Middle Skills Gap vs Job Polarization Job Creation Mismatch between skills and jobs “Hollowing out” of middle skill jobs Education and Training

11. Career Pathways Foundations • Breaking Through • Accelerating Opportunity • Shifting Gears • Alliance for Quality Career Pathways Feds • Career-Technical Ed (CTE), US Dept. of Ed • Employment & Training Admin (ETA), US Dept. of Labor • TAACCCT (DOL w/DOE)

12. Competency-based education and assessment (mobile credits) • Accelerated instruction • Credit for prior learning • Online and technology-enhanced learning • Stackable credentials • Intrusive student support • Articulation and transfer • Integrated systems Education & Training Job Creation Labor market analysis (assess demand) Education and employer partnerships Engagement of Workforce Investment Boards Engagement of employers Work-based learning (paid and unpaid)

14. Preliminary Findings – Two TAACCCT Consortia (16 colleges, 9 states) • Design: Bridges, pathways, and stackable credentials, mostly to sub-baccalaureate level • Strategies: competency-based, acceleration, contextualization, intrusive advising, etc. • Participants: • 31-34 years old • 40% racial/ethnic minority • 30% Pell • 70% part-time enrolled • Over 50% working (any job)

15. Preliminary Results (Aft 2 Years)Health Care Consortium (9 CCs) • Enrollment exceeds target by nearly 300% • Target: 2250, Enrollment: 6317 • Contextualized remedial reform: 2 colleges only • Core competency-based reform: 3 colleges only • All CCs report high credit attainment rate • Explanation: Intrusive support services • Credential attainment: 2 meet target; 2 close • Employment: Unknown (only 1% recorded so far) Consortium Scorecard, June 2014

16. TAACCCT career pathways focus on middle-skill gap, but will they lead to jobs?

17. Unanswered Questions • Do career pathways lead to middle-skill jobs? • Is individual social mobility enhanced? • Does public policy lead toeconomic growth?

18. Contact • Debra Bragg, Gutgsell Endowed Professor • University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign • dbragg@illinois.edu • OCCRL.illinois.edu *I wish to thank my colleagues at OCCRL for their support, and I also want to acknowledge the U.S. Department of Labor TAACCCT program and many others involved in TAACCCT who have offered generous funding and support to make this work possible.