Providing Equitable Access to Work-based Learning Opportunities: High-quality work-based learning opportunities must be accessible to every learner, says Advance CTE’s newest publication. Within the report are five strategies states can use to build, implement and scale high-quality work-based learning experiences. Each section provides a real-world view of what this looks like in practice, a rationale for each strategy and best practices from state and local programs.
Creating Equitable Construction Apprenticeship Programs and Employment Opportunities: While the number of Black and Latina women in construction apprenticeships has been growing rapidly, still only one in 25 apprentices are women according to a new report. The research draws from several focus groups with women who completed at least two years of a construction apprenticeship, and highlights some of the challenges they faced and recommendations on best practices for registered apprenticeship programs to create a diverse and inclusive construction trade workforce.
Study Comparing Online to In-person Learning Outcomes: A new study assesses administrative data from Columbia to assess the differences between online and in-person postsecondary programs. One of the key findings was that in general, students who participated in shorter technical certificate programs online performed significantly worse on the exit exams compared to their on-campus student counterparts. However, students who were enrolled online in the largest public vocational institution (SENA) in the country performed better on their exit exams compared to their in-person counterparts. From these findings, the researchers suggest potential recommendations from the lessons learned by SENA’s success, such as providing synchronous yet flexible online coursework and using hands-on projects to engage students and enhance their learning.
Policy Recommendations to Build a More Skilled Workforce: ExcelinEd created 20 state- and learner-centered policies to help build an education-to-workforce development pathway in order to prepare learners for the future workforce. Along with the recommended policies are examples of three learners’ pathways that lead them to success in the workforce, as well as case studies of states implementing a continuum of education to work-force policies.
Increased Focus of On-The-Job Training During COVID-19: Based on surveys of employees and managers at large U.S. companies, researchers from the Milken Institute and Infosys reported that on-the-job training was the most important type of skills training during the pandemic. Obtaining a license or a certificate was the second most popular type of skills training, while online training and university degrees were less favored among the respondents.
Report on the Impacts of a Potential Infrastructure Package: Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce released a new report endorsing a $1.5 trillion infrastructure plan. The researchers argue that it would create or save over 15 million jobs over 10 years and would increase the share of infrastructure jobs from 11% to 14% of all U.S. jobs. Other key findings include:
- 90% of infrastructure jobs are held by men, and the majority of new jobs created would be in male-dominated fields.
- An infrastructure program would create 8 million jobs for workers with a high school diploma or less, 4.8 million jobs for workers with more than a high school diploma but less than a bachelor’s degree and 2.25 million jobs for workers with bachelor’s degrees and above.
- An infrastructure stimulus would expand broadband internet access to 21.3 million more Americans.
- An infrastructure program would create 3.4 million jobs in the Southeast, 3.2 million jobs in the Pacific Coastal region, 2.8 million jobs in the Midwest, 2.4 million jobs in the Mid-Atlantic, 1.9 million jobs in the Southwest and 713,000 jobs in New England.
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