A new report from WGU Labs, a nonprofit affiliate of Western Governors University based in Millcreek, Utah, is shedding light on the importance of strengthening higher education and workforce pathways.

Omid Fotuhi, director of learning innovation at WGU Labs, said many people who are considering higher education are asking themselves whether a four-year degree is a worthwhile investment to increase their chances of a prosperous career.

Half of those who do graduate from college didn't apply to entry-level jobs because they felt underqualified, according to 2021 research from the Cengage Group.

Fotuhi explained that has led to institutions feeling mounting pressure to demonstrate the value in higher ed.

"There are long-standing legacies and practices that have shaped the way the higher-ed institutions operate," he observed, "which means they have their own curriculum, they have their own majors and their own programs, that are almost independent of what the workforce needs are requiring."

Fotuhi sees workforce needs as both distinct, and changing at a rapid pace. The report notes that while employers continue to primarily hire workers with college degrees, they've expressed more willingness to accept other credentials and demonstration of skills in place of a degree.

Fotuhi is convinced institutions can better cater to local job markets by developing tailored skills, and rethinking conventional models of advising and internships to better serve both parties.

He argued he has seen "disjointed, separate levels of incentives," and contends these create silos between higher education and the workforce. He asserted the current system is broken and gaps need to be filled.

WGU Labs convened stakeholders earlier this year to explore barriers impeding the pathways from graduation to landing a job. Fotuhi added the solution won't be a single-pronged approach, but rather should be a collaborative effort.

"Bring folks to the table so we can have a collective understanding of where the pain points are," he insisted. "And second, let's recognize individuals for what they are -- which is lifelong learners, aiming to improve the chances at creating a better life for themselves through the opportunities the workforce stands to offer."

According to the report, WGU Labs is exploring pilot projects based on stakeholder insights in a search for tangible solutions to solve the challenges between higher-ed and the workforce.


Support for this reporting was provided by Lumina Foundation.




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Groups that advocate for equity in higher education are speaking out in favor of a bill in the California Legislature to make sure college financial aid offers take into account the extra costs faced by students who have children.

It's estimated that student parents have to spend an extra $7,500 a year compared to non-parents, to cover childcare, housing, transportation, and food.

Su Jin Jez, CEO of the nonprofit California Competes: Higher Education for a Strong Economy, said the bill is critical.

"It addresses college affordability by making financial aid adjustments for student parents to cover the true cost that they face to attend college," she said. "And the other piece is around improving data collection."

The bill, A.B. 2458, has no registered opposition. It passed the State Assembly and is working its way through the State Senate.

Jez said 4 million parents in California have a high school diploma but no college degree. About 400,000 students are enrolled in higher education. About 300,000 are undergraduates, and 61% of them are first-generation college students.

"Serving student parents really helps to advance more equitable outcomes, not only for the student parent, but also for their children. A parent's educational attainment level is one of the best predictors of whether or not a child will go to college," Jez added.

California Competes recently teamed up with Ed Trust-West to launch The California Alliance for Student Parent Success - a coalition of student parents, education leaders, and advocates.


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A new center coming to Utah State University this fall will provide accessible digital materials to students with disabilities.

Cynthia Curry, director of the National Center on Accessible Digital Educational Materials and Instruction, or NCADEMI, said the facility will address, what she calls, the "longstanding and historical issues" around access to educational materials for students with disabilities. She added the role of NCADEMI is to help ensure those with disabilities receive digital educational materials in a way that they can use them.

"The standard way that a lot of educational materials are produced and provided to students, inherently have those barriers to students with sensory disabilities, physical disabilities and learning disabilities. NCADEMI is a technical assistance center that sets out to provide support and services specifically to educational agencies," she explained.

Curry said NCADEMI will help educational agencies conduct accessibility reviews of materials before they reach students and will support techniques in creating other materials. NCADMI is funded by a four-year grant from the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Special Education Programs. It's slated to open October first.

Earlier this year, the U.S. Department of Justice issued final accessibility rules for websites and mobile applications of state and local governments. Brenda Smith, the center's principal investigator, said the initiative will work with two existing national programs: Web Accessibility In Mind and the Center for Technical Assistance and Excellence in Special Education, or TAESE, to help schools come into compliance.

"NCADMI is a collaboration between our two projects. Our proposal was written with staff from both projects and so it really is marrying our ability to meet federal special education requirements in our previous work with state special education departments and school districts with the WebAIM content knowledge around accessibility," she continued.

Leaders say by the end of the four-year project they want to ensure they've helped the education sector at various levels tap into cultivating accessible, digital educational materials. They say the processes and systems they will foster will have the potential to be adopted and scaled nationally.


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Alabama's universities and community colleges will receive increased funding for 2025.

The state's universities are set to get a 7% boost equivalent to about $100 million.

Jim Purcell, executive director of the Alabama Commission on Higher Education, said during a quarterly meeting he expressed satisfaction with the outcome in the state Legislature. He stressed it came close to achieving its funding target.

"We had made budget recommendations relatively close but as you know, some people have better politics than others," Purcell acknowledged. "It's not exact science."

The commission also saw budget increases bolstering the state's student assistance program and allocated additional funds to aid in FAFSA completion for prospective college students.

Despite increased funding for schools, Purcell stated Alabama is lagging behind in terms of state aid for higher education. In 2023, Alabama allocated the smallest percentage of its education funding for financial aid compared to most states, except for Hawaii and Montana.

"State aid in this state is problematic and we've been working hard to increase it," Purcell asserted. "Gov. Ivey has increased need-based aid, tripled it since she's been in office."

The national average for need-based aid allocation is about 10%.


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