Some College, No Credential: This month, the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center released their annual progress report that examines adults who have some postsecondary experience but did not earn a credential, identified as some college, no credential (SCNC) students. When looking at student enrollment records from 3,600 postsecondary institutions, researchers revealed the following key findings:

• Since 2019, the number of SCNC students increased by 8.3% to total 39 million for the 2020-21 academic year. Forty-eight states and D.C. experienced an increase in SCNC students with Alaska, Oregon and Washington representing the largest SCNC populations per 1,000 undergraduates.
• Re-enrolling in a community college was the most common pathway for SCNC re-enrollees.
• Women SCNC students outnumbered men in re-enrollment, persistence and credential attainment, especially younger women and racial/ethnic minority women.
• Certificates and associate degrees were the most likely credentials earned by SCNC re-enrollees, especially among Latinx and Black SCNC re-enrollees.

Returns to Credentials: In a recent report by the National Bureau of Economic Researchers, researchers examined the returns on investment from different institutions, academic programs and credentials, including two-year postsecondary institutions and postsecondary CTE programs, certificates and degrees. The following summarize a few findings on these topics:

• The report concluded that students receive a positive return on investment for partially completing a two-year postsecondary program, even those who completed only one semester.
• However, completing an associate degree consistently produces substantially higher earnings compared to those who did not obtain a degree.
• Sub-baccalaureate CTE degrees, diplomas and certificates generated positive returns on investments. However, there was some variability by program of study.

On a related note, Georgetown University released a tracker this winter that ranks 4,500 postsecondary institutions by their return on investment using new data from the College Scorecard. Users can filter by institution level and type, degree and state to explore measures such as graduation rates, earnings-to-price return and much more. This tracker is meant to accompany Georgetown’s 2019 report A first try at ROI: Ranking 4,500 colleges.

Alternative Credentials & Hiring: A recent report by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) outlines employers’ views of alternative credentials during the hiring process. In 2021, SHRM surveyed executives, supervisors and human resource professionals as well as workers. The following detail the report’s key findings:

• Almost half of U.S. workers hold an alternative credential with the most common being training certificates, course completion certificates and industry or professional certifications.
• While all three employer groups indicated alternative credentials as valuable to the workplace, each consistently valued work experience and traditional degrees more.
• Most often, executives and supervisors said variability in quality among credentials prevents their wider acceptance in the hiring process while HR professionals reported that skills earned by credentials are not always clear.
• Of 45% of HR professionals who say that their organization uses an automated prescreening system to review job applications, only 32% say their system recognizes alternative credentials.
• Most executives and supervisors and over half of HR professionals agree that recognizing alternative credentials would increase their ability to hire more diverse candidates.

The Coalition for Career Development Center (CCD Center) recently released their inaugural Condition of Career Readiness in the United States report, which summarizes state-level progress toward a nation in which young adults are both college and career ready. This blog post will outline the report’s key findings related to career readiness policies, investments and outcomes.

Career Readiness Policies: To measure the quality of states’ career readiness policies, the CCD Center performed a policy analysis focused primarily on states’ personalized and academic plans (PCAP). The report found that 30 states have high-quality PCAP policy language and guidance. Additionally, 36 states identify PCAP standards or curriculum for districts and schools, and 32 offer PCAP-related professional development opportunities. However, only 20 states have identified funding to support PCAP implementation and even fewer states provide students with free access to a PCAP technology platform.

Career Readiness Investments: Complementing prior research with their own, the CCD Center examined states’ career advising, postsecondary readiness and work-based learning policies to measure career readiness investments. In addition to other indicators, researchers examined Perkins V state plans and CTE concentrator rates as part of their analysis. They concluded that 24 states identified career advisement strategies in their Perkins V state plans, primarily on the secondary level, while more than half of states are using Perkins funds to support work-based learning opportunities. Their analysis also found that, across the nation, 42% of CTE participants on average were gaining the required credits to be considered a CTE concentrator in 2020, with a very wide range in variation across states: from 5% to 83%.

Career Readiness Outcomes: Lastly, the report analyzed high school completion, postsecondary engagement, wages and youth not involved in education or the workforce to assess state-level career readiness outcomes. Researchers found that, in nearly every state, 90% or more of CTE concentrators graduated high school in 2018. In the same year, on average, 84% of CTE concentrators immediately entered postsecondary education, the military or the workforce after graduation, with state-level variations between 45% and 100%.

The report includes an abundance of state and local examples of career readiness policies and programs and details five steps that states can take to improve career readiness: prioritizing career planning, expanding access to career advising, increasing work-based learning opportunities, providing access to career development technology and ensuring accountability when measuring career readiness.

ACTE Senior Director of Public Policy Alisha Hyslop contributed to the development of this report.

On May 17, the Department of Labor’s Employment and Training Administration (ETA) hosted a meeting featuring stakeholders focused on how to expand access to apprenticeships. 

Amy Kardel, senior vice president for strategic workforce relationships at the Computing Technology Industry Association (CompTIA), discussed industry engagement in new and emerging sectors, where several recommendations and best practices were highlighted:

• The Department of Labor should not require established intermediaries that meet predetermined quality and performance criteria to reapply for grants if they continue to meet the criteria. 
• The Department of Labor should coordinate efforts and resources to ensure that apprenticeship development and expansion in new and emerging sectors sufficiently incorporates technology and technology skills. 
• The apprenticeship system needs to address challenges unique to the technology sector (e.g., relying on contingent or contract workforces; challenges resulting from technology workers operating remotely).

Noel D. Ginsberg, CEO of Intertech Plastics, Inc. presented on pre-apprenticeship and youth apprenticeships, noting the importance of two key points:

• prioritizing employers and registered apprenticeship programs that invest in pre-apprenticeships 
• more intentional coordination of CTE pre-apprenticeship efforts and funding between the Departments of Education and Labor 

The Advisory Committee on Apprenticeship provides advice and recommendations on issues related to registered apprenticeships. The committee seeks to align apprenticeship opportunities with education and workforce systems, leading to more equitable access for all workers to participate and succeed in the national apprenticeship system and the expansion, modernization and diversification of apprenticeships in new industries. 

You can view a full list of the committee’s resources here.

On May 17, the House Appropriations Committee’s Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies held a hearing with Secretary of Labor Marty Walsh to discuss the Fiscal Year (FY) 2023 budget request for the Department of Labor. This hearing followed Education Secretary Cardona appearing before the Subcommittee a few weeks ago.  

Secretary Walsh highlighted the Biden Administration’s workforce initiatives, such as the Department’s trucking apprenticeship challenge, registered apprenticeship programs and grants, and the Good Jobs Initiative. 

In response to a question from Rep. Josh Harder (D-CA), Secretary Walsh highlighted the importance of community colleges in developing the career interests of young people. “We have an opportunity to get them into innovative careers,” said Secretary Walsh. “We have to meet young people where they are at.” 

Rep. Brenda Lawrence (D-MI) asked about upskilling, particularly in the automotive industry and technology sectors. Secretary Walsh responded, “We need to do a better job, whether it is through pathways to apprenticeships or workforce development programs, of making investments in American workers.” 

Additional topics of discussion included the ongoing baby formula shortage, unemployment insurance, wage theft legislation, immigration reform, equity and expanding access to jobs for historically underrepresented populations, such as women and people of color. 

You can watch the full hearing at the link above.

Each year, Sens. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Tim Kaine (D-VA) and Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) lead a “Dear Colleague” letter to be sent to the Chair and Ranking Member of the Labor, Health and Human Services and Education Subcommittee of the Senate Appropriations Committee requesting robust funding for the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act (Perkins) in the FY 2023 Labor, Health, and Human Services appropriations bill. Committee members view these “Dear Colleague” letters as a critical part of the process because they show the breadth of support a specific program has, making this letter’s success critical. These senators have begun circulating the letter to their Senate colleagues to obtain additional senators to sign on. 

The president’s original budget request for FY 23 was disappointing, but only represents a starting point in what will be months of negotiation in Congress. Your advocacy these past few years has been critical to securing increases in Perkins funding; we need your help again to secure an increase for Perkins that is more reflective of the needs of the CTE community than the Administration’s request and ensures that CTE can continue to serve as a critical part of our economic recovery and meet urgent workforce needs. 

The current list of signers already includes: Brown, Sherrod; Cantwell, Maria; Cardin, Ben; Carper, Thomas; Casey, Bob; Cortez Masto, Catherine; King, Angus; Markey, Edward J.; Menendez, Robert; Merkley, Jeff; Murphy, Christopher; Ossoff, Jon; Reed, Jack; Schatz, Brian; Van Hollen, Chris; Warnock, Raphael G.; Whitehouse, Sheldon; Wyden, Ron. 

 ACTION NEEDED:  

• CLICK HERE to ask your senator to sign the “Dear Colleague” letter supporting robust funding for Perkins CTE in the Fiscal Year (FY) 2023 Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education appropriations bill if they are not already on the list! The deadline for sign-ons is COB on Friday, May 20, 2022. 

You can send a message directly using the ACTE Action Center. Additionally, if you have a direct contact in your senator's office, such as from a meeting with a staff member during NPS or at another time, we urge you to call or email directly. You can also call the U.S. Capitol switchboard at (202) 224-3121, and an operator will connect you to your requested Senate office. Please contact your senator today!

Last week in Washington, both chambers of Congress were in session and several CTE-related items saw legislative action, including the America COMPETES Act/USICA, where the conference committee met for the first time, and a bill to support CTE program graduates in small businesses. Other subjects at the top of Congress’s priorities last week included confirming the Federal Reserve chairman to an additional term, negotiating a supplemental aid package for Ukraine, COVID-19 restaurant and entertainment recovery aid and security assistance for Supreme Court justices. This week, both chambers will be in session to hold votes and hearings. Secretary of Labor Marty Walsh is set to testify on the Fiscal Year (FY) 2023 budget request for the Department of Labor, while reauthorization of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) is expected to be considered on the House floor. Here are some news and notes to start your week:

• House Holds Hearing on Aviation and Aerospace Workforce: On May 12, the House Small Business Committee’s Subcommittee on Innovation, Entrepreneurship, and Workforce Development held a hearing on the innovation and workforce needs of the aviation and aerospace industries. While this hearing spoke broadly of the challenges that aviation and aerospace small businesses are facing, CTE and apprenticeships were consistently highlighted as critical to their health and success. Read more about the hearing here.

• Department of Education Announces Presidential CTE Scholars: On May 12, Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona announced the 58th class of U.S. Presidential Scholars, which recognizes 161 high school seniors for their accomplishments in academics, arts and CTE. 20 outstanding CTE scholars were recognized this year. Learn more about the award winners here.

• Bill to Support CTE Graduates Passed by House Small Business Committee: H.R. 7664, the Supporting Small Business and Career and Technical Education Act, passed out of the House Small Business Committee on May 13. The bill will assist small businesses in hiring graduates from CTE programs and assist graduates with additional support to start their own businesses. ACTE has endorsed this legislation.

• Department of Labor Issues Guidance on Allotments, Application Process for Workforce Investment Programs: The Department of Labor announced that the Employment and Training Administration (ETA) has issued guidance to inform states and outlying areas about their formula allotments and the process to apply for WIOA Youth, Adult and Dislocated Worker activities, Wagner-Peyser and Workforce Information Grants for the start of the program year on July 1, 2022. View the guidance here and a PDF on submitting Federal Register comments here.

• Department of Labor Announces Funding to Support Women in Registered Apprenticeships: The Department of Labor has announced $3.4 million in funding for up to nine grants to attract and keep women in registered apprenticeship programs in industries where women are underrepresented, such as manufacturing, infrastructure, cybersecurity and healthcare. Administered by the department’s Employment and Training Administration and Women’s Bureau, the Women in Apprenticeship and Nontraditional Occupations grant program supports community-based organizations in their efforts to recruit, train and retain more women in Registered Apprenticeships and nontraditional occupations. Apply for the grants here.

• America COMPETES/USICA Conference Update: On May 12, over 100 Members of Congress began the formal conference committee negotiations to resolve differences between the House-passed America COMPETES Act and the Senate’s version of the bill, known as the USICA. The legislation is designed to boost semiconductor manufacturing capabilities and improve economic competitiveness with China. The America COMPETES Act contains two of ACTE’s top legislative priorities, the College Transparency Act (CTA) and language similar to the JOBS Act. Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX) said the bill would help “build a strong and diverse” scientific and technological workforce and “make use of all the brainpower and talent we have.”

On May 12, the House Small Business Committee’s Subcommittee on Innovation, Entrepreneurship, and Workforce Development held a hearing on the innovation and workforce needs of the aviation and aerospace industries. While this hearing spoke broadly of the challenges that aviation and aerospace small businesses are facing, CTE and apprenticeships were consistently highlighted as critical to the health and success of these industries.  

The hearing featured four expert witnesses:  

• Eric Fanning, President & CEO of Aerospace Industries Association 
• M.L. Mackey, CEO of Beacon Interactive Systems on behalf of the National Defense Industrial Association 
• Blake Scholl, Founder & CEO of Boom Technology, Inc.  
• Judy Burns, President of Patriot Machine  

In the opening statements, Chairman Jason Crow (D-CO) and Ranking Member Young Kim (R-CA) both emphasized the critical state of the labor shortage in the aviation industry. Ranking Member Kim (R-CA) referenced a study that stated the United States will lose half of its pilots to retirement in 15 years and that the skills gap in manufacturing and maintenance has caused a loss of 2 million jobs that would otherwise be available to be filled by qualified workers. Chairman Crow (D-CO) pointed to the recent Federal Aviation Administration and National Defense Act reauthorizations, which both provided grants for technical training related to aviation and aerospace careers.  

One consistent theme throughout the witness testimony was the critical role that CTE and apprenticeship opportunities play in preparing workers in this industry. Mr. Fanning, who was formerly the Secretary of the Army, urged Congress to expand federal support for CTE in order to grow the STEM workforce, reskill workers for emerging industries, and promote diversity and inclusion. Similarly, Ms. Burns, the founder and owner of an aerospace small business, specifically pointed out community college programs with a technical focus as a critical place to direct federal funds. Ranking Member Kim (R-CA) used the hearing as an opportunity to highlight an apprenticeship program at San Bernadino Valley College as a model for success in expanding work-based learning in these industries. 

Further, legislators and expert witnesses both mentioned the need for exposure to aviation and aerospace careers as early as elementary school. Mr. Fanning and Rep. Andrew Garbarino (R-NY) agreed that focus should be given to making these career pathways more visible, including those that require CTE. Mr. Fanning noted that, as a country, we need to do a better job of explaining these CTE pathways to both parents and schools.