Nearly two in three jobs now require some form of postsecondary education, yet only 40 percent of adults in the United States have that level of education. Driving this crisis is the fact that the country’s postsecondary education and training system does not do enough to help people earn high-quality credentials quickly. This report by Third Way proposes 30 state and federal policy solutions to overcome six challenges Americans face in pursuing postsecondary credentials:
- Credentials do not build on each other
- Lack of opportunities to earn while you learn
- Lack of credit for prior learning and work experience
- Limited wrap-around supports for adult learners
- Not enough employer-sponsored training
- Burdensome occupational licensing requirements