Author: Kerrie Rushton

A survey released last fall found 40 percent of business leaders believe recent college graduates are not prepared for the workforce.  Stalled graduation rates — around 60 percent in recent years — has deepened the challenge. Postsecondary education institutions like Western Governors University are rethinking how they prepare learners for a job, but it has become increasingly clear that employers must … Continued

A career that connects to who you are as a person — your unique interests and skills — improves outcomes for both employees and employers. That insight is reflected in the 15 winners of the Catalyze Challenge, who are developing innovative programs that will help more Americans discover their unique purpose and gain the skills … Continued

Labor market data indicates that there are millions of jobs that employers cannot fill. But, according to Opportunity@Work CEO and Co-Founder Byron Auguste, there also are millions of Americans who have the skills to fill these jobs — and a unique desire to contribute. In a recent interview with Charles Koch Foundation (CKF) Executive Director Ryan Stowers, … Continued

Millions of Americans find purposeful, fulfilling work without a four-year degree, but the pressure to apply, enroll, and take on debt for college is real.  Americans are “almost succumbing … to an idea that they have to do things a specific way: ‘I have to go to college. I don’t know what I want to … Continued

Skills-based hiring — relying on applicants’ aptitudes and experience to determine whether they are a good fit for a job — is gaining popularity since it helps employers move past the antiquated system of evaluating talent based on degrees and toward a culture that treats applicants as individuals with unique potential and ability to contribute.  To expand … Continued

Degree inflation, or employers’ tendency to demand degrees for jobs that previously never required them, eroded U.S. competitiveness, hurt the middle class, and kept people from realizing their unique potential.  Employers are finally rethinking that mindset. According to recent news stories and podcasts, this movement will unlock the potential of millions of Americans by spurring innovation that will lead … Continued

Learning happens in the classroom and on the job, but also during certificate programs, skills bootcamps, and military service. More than 70 million Americans have taken advantage of these learning opportunities instead of pursuing a bachelor’s degree. While these experiences are valuable, their benefits can be difficult to communicate to employers.  A group of innovators … Continued