For jobs that are hitting the market these days, the old adage is wrong — it’s what you know, not who you know.
Various reports suggest that nearly two-thirds of jobs in the United States require or will soon require some kind of credential after a high-school diploma — be that a traditional college education, an associate degree, a technical certificate, or an industry certification.
Higher education remains a powerful force to address income inequality, close equity gaps, and promote civic engagement in American society. The problem is that only 52% of Americans have that kind of credential or degree, and there are disparities along the lines of race and class that make it difficult for everyone to get that kind of accreditation. The rich have an easier time of getting it than the poor, and racial minorities still have a comparatively difficult time accessing and completing higher education.
Many people and organizations, including Lumina Foundation, are laser focused on this national crisis. They hope that through a combination of targeted interventions and advocacy they can help get 60% of American adults accredited by 2025.
School’s in
Getting America to a point where 60% of people have a postsecondary education would be huge: Not only would it help prepare the country for the jobs of the 21st century, but it would also provide those holding the diplomas the ability to hold higher paying jobs, select from a larger number of career options, and better participate in civic and social life.
It must be repeated that these are not all just jobs requiring a four-year degree — they are also for jobs requiring technical education, certifications in an industry, or an associate degree. Given how many options there are and the number of people who hold at least some postsecondary credits, getting to a point where a super majority of Americans have these credentials is not impossible.
So then, why aren’t we already there?
Among the reasons are issues relating to race, class, and the changing demographics of who students are and what support they need to succeed. There is a long history of racial discrimination in the U.S. that’s made a college education less accessible for certain groups. A combination of explicit segregation, the targeted lack of resources in schools catering to non-whites, and a slew of other policy choices have made it so that a Latino, Black, or Native American is much less likely to have a secondary credential than a White or Asian American.
Then, of course, is the problem of poverty. University education used to be limited to families that were well off or those who could get scholarships. It is only relatively recently that low-interest loans have made mass attendance at major universities possible, though not without side effects. Students who come from impoverished families and school districts face other difficulties as well, including having less experienced teachers, fewer extracurricular options, and fewer educational resources.
Beyond the systemic issues, there are “life gets in the way” issues such as childcare, transportation, paying for college and scheduling that can make it difficult for people, especially working adults, to complete courses they need to earn their postsecondary diploma. . In part, this is because the majority of postsecondary students are not the traditional, straight-out-of-high-school students. Our support systems aren’t designed to handle many of today’s students.
To help address the issues of race, Lumina is providing funds for organizations that help to make campuses a welcoming place for students of all backgrounds as well as for groups helping to improve educational opportunities at the local level. Additionally, they encourage state governments to avoid spending cuts to higher education institutions that are proactive in enrolling diverse student populations. ,
With poverty, Lumina is working to help policy makers to help keep education in reach of all families. Lumina aims to ensure that colleges are incentivized to help students finish school, so that expensive credit hours don’t turn into money wasted.
Other obstacles toward boosting the nation’s overall accreditation rate center on the changing characteristics of college students in the early 21st century. Compared to past decades, they are often older (partly because many people go back to school to reskill), many of them have children, and some have to attend classes part-time as they support themselves and their families. Unfortunately, our educational system still doesn’t always acknowledge that these students are a considerable presence on campus.
For them, help comes in the form of encouraging state governments to require schools to accept credits that these students may already have and making coming back to school easier.
Lots of things can get in the way of an education — both systemic factors and those more personal in nature. This can impact not only the individual, but the entire society, as more and more skills and credentials are required to compete in the global economy. Luckily, with a little hard work and some targeted interventions, getting to a point where 60% of Americans have a postsecondary credential should be possible.
