Allison Fluett

University of Maine Classroom Technology Certificate Graduate

What encouraged you to continue your education?

I knew the only way I was really going to make technology an integral part of my teaching was to immerse myself in the expectation that I would continue to learn and grow in this area. When I realized the program I was 100% online I knew I would be able to do it. Having the flexibility to complete work on my own schedule was a convincing factor. Knowing I would be doing this work with other educators was an opportunity I couldn’t pass up.

Who would you recommend to get a certificate?

I think this program is relevant to any teacher in the classroom. Technology is not going away and it is our responsibility to remain current and embrace these tools in ways that enhance our students’ experiences.

Enrique Torrendell

Graduate, Flatiron School

What encouraged you to continue your education?

My wife, my family, and my future legacy. I wanted to do work that I’m passionate about and set an example to others that it’s important to go after what you love.

Who would you recommend to enter a bootcamp program?

People who are committed to changing their career or learning new skills. Learning to code is difficult and you need to do a lot more than just be a good programmer. You need to network, learn new skills on your own, and continue building who you are as a developer.

Erin Chang

Photography student, Stanford Continuing Studies

How has Stanford Continuing Studies positively impacted you?

Stanford Continuing Studies helped me develop my passion for photography and led me to opportunities to practice professionally. I took these courses while working full time and met many inspiring photographers along the way who have helped me improve my own work.

The post Understanding the Positive Effects of Continuing Education appeared first on Education and Career News.

Traci Tapani, President of Wyoming Machine, a family-owned metal fabrication business, came to the same conclusion. “What we started seeing a decade ago is that the skills that people needed to bring to the job were different than they were in the past. When we combine a tight labor force with the fact that people don’t really have the skills you’re looking for, we’re in unchartered territory.” 

What is the “Skills Gap”?

This is referred to as the “skills gap”­– a disconnect between what employers want their new employees to know before they begin working and the skills that the applicant pool actually has.

Some believe that the skills gap has never been a legitimate issue. Matthew Yglesias of Voxand Matt O’Brien of the Washington Postwrote about new research presented at the American Economics Association’s annual conference, arguing that employers change their requirements to deal with the volume of resumes high unemployment produces. 

This new research is not inaccurate, but the lines critics are trying to draw from it are misleading. 

It is true that in times of high unemployment, more credentials and qualifications are added to job descriptions. However, employers add these requirements because it reduces the number of applications they get. While this outdated practice makes it easier to filter through applications, it does not guarantee the best hire for a position. 

In the last few years we have seen the skills gap gain new dimensions given the change in workplace development, jobs and in-demand skills. 

Advances in Communicating Job Requirements

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation found that it is not just a lack of specialized skills available. Employers don’t communicate their needs to the education community and there is no consistency in how employers and their education and training partners collaborate. 

This launched a workforce development planto create stronger alignment between employers and their training partners. The cornerstone of this is Talent Pipeline Management (TPM), which focuses on the supply of talent from education and training to the workforce. The objective of TPM, active in 26 U.S. states, is to develop more clarity on the most critical skills needed for jobs.

The Job Data Exchange (JDX) is a leap forward when it comes to communicating job requirements. The JDX open data resources will support more accurate, comparable, and machine-readable data on in-demand jobs. It will help employers send real-time information about changing jobs and skills to education and hiring partners.

No matter if the “skills gap” exists, it is clear that there is miscommunication about skills required by employers. A dynamic and evolving labor market would benefit greatly  from improving cooperation between education and employers

The post The Evolution of the Skills Gap Requires 21st Century Solutions appeared first on Education and Career News.

1. Builders across the country are hiring 

Home builders across the country are seeking skilled workers—such as carpenters, framers and roofers—to help them build the American Dream. This means there is ample opportunity for motivated students seeking a rewarding career path.

In fact, the residential construction industry is one of the few sectors where demand for new workers is rising and there is a notable shortage of professionals. The number of open construction sector jobs increased to 382,000 in December 2018, according analysis of Bureau of Labor Statistics data by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB). 

2. Job satisfaction and competitive salaries

Residential construction workers consistently express high job satisfaction. And projections from all sources predict that construction jobs will see steady wage growth for at least the next five years.

3. A career ladder with no limit

When people think of professions with great opportunities for advancement, construction might not immediately come to mind. But you should take another look at what a career in construction can, and often does, look like.

From an entry-level labor position, a home building worker has the opportunity to learn more highly-skilled trades, serve as frontline management, grow into a company management role and eventually, for those with an entrepreneurial spirit, perhaps own their own home building firm. And this is just within one type of company; there is always the opportunity to take a job with a supplier, a specialty contractor or any other of dozens of supporting companies essential to the residential construction industry.

4. Diversity of skilled trades to consider

A home builder relies on a number of highly trained workers to get the job done. This includes dozens of skilled artisans and professionals, including carpenters, architects, engineers, plumbers, electricians, painters and landscapers. Analysis from NAHB shows that 70 percent of builders typically use between 11 and 30 subcontractors to build a single-family home. Indeed, there are many different trades you can pursue depending on your personal interests.  

5. A rewarding career without college debt

At a time when countless college graduates are finding themselves underemployed and saddled with crushing student debt, it’s important to know that earning a college degree is not the only road to success. A vocational education is equally rewarding and can be obtained at a fraction of the cost.

HBI, a national leader in career training and NAHB’s workforce development arm, reaches more than 13,000 individuals every year through training programs and curriculum licensing. Through the recently launched Building Careers program, HBI uses its industry-recognized Pre-Apprenticeship Certificate Training curriculum to prepare high school students for careers in the building industry.

The post 5 Reasons to Consider a Rewarding Career in Residential Construction appeared first on Education and Career News.

With college tuition reaching peak levels and an economy in transition, the competition for higher education enrollments is both more competitive and more unstable than ever. This dynamic is even more acute in the case for adult and nontraditional learners, who now constitute the vast majority of today’s students. This population is extremely diverse. Their life and career goals are different, and age alone cannot adequately define them. Their perceptions about colleges and universities also differ, and they have greater power as consumers. Many are well-networked and skilled in the use of social media. Their needs vary, so relying on just one method of meeting those needs is risky. 

In the late 1990s and at the turn of the Millennium, adult learners were not only Gen Xers, but also Baby Boomers at their peak. The demographics of these adult learners show a higher representation of women who had either started college or achieved an associate’s degree, making degree completion programs via evening and weekend offerings appealing options. As the internet advanced, so did online offerings, adding to the mix.

The modern adult learner 

Today, the adult learner is a multi-generational learner who has different needs, beliefs and choices. He or she may already have a degree and may seek a master’s or technical degree. These learners may already have advanced degrees in a science or engineering field, or have been recently promoted and need a certificate to demonstrate competency in business management. Or, this new generation of learners may not have any college credits at all, but finds career opportunities in developing coding skills via intensive online boot camps. 

The newest demographic of adult learner is 24 years old (at the time of this article) and known as Generation Z, the upper range being born in 1995. They, along with younger Millennials, see greater value in modular learning–earning credentials in smaller units. They are open to new ways to learn, apart from or beyond the bachelor’s or master’s degree. Research shows that this younger adult learner expects to continue learning throughout their lives, as contrasted with other generations who believed that earning a bachelor’s degree was a sufficient terminal degree that carried with it economic guarantees that would last a lifetime.

Another generational learner is the older Millennial. While Millennials are defined as being born between 1981 and 1994, the oldest are now 38 years of age, well into the peak of their careers or in life transitions. Many are seeking flexibility, but also management and leadership training to advance to the next level.

Updating credentials

Those who earned their degrees in the early part of the 1990s or 1980s may be looking for a certificate to freshen up their areas of expertise. Others may be seeking degrees, badges or certificates that open new career paths, including new jobs created through automation, changes in retail, growth in the healthcare field or through advances in technology. These learners may seek out opportunities offered at various colleges or universities, either in an online or face-to-face classroom environment, or through a fully online provider offering programs in Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) formats.

So what is the best way to meet the challenges of the multi-generational learner and serve the new nontraditional student? A well-diversified, comprehensive approach is key. New modalities, coupled with micro-credentials and outcomes-based degrees and certificates are not just ideas – they are critical to meeting the needs of today’s learner. 

The post Meet the Multi-Generational Adult Learner appeared first on Education and Career News.

Non-Career-Related Degrees

In general, those pursuing degrees in “non-career-related” fields, such as the humanities or fields in which an advanced credential is the “norm” (social work, for example), are more likely to opt for additional education upon graduation. Conversely, those who have attained a degree in a career-related field, such as nursing, engineering or computer science, are less inclined to do so. 

In addition, sometimes the degree itself favors more study. For example, depending on the field of study, the decision to pursue additional education is often “baked in” for many associate degree holders; the goal is to transfer to a four-year institution once the associate degree is completed. Among Class of 2017 associate degree holders, approximately 27 percent were pursuing additional education and nearly 6 percent were hoping to continue.

At the bachelor’s degree level, overall, about one-fifth of the graduating class decides to or wants to continue on for more education upon graduation. This percentage has been fairly consistent over the past four years.

Again, at the bachelor’s degree level, those pursuing more advanced degrees tend to be in a discipline unrelated to their career, and in greater percentages. For example, among the college Class of 2017, while 17.4 percent of engineering graduates were pursuing additional education—nearly the overall average—more than 41 percent of those with a degree in the physical sciences (not a career-related discipline) were doing so. Just 7.8 percent of computer science graduates were going on, compared to 37.5 percent of biology graduates.

Graduate Degrees and Further

In many fields, an advanced degree is required: doctors may start out as biology majors, for example, but they go on to acquire their professional degree. 

In other fields, competition and the desire to differentiate oneself provides the push. Starting salary illustrates the power of differentiation: consider the salary differential between a business administration graduate at the bachelor’s level (approximately $52,000) and one who has earned an MBA. (nearly $79,000). In addition, some graduates pursue additional education to refine and develop their skills and better position themselves in the job market. 

After the master’s degree, the pursuit of additional education tends to drop off: Less than 10 percent of master’s degree graduates from 2015 through 2017 decided to go further.

The post Research: Who Pursues Additional Education and Why appeared first on Education and Career News.

Balancing Education and Life

Education programs are addressing the time constraints of adult life by offering courses online, at off-campus locations, and by using hybrid, accelerated, and alternative-time options. Some adults love the flexibility afforded by online programs to work when it best suits their busy schedules. Others gravitate toward cohort-based programs that offer learning in community with others. At my university (Tennessee Tech) we offer a program where adult non-traditional students can complete a Bachelor’s degree at off-campus sites in partnership with community colleges. Many programs are still learning how to fully integrate adult students into systems traditionally designed for younger students. The returning student has an advantage: asking questions is part of adult life.  

Adult students are often overwhelmed with feelings of worry about their competence as learners: “Can I compete with traditional-aged students?” “Is my brain too old to learn?” One key factor to successful learning is making connections between new learning and existing knowledge. The stronger the connection, the more significant and lasting the learning. Adult students have an advantage: they bring a rich set of life experiences. Connecting new learning to personal interests, families, and work creates rich and meaningful networks of knowledge.  

Often, adult students discover that they are more competent than expected, and can even outperform traditional-aged students. Motivation is one of the most important factors in learning success. They bring a different set of motivators: life transitions, advancement opportunities, potential raises, economic mobility, unfulfilled goals, serving as a role model for children­–the list goes on. These students understand the value of what they are trying to achieve and have things to prove to themselves and to others.  

Getting that Degree

Adult students have real-life concerns regarding how long it will take to complete needed programs. In addition to alternative time formats, colleges/universities often offer avenues for granting credit for college-level, credit-worthy learning acquired outside of “school” settings (workplace trainings, leadership programs, online learning, etc). Taking advantage of “prior learning credit” can help shorten the time to completion of a program. Studies by the Council for Adult and Experiential Learning (CAEL) show a strong connection between prior learning credit and successful degree completion (https://www.cael.org/learningcountsresearch).

What is the hardest part about going back to school to earn your degree or certificate? One of our TTU graduates, who came back and finished his undergraduate degree at 74, often says that the hardest thing about starting back to school is “just doing it, getting started”. Take the step, you may very well surprise yourself!

The post Understanding the Mindset of the Adult Learner appeared first on Education and Career News.

When we go to the doctor, retain a lawyer or travel by air, we expect the person treating, representing or flying us to have had some standard level of knowledge and skills in their respective field. The same holds true for mechanics who work on our cars, IT technicians who work on our computers, chefs who prepare our food, architects who design our homes, and many other careers. But how do we know whether a given professional has acquired the necessary knowledge and skills?

The Importance of Credentials

Credentials are the way in which employers and consumers verify an individual’s qualifications in a given field. Credentials can be certificates awarded by educational institutions (typically in programs that take less than two years to complete), as well as degrees at the associate, bachelor, master and doctorate levels. Industry and trade associations are also in the credentialing business, and offer certifications to demonstrate skill mastery and competencies, typically through some combination of training, assessment and continuing education. State agencies also award licenses to recognize skill attainment. 

While there are some large players in the credential space, there is no single body that unilaterally creates, approves and disseminates credentials. To see how wide-ranging the credential landscape is, you can explore the nearly 5,500 credentials listed on www.credentialfinder.org. This online registry represents just a fraction of the credentials available.

As technology continues to create new jobs in virtually every sector of the economy, credentials should have one thing in common: they should be based on rigorous, high-quality standards and real-world experiential learning developed in close consultation between educational institutions and industry. 

Career and Technical Education (CTE)

Career and technical education (CTE) is at the forefront of this industry-education collaboration. High-quality CTE programs are active in their outreach to the employer community to ensure that programs meet current and future workforce needs. Partner businesses help CTE programs identify and/or develop assessments and credentials that verify student competencies in a particular career area. This close collaboration enables CTE programs to excel at developing the future workforce while preparing students for success in further education and careers.

The post Credentials: Measuring Skills in Today’s Workforce appeared first on Education and Career News.

Adult learners in continuing education are the fastest-growing piece of the higher education marketin the country. In order to compete, academic institutions must be flexible.

“In higher education, if you stand still you fall behind,” says Dr. Gwen Finestone, president of California Southern University. “Most universities are all about lecturing in the classroom. We’ve been online for 40 years.”

Educating for tomorrow

“We prepare learners to ‛succeed in a world that we have yet to imagine,’” Finestone notes. “We don’t know what the next 40 years will bring — how do you prepare students who might have multiple careers?”

Anastasia Selberis, vice president of global relations and interfaith study and respect at California Southern University, sees the answer in the university’s Finestone Leadership Institute (FLI), a two-year program developed to benefit professionals pursuing advancement in their careers.

“For continuing education to be effective, you need something practical,” she says. “The different workshops FLI offers, the different speakers — it’s always exciting to hear someone who’s directly aligned with a skill that we need to learn. It takes you from theory to practice.”

Another way Cal Southern is innovating is with their real-world partnerships, like the one between the Los Angeles Chargers and FLI.

“We are thrilled to partner with California Southern University,” says Jim Rushton, the Chargers’ chief revenue officer. “We appreciate Cal Southern and the FLI for offering the opportunity through their curriculum to develop junior members of the Chargers business staff into the leaders of tomorrow.”

Affordable

Another key is affordability. “Our students won’t graduate with $100,000 worth of debt,” says Finestone. “And they willgraduate with a WASC-accredited degree, which is the gold standard.”

The post Continuing Education in a Fast-Changing World appeared first on Education and Career News.

 A Cut Above the Rest

Kim Kimble, a third-generation hairstylist, knows this firsthand. After working in her salon, she was inspired to take the continuing education of aspiring hairstylists, beyond required certification programs, into her own hands by opening an academy for hairstylists.

“When I started interviewing a lot of stylists, the work they were putting out did not add up to the work that they should be doing. I learned that when they would come in to interview or assist, that they did not have the skills. I couldn’t hire a lot of stylists — they needed to be trained,” Kimble said.

A Stylish Skillset 

There’s a reason hairstylists must undergo training. It’s a technical job requiring careful attention to detail, but also a physically strenuous one, as stylists must be on their feet all day. According to the BLS, stylists must get a diploma from a state-approved cosmetology program or barber before passing a state exam that will grant them a license. Even then, though, you may not have access to the most innovative techniques in color, cut, and management of different hair types.

That’s not to say home training, as Kimble attained through her relatives, isn’t also valuable. “My grandmother and mother were hairstylists, and I was able to learn a lot from them,” Kimble said. However, “I also took classes at hair shows and from hair stylists,” Kimble said. “Additionally, I prayed for God to give me some creativity, to give me knowledge of how to create certain things and how to develop certain styles.”

Ultimately, attending an academy like Kimble’s can offer a roadmap for navigating the salon. “[Schooling] gives you a blueprint,” she said. “It gives you that foundation and structure.”

The post One Salon Owner Is Teaching Aspiring Hairstylists Gain an Edge Over the Competition appeared first on Education and Career News.

Beyond a bachelor’s degree

To help new graduates, along with people looking to re- or up-skill for a job promotion or career change, services like General Assembly (GA) have stepped onto the scene.

“Our job at GA was going to be not to provide curriculum and content per se, because curriculum and content is a dime a dozen … it’s everywhere,” said GA CEO Jake Schwartz. “The real challenge is putting all the pieces together so the individual can invest reliably their time, their passion and energy, and their money to get a real return through a career with better economic prospects.”

GA offers training and educational programs both online and on campuses in New York City and San Francisco to individuals who want to invest in themselves, as well as companies who want to invest in current or future employees. Schwartz noted that GA works with over 5,000 hiring partners.

“We have everything from a single-night workshop up to a multi-month immersive course so people can enter at different points to get different levels of this learning,” said Schwartz, adding that these programs have appealed not only to new grads, but also people in midlife and individuals who want to gain new skills as seniors.

Keeping it affordable

Being mindful of student debt barriers, GA began offering financing programs in late 2018 that allow individuals to avoid paying anything until they land a job. At that point, they pay a certain percentage of their future salary to cover the costs of their GA training.

“When employment is the No. 1 goal, it makes sense that we should all be growing toward that goal,” Schwartz said.

The post How General Assembly Is Helping Spread the Skills of the Future appeared first on Education and Career News.