On July 30, Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA) introduced new legislation that could make it easier for adults and other low-income students to qualify for Pell Grants to attend short-term training programs. The Jumpstart Our Business by supporting Students (JOBS) Act would authorize funding for job training programs leading to recognized credentials through post-secondary institutions, and would support the alignment of these programs with the needs of local employers. The bill would also encourage eligible institutions to provide basic skills instruction supporting student success and connect short-term credential programs to career pathways. You can read more about Senator Kaine's JOBS Act of 2015 on his website.
Best,
Mike Cruse
Career Pathways Moderator
michaelcruse74@gmail.com
Comments
Michael,
I read the information and believe the idea is a good one. Industry needs reliable entry level technically skilled workers as well as those with more advanced skills. With appropriate standards, a shorter term skills program can be valuable to adult learners as well as industry. We seemed to have gone to an extreme in our technical training by forcing certification to exist only in advanced skills programming. We often built programs that stretched' fixing used cars' into a multi-year entry level mechanical engineering program. (Lol) Good to see us trying to come back to the 'middle' just a bit.
I have reviewed the proposed Jumpstart Our Businesses By Supporting Students (JOBS) Act and agree with the statement, "The National Skills Coalition estimates that nearly half of all job openings between now and 2022 will be “middle-skill” jobs that require education beyond high school but not a four-year degree." It's a positive step forward that the connection with basic skills also supported, but I think many adults struggle with access to adult education programs and Post-Secondary training due to barriers. Adults often can't leave exisitng low skilled jobs to partiicpate in the training, address transportation barriers, and even child care barriers. "Awarding half of the current discretionary Pell amount or $2,887 to students who attend skills and job training programs since programs are shorter and less costly" is a step forward, but how do we support students in overcoming these real barriers. This is where I think distance learning can be an option. Has anyone placed (or in process of developing) a job training credential online?
Kathy Tracey
Kathy,
Thanks for your comment about helping learners overcome barriers, other than just the cost of attending post-secondary job training. As you note, there are many factors that keep adults from participating in, and benefiting from, short-term job training.
As far as distance education programs offering job training credentials, you might want to check out the Career OneStop Certification Finder. This is a website sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor and the American Job Center Network, with a searchable database of training programs - both face-to-face and distance-based. It's a great resource for both finding certification programs, and exploring options for completing training in the best format for learners.
Best,
Mike Cruse