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Entry Level Job Market: District CCR Programs Must Align with Changes in the Labor Market
SchooLinks Staff
December 10, 2024
December 10, 2024
For decades, college degrees have been seen as the goal to have students strive for to realize postsecondary success. Having students matriculate at a four-year university has been the default priority for students, schools, and districts to gauge the success of their college and career readiness (CCR) programs. As a result, counseling services, course selection, and other forms of support have been designed to enable this outcome. For too many students who ended up going directly to the workforce, it was considered the backup option after they hit roadblocks on their college-going pathway. This framing has emerged alongside an economic landscape that rewarded those students who did successfully matriculate to college and graduate with a degree with the near guarantee of a job.
This dynamic, however, is changing.
As schools and districts put time, energy, and resources into developing CCR programs that successfully prepare students for the postsecondary world they will meet, it is critical that these changing variables inform programming and decision-making. Schools and districts can optimize outcomes for students by creating programs that offer a full array of options beyond college-readiness, including career and technical education (CTE) pathways that allow students to earn certifications and build skills that will prepare them to take on open positions in this evolving workforce.
A More Competitive Entry-Level Job Market for Recent Grads
Over the past several years, the entry level jobs landscape has seen a notable reduction in the availability of open positions for recent college grads. During this time, headlines have abounded about the struggle of recent college graduates finding jobs. National news has reported that “New college grads are more likely to be unemployed in today’s job market” and sought to understand “Why Is It So Hard For Recent College Graduates To Find A Decent Job?” The data has backed up these trends. Recent unemployment rates for recent college grads have hit 5% compared to 4% for all workers. This is in stark contrast to previous decades where the unemployment rate for recent college grads was nearly universally below that of general unemployment numbers.
And underemployment rates–defined as the share of graduates working in jobs that typically do not require a college degree–has hit an astounding 40.6% for recent college grads. Put differently, many recent college grads who have been able to find jobs are actually working in roles for which they are overqualified for. In short, the career prospects for students with college degrees have drastically diminished. And these students are saddled with more and more college loan debt as they leave college unable to secure a consistent or adequate paycheck or a role for which their expensive degree is not required.
Opportunities for Students Without Degrees on the Rise
Simultaneously, there has been a significant expansion of opportunity for individuals who have not graduated from college but have developed skills in other ways–including earning certifications, participating in community college training programs, or completing apprenticeships in skilled trade positions. Demand for skilled trades professions has increased dramatically, along with rapid increases in wages to fill these positions. The average age of workers in many of these professions has been quite high and large percentages of those workers retire or age out of the professions each year. That has left openings in well-paying positions including plumbers, welders, and electricians. Critical roles within the healthcare, technology, manufacturing, and construction sectors have seen rapid increases in demand and are forecast to continue with growth in these industries. These positions have proven to offer a career development pathway different from, but equivalent in pay and promotion opportunities, to those opportunities available to bachelor degree holders.
In other realms, employers have recognized that employees’ skills and competence in using those skills are really what is needed to add value to an organization role and a degree does not necessarily guarantee a requisite set of knowledge and skills. With that, state governments have led the way in removing degree requirements for state government positions with twenty states dropping or shifting college degree requirements in just the past several years. Colorado has made an explicit effort to focus on skills rather than degrees in hiring for more than 100,000 state job positions, many of which include roles focusing on STEM fields. Many private sector companies are following suit. One report showed that the proportion of job listings that required college degrees fell 10% between 2022 and 2023.
CCR Programs and Resources Need to Shift in Response
With the ultimate goal of CCR and CTE programs to prepare students to be successful in a future career, these programs must adapt to this changing landscape. Schools and districts should take into account high-demand fields and industries nationally, as well as in their region, as they develop or expand programs and create partnerships. Creating opportunities for students to earn industry certifications, engage in work-based learning experiences, and take part in apprenticeships and internships while in high school to develop these employable skills should be a priority.
Most students, parents, and educators are not aware of the changing landscape and opportunities. Many educators work under the belief that they should be encouraging all students to be on a college-going path. And many students and parents still assume that a college degree is the outcome that will ensure a good job with a living wage. In order for them to make decisions both about high school CTE programs and postsecondary options, it is critical that districts educate all stakeholders about the opportunities, the likely job prospects including salary and educational debt, and encourage that the high school preparation they undertake is rooted in their passions. Districts and schools need to modernize their communications to staff, parents, and most importantly, students, on the full spectrum of post-secondary pathways that are available to high school graduates.
For decades, college degrees have been seen as the goal to have students strive for to realize postsecondary success. Having students matriculate at a four-year university has been the default priority for students, schools, and districts to gauge the success of their college and career readiness (CCR) programs. As a result, counseling services, course selection, and other forms of support have been designed to enable this outcome. For too many students who ended up going directly to the workforce, it was considered the backup option after they hit roadblocks on their college-going pathway. This framing has emerged alongside an economic landscape that rewarded those students who did successfully matriculate to college and graduate with a degree with the near guarantee of a job.
This dynamic, however, is changing.
As schools and districts put time, energy, and resources into developing CCR programs that successfully prepare students for the postsecondary world they will meet, it is critical that these changing variables inform programming and decision-making. Schools and districts can optimize outcomes for students by creating programs that offer a full array of options beyond college-readiness, including career and technical education (CTE) pathways that allow students to earn certifications and build skills that will prepare them to take on open positions in this evolving workforce.
A More Competitive Entry-Level Job Market for Recent Grads
Over the past several years, the entry level jobs landscape has seen a notable reduction in the availability of open positions for recent college grads. During this time, headlines have abounded about the struggle of recent college graduates finding jobs. National news has reported that “New college grads are more likely to be unemployed in today’s job market” and sought to understand “Why Is It So Hard For Recent College Graduates To Find A Decent Job?” The data has backed up these trends. Recent unemployment rates for recent college grads have hit 5% compared to 4% for all workers. This is in stark contrast to previous decades where the unemployment rate for recent college grads was nearly universally below that of general unemployment numbers.
And underemployment rates–defined as the share of graduates working in jobs that typically do not require a college degree–has hit an astounding 40.6% for recent college grads. Put differently, many recent college grads who have been able to find jobs are actually working in roles for which they are overqualified for. In short, the career prospects for students with college degrees have drastically diminished. And these students are saddled with more and more college loan debt as they leave college unable to secure a consistent or adequate paycheck or a role for which their expensive degree is not required.
Opportunities for Students Without Degrees on the Rise
Simultaneously, there has been a significant expansion of opportunity for individuals who have not graduated from college but have developed skills in other ways–including earning certifications, participating in community college training programs, or completing apprenticeships in skilled trade positions. Demand for skilled trades professions has increased dramatically, along with rapid increases in wages to fill these positions. The average age of workers in many of these professions has been quite high and large percentages of those workers retire or age out of the professions each year. That has left openings in well-paying positions including plumbers, welders, and electricians. Critical roles within the healthcare, technology, manufacturing, and construction sectors have seen rapid increases in demand and are forecast to continue with growth in these industries. These positions have proven to offer a career development pathway different from, but equivalent in pay and promotion opportunities, to those opportunities available to bachelor degree holders.
In other realms, employers have recognized that employees’ skills and competence in using those skills are really what is needed to add value to an organization role and a degree does not necessarily guarantee a requisite set of knowledge and skills. With that, state governments have led the way in removing degree requirements for state government positions with twenty states dropping or shifting college degree requirements in just the past several years. Colorado has made an explicit effort to focus on skills rather than degrees in hiring for more than 100,000 state job positions, many of which include roles focusing on STEM fields. Many private sector companies are following suit. One report showed that the proportion of job listings that required college degrees fell 10% between 2022 and 2023.
CCR Programs and Resources Need to Shift in Response
With the ultimate goal of CCR and CTE programs to prepare students to be successful in a future career, these programs must adapt to this changing landscape. Schools and districts should take into account high-demand fields and industries nationally, as well as in their region, as they develop or expand programs and create partnerships. Creating opportunities for students to earn industry certifications, engage in work-based learning experiences, and take part in apprenticeships and internships while in high school to develop these employable skills should be a priority.
Most students, parents, and educators are not aware of the changing landscape and opportunities. Many educators work under the belief that they should be encouraging all students to be on a college-going path. And many students and parents still assume that a college degree is the outcome that will ensure a good job with a living wage. In order for them to make decisions both about high school CTE programs and postsecondary options, it is critical that districts educate all stakeholders about the opportunities, the likely job prospects including salary and educational debt, and encourage that the high school preparation they undertake is rooted in their passions. Districts and schools need to modernize their communications to staff, parents, and most importantly, students, on the full spectrum of post-secondary pathways that are available to high school graduates.
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For decades, college degrees have been seen as the goal to have students strive for to realize postsecondary success. Having students matriculate at a four-year university has been the default priority for students, schools, and districts to gauge the success of their college and career readiness (CCR) programs. As a result, counseling services, course selection, and other forms of support have been designed to enable this outcome. For too many students who ended up going directly to the workforce, it was considered the backup option after they hit roadblocks on their college-going pathway. This framing has emerged alongside an economic landscape that rewarded those students who did successfully matriculate to college and graduate with a degree with the near guarantee of a job.
This dynamic, however, is changing.
As schools and districts put time, energy, and resources into developing CCR programs that successfully prepare students for the postsecondary world they will meet, it is critical that these changing variables inform programming and decision-making. Schools and districts can optimize outcomes for students by creating programs that offer a full array of options beyond college-readiness, including career and technical education (CTE) pathways that allow students to earn certifications and build skills that will prepare them to take on open positions in this evolving workforce.
A More Competitive Entry-Level Job Market for Recent Grads
Over the past several years, the entry level jobs landscape has seen a notable reduction in the availability of open positions for recent college grads. During this time, headlines have abounded about the struggle of recent college graduates finding jobs. National news has reported that “New college grads are more likely to be unemployed in today’s job market” and sought to understand “Why Is It So Hard For Recent College Graduates To Find A Decent Job?” The data has backed up these trends. Recent unemployment rates for recent college grads have hit 5% compared to 4% for all workers. This is in stark contrast to previous decades where the unemployment rate for recent college grads was nearly universally below that of general unemployment numbers.
And underemployment rates–defined as the share of graduates working in jobs that typically do not require a college degree–has hit an astounding 40.6% for recent college grads. Put differently, many recent college grads who have been able to find jobs are actually working in roles for which they are overqualified for. In short, the career prospects for students with college degrees have drastically diminished. And these students are saddled with more and more college loan debt as they leave college unable to secure a consistent or adequate paycheck or a role for which their expensive degree is not required.
Opportunities for Students Without Degrees on the Rise
Simultaneously, there has been a significant expansion of opportunity for individuals who have not graduated from college but have developed skills in other ways–including earning certifications, participating in community college training programs, or completing apprenticeships in skilled trade positions. Demand for skilled trades professions has increased dramatically, along with rapid increases in wages to fill these positions. The average age of workers in many of these professions has been quite high and large percentages of those workers retire or age out of the professions each year. That has left openings in well-paying positions including plumbers, welders, and electricians. Critical roles within the healthcare, technology, manufacturing, and construction sectors have seen rapid increases in demand and are forecast to continue with growth in these industries. These positions have proven to offer a career development pathway different from, but equivalent in pay and promotion opportunities, to those opportunities available to bachelor degree holders.
In other realms, employers have recognized that employees’ skills and competence in using those skills are really what is needed to add value to an organization role and a degree does not necessarily guarantee a requisite set of knowledge and skills. With that, state governments have led the way in removing degree requirements for state government positions with twenty states dropping or shifting college degree requirements in just the past several years. Colorado has made an explicit effort to focus on skills rather than degrees in hiring for more than 100,000 state job positions, many of which include roles focusing on STEM fields. Many private sector companies are following suit. One report showed that the proportion of job listings that required college degrees fell 10% between 2022 and 2023.
CCR Programs and Resources Need to Shift in Response
With the ultimate goal of CCR and CTE programs to prepare students to be successful in a future career, these programs must adapt to this changing landscape. Schools and districts should take into account high-demand fields and industries nationally, as well as in their region, as they develop or expand programs and create partnerships. Creating opportunities for students to earn industry certifications, engage in work-based learning experiences, and take part in apprenticeships and internships while in high school to develop these employable skills should be a priority.
Most students, parents, and educators are not aware of the changing landscape and opportunities. Many educators work under the belief that they should be encouraging all students to be on a college-going path. And many students and parents still assume that a college degree is the outcome that will ensure a good job with a living wage. In order for them to make decisions both about high school CTE programs and postsecondary options, it is critical that districts educate all stakeholders about the opportunities, the likely job prospects including salary and educational debt, and encourage that the high school preparation they undertake is rooted in their passions. Districts and schools need to modernize their communications to staff, parents, and most importantly, students, on the full spectrum of post-secondary pathways that are available to high school graduates.
For decades, college degrees have been seen as the goal to have students strive for to realize postsecondary success. Having students matriculate at a four-year university has been the default priority for students, schools, and districts to gauge the success of their college and career readiness (CCR) programs. As a result, counseling services, course selection, and other forms of support have been designed to enable this outcome. For too many students who ended up going directly to the workforce, it was considered the backup option after they hit roadblocks on their college-going pathway. This framing has emerged alongside an economic landscape that rewarded those students who did successfully matriculate to college and graduate with a degree with the near guarantee of a job.
This dynamic, however, is changing.
As schools and districts put time, energy, and resources into developing CCR programs that successfully prepare students for the postsecondary world they will meet, it is critical that these changing variables inform programming and decision-making. Schools and districts can optimize outcomes for students by creating programs that offer a full array of options beyond college-readiness, including career and technical education (CTE) pathways that allow students to earn certifications and build skills that will prepare them to take on open positions in this evolving workforce.
A More Competitive Entry-Level Job Market for Recent Grads
Over the past several years, the entry level jobs landscape has seen a notable reduction in the availability of open positions for recent college grads. During this time, headlines have abounded about the struggle of recent college graduates finding jobs. National news has reported that “New college grads are more likely to be unemployed in today’s job market” and sought to understand “Why Is It So Hard For Recent College Graduates To Find A Decent Job?” The data has backed up these trends. Recent unemployment rates for recent college grads have hit 5% compared to 4% for all workers. This is in stark contrast to previous decades where the unemployment rate for recent college grads was nearly universally below that of general unemployment numbers.
And underemployment rates–defined as the share of graduates working in jobs that typically do not require a college degree–has hit an astounding 40.6% for recent college grads. Put differently, many recent college grads who have been able to find jobs are actually working in roles for which they are overqualified for. In short, the career prospects for students with college degrees have drastically diminished. And these students are saddled with more and more college loan debt as they leave college unable to secure a consistent or adequate paycheck or a role for which their expensive degree is not required.
Opportunities for Students Without Degrees on the Rise
Simultaneously, there has been a significant expansion of opportunity for individuals who have not graduated from college but have developed skills in other ways–including earning certifications, participating in community college training programs, or completing apprenticeships in skilled trade positions. Demand for skilled trades professions has increased dramatically, along with rapid increases in wages to fill these positions. The average age of workers in many of these professions has been quite high and large percentages of those workers retire or age out of the professions each year. That has left openings in well-paying positions including plumbers, welders, and electricians. Critical roles within the healthcare, technology, manufacturing, and construction sectors have seen rapid increases in demand and are forecast to continue with growth in these industries. These positions have proven to offer a career development pathway different from, but equivalent in pay and promotion opportunities, to those opportunities available to bachelor degree holders.
In other realms, employers have recognized that employees’ skills and competence in using those skills are really what is needed to add value to an organization role and a degree does not necessarily guarantee a requisite set of knowledge and skills. With that, state governments have led the way in removing degree requirements for state government positions with twenty states dropping or shifting college degree requirements in just the past several years. Colorado has made an explicit effort to focus on skills rather than degrees in hiring for more than 100,000 state job positions, many of which include roles focusing on STEM fields. Many private sector companies are following suit. One report showed that the proportion of job listings that required college degrees fell 10% between 2022 and 2023.
CCR Programs and Resources Need to Shift in Response
With the ultimate goal of CCR and CTE programs to prepare students to be successful in a future career, these programs must adapt to this changing landscape. Schools and districts should take into account high-demand fields and industries nationally, as well as in their region, as they develop or expand programs and create partnerships. Creating opportunities for students to earn industry certifications, engage in work-based learning experiences, and take part in apprenticeships and internships while in high school to develop these employable skills should be a priority.
Most students, parents, and educators are not aware of the changing landscape and opportunities. Many educators work under the belief that they should be encouraging all students to be on a college-going path. And many students and parents still assume that a college degree is the outcome that will ensure a good job with a living wage. In order for them to make decisions both about high school CTE programs and postsecondary options, it is critical that districts educate all stakeholders about the opportunities, the likely job prospects including salary and educational debt, and encourage that the high school preparation they undertake is rooted in their passions. Districts and schools need to modernize their communications to staff, parents, and most importantly, students, on the full spectrum of post-secondary pathways that are available to high school graduates.
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For decades, college degrees have been seen as the goal to have students strive for to realize postsecondary success. Having students matriculate at a four-year university has been the default priority for students, schools, and districts to gauge the success of their college and career readiness (CCR) programs. As a result, counseling services, course selection, and other forms of support have been designed to enable this outcome. For too many students who ended up going directly to the workforce, it was considered the backup option after they hit roadblocks on their college-going pathway. This framing has emerged alongside an economic landscape that rewarded those students who did successfully matriculate to college and graduate with a degree with the near guarantee of a job.
This dynamic, however, is changing.
As schools and districts put time, energy, and resources into developing CCR programs that successfully prepare students for the postsecondary world they will meet, it is critical that these changing variables inform programming and decision-making. Schools and districts can optimize outcomes for students by creating programs that offer a full array of options beyond college-readiness, including career and technical education (CTE) pathways that allow students to earn certifications and build skills that will prepare them to take on open positions in this evolving workforce.
A More Competitive Entry-Level Job Market for Recent Grads
Over the past several years, the entry level jobs landscape has seen a notable reduction in the availability of open positions for recent college grads. During this time, headlines have abounded about the struggle of recent college graduates finding jobs. National news has reported that “New college grads are more likely to be unemployed in today’s job market” and sought to understand “Why Is It So Hard For Recent College Graduates To Find A Decent Job?” The data has backed up these trends. Recent unemployment rates for recent college grads have hit 5% compared to 4% for all workers. This is in stark contrast to previous decades where the unemployment rate for recent college grads was nearly universally below that of general unemployment numbers.
And underemployment rates–defined as the share of graduates working in jobs that typically do not require a college degree–has hit an astounding 40.6% for recent college grads. Put differently, many recent college grads who have been able to find jobs are actually working in roles for which they are overqualified for. In short, the career prospects for students with college degrees have drastically diminished. And these students are saddled with more and more college loan debt as they leave college unable to secure a consistent or adequate paycheck or a role for which their expensive degree is not required.
Opportunities for Students Without Degrees on the Rise
Simultaneously, there has been a significant expansion of opportunity for individuals who have not graduated from college but have developed skills in other ways–including earning certifications, participating in community college training programs, or completing apprenticeships in skilled trade positions. Demand for skilled trades professions has increased dramatically, along with rapid increases in wages to fill these positions. The average age of workers in many of these professions has been quite high and large percentages of those workers retire or age out of the professions each year. That has left openings in well-paying positions including plumbers, welders, and electricians. Critical roles within the healthcare, technology, manufacturing, and construction sectors have seen rapid increases in demand and are forecast to continue with growth in these industries. These positions have proven to offer a career development pathway different from, but equivalent in pay and promotion opportunities, to those opportunities available to bachelor degree holders.
In other realms, employers have recognized that employees’ skills and competence in using those skills are really what is needed to add value to an organization role and a degree does not necessarily guarantee a requisite set of knowledge and skills. With that, state governments have led the way in removing degree requirements for state government positions with twenty states dropping or shifting college degree requirements in just the past several years. Colorado has made an explicit effort to focus on skills rather than degrees in hiring for more than 100,000 state job positions, many of which include roles focusing on STEM fields. Many private sector companies are following suit. One report showed that the proportion of job listings that required college degrees fell 10% between 2022 and 2023.
CCR Programs and Resources Need to Shift in Response
With the ultimate goal of CCR and CTE programs to prepare students to be successful in a future career, these programs must adapt to this changing landscape. Schools and districts should take into account high-demand fields and industries nationally, as well as in their region, as they develop or expand programs and create partnerships. Creating opportunities for students to earn industry certifications, engage in work-based learning experiences, and take part in apprenticeships and internships while in high school to develop these employable skills should be a priority.
Most students, parents, and educators are not aware of the changing landscape and opportunities. Many educators work under the belief that they should be encouraging all students to be on a college-going path. And many students and parents still assume that a college degree is the outcome that will ensure a good job with a living wage. In order for them to make decisions both about high school CTE programs and postsecondary options, it is critical that districts educate all stakeholders about the opportunities, the likely job prospects including salary and educational debt, and encourage that the high school preparation they undertake is rooted in their passions. Districts and schools need to modernize their communications to staff, parents, and most importantly, students, on the full spectrum of post-secondary pathways that are available to high school graduates.
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For decades, college degrees have been seen as the goal to have students strive for to realize postsecondary success. Having students matriculate at a four-year university has been the default priority for students, schools, and districts to gauge the success of their college and career readiness (CCR) programs. As a result, counseling services, course selection, and other forms of support have been designed to enable this outcome. For too many students who ended up going directly to the workforce, it was considered the backup option after they hit roadblocks on their college-going pathway. This framing has emerged alongside an economic landscape that rewarded those students who did successfully matriculate to college and graduate with a degree with the near guarantee of a job.
This dynamic, however, is changing.
As schools and districts put time, energy, and resources into developing CCR programs that successfully prepare students for the postsecondary world they will meet, it is critical that these changing variables inform programming and decision-making. Schools and districts can optimize outcomes for students by creating programs that offer a full array of options beyond college-readiness, including career and technical education (CTE) pathways that allow students to earn certifications and build skills that will prepare them to take on open positions in this evolving workforce.
A More Competitive Entry-Level Job Market for Recent Grads
Over the past several years, the entry level jobs landscape has seen a notable reduction in the availability of open positions for recent college grads. During this time, headlines have abounded about the struggle of recent college graduates finding jobs. National news has reported that “New college grads are more likely to be unemployed in today’s job market” and sought to understand “Why Is It So Hard For Recent College Graduates To Find A Decent Job?” The data has backed up these trends. Recent unemployment rates for recent college grads have hit 5% compared to 4% for all workers. This is in stark contrast to previous decades where the unemployment rate for recent college grads was nearly universally below that of general unemployment numbers.
And underemployment rates–defined as the share of graduates working in jobs that typically do not require a college degree–has hit an astounding 40.6% for recent college grads. Put differently, many recent college grads who have been able to find jobs are actually working in roles for which they are overqualified for. In short, the career prospects for students with college degrees have drastically diminished. And these students are saddled with more and more college loan debt as they leave college unable to secure a consistent or adequate paycheck or a role for which their expensive degree is not required.
Opportunities for Students Without Degrees on the Rise
Simultaneously, there has been a significant expansion of opportunity for individuals who have not graduated from college but have developed skills in other ways–including earning certifications, participating in community college training programs, or completing apprenticeships in skilled trade positions. Demand for skilled trades professions has increased dramatically, along with rapid increases in wages to fill these positions. The average age of workers in many of these professions has been quite high and large percentages of those workers retire or age out of the professions each year. That has left openings in well-paying positions including plumbers, welders, and electricians. Critical roles within the healthcare, technology, manufacturing, and construction sectors have seen rapid increases in demand and are forecast to continue with growth in these industries. These positions have proven to offer a career development pathway different from, but equivalent in pay and promotion opportunities, to those opportunities available to bachelor degree holders.
In other realms, employers have recognized that employees’ skills and competence in using those skills are really what is needed to add value to an organization role and a degree does not necessarily guarantee a requisite set of knowledge and skills. With that, state governments have led the way in removing degree requirements for state government positions with twenty states dropping or shifting college degree requirements in just the past several years. Colorado has made an explicit effort to focus on skills rather than degrees in hiring for more than 100,000 state job positions, many of which include roles focusing on STEM fields. Many private sector companies are following suit. One report showed that the proportion of job listings that required college degrees fell 10% between 2022 and 2023.
CCR Programs and Resources Need to Shift in Response
With the ultimate goal of CCR and CTE programs to prepare students to be successful in a future career, these programs must adapt to this changing landscape. Schools and districts should take into account high-demand fields and industries nationally, as well as in their region, as they develop or expand programs and create partnerships. Creating opportunities for students to earn industry certifications, engage in work-based learning experiences, and take part in apprenticeships and internships while in high school to develop these employable skills should be a priority.
Most students, parents, and educators are not aware of the changing landscape and opportunities. Many educators work under the belief that they should be encouraging all students to be on a college-going path. And many students and parents still assume that a college degree is the outcome that will ensure a good job with a living wage. In order for them to make decisions both about high school CTE programs and postsecondary options, it is critical that districts educate all stakeholders about the opportunities, the likely job prospects including salary and educational debt, and encourage that the high school preparation they undertake is rooted in their passions. Districts and schools need to modernize their communications to staff, parents, and most importantly, students, on the full spectrum of post-secondary pathways that are available to high school graduates.
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For decades, college degrees have been seen as the goal to have students strive for to realize postsecondary success. Having students matriculate at a four-year university has been the default priority for students, schools, and districts to gauge the success of their college and career readiness (CCR) programs. As a result, counseling services, course selection, and other forms of support have been designed to enable this outcome. For too many students who ended up going directly to the workforce, it was considered the backup option after they hit roadblocks on their college-going pathway. This framing has emerged alongside an economic landscape that rewarded those students who did successfully matriculate to college and graduate with a degree with the near guarantee of a job.
This dynamic, however, is changing.
As schools and districts put time, energy, and resources into developing CCR programs that successfully prepare students for the postsecondary world they will meet, it is critical that these changing variables inform programming and decision-making. Schools and districts can optimize outcomes for students by creating programs that offer a full array of options beyond college-readiness, including career and technical education (CTE) pathways that allow students to earn certifications and build skills that will prepare them to take on open positions in this evolving workforce.
A More Competitive Entry-Level Job Market for Recent Grads
Over the past several years, the entry level jobs landscape has seen a notable reduction in the availability of open positions for recent college grads. During this time, headlines have abounded about the struggle of recent college graduates finding jobs. National news has reported that “New college grads are more likely to be unemployed in today’s job market” and sought to understand “Why Is It So Hard For Recent College Graduates To Find A Decent Job?” The data has backed up these trends. Recent unemployment rates for recent college grads have hit 5% compared to 4% for all workers. This is in stark contrast to previous decades where the unemployment rate for recent college grads was nearly universally below that of general unemployment numbers.
And underemployment rates–defined as the share of graduates working in jobs that typically do not require a college degree–has hit an astounding 40.6% for recent college grads. Put differently, many recent college grads who have been able to find jobs are actually working in roles for which they are overqualified for. In short, the career prospects for students with college degrees have drastically diminished. And these students are saddled with more and more college loan debt as they leave college unable to secure a consistent or adequate paycheck or a role for which their expensive degree is not required.
Opportunities for Students Without Degrees on the Rise
Simultaneously, there has been a significant expansion of opportunity for individuals who have not graduated from college but have developed skills in other ways–including earning certifications, participating in community college training programs, or completing apprenticeships in skilled trade positions. Demand for skilled trades professions has increased dramatically, along with rapid increases in wages to fill these positions. The average age of workers in many of these professions has been quite high and large percentages of those workers retire or age out of the professions each year. That has left openings in well-paying positions including plumbers, welders, and electricians. Critical roles within the healthcare, technology, manufacturing, and construction sectors have seen rapid increases in demand and are forecast to continue with growth in these industries. These positions have proven to offer a career development pathway different from, but equivalent in pay and promotion opportunities, to those opportunities available to bachelor degree holders.
In other realms, employers have recognized that employees’ skills and competence in using those skills are really what is needed to add value to an organization role and a degree does not necessarily guarantee a requisite set of knowledge and skills. With that, state governments have led the way in removing degree requirements for state government positions with twenty states dropping or shifting college degree requirements in just the past several years. Colorado has made an explicit effort to focus on skills rather than degrees in hiring for more than 100,000 state job positions, many of which include roles focusing on STEM fields. Many private sector companies are following suit. One report showed that the proportion of job listings that required college degrees fell 10% between 2022 and 2023.
CCR Programs and Resources Need to Shift in Response
With the ultimate goal of CCR and CTE programs to prepare students to be successful in a future career, these programs must adapt to this changing landscape. Schools and districts should take into account high-demand fields and industries nationally, as well as in their region, as they develop or expand programs and create partnerships. Creating opportunities for students to earn industry certifications, engage in work-based learning experiences, and take part in apprenticeships and internships while in high school to develop these employable skills should be a priority.
Most students, parents, and educators are not aware of the changing landscape and opportunities. Many educators work under the belief that they should be encouraging all students to be on a college-going path. And many students and parents still assume that a college degree is the outcome that will ensure a good job with a living wage. In order for them to make decisions both about high school CTE programs and postsecondary options, it is critical that districts educate all stakeholders about the opportunities, the likely job prospects including salary and educational debt, and encourage that the high school preparation they undertake is rooted in their passions. Districts and schools need to modernize their communications to staff, parents, and most importantly, students, on the full spectrum of post-secondary pathways that are available to high school graduates.
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