How a university bridges the hole between schooling and workforce

Let’s have a look at Alicia’s story.

Alicia graduated from highschool in 2023 with a ardour for enterprise and advertising and marketing, fueled by hands-on programs and lively participation in DECA and FBLA. Like lots of her friends, she enrolled at a area people school, uncertain what she needed to do. She thought “one thing in enterprise,” and her mother and father inspired her to reap the benefits of the Tennessee Promise program, which gives two years of free group school. Nonetheless, with ACT scores under school stage, Alicia discovered herself funneled right into a basic switch pathway for an affiliate of science diploma. As a substitute of pursuing her passions, she spent her days in remedial lessons and basic schooling programs. Annoyed and disillusioned, she started to assume, “Perhaps school simply isn’t for me” and selected to withdraw.

However was school really not for Alicia? Or was she attempting to navigate an academic system misaligned along with her pursuits and the calls for of at present’s workforce? Did she merely find yourself in a program that didn’t nurture her potential?

The Misalignment Between Schooling and Workforce Wants 

Yearly, hundreds of Tennesseans like Alicia embark on a university journey, wanting to translate their passions into fulfilling careers. But too many discover themselves misplaced in a maze of irrelevant programs and unclear pathways, resulting in disengagement and dropouts.

In Tennessee, 56 % of jobs require abilities coaching past highschool however not essentially a four-year diploma. Many of those positions demand specialised coaching or credentials, corresponding to technical certificates or affiliate levels. Regardless of the supply of well-paying jobs, too many Tennesseans are unable to entry them on account of a scarcity of focused schooling and profession steering. In Could 2024 alone, Tennessee had 173,000 job openings, with the biggest demand in well being care, superior manufacturing, provide chain administration and development. But solely 49 % of Tennesseans have entry to the talents coaching required to work in these fields.

State applications like TN Drive to 55, TN Achieves, TN Promise and TN Reconnect have efficiently elevated entry to postsecondary schooling. Nonetheless, these well-intentioned initiatives usually don’t meet their supposed outcomes as college students battle to navigate their schooling and transition into in-demand careers.

Understanding the Influence of Diploma Pathways 

Most first-time group school college students in Tennessee (76 %) enroll in “college parallel” levels just like the affiliate of science or affiliate of arts, designed to switch to four-year universities. These applications consist largely of basic schooling programs, with restricted alternatives to delve into particular fields of curiosity. Nonetheless, solely 15 % of those college students go on to earn a bachelor’s diploma.

For individuals who full an A.A. or A.S. however don’t pursue additional schooling, the outlook is regarding. They’re much less more likely to be employed in Tennessee and have a tendency to earn decrease wages than friends who accomplished an affiliate of utilized science (A.A.S.) or technical certificates. To place it merely: An A.S. or A.A.—heavy on basic schooling however mild on sensible abilities—usually doesn’t put together college students for at present’s workforce.

An A.A.S. possibility, nonetheless, usually yields higher outcomes. Returning to Alicia’s story, had she been suggested of the A.A.S. possibility, her fall schedule would have included programs in enterprise, logistics, advertising and marketing and pc purposes and just one basic schooling course. This could have been a wholly totally different expertise for Alicia, aligning along with her pursuits and retaining her engaged. As a substitute of feeling disillusioned, she might need thrived in an surroundings that nurtured her passions and led to a satisfying profession.

It’s time to rethink how we information college students like Alicia. By embracing revolutionary applications that align schooling with real-world alternatives, we will empower the subsequent era to thrive in Tennessee’s rising industries.

Constructing Pathways to Success 

That is the place Belmont Quick Ahead steps in.

The Belmont Quick Ahead program bridges the hole between schooling and workforce calls for by offering profession pathways that result in sustainable, well-paying jobs in key Tennessee industries. We deal with three core methods: educating college students about profession alternatives, empowering them with wanted abilities and connecting them with employment alternatives. These methods are tailor-made to serve three populations: highschool, early school and grownup learners. By addressing the wants of people at numerous phases of their schooling and profession journeys, we offer complete assist to remodel lives and strengthen communities.  

For highschool college students, early publicity to profession pathways and intentional programming could make all of the distinction. We associate with Metro Nashville Public Colleges to offer profession exploration alternatives, visitor audio system and area journeys that assist college students think about their careers throughout numerous industries and the schooling they should get there. Recognizing the significance of early engagement, we fund summer time programs for latest highschool graduates, permitting them to start their technical schooling earlier than conventional monetary assist turns into obtainable. 

Early-college college students like Alicia usually face challenges transitioning into larger schooling. To assist these college students, we’ve piloted cohorts at two area people faculties, Volunteer State Group Faculty and Nashville State Group Faculty. These college students take part in two-week school orientation boot camps that includes school readiness workshops and trade audio system. By personalised tutorial advising and intentional profession assist, we’re serving to them navigate their academic paths with confidence. 

Connecting Challenges to Options 

As radical champions for serving to folks and communities flourish, Belmont College believes it’s crucial to collaborate with academic establishments and workforce improvement organizations by means of intentional pilot applications and initiatives corresponding to Quick Ahead.

By addressing the misalignment in academic pathways, Quick Ahead straight tackles the challenges confronted by college students navigating the advanced panorama of continuous schooling. We offer the steering and assets wanted to pursue levels that not solely align with their pursuits but in addition meet the calls for of the job market. By focused assist and sensible expertise, we’re paving the way in which for profitable careers.

It’s time for educators, policymakers, establishments and group leaders alike to rethink how we information college students like Alicia. By embracing revolutionary applications that align schooling with real-world alternatives, we will empower the subsequent era to thrive in Tennessee’s rising industries.