Using Policy to Support High-Quality, Non-Degree Community College Workforce Programs. Education Policy Program

Community colleges play a critical role in helping people connect to careers in the United States. After the Great Recession, community colleges emerged as the workforce and economic development institution that could fill the gaps left by traditional higher education for shorter, non-degree career education while also meeting the needs of local employers and communities for emerging skills. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, unemployment stood at a historic low, and employers struggled to find the skilled workers they needed. At the same time, higher education had become prohibitively expensive and a growing number of students were looking for pathways into good jobs that did not require a four-year degree. The pandemic upended the labor market, creating unprecedented challenges in supply chains, public health, and the economy. However two and half years after the onset of the pandemic, the U.S. finds itself with a labor market that bears a strong resemblance to that of the pre-pandemic period, with low unemployment and a large number of unfilled positions. This article argues that to build a more equitable post-pandemic economy, the country needs to accelerate the development of high-quality, affordable workforce programs at community colleges that lead directly to quality jobs and careers. It examines how state and federal governments should provide sustainable financing for high-quality non-degree programs and the students participating in them, improve data infrastructure and use, and support collaboration among colleges.