Strada Education Foundation

Subscribe to our newsletter! Be the first to receive resources, stories, and updates from Strada, right to your inbox: https://lnkd.in/eZifcxDG Check out our latest edition featuring: ?? An article by our Senior Vice President of Affordability, Justin Draeger, outlining how institutions and partners are implementing College Cost Transparency Initiative's standards, and how clarity and transparency with college costs and financial aid can help influence other aspects of higher education.? ?? A story by The Hechinger Report on a recent report by The Community College Research Center, Columbia University, and the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center titled “The Postsecondary Outcomes of High School Dual Enrollment Students: A National and State-by-State Analysis. ” ?? A warm welcome to Beth Cobert, Strada’s President of Strategic Partnerships and Affiliates. Read more: https://lnkd.in/e4UDuGDg

?? Reflecting on an inspiring week at Complete College America's 2024 Annual Convening! This week, Riipen participated in the CCA Annual Convening in Indianapolis, contributing to essential conversations about education, workforce development, and the future of work. ?? Two engaging sessions showcased Riipen's impact: · In "Empowering Education to Power AI Futures," Dr. Mara "Red" Woody, Ed.D., Riipen’s Director, Strategic Partnerships, and Charles Ansell, VP of Research at Complete College America, introduced the AI Readiness Consortium, a collaborative initiative helping institutions develop AI skills for at-risk populations. We were delighted to have partner schools like Pikes Peak State College, The City University of New York, and City Colleges of Chicago in attendance. · In "Stakeholder Engagement in State Experiential Learning & Workforce Readiness," Dr. Woody joined Laura Thompson Love, Senior Vice President, Work-Based Learning at Strada Education Foundation, Tristan Denley, Deputy Commissioner for Academic Affairs and Innovation at the Louisiana Board of Regents, and Ted Eismeier, Senior Vice President at Whiteboard Advisors, to discuss how work-based learning can equitably expand access to career-relevant skills. Dr. Woody highlighted Riipen’s efforts to scale experiential learning, bridging the gap between education and workforce needs. ?? Our Co-Founder and VP of Experiential Learning, Dave Savory, and fellow Riipeneer, Michael Weber (not pictured), also connected with attendees, sharing how our innovative platform bridges education and work. We’re inspired by the collective dedication to advancing workforce readiness and fostering equitable learning opportunities for all. ?? Curious about how Riipen can support your institution’s future-ready initiatives? Book a chat with our team today: https://hubs.li/Q02Z9qbT0 #CompleteCollegeAmerica #ExperientialLearning #HigherEd #FutureOfWork #WorkforceDevelopment #AI

Co-op programs give students workplace experience while they earn a degree — making them? a viable approach to successfully connecting higher education to the workforce. ?? Research supports the idea that even shorter-term work experience in college can make a difference. Students who have one internship in college are 50 percent less likely to be underemployed after graduation than peers who didn’t have internships. Says one student participating in a co-op: “The co-op is an opportunity when you can try yourself in different industries and see which fits better.” As colleges and universities expand their employer partnerships and career counseling offerings, interest in these work-based learning experiences continues to grow. ??? Read more from The Hechinger Report: https://lnkd.in/e86yCyMZ

ICYMI: The 2025-26 #FAFSA is now open to all students! Although still in its beta version, the form has undergone extensive testing. Fill out your FAFSA today! ?? https://lnkd.in/es_GfBEe

The communities in the North Carolina foothills of the Appalachian Mountains faced a challenge: Promising local students who wanted to work in health care would leave to attend college outside the region, and never return. ? Combating their health care workforce shortage required an apprenticeship program made possible through next-level collaboration among four public school districts, Surry Community College, and Northern Regional Hospital — a partnership supported by the Strada Employer and Community College Partnership Challenge. Today the Surry-Yadkin Works apprenticeship program is ranked No. 1 in North Carolina for apprenticeship enrollment among community colleges. Other communities in the state are taking notice and looking to replicate Surry’s success. ? In the words of Skylar Mosley, a registered nurse apprentice who had planned to complete the pre-apprenticeship at Northern Regional Hospital and then attend a four-year college: “I chose to take advantage of the opportunity to earn my RN degree for free as an apprentice, while gaining hands-on experience and completing clinicals at NRH.” ? “As a first-generation college student, this combination of financial freedom and high-quality education is an incredible opportunity.” ? Adds Chris Lumsden, president and CEO of Northern Regional Hospital: “This program is a gigantic win for our students, hospital, local schools, and community.” #NationalApprenticeshipWeek #NAW2024

Our friends from Reach University are redefining what apprenticeship and job-embedded learning means with the recent launch of the National Center for the Apprenticeship Degree (NCAD). ?? Learn more about how NCAD is helping to reshape higher education by providing accessible pathways to the workforce in a way that meets the needs of employers. #NAW2024 https://lnkd.in/e7EmCp7w

This week we celebrate the 10-year history of National Apprenticeship Week (#NAW2024): ?? Over 2,349 apprenticeship activities and counting? ?? 1,509 NAW events? ?? 840 proclamations in all 50 states across the country, as well as in the District of Columbia and four territories. However, there is still work to do to increase access to?work-based learning opportunities, like apprenticeships. Share your story and learn more: https://lnkd.in/dyS95wm

This week is National Apprenticeship Week ?? We’re highlighting the important work, outcomes, and stories from our partners. First up: MiraCosta College recently launched the Increase Diversity, Equity, and Advancement in Biotechnology (IDEA-BTEC) program to train a diverse student body for successful careers in the community’s growing biotechnology sector. Our own Melissa Leavitt, Vice President of Quality Coaching Post Secondary Education, recently visited the college and toured their #biomanufacturing teaching facility, where students receive industry-specific training with a matching academic curriculum so they can be prepared in the workforce. The result, as Melissa noted: “Students come here and get a strong foundation … for their career … while building a foundation for the industry.” https://lnkd.in/e6HGZHWG #NAW2024

The benefits of work-based learning are clear: students who complete internships are more likely to land first jobs that require a degree and are likely to earn more in that first job, particularly if their internship included compensation. It was a privilege to spend time with presidents and chancellors at American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU) today discussing how to ensure that many more students can access paid work-based learning. Thank you Chancellor John King and President LaTonia Collins Smith, Ed.D for joining Strada Education Foundation‘s Ruth Watkins and me for this timely conversation.

During the 2022-2023 academic school year, nearly 2.5 million high school students took college classes while earning high school and college credits. ?? The Community College Research Center, Columbia University, and the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center recently released the report “The Postsecondary Outcomes of High School Dual Enrollment Students: A National and State-by-State Analysis,” which looks at the outcomes of high school students taking dual enrollment classes since 2015. Read more from The Hechinger Report: https://lnkd.in/e5uBFzaR