How Higher Ed Can Advance Economic Recovery With Practical Skills Training

This article was originally published for the Forbes Nonprofit Council.

As Americans begin to find footing in a soon-to-be post-pandemic world, it’s time to examine where the greatest needs for education lie and how the institutions and NPOs of higher ed can rise to meet the moment. According to a recent Chronicle of Higher Education assessment, practical skills training for workforce re-entry is one area demanding urgent attention by educators.????

While unemployment has dropped significantly since 2020, around 9 million Americans remain out of work, with women and nonwhite workers especially hard hit. And many of the jobs lost during the pandemic no longer make sense in the altered, post-pandemic world. It’s hardly surprising that recent Pew Research findings indicate 66% of currently unemployed people report seriously considering changing their occupation or field of work, and about one-third report having already taken steps to retool their skills through education.

As leaders in higher education, what can we do to pave more accessible pathways to employment for the learners we serve and, particularly, for adults seeking to upskill or change careers?

At my organization, TCS Education System, we have long prioritized practical, skill-based training as a key determiner of student success. Because our partner colleges and universities share a common commitment to accessibility, we have naturally attracted a high proportion of adult learners, career changers and other “non-traditional” students. Based on my experience, I share, below, several key principles that help govern our approach and may be of value to other leaders seeking to deepen their focus in practical skills training.

1. Embrace the value of whole-student learning.

When students learn in a context that places equal value on “real world” experience and formal coursework, dynamics that might pose barriers to advancement instead serve as catalysts for success. Of course, the idea of drawing on life experience in the classroom makes intuitive sense when designing a rich educational environment. But to make a meaningful impact, the whole-student approach must extend beyond pedagogical philosophy into practical administrative decisions affecting everything from admissions to scheduling to programming — always with the goal of meeting students where they are.?

We see a prime example of whole-student success in Eva Umejido, JD, who earned her degree at The Colleges of Law (a member of TCS Education System). The institution’s commitment to flexible programming enabled Umejido to advance her career in immigration law while also working as a legal assistant and carrying family responsibilities — an especially meaningful achievement for a student who grew up undocumented.

I believe considering whole-student learning and success should be integral in how higher ed evolves as we reevaluate our offerings.?

2. Recognize that student and community needs are one.

Insularity has long been a risk in higher ed, and the pressure to stay relevant by looking beyond our own campuses has never been more urgent than it is today. To adequately prepare for workplace advancement, students must do more than study the real world in cases and abstractions; they must actively participate in it — and colleges and universities have a responsibility to facilitate these experiences.

Student fieldwork is nothing new. But does your institution actively design hands-on curricula to map to current areas of greatest community need? Have you considered dialing up fieldwork in undergraduate programming to help students more quickly gain competitive skills? If the answer is no, you may be missing chances to optimally position your graduates in their local job markets. This is a prime opportunity to respond to both the nationwide shortage of skilled professionals in fields like K-12 education and social work and the pressing need among students to gain immediately employable credentials.

Within TCS, 2021 marks the graduation of the first Pacific Oaks College bachelor's degree in Community Psychology cohort. Although the program was launched prior to the pandemic, it was born from a practical, skill-based philosophy and was intentionally designed to open career doors by strongly emphasizing applied research and fieldwork.

3. Leverage the value and power of professor-practitioners.

Faculty who simultaneously teach and actively practice in their fields bring priceless value to today’s learners. In addition to providing the required subject-matter expertise, these educators are also fluent in the recruiting and hiring practices within their disciplines — not as abstract, conceptual qualifications, but as lived reality. The professor-practitioner model fills a critical gap that too often impedes student career advancement: when professors know the material but not the job market, and career counselors know the job market in general, but lack deep sector-specific expertise.

Through both formal networking programs and the informal osmosis of shared life experiences, educators can be especially well-positioned to help their students stand out in the applicant pool. While not all organizations and disciplines lend themselves to the faculty-practitioner model, all students could benefit from professors who resist the “ivory tower” mentality and allow job market realities a greater share of mind. The vast majority of faculty employed by the partner colleges and universities of TCS practice their professions within their local communities.

From individual learners seeking career evolution to administrators striving to ensure enduring relevance, every member of the higher education community today faces the reality of change. In assessing their own institutions’ strengths and opportunity areas, I invite my colleagues in leadership to consider whole-student learning, community needs and faculty-practitioners as key drivers of the student career achievements that could ultimately benefit us all.