High-Quality Credentials for Youth

Presenter: Diana Jackson

Executive Director, Youth Workforce Solutions

dianajackson@youthworkforcesolutions.com

www.youthworkforcesolutions.com

Agenda

• Current trends in credential attainment

• What is a credential?

• What is a high-quality credential?

• What are the implications for WIA youth programs?

Current trends

• The rate of credential attainment for WIA participants is steadily decreasing

• If current trends continue, the next generation of American workers will be less educated than the previous generation for the first time in the country’s history (TEGL 15-10)

Current trends• If current credential attainment (including

postsecondary credentials) rates continue, employers will face significant skill gaps by the middle of the century

• This may cause employers to move off shore and will reduce the number of well-paying jobs available in the US

• Some employers are already facing significant skills gaps; one Ohio employer struggled to fill 100 jobs that required basic reading and math skills and an entry-level certificate

Credential Definition

From TEGL 15-10

• “To bring ETA’s terminology in line with the fields of education and industry, the term credential (and not certificate) will be used as the umbrella term which encompasses postsecondary degrees, diplomas, licenses, certificates and certifications.”

What is a credential?

• “Credential,” for performance and accountability purposes, is defined in TEGL 15-10 (detailed definition in Attachment B)

• It is essentially the same definition as “certificate” in TEGL 17-05

• It is NOT the same definition as “credential” used prior to 2006

What is a credential?• Awarded to show attainment of measurable

technical or occupational skills necessary to gain employment or advance within an occupation

• Based on standards developed or endorsed by employers

• Awarded by SEA; higher ed; professional, industry, or employer organization; product developer; registered apprenticeship program; public regulatory agency; Job Corps; VA program; higher ed institution governed by an Indian tribe or tribes

Examples of credentials

• Educational Diplomas and Certificates (typically for one academic year or less of study)

• Educational Degrees, such as an associate’s (2-year) or bachelor’s (4-year) degree

• Registered Apprenticeship Certificate

• Occupational Licenses (typically, but not always, awarded by state government agencies)

• Industry-recognized or professional association certifications; also known as personnel certifications;

• Other certificates of skills completion

• TEGL 15-10

Work readiness certificates

• Work readiness certificates are excluded from the definition of credential in both TEGL 17-05 and TEGL15-10

• Attainment of any work readiness certificate, regardless of who issues it, does not count toward WIA performance outcomes

Work readiness certificates

• A credential is awarded in recognition of an individual’s attainment of measurable technical or occupational skills necessary to obtain employment or advance within an occupation.

• Work readiness certificates do not document technical or occupational skills. They either focus on literacy/numeracy skills or “soft skills.”

• This does not mean that work readiness certificates are not valuable, only that they don’t meet this definition of credential!

Credentials and performance measures

Common Measure: Attainment of Degree or CredentialOf those enrolled in education (at the date of

participation or at any point during the program)

Number of participants who attain a credential by the end of the third quarter

after the exit quarter

Number of participants who exit during the quarter

• All youth who are in education at any point of their WIA participation

– Includes youth who are out of school at participation but who begin an education program while a participant

– Includes youth who are in secondary or post-secondary education at participation or any time during participation

Who is in the measure?

• All of the youth who were in education at any point during participation who exit during a given quarter

Who is in the denominator?

• Attainment of a diploma, degree, GED, or certificate by the third quarter after exit

What is success?

Statutory Measure: OY Credential and Employment Rate

The number of OY who are employed in the first quarter after exit and who

receive a credential by the third quarter after exit

The number of OY who exit in that quarter

• All Older Youth (19-21)

Who is in the measure?

• All Older Youth who exit in a given quarter

Who is in the denominator?

• Employed in 1st quarter after exit AND earned a credential by 3rd quarter after exit

What is success?

What are high-quality credentials?

High quality credentials

• Four attributes of educational and workforce credentials that strengthen the value of credentials to individuals are – Industry-recognition– Stackability– Portablility– Accreditation

– From TEGL 15-10

Industry-recognized• A credential that is either developed and

offered by or endorsed by a nationally-recognized industry association organization that represents a large portion of the industry

• A credential that is sought or accepted by companies within the industry for hiring or recruitment

• Includes credentials from vendors, e.g. Microsoft

Stackable

• A credential that is part of a sequence of credentials that can be accumulated over time to build an individual’s qualifications and help them move along a career path to different and potentially higher-paying jobs

• A h.s. diploma or G.E.D., associate’s degree, bachelor’s degree, and master’s degree are examples

Portable

• A credential that is recognized and accepted in settings other than that in which it was earned

– Geographic– At other educational institutions– By other industries– By other companies

Accredited• A credential earned at an institution of higher

learning that meets acceptable quality.

• Information about accredited schools and accrediting agencies can be found at http://www2.ed.gov/admins/finaid/accred/index.html

• In order to receive federal financial aid, students must enroll in a school or program that the U.S. Dept. of Education recognizes as accredited

What is a high quality credential?

• Ask– Is the credential recognized by employers and used in

hiring, promotion, and compensation decisions?

– Are the skills documented through the credential currently in demand in the local labor market?

– Is an entrance examination required?

– Is there a standard amount of work experience or internship time required?

– Is the credential embedded in a larger career pathway model that provides opportunities to continue developing income-enhancing skills and competencies?

– TEGL 15-10

Youth program implications

Long-term program enrollment • Youth may need to acquire basic literacy

and numeracy skills before they are prepared for a credential-granting training or educational program

• Youth may need to acquire work-readiness skills before they are prepared for employment

• Credentials generally take months or years to earn

Keep youth engaged until they earn a credential• Provide a variety of programming to youth in training to

keep them engaged and attached to the WIA program

• Closely monitor youth in training to assure success and provide timely intervention when needed

• Verifying attendance or waiting until final grades are released is not enough

• Continue to provide other services so the youth does not exit until the credential is earned

Increase use of local labor market information

• It’s not enough to look at nationally in-demand jobs, as these can vary dramatically from one geographic area to another

• Youth should enter training programs for which there is a strong likelihood of job openings when they attain a credential

• New training programs should respond to forecast employer needs, not broad trends (or because training is quick/easy)

Individual and local job market need• Youth should be placed in training that

– Meets his/her individual needs and goals– Is likely to lead to employment because job

openings are forecast in the local area

• Youth should not be placed in training simply because it’s available

Leverage supportive service resources

• Training programs cost money.

• So do the wrap-around supportive services needed to increase the likelihood youth will complete training/education and earn a credential

• Partner with other agencies so that WIA funds can be spent on training to the extent possible

• Co-enroll youth in other programs when possible

Place youth in training programs that match their instructional needs

• At-risk learners tend to be contextual, practical learners

• Training programs should be responsive to these needs

• Youth are more likely to complete training and earn a credential if the training program responds to their learning style

• Technical programs tend to be more hands-on than academic programs

Collaborate with training providers and employers to create new training opportunities

• Job developers and others can work to identify employer needs, including those on the horizon

• Youth programs, accredited training providers, and employers can collaborate to create training that meets employers’ needs and result in a credential

• Training providers can develop curriculum that matches the learning needs of youth, increasing their likelihood of successful completion

Encourage training providers to developed chunked curriculum

• Chunking curriculum to create pathways is an effective way to increase student success and program completion in community college professional-technical programs.

• Chunking breaks degree programs into smaller portions and allows students to complete programs non-sequentially

• Curriculum “chunks” may be applicable to multiple programs

In summary• Credential outcomes can be improved if

– Staff are trained to understand the measure– Programs focus on assisting youth in attaining

high-quality, career-enhancing credentials– Place youth in training programs that meet their

instructional and employment needs– Develop new credential-granting programs in

collaboration with training providers and employers