Advancing Innovation in Work and Learning | sept. 23, 2021
The “Lessons Earned” podcast launched March 3, 2020 — just days before a global pandemic changed how we work, go to school, and live our lives.
Strada’s goal was simply to start a conversation. We wanted to explore bold new ideas about how to improve postsecondary education and make it more equitable, more meaningful, and more useful to learners and workers throughout their lives.
Yet given the timing and our collection of voices in the guest lineup, “Lessons Earned” became much more — a virtual time capsule that revealed in real time how leaders in education and the workforce evolved their thinking during a crisis they hoped to shape into an opportunity to help more students and workers.
Strada is now preparing to launch Season 4 of “Lessons Earned” with a new host, Strada Impact President Ruth Watkins. And the new season gives us the opportunity to reflect on what these conversations have taught us so far:
Learn from mistakes — and celebrate and build on successes. — Freeman Hrabowski, president, University of Maryland Baltimore County
Working adults are the “learners of the future.” — Guild Education’s Paul Freedman
Human skills will be more important than ever in the future of work. — Author Michelle Weise
Be intentional about closing equity gaps. — Braven CEO and founder Aimée Eubanks Davis
Teach students to rely on themselves. — Tony Carnevale, director of the Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce
Higher education should help students find their purpose. — Reynold Verret, president of Xavier University of Louisiana
This month our research is informed directly by 2020 and 2021 high school graduates who have reconsidered their education plans. In surveys and interviews, they shared candid feedback on the current state of education and pointed toward the solutions they need from the field. This upcoming report builds upon a growing body of Strada research tackling the challenges disconnected learners face and offering solutions for reconnecting them with postsecondary education. Join us at 2 p.m. Eastern Wednesday, Sept. 29, for the latest findings and a webinar conversation with expert panelists.
HELP FOR OPPORTUNITY YOUTH
Propel America, a nonprofit organization that aims to unlock education and career opportunities for young adults in low-income communities, announced this week a new initiative to harness the power of one-on-one coaching. In collaboration with Strada affiliate InsideTrack, the organization will build a corps of coaches over the next two and a half years who will support high school graduates as they navigate the complexities of career training, preparation, and navigation. Backed by financial support from the Baton Rouge Area Foundation and Strada, Propel America will team with InsideTrack to enhance its existing internal coaching program.
MORE ACCESSIBLE CREDITS When the University of Phoenix considered what obstacles get in the way of students earning credit for prior learning, it decided to remove the one that was most within its reach. "We discovered that our CPL fees were a significant barrier for many interested students and kept our CPL credit-earning rates low," Devin Andrews, vice president for admissions and evaluation at the University of Phoenix, writes in a new guest blog for CAEL. "This insight led us to ponder: What if we stop charging students fees for CPL?" Early data show increased CPL submissions in June and July.
WHAT MAKES YOU HAPPY? In a recent video release from nonprofit career exploration company Roadtrip Nation, sports photographer Atiba Jefferson shares his unusual career trajectory and encourages people to "just find what makes you happy." The legendary photographer was featured earlier this year in the Strada affiliate's documentary, "Do It Differently," which explored how people are redefining success on their own terms by doing things differently than society prescribes. The latest video features an interview with Jefferson, who encourages people to ask themselves a simple question: What makes me happy?
LET'S TALK ABOUT WORK
What's the difference between upskilling and reskilling? Between nanocredentials and microcredentials? Between a good job and decent work? A collaboration among a group of nonprofit organizations focused on workforce policy and equity issues — including Strada, Opportunity@Work, JFF, and National Fund for Workforce Solutions — has produced a new guide for navigating the vocabulary of the field. "The Words of the Workforce: A Field Guide to the Terms and Ideas Shaping the World of Work," is hosted online by WorkingNation and will be updated as the terminology continues to evolve.
HELPING WORKERS WHO FEEL STUCK
After the usual suspects of money and time, the biggest reason workers don’t pursue education and training is self-doubt: a lack of confidence in their ability to succeed. It’s common for workers to simply feel stuck or “languishing” — they aren’t satisfied with their current job or situation, but they also don’t know how to make progress. In a recent LinkedIn blog, Strada Director of Research Andrew Hanson shared advice for what we can do to help these workers get unstuck and onto pathways to career advancement.
Lessons Earned
In our podcast, we explore bold ideas to help individuals navigate between learning and earning throughout their lives.
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