Advancing Innovation in Work and Learning  |  jan. 6, 2021

In the pandemic’s earliest days, Strada researchers set out to provide a real-time understanding of how people were experiencing, thinking about, and feeling about work and education.

The team launched the Strada Public Viewpoint survey — with more than 25,000 participants in 2020 — to make these insights widely available.

The survey continues in 2021. But as education leaders look ahead to student expectations in the coming months, here are some top takeaways we know now:

• Learners lack confidence — both in postsecondary education’s value and their ability to succeed. Among enrolled students and disrupted workers most interested in enrolling in education or training, fewer than 1 in 5 strongly agree education will be worth the cost. And more than half of those surveyed identify self-doubt as a major barrier to pursuing more education.
• The pandemic’s impact has not been equally distributed. In the spring and fall of 2020, 1 in 3 Latinos and 1 in 4 Black Americans reported they had canceled education plans or delayed enrollment, compared with 1 in 6 white Americans.
• There’s reason to believe online and hybrid learning will have staying power. Six in 10 Americans say they would prefer either an online or hybrid option even if COVID-19 weren’t a threat.
• Americans still believe in the promise of education. More than 1 in 5 people say they plan to enroll in education or training in the next six months. For individuals who’ve lost their jobs or income, the ratio is 2 in 5. Yet postsecondary enrollment numbers are down — leaving postsecondary leaders to meet the challenge of how to drive that interest into action.

AROUND THE NETWORK

News and updates from Strada and its affiliates.

STRATEGIES TO SHARE  The new “Bridge Builders” report from Strada and the Lumina Foundation, recently highlighted in the Washington Post, looks to promising international and domestic collaboration models that are helping local and regional economies thrive and increasing opportunities for all.

LISTENING TO LEARNERS  Alphur “Slim” Wilcock, CAEL’s 2020 Learner of the Year, completed a bachelor's degree in computer science as his latest step in a learning journey that intertwined career and coursework. He recently was featured in a Strada webinar for CAEL members.

UNIQUE NETWORK APPROACH  LinkedIn for Nonprofits highlighted Strada as a Nonprofit Spotlight of the Month, noting the network’s three-pronged approach: supporting nonprofit affiliates, making strategic grants and investments to bring good ideas to life, and engaging in research and thought leadership to identify and share potential solutions.

LATEST PODCAST NOW LIVE  “Lessons Earned” guest Michael Collins of JFF discusses how to equip people for jobs today without closing off opportunities to advance in jobs of the future.

Lessons Earned

In our podcast, we explore bold ideas to help Americans navigate between learning and earning throughout their lives.

LISTEN TO THE PODCAST.

About Strada

Our mission is to improve lives by forging clearer and more purposeful pathways between education and employment.

LEARN MORE

On Purpose is presented by Strada Education Network. Contact the newsletter editor at editor@stradaeducation.org.