Intersect With Earl May 2023

by Earl Buford on May 18, 2023

Widening the CPL lens: CAEL research has exposed the unfortunate irony that while underserved students stand to receive some of the biggest CPL benefits, they are least likely to receive them. The good news is that pondering the equity paradox is leading to progress. Michelle Navarre Cleary of College Unbound writes that underserved adult learners are more likely to shoulder other responsibilities that compete with college for resources, yet such experiences are typically disregarded by CPL programs. She offers steps colleges can take to 'recognize and credit the learning from these additional responsibilities rather than regarding them as distractions.'

Meanwhile, in Delaware, CAEL was honored to partner with the state's department of education on the release of its CPL Policy Framework. Offering insight on how to derive CPL beyond its most common sources, the framework notes that expanding CPL 'could be especially valuable for returning students and those with non-traditional backgrounds.' My special thanks go to Wilson Finch, VP of initiatives, who led our partnership work here.

Mississippi Invests in Career Coaches: The intersections of education and employment aren't limited to the postsecondary space, and urgency is growing around the importance of career pathways for high school students and resources that help them navigate myriad choices. Career coaches are among those resources, and a workforce development program in Mississippi has placed more than 100 of them in school districts throughout the state in less than a year. In that time, the coaches have helped seniors become first-generation college students, established connections with employers, and forged skills-based credential pathways for high-demand occupations.

Getting Inclusive With Incremental Learning: CAEL has often noted that unbundling the postsecondary educational experience can transform an all-or-nothing, now-or-never model into one that meets adult learners where they are. A recent RAND Corporation research report has highlighted some ways stackable credentials particularly benefit low-income individuals. For example, it found that (among certificate earners), low-income individuals completed more stackable credentials, leading to more longer-term credentials, than their middle- and high-income counterparts, and that by stacking these credentials they were able to narrow income gaps.

Grant opportunity: Under the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative - Education and Workforce Development initiative, grants of $20,000-$750,000 are available for agricultural workforce training at community colleges, including 'expand[ing] job-based experiential learning opportunities, acquisition of industry-accepted credentials, and occupational competencies for students to enable a work-ready labor force for the 21st century.' Apply by Dec. 7.

CAEL member mention: Harper College is doing excellent work with apprenticeship programs, highlighting that they are the glue between our college and employers. With so much debate about the value of a college degree, it's refreshing and encouraging to read reminders of how apprenticeship programs and other employer partnerships accommodate traditional academic pathways while integrating incremental training milestones that lead to 'real-time' employability. Apprenticeships boost enrollment, raise awareness of program offerings even among non-apprentice employees, and spur engagement among faculty, staff, and industry experts.

Interested in learning more about CAEL memberships? Please visit us, and always feel free to contact us with questions or comments on any topic at cael@cael.org.