‘College for all’ needs to include working adults
Here is an excellent article dealing with the knowledge economy and the increasing need for postsecondary education. Anthony P. Carnavale addresses the demand for more knowledge workers, the “skyrocketing” wage premium for postsecondary education, college as workforce development, and the potential for worker shortages.
What concerns me is his opening section, when he talks about “college for all” as being about “children.” However, it is clear that he understands that college is not just about young people and the next generation of workers, but is also about the current workforce and the need to educate working adults. He references the fact that jobs requiring only a high school education have shrunk to less than 17% of jobs while those requiring some college have expanded to over 75% of current jobs and those requiring at least a bachelor’s degree have expanded to over 50%.
It is disturbing that, despite the fact that our nation and its economy depends on having an increasingly educated workforce, too often the focus is only on the next generation and does not include our current workforce. “College for all” should include not only children, but working adults. We should stop asserting that college for adults is just a matter of personal gain. We must recognize that it is a societal need, indeed imperative, that we avoid a shortage of knowledge workers in this increasingly competitive world.
I believe there needs to be increased attention to providing the current workforce with postsecondary education opportunities. If we are facing shortages of knowledge workers to compete in a world economy, shouldn’t we be thinking about strategies to work not only with young students, but working adults as well?
What are your thoughts? Are we facing a crisis in a shortage of knowledge workers? If so, how should we address that?
Mike
Share This3 Responses to “‘College for all’ needs to include working adults”
Pearl Reed-Klein Says:
The traditional student has evolved to a diverse population. I am an adult student in the Harold Able School of Psychology at Capella University. Prior to attending at Capella, I have been a non-traditional student for my entire life. While working full time and having a family, I was fortunate to attend a local community college and then continued my education through on-line programs at Empire State College in New York state. The application of a PhD program is intense and a true committment is required, however, realizing the wonderful opportunity to “do it all” made me enroll at Capella. I think of the many women before me that were not afforded the right to have a college education. I think of the women who wanted an education and could not travel to another area to school, had children or had to work full time. These women were not as fortunate as we are at present, to receive an education on-line. I believe the future holds for a continued amount of interest and non-traditional adult students at Capella University. I am thankful for the opportunity.
Raymond McCormick Says:
I am a Registered Nurse and have gradually moved up the chain from associate degree through the master’s level. I am now in the dissertation stage of my doctoral program in Adult Education through Capella University.
I have discovered, as a two-year college educator, that many nurses are returning to school to advance into at least a baccalaureate degree, but many moving directly into the master’s level much faster than I did. Many are returning from the associate and entering the MSN level because it was cheaper to start out that route. Now they are working adults. Many of these students find the challenge because they are working adults with families and other obligations and the higer-level requires more committment.
I teach all of these students in at least two courses. I have discovered they need a lot of encouragement to continue. Some cannot take the extra work required within their life. Others take on “more than they can chew” and become dumbfounded.
I have been lucky to teach the first re-entry course and have currently been working on their writing skills. The writing skills of college students is rather dismal, and I hope to see the course helps them move along better. In fact, I am doing my dissertation on this topic.
The University of South Florida, where I work, is increasing the numbers of entry level RN to BSN/MSN students by triple digits each semester; primarily because outside of two courses, the rest of the requirements are completely online. Many nurses are returning because they realize they can make more money, have more indepedence and work better hours with an advanced degree. They also like the idea of doing the work primarily online. Because of this, there are students from all over the State of Florida in the program. I am also the coordinator of their Community Nursing requirement and have been able to enable them to complete the community requirement in the county where they live. I have actually had students in other states complete this requirement through the affiliation agreement.
I strongly encourage peers in the hospital setting to continue their education and expain there are so many sources available. I also explain I was able to complete my Master’s Degree in Nursing through an online program with the University of Phoenix. And, I strongly encourage Capella University for those who seek an additional education degree in Adult Education.
I am constantly pushing everyone I meet to move on in their education…it does make a difference in the individual life!
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Welcome to The Other 85 Percent. So what does "the other 85 percent" refer to? Research has shown that only about 15 percent of higher education students still fit the traditional definition of young adults age 18 to 22 who live on campus and go to school full time. more
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Carole Mottaz Says:
I couldn’t agree with you more. As the world is “becoming flat” and the typical profile of the national workforce is changing, every adult needs constant, “ready” access to re-training/re-education options. Without this, the American workforce will literally be left behind the rest of the world. Initial education right after high school just isn’t going to be adequate any more.
The majority of these adults have bills to pay and can’t afford to be full time day students. Many don’t live within reach of post graduate colleges and so need quality online options, like Capella University.
The implications for quality online colleges and universities is profound. Rather than land-based colleges and universities “leading the way” for their online brethren, the tables are literally being turned and learners are looking to online programs to adopt the mantle of leadership in this endeavor.
Just two weeks ago I was informed by a technical college recruiter that by 2018 every job will require some college training. This is just 10 years from now.
It looks to me as if the 18 – 22 year old living on campus is rapidly becoming the “non-traditional” student!
Dr. Carole Mottaz
Capella university Adjunct Faculty
February 7th, 2008 at 9:30 pm