Workforce Data Archives - National Skills Coalition

Measuring Job and Credential Quality Webinar

Brittany Cannady — Thu, 22 Sep 2022 18:00:00 +0000

The growing effort to define program, job, and credential quality requires investments in P–20W data systems to capture measures of quality and make that information transparent to the public. Join the Data Quality Campaign along with Credential Engine, Jobs for the Future, and National Skills Coalition for a webinar that will highlight the importance of state data systems in collecting data on program, job, and credential quality, providing timely information to the public, and using data to ensure equitable attainment of quality jobs and credentials. Learn from two states currently doing this work as they discuss their efforts to prioritize data collection and transparent access to information.

Panelists include:

Kate Tromble, Director, Data Quality Campaign (Moderator)
Eshwar Eswaran, Director of Data Services, Jobs for the Future
Jeannine LaPrad, Managing Director of Policy and Research, National Skills Coalition
Rachel Vilsack, Strategic and Policy Engagement Manager, Credential Engine
Nick Moore, Education Policy Advisor & Coordinator, Governor’s Office of Education and Workforce Transformation, State of Alabama

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Data for an Inclusive Economic Recovery

Nicky Lauricella Coolberth — Wed, 25 May 2022 13:30:49 +0000

A truly inclusive economic recovery means that the workers and businesses who were most impacted by this pandemic, as well as workers who have been held back by structural barriers of discrimination or lack of opportunity, are empowered to equitably participate in and benefit from the economy’s expansion and restructuring.

But we need data on how different workers and businesses are faring in the recovery, so

we can hold policymakers accountable to equitable outcomes. Disparities and inequities in skills training programs can only be eliminated if there is high-quality information on program outcomes available to practitioners and policymakers to assess and address equity gaps.

Once we have the data – we can use it to drive the change we need!

Data for an Inclusive Economic Recovery provides recommendations on how to measure and report on what really matters to help diminish structural inequities and to shape implementation of federal recovery investments as well as new state and federal workforce investments.

NSC’s recommendations would allow us to

Monitor outcomes by disaggregating data to close equity gaps and eliminate structural racism in skills policies;

Measure what matters by establishing enhanced outcome metrics across skills investments and measure the impacts of our interventions and hold ourselves accountable;
Make visible who is better off by reporting the economic outcomes of skills policies including types of jobs, wages, credentials with labor market value, long term career progression, and

Move towards accountability. Better data can leads to better skills policies if we have public data and accountability regarding who is being included in this recovery.

Recommendations Include:

Requiring that all education and skills training programs include collection of self-reported demographic characteristics of workers and learners so outcomes can be disaggregated by race, ethnicity, gender, English language proficiency, income, and geography ;
Ensuring participants of skills training programs know what demographic characteristics are being collected about them, who will have access to personally identifiable information, and how their data will be used;
Establishing common outcomes metrics across federal skills training programs;
Expanding outcomes to include those that allow policymakers to assess the quality of skills training programs and measure economic mobility along a career pathway;
Ensuring equitable access to administrative data;
Mandating public reporting on skills training and workforce investment outcomes; and
Providing sufficient funding for linked education and workforce data systems.

In the next few months, NSC will continue to promote and discuss these recommendations through conversations with federal, state, and local policymakers, national partners, and coalition members. We’ll also be exploring with state policy leaders and advocates further development of public data and accountability frameworks, tools, and practices that are aimed at closing racial and other equity gaps in workforce related investments. And, we’ll continue to create opportunities for our network to shape federal, state, and local data policies that lead to better data and more equitable skills policies and investments.

This report was made possible by generous support from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. We thank them for their support and acknowledge that the findings, conclusions, and recommendations presented in this report are those of National Skills Coalition alone, and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

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Emerging Innovations in Data Transparency, Governance & Quality

Nicky Lauricella Coolberth — Mon, 28 Feb 2022 17:08:59 +0000

National Skills Coalition’s new brief, entitled Emerging Innovations in Data Transparency, Governance & Quality, outlines data approaches that some states have implemented to better connect people with the education, skills training, and supports they need and to help states close equity gaps as part of an inclusive economic recovery.

Advocates can turn to these case studies for inspiration as they push for policy changes that use data to ensure equitable, high-quality credentials.

The brief includes case studies from three states and recommendations include:

To improve data transparency, states can establish robust quality criteria for eligible training providers and require data disaggregation of employment and wage outcomes for participants of training programs by race and ethnicity to ensure that participants of color are being served equitably across and within eligible training programs.
To improve data governance & use, states can leverage existing data infrastructures to reduce reporting burdens on training providers, streamline data collection processes, and expand upon the partnerships between training providers and the public workforce system.
To improve data quality, states need better data about the employment and wages outcomes of non-degree credentials to truly determine what credentials have value to workers and businesses.

NSC’s eight-part Skills for an Inclusive Economic Recovery Policy Agenda includes a plank on public data and accountability regarding who will be included in the recovery and urges state and federal governments to report data on how different workers and businesses are faring in the recovery and hold policies accountable to equitable outcomes for those most impacted. Improvements in data transparency, governance, and quality (as outlined in Emerging Data Innovations) are the first step. Once we have good data, we can then use it to hold our policymakers accountable to better, more equitable skills training outcomes.

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Credential Transparency: An Essential Part of Attaining State Goals

Nicky Lauricella Coolberth — Tue, 12 Oct 2021 04:00:33 +0000

Our nation is confronted with the daunting task of rebuilding the economy and creating opportunities for individuals who have been impacted by health and equity crises. Achieving this will require a system that gives policymakers, education and training providers, and opportunity seekers access to data systems that make information about credentials more searchable, comparable, and actionable — something we call credential transparency.

As policymakers build data systems that enable credential transparency, they need to ensure these systems:

Use a common language to describe credentials;
Tap into a shared repository, so stakeholders have access to the most up-to-date information without duplicating efforts; and
Are actionable so stakeholders can use information about credentials to inform better decisions.

This work is already underway in almost half of the states where leaders are working to provide stakeholders open, timely, and reliable information about credentials — everything from badges and certificates to postsecondary degrees — with as much clarity and urgency as possible. Leaders understand that in order for their education, workforce, and economic development goals to work, stakeholders must be able to understand which credentials are in demand, where to earn them, and what their value is in the workforce.

Credential Engine has co-authored, and partnered with 11 national organizations including National Skills Coalition, on a new policy brief that outlines the actions state policymakers can take to make credential transparency part of their larger state’s goals. It provides various policy and action recommendations, as well as current state examples that leaders can implement.

Read the Policy Brief.

Explore the full five-part series of Policy Briefs.

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States should improve transparency and quality of credentials for an equitable recovery

Nicky Lauricella Coolberth — Thu, 05 Aug 2021 17:17:10 +0000

Students, parents, & teachers need to know which skills training programs lead to employment

People need clear and reliable information about their educational options. And, they also need to know how to navigate these options. It’s no mystery why: there are nearly 1,000,000 unique credentials issued in the U.S. and more than 50,000 training providers and community colleges that offer credentials. Good data is about equity: it helps students, working adults, and people undergoing career transitions select a path that’s likely to lead to career success. Good data shines a light on what training programs will help them succeed in growing industries. Data helps people understand which credentials will help them upgrade their skills to find work in the new economy.

Creating an impact with Credential Quality and Transparency is a state policy toolkit that illustrates how states can use the quality non-degree credential framework (outlined by National Skills Coalition) and the linked open data network, common description language, and publishing platform created by Credential Engine to improve credential quality and transparency.

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Making Information about Credentials More Actionable through Increased Transparency and Quality Assurance

Nicky Lauricella Coolberth — Thu, 27 May 2021 15:56:19 +0000

There have been calls for a focus on more transparent outcomes in postsecondary education and training for decades. But these conversations have happened largely between similar providers or programs. As a result, the frameworks and metrics of quality and definitions of “outcomes” haven’t been consistent or comparable. Education and training providers use inconsistent and opaque systems to report outcomes, which makes it almost impossible to gauge quality.

A new policy brief from Credential Engine, Making Information About Credentials More Actionable Through Increased Transparency and Quality Assurance, increases the power of transparency by assuring the quality of credentials. State Policymakers, working together with critical stakeholders, can lead efforts to prioritize high-quality and high-value credentials through using frameworks that better describe, incent, assess, and connect quality assurance processes. The brief offers concrete recommendations for state policymakers supported by state examples for how this work is unfolding across the country.

Read more about credential quality and transparency on the Skills Blog

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Five state leadership organizations and five workforce, education and data advocacy/technical assistance experts have come together to build awareness, understanding, and demand for how policy can integrate credential transparency into education and workforce development state strategies. This brief is one amongst a series of policy briefs that explore the ways that credential transparency can be supported, integrated, and leveraged within states.

Members of the State Policy Partnership include:

Data Quality Campaign
Education Commission of the States
National Skills Coalition
Credential Engine
National Governors Association
Council of Chief State School Officers
National Conference of State Legislatures
Education Strategy Group
State Higher Education Executive Officers Association
Education Quality Outcomes Standards Board

For more information on the State Policy Partnership or Credential Transparency, please contact Scott Cheney, CEO of Credential Engine, at 202.257.0279 or scheney@credentialengine.org. For general inquiries please contact info@credentialengine.org.

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Creating Equitable Futures for All Learners Through Credential Transparency

Nicky Lauricella Coolberth — Tue, 30 Mar 2021 15:48:03 +0000

Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, the United States was amid a major equity crisis. For decades there have been barriers that continue to create disproportionate access and wide gaps in educational attainment for Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC).

A new Policy Brief from Credential Engine explores how access to better credential information can be a useful tool for equity. States, policymakers, and leaders should actively work to eliminate barriers that hinder the ability for BIPOC to take advantage of their options, and this brief offers various tips and state examples to inform policy and practice.

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Members of the State Policy Partnership include:

Data Quality Campaign
Education Commission of the States
National Skills Coalition
Credential Engine
National Governors Association
Council of Chief State School Officers
National Conference of State Legislatures
Education Strategy Group
State Higher Education Executive Officers Association
Education Quality Outcomes Standards Board

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The Role of States in Credential Transparency

Nicky Lauricella Coolberth — Tue, 02 Mar 2021 19:20:49 +0000

There’s tremendous demand today for actionable information around educational pathways of promise. The COVID-19 pandemic and resulting economic crisis are putting a premium on upskilling — giving workers new skills to meet new workforce demands — and on greater transparency around the skills and knowledge required for in-demand jobs.

Credential Engine, in partnership with NSC and 9 other influential organizations, have released this Policy Brief, The Role of States in Credential Transparency, exploring why and how governors, legislators, and agency leaders can work to advance Credential Transparency and help meet their state completion and workforce goals.

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Members of the State Policy Partnership include:

Data Quality Campaign
Education Commission of the States
National Skills Coalition
Credential Engine
National Governors Association
Council of Chief State School Officers
National Conference of State Legislatures
Education Strategy Group
State Higher Education Executive Officers Association
Education Quality Outcomes Standards Board

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Using Data to Drive Credential Quality and Transparency – C2ER Conference/LMI Institute Annual Forum

Nicky Lauricella Coolberth — Wed, 09 Jun 2021 17:00:00 +0000

View the slides from NSC Senior Fellow Rachel Vilsack’s presentation at the 2021 C2ER Conference/LMI Institute Annual Forum

Using Data to Drive Credential Quality and Transparency – June 9th, 1pm ET

Education and training have become essential to our nation’s economic mobility and growth following an historic pandemic that disrupted the lives and livelihoods of students and working learners. More than 80 percent of all jobs in today’s economy require some form of education or training beyond high school, and virtually all new jobs created since 2008 have gone to workers with at least some postsecondary education. Economic downturns are traditionally the time that prospective students look to pursue training, and recent survey results show that it is likely to be in a non-degree program to acquire the skills they need for work, or to obtain a certificate or license. This session will explain how two states are using labor market data to define quality credentials and making data on credentials transparent to learners through Credential Engine and to provide more pathways into quality postsecondary education and training as a part of their recovery strategies.

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Credential Transparency & P-20W Data Systems

Nicky Lauricella Coolberth — Tue, 19 Jan 2021 17:42:02 +0000

The pandemic and emerging recession have made policymakers realize the importance of aligning credential attainment with the real-world demands of the marketplace. That’s why a growing number of states are linking education and workforce efforts by leveraging data systems that span early childhood education, K-12, postsecondary education and the workforce. Leaders believe these comprehensive data systems will improve how education and training programs prepare residents for the jobs of the future.

Yet, these systems cannot realize their promise without Credential Transparency. Understanding credentials and all they entail helps states make inefficient labor markets more efficient. A new Policy Brief from Credential Engine co-signed by NSC and 9 other partnering organizations explores how we can align education and employment information to meet state talent goals.

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Members of the State Policy Partnership include:

Data Quality Campaign
Education Commission of the States
National Skills Coalition
Credential Engine
National Governors Association
Council of Chief State School Officers
National Conference of State Legislatures
Education Strategy Group
State Higher Education Executive Officers Association
Education Quality Outcomes Standards Board

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Expanding Opportunities: Defining Quality Non-Degree Credentials for States

Nicky Lauricella Coolberth — Mon, 23 Sep 2019 12:00:41 +0000

More than ever before, postsecondary education and training has become essential to the nation’s economic mobility and growth. But as a nation, America is not keeping pace with these accelerating demands.

If states want to build an inclusive economy where all workers and all businesses have the skills they need to stay competitive in a rapidly changing global marketplace, everyone must work together to expand access to and attainment of degrees and credentials of value.

In Expanding Opportunities, NSC proposes a consensus definition of quality non-degree credentials (quality NDCs) and criteria developed in consultation with twelve leading states and national organizations, that states can adopt for their own quality assurance systems in order to make sensible budget and policy decisions and advance equity, putting students on a path to success.

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State Wage Interchange System: Better data for stronger workforce programs

Nicky Lauricella Coolberth — Tue, 20 Aug 2019 13:00:18 +0000

Students, workers, employers, program managers, educators, and policymakers all want to understand the employment outcomes of those completing postsecondary education or workforce training programs. This information can help stakeholders formulate good state policies, improve programs, decide which program to attend, or find qualified employees.

In order to understand employment outcomes, states and eligible outlying areas should participate in the State Wage Interchange System (SWIS). State Wage Interchange System: Better data for stronger workforce programs explains what SWIS is and how the process of data sharing is important to research and evaluation.

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