As for employers, they were warming to the value of alternative credentials even before the pandemic. Some major employers have also begun offering their own skill-specific training and pledging to accept these credentials in lieu of a traditional degree. The growing consensus in the private sector seems to be: skills required, degrees optional.

At the same time, many learners (including adults and even current college students) still express skepticism about the ROI of higher education. As of October 2020, overall postsecondary enrollment was down 3% from a year ago. More troubling, enrollment of first time college students was down 13%. This makes for a stark contrast with the soaring enrollment of education providers (traditional and otherwise) that offer online, short-term credentials closely aligned to in-demand skills and industry needs.

Embracing the skill-based future of learning and work

We believe that a shared language of work-relevant skills is essential to addressing these challenges. In the pages that follow, we’ll show how higher education can adopt the skill-based lexicon of the labor market to create relevant, in-demand programs that attract and serve the diverse, value-focused learners of today—and tomorrow.

The challenges are real, but so are the opportunities. By the end of this ebook, you’ll have a positive vision for how your institution can adapt and thrive in an increasingly skill-based economy.