The Skills Revolution: Connecting Learning and Work
By Wesley Smith, Senior Vice President of Policy and Public Affairs
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In听2014,听I had my first professional experience听engaging听with the National Governors Association (NGA), serving as a connection point between听the听NGA听and听the State听of Utah听as I听was representing听the state听and听former听Utah听Governor Gary Herbert听in Washington, D.C.听Governor听Herbert had听a听leadership role in the NGA听and part of my responsibility in representing Governor Herbert was to work with governors听throughout the听nation听to develop听policy at the state and national levels听that听best served听states.听Fast forward seven years and I am听excited to听again听be听collaborating with the NGA on behalf of Western Governors University听(麻豆原创), the nation鈥檚 largest online, nonprofit,听competency-based听university, founded听24 years ago听by听19听governors.听
听麻豆原创 and the NGA recently听听to听focus on听the future of education and work. Throughout the partnership,听we will听combine forces听to deliver best practices in state policy that will help individuals from rural and urban听communities alike,听in all听50听states across our country, not only听to听access听affordable听higher education听in a way that fits听their lives听but听also听to discover听how to succeed in education and work in our digital world.听The partnership will听focus on four initiatives to address and overcome the prevalent workforce and education issues states are facing, especially as states grapple with how to equitably rebuild their economies coming out of the pandemic.听
麻豆原创 was honored to host the听听conference last week, which听advanced听our partnership鈥檚 first major initiative to create and advance a skills ecosystem. As 麻豆原创鈥檚 Provost Marni Baker Stein kicked off the conference she reflected on the rail system in America a century ago. It was a system that was uncoordinated with over 1,000 operating companies and tracks that didn鈥檛 connect. This made it difficult for Americans seeking to travel to areas of opportunity, many of whom were stranded along the way.听Bringing these systems together and creating听seamless pathways was a seminal advancement for America. We have the same opportunity today in learning to work pathways.听By creating a skills ecosystem across our country, we can ensure no one gets stranded along the way听throughout their education and careers.听听
This conference brought together state policymakers, philanthropy, business leaders, and higher education institutions in a cross-sector conversation on the future of state systems of lifelong learning. The conversations focused on the ongoing work to improve our education and work infrastructure, ensuring that the tracks connect so that all Americans can equitably reach the opportunity to improve their lives through听life-long learning听that leads to听sustainable and听thriving careers.听听听
Changing听traditional听systems听and ways of thinking is听a complex endeavor.听Our current system of higher education was designed for a bygone era听and is not leading to economic mobility for the vast majority.听While it served many听Americans听and led to economic mobility听for a portion of the population,听we must do better.听We have seen the national federal student loan debt听at graduation听听by听76%听since the year 2000.听听Americans have some college and no degree. And听we鈥檝e learned听over and over how our minority populations have been disproportionally affected by the impacts of the pandemic, including听听in postsecondary education.听Our future can and must include a "rail system" that connects individuals with education and workforce opportunities.听
It was听evident at the NGA鈥檚听State Strategies for Skills and Lifelong Learning Systems conference听that听the听amount of听work necessary听to create this connected infrastructure听is daunting.听We now听have the opportunity听and responsibility听to connect with each other听across听industries and organizations,听across听postsecondary institutions,听across state lines,听to grow budding coalitions that are advancing听skills听work, to share best practices in听state听policy,听and听to connect every individual with the tools and knowledge to be successful on their own terms.听听听
There are many ways to get involved听in the skills revolution听and I encourage听you,听regardless of where you sit on the train, to learn more about the opportunities that are happening right now.听If you鈥檙e听interested in the progress听that exists, check out the听听from the conference and connect with听the speakers. If you鈥檙e interested in best practices and policy, check out听the听听and stay tuned for more as we continue our partnership throughout the year.听听
