Click play to listen to this article.

Creating new opportunities for Black communities, which have historically faced barriers to economic mobility, can help high-growth industries find and keep skilled workers, according to a new report.

Previous federal investments like the CHIPS Act and Bipartisan Infrastructure Law were meant to stimulate the economy but they did not address core issues surrounding unemployment. In Colorado, there are currently two job openings for every unemployed worker.

Kayla Elliott, director of workforce policy at the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies, said connecting Black students with professionally recognized certificate and credential programs can be a fast route to good-paying jobs.

Image

"That might be an apprenticeship, that might be a micro-credential that you really only get in about six weeks or so, a certificate," Elliott outlined. "Typically, programs that don’t take the full two to four years."

Communities of color already see value in nondegree credentials. More than seven in 10 Black Americans with a credential said it helped them achieve their goals, according to the report. In 2020, Black workers with certifications earned nearly 30 percent more than those with a high school diploma.

Researchers found employers frequently fail to list relevant certificates in job postings or overestimate their on-the-job training capacity. The report cited companies which saw better outcomes after making financial investments in credential programs. Elliott stressed it is important for nondegree programs to be updated with in-demand skill sets, and for students to know what is in it for them.

"How many of your program completers have jobs in this field? What are they making, is it full-time employment? What companies are they typically employed with?" Elliott asked. "Data really can empower learners and workers to make good decisions."

For the first time, starting July 1, students pursuing nondegree credentials will be eligible to receive federal Pell grants of up to $7,300.

Elliott argued in addition to need-based tuition waivers, new funding models also need to account for barriers to participation such as child care, housing, exam fees, emergency aid, academic supplies and transportation costs. She added investments getting people the skills they need to land good-paying jobs produce widespread benefits.

"Opening up workforce development programs, opening up pathways to a livable wage, pathways to jobs that provide benefits," Elliott underscored. "All of that leads to better communities, to better neighbors, to more informed voters."