WGU Labs
The non-profit EdTech consulting, incubation, research, and design arm of Western Governors University
The Broken Pathway
What we’re getting wrong about higher education and workforce partnerships — and how to fix them
Given today's shifting social, financial, and political landscape, there is a growing appetite to develop stronger partnerships between institutions of higher education and the workforce. Yet we still don’t have a scalable model of how such partnerships could offer better pathways from learning to earning.
So, what are we getting wrong about higher education and workforce partnerships?
To find out, we convened a group of stakeholders, including experts from higher education, workforce, philanthropy, and policy, in New Orleans in June 2023. Together, we explored the barriers impeding the development of effective pathway partnerships from education to careers — and ideated solutions to bridge the gap.
I helped plan the convening, participated in the convening sessions, documented the conversations and solutions ideated, and turned those insights into a white paper.
Key Results
927 downloads
Feature coverage in Working Nation, Inside Higher Education, University Business, Public News Service, ABC57, and the Lumina Foundation
93.65% conversion rate from LinkedIn ads
Helping Talent Rise
Rethinking postsecondary education access for under-resourced populations
Millions of low-wage workers in the U.S. are stuck in jobs that offer little stability or opportunity for advancement. These positions often lack critical benefits like health care, paid leave, and the flexibility needed to manage life’s challenges, leaving workers and their families trapped in a cycle of poverty. For many, this is not a temporary situation — these workers came from low-income households and are now supporting their own dependents on the same low wages, repeating the pattern across generations.
Education could be the key to breaking this cycle. A college degree remains one of the most reliable pathways to upward mobility, offering better job prospects and financial stability. Yet millions of workers remain cut off from postsecondary opportunities due to inherited poverty, underfunded education, and limited digital access. Without intervention, future generations will face the same barriers, trapped in low-resilience jobs with growing financial and family responsibilities, but unable to pursue the education needed to escape.
To better understand this overlooked population, WGU Labs analyzed over 20 years of National Longitudinal Survey of Youth data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics and published our findings in a research report.
I drafted an accompanying brief that highlights our unique perspective on the data — and outlines the economic imperative of helping these individuals advance into better-paying, more fulfilling careers.
Overcoming the Demand Cliff with Competency Based Education
There is no “typical” college student anymore. More and more 18-year-olds are bypassing college and entering the workforce immediately after high school. Meanwhile, more adult learners are enrolling in postsecondary education for the first time or resuming their studies after stopping out.
According to the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center's latest Stay Informed report, undergraduate enrollment is up 3% this fall. But freshman enrollment is down 5%. The data shows that enrollment growth is instead being driven by by increases in non-freshman students and dual enrolled high school students. Additionally, the number of students pursuing shorter-term credentials is continuing to grow rapidly, with enrollment in undergraduate certificate programs increasing by 7.3%.
It’s clear that both young adults and working adults value affordability, flexibility, and relevancy when it comes to their education.
In this white paper, I explore why it’s imperative for higher education institutions to adapt now to better serve post-traditional learners.