Generations ago, universities educated future clergymen and the children of the well-to-do. Today, institutions of higher learning have a hand in developing much of the American workforce. The following articles consider the theory and practice of this crucial task. How are colleges meeting their obligation to equip students to flourish in their careers?
West Virginia has no time to lose. Its 55-percent labor-force participation rate is better only than Mississippi’s. Life expectancy is under 73 years, again placing West Virginia in second-to-worst place…
Significant student-loan debt has hindered young people. That much is clear. Politicians, commentators, and vocal citizens often throw their two cents in on whether it is the individual’s or society’s…
Last month, the North Carolina Community College System (NCCCS) board voted unanimously to implement Propel NC, a new funding model that will incentivize enrollment in high-demand workforce sectors. The proposed…
A college education is often touted as absolutely necessary if one is to achieve the American dream. Yet college-completion rates have stagnated in recent years. Given that enrollment rates have…
One of the main goals of colleges and universities is to prepare students to enter the workforce, ideally in a manner connected to their fields of study. Likewise, a college…
One fact of life that everyone in human society has known over the millennia: Life is hard. Yet, in recent years, particularly post-Covid, American society has developed the notion that…
The Biden administration will soon implement a set of regulations that are commonly known as “Gainful Employment.” These regulations would restrict some college programs’ eligibility to participate in federal financial-aid…
Former governor (and Martin Center namesake and board member) Jim Martin recently called for meeting North Carolina’s decarbonization goals and reliable electricity needs by deploying a nuclear-energy technology known as…
The types of jobs available before and after the Great Recession starkly differ. With the after-effects of the economic slowdown thanks to the coronavirus, the pattern could be repeated. Many…
All that the favorable job statistics for college graduates tell us is that having a degree positions you better in the job market compared with people who do not have those credentials. Many employers who need workers for jobs that require only basic abilities and a decent attitude now screen out people who don’t have college degrees. Companies looking to hire for positions such as sales supervisor and rental car agent, for instance, often state that they’ll only consider applicants who’ve graduated from college. What they studied or how well they did is largely beside the point.