Work Shift

Work Shift is supported largely by donations. Thanks to several foundations and individual donors, we'll be able to produce agenda-free, in-depth coverage of the busy education+work space through 2025. But we won't be able to continue beyond next year without your help. Please consider making a gift today through the link in the comments. With more support we can continue to work with savvy reporters around the country who are trying to keep a handle on how the labor market is changing, and what that means for education and job training. We focus solely on lower-income Americans, who don't get the attention they deserve, from policymakers as well as media outlets. The financial incentives just aren't there. But your support allows us to amplify cutting-edge research, policies, and experiments that matter for working learners and frontline workers. Thanks, and happy holidays.

Lots of #workforce news this week as Congress and the states do a final push before the end of the year. If don't already subscribe to The Job newsletter, do it now to catch everything in tomorrow's issue, including: + The U.S. House releasing its bipartisan report on AI. + Deloitte on how AI is changing job requirements for tech roles. + WIOA update getting a new life through the continuing resolution Congress is considering to keep the government going. + California releasing its framework for helping more people without degrees get good jobs. + A new bipartisan Commission on the American Workforce led by former TN governor Bill Haslam and former MA governor Deval Patrick. Plus, Paul Fain's take on the shifting market for tech training. Subscribe here: https://lnkd.in/eyeb_Kum

I've heard that medical billing and coding jobs are at risk of being replaced by AI. Nobody will say this on the record, though. The industry's credentialing org, AAPC, told me they're not seeing any substantial disruption. And I'm assuming community colleges have no plans to reassess their cert programs in billing and coding. But we heard this yesterday from RAND: One large hospital system now uses AI to do all of its outpatient medical coding. Humans are only used for auditing the AI's work. So if jobs in this industry are substantially exposed to AI, will students hear about it? Whose job is it to let them know about huge changes to their occupation?

What's next for US apprenticeship policy? Elyse Ashburn at Work Shift provides a quick state of play in her article covering the withdrawal of the proposed Biden administration rules. And check out the excellent companion op-ed in WorkShift by Vanessa Bennett and Taylor Maag. https://lnkd.in/gGgUKA9j #apprenticeship

What makes the partnership between NVIDIA and #California community colleges different from other tech and education ventures? 💡 The Big Idea: California community colleges are betting on #AI becoming more prominent in future jobs. They want to get students credentialed in AI technology — hopefully placing them in higher-paying jobs with better career mobility. ⚙️ How It Works: Nvidia trains faculty to use their curricula on the function, ethics, and development of AI. Those faculty members will be able to teach the modules not only to their students but also to other #faculty members in a “train-the-trainer” model. 🤝 It’s About Equity: System leaders want diverse students to access the same kinds of tools and training as students at major universities, like Arizona State University and the University of Michigan. 👇 Read more at the link in our comments: #WorkShift #ArtificialIntelligence #FutureOfWork #CommunityColleges

🧠 We don’t know enough about the quality of nondegree credentials. The Education and Employment Research Center, Rutgers University is striving to change that. As the demand for nondegree credentials—like certificates, microcredentials, and badges—grows, there’s not much data to help answer some critical questions: Are these credentials preparing students for success in the workforce? Are employers getting the skilled workers they need? And can learners trust that their investment will pay off? With nondegree credentials on the brink of receiving major investments from policymakers, there needs to be a way to measure their success—and that’s what Rutgers is developing. 🔗 Follow Rutgers as they dig deep into quality—exploring the information that each of these stakeholders needs, the stakes of their decisions, and the people working to shape both data and decisions: https://lnkd.in/gf44Fcd4

"AI won't take your job, but someone who who knows how to use AI will." This overused phrase doesn't appear in a landmark study on AI and the future of work, from the National Academies and an all-star committee of experts. But the 152-page report includes lots of more interesting details. Let me know what you think? I'll have coverage tomorrow in The Job newsletter and Work Shift. Subscribe here: https://lnkd.in/e-KnZ3Dy

Germany’s shift in education models is reshaping workforce development—and it could be a game changer for apprenticeship in the U.S. As #Germany's traditional apprenticeships decline, universities of applied sciences are growing in popularity, offering career-focused education with better pay and more job opportunities post-graduation. To make these programs even more competitive, many schools are now pairing them with paid #apprenticeships. 🔹 The appeal: Degree apprenticeships provide practical, hands-on experience while offering financial support to advance in their careers—making graduates highly competitive in the job market. 🔹 It’s affordable: The hybrid model allows students to earn while they learn, easing the financial burden of post-secondary education. 🔹 The business case: Some employers are heavily invested in these programs, and see a direct return on their investment through employees who are job-ready from day one. 👉 This model may offer valuable lessons for U.S. #education as we rethink how to train the next generation of workers. 🔎 Dig deeper: https://lnkd.in/gUucMwUd #highereducation #workforce #futureofwork

For the past few months, I've been talking to people in Colorado about learning and employment records (LERs) -- something that could potentially revolutionize how people apply for jobs and are hired. But what is an LER? From my latest for Work Shift: In recent years, LERs have been a significant focus of policymakers and reformers who are interested in how better organized and more accessible data can power economic mobility. The digital records have the potential to verify credentials in an age where it’s easier and easier to fake a resume thanks to advances in AI. LERs could also help level the playing field by emphasizing skills rather than credentials only, meaning, for example, that someone without a bachelor’s degree but with 30 years of experience could verify their qualifications for a job. 

💡 What are micro-pathways, and how can they help students land high-demand jobs quickly? These stackable credentials can be earned in a year or less and count as credits toward a degree, offering a faster route into the workforce while addressing critical labor shortages. But one challenge stands out: micro-pathways are only as valuable as the job market demand. In #Arkansas, where the Education Design Lab has partnered with seven community colleges to test micro-pathways, that demand is high: the state faces one of the nation’s biggest worker shortages. Can micro-pathways bridge the gap? Learn more about this approach to workforce development in our article: https://lnkd.in/ewmqCMgc #FutureOfWork #highereducation #communitycollegew