National Nonprofit Partners with Arkansas Community Colleges to Build Skills-Based Pathways and Promote Economic Growth

In partnership with Education Design Lab, eight Arkansas community colleges will develop and scale skills-based pathways to high-demand careers.

WASHINGTON, Nov. 14, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Education Design Lab (the Lab) today announced the launch of a new initiative to expand Arkansas' college-to-career pipeline. The "Scaling Learner Opportunity and Economic Growth Across Arkansas" program will bring colleges, employers, learners, and local stakeholders together to collaboratively design agile, skills-based education-to-career pathways to meet the state's evolving workforce needs.

Using the Lab's human-centered design framework, the colleges will design, test, and scale seven to fifteen "micro-pathways" — stackable credentials achievable within less than a year — that will put learners both on the path to an associate degree or to liveable-wage employment in high-growth industries, based on data and feedback from industry partners across the state.

The demands of today's employers go beyond traditional education; workers need to be able to bring in-demand skills to the table on their first day on the job," said Dr. Stephanie Tully-Dartez, President of South Arkansas College. "Using the Lab's human-centered design process, we're crafting micro-pathways tailored to the needs of businesses throughout the state, and helping Arkansans access stable, family-sustaining jobs and continued career growth." 

Arkansas's economy is booming, with continuous job growth in all four regions of the state in key industries including aerospace and defense, agricultural technology, IT, and manufacturing. However, Arkansas faces one of the nation's worst worker shortages despite high workforce participation and consistent, lower-than-average unemployment. As historic providers of accessible, affordable, and innovative programs, community colleges are well-positioned to address barriers to the workforce, and ensure both current and future workers are prepared to enter — and maintain relevant skills for — the state's most economically vital fields.

"Micro-credentialing is a game-changer for ASU Newport students, offering a flexible pathway to valuable credentials while balancing work, family, and education," said Charles Walker, Director of Workforce Development, Arkansas State University, Newport. "This approach allows students and workers to efficiently gain targeted expertise and enter high-demand, high-wage jobs — without the potentially prohibitive expense and time commitment of a four-year degree."

The pathways created through the Scaling Learner Opportunity program will build upon skills-based, employer-responsive workforce readiness initiatives and partnerships already underway at the participating institutions:

• South Arkansas College
• Arkansas State University, Newport
• Arkansas State University, Three Rivers
• Arkansas Tech University, Ozark Campus
• East Arkansas Community College
• North Arkansas College
• Northwest Arkansas Community College
• University of Arkansas Rich Mountain

"The push to adopt micro-pathways has really taken off across the country in recent years, showing how higher education and the workforce are becoming more connected," said Bill Hughes, President and CEO of Education Design Lab. "This initiative is about creating educational programs that keep up with fast-changing industry demands while meeting the needs of New Majority Learners — a crucial balance for building a stronger, more resilient workforce."

Since the launch of CCGE, the Lab has worked with 89 community colleges and systems throughout the nation to design and pilot more than 100 employer-validated micro-pathways in six sectors and over 30 occupations that connect New Majority Learners to employment in careers at or above median wage.

Funding for this effort has been generously provided by Ascendium Education Group, Strada Education Foundation, and Walmart.

About Education Design Lab

The Education Design Lab (the Lab) is a national nonprofit that co-designs, prototypes, and tests education-to-workforce models through a human-centered design process focused on understanding learners' experiences, addressing equity gaps in higher education, and connecting learners to economic mobility. Learn more: www.eddesignlab.org.

SOURCE Education Design Lab