The Georgetown Center on Education and the
Workforce recently released a report on Good Jobs
That Pay without a BA: A State-by-State Analysis, 2017. It defines a good job as
providing a living wage — or wages greater than $35,000 for workers under the age of
42 and greater than $45,000 for workers over the age of 42.
The report, which was commissioned by JPMorgan Chase, also discusses the
importance of registered apprenticeships, associate degree programs, and other forms
of education and training that prepare people for good jobs. And the findings nationally
are pretty simple.
A significant percentage of our economy, or a quarter of the American workforce, has a
good job but doesn’t have a bachelor’s degree. These jobs are highly technical and
increasingly require some type of post-secondary education — typically a certification,
a journeyperson credential, or an associate degree.
But the report also illustrates that the nature of good jobs is changing. It calls on states
to invest in a variety of postsecondary education options to support youth entering the
labor market and adults seeking to up-skill.
In Delaware, the percentage of workers who have a good job without a bachelor’s
degree has grown from 38.7 percent of all workers in 1991 to 40.7 percent in 2015.
That means roughly half of all workers in Delaware with good jobs have a bachelor’s
degree and half do not. The median earnings of non-bachelor good job workers was
$56,000 annually in 2015.
These non-bachelor good jobs are growing in industries such as health and financial
services, manufacturing, information technology, and construction. And these indemand
jobs complement industries that have traditionally underpinned Delaware’s
economy such as agriculture, hospitality, and business administration.
As our state’s economy changes, we need to consider how we evolve our education
and workforce development systems.
We are a state that relies on technology as a tool for economic development. We are
also a state that needs to develop talent at a regional scale based on employer needs
and expectations for in-demand jobs.
Further, we need to acknowledge that families, youth, employers, community
stakeholders, and educators play an equal part in the development of our future and
current workforce. Below are some ideas to help grow talent and build a brighter
economy for our youth and their families.
All families want their children to be happy, well educated, and have the opportunity to
pursue great careers. Nothing is more important than getting a head start on
education. Investments in early learning and literacy are important.
But so is an investment in STEM education (science, technology, engineering and
mathematics). If we want our youngest learners and elementary youth to understand
how science and technology will play a role in their future careers, we need to start
early.
People learn in a variety of formats and in different contexts. This past week, youth
and their families gathered at the ACE Mentoring program, which connects Delaware
youth interested in careers in architecture, engineering, and construction — and at the
5th Annual STEM Expo at Delaware Technical Community College, which helped
middle and high school students to build STEM skills aligned to potential careers.
We need to connect in-school and out-of-school learning to support the whole child.
And we need to grow the number of employers who sponsor industry-led projects and
support internships for secondary and post-secondary students.
We know that good jobs exist for people with and without a bachelor’s degree. We
need to elevate our conversation with youth about what it means to be prepared for the
workforce.
Opportunities for good jobs exist through different types of post-secondary education,
including registered apprenticeship, associate degree programs, and bachelor’s
degree programs. Our discussion with youth needs to focus on what excites them
about learning — then we need to talk about the type of post-secondary education that
most closely aligns with their career aspirations.
As our economy shifts, more and more jobs that only require a high school diploma will
change or be eliminated. Our continued investment in state scholarship programs such
as the SEED and Inspire are essential to increase the skill level of our future
workforce.
We must also consider new investments, such as the workforce intermediary at
Delaware Technical Community College, to further bridge the gap between education
providers and employers.
If you would like to learn more about the discussion occurring to help shape our
education and workforce system, you are invited to attend the 4th Annual Delaware
Pathways Conference from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. April 27 at the Chase Center in
Wilmington.
If you or your children are interested in learning more about in-demand careers, you
are invited to attend the free Pathways EXPO from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. in the same
location.
Employer partners such as Christiana Care Health System and Nemours Alfred I
duPont Hospital for Children will provide hands-on activities to showcase careers in
healthcare along with dozens of community partners who support youth and adult skill
development.
For more information please visit delawarepathways.org.
Luke Rhine is Director of Career and Technical
Education/STEM Initiatives at the Delaware
Department of Education.
Randolph Guschl is
executive director of the Delaware Foundation for
Science and Math Education.
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