Peter Riley Bahr, Ph.D., Vice President and Research Director, Strada Institute for the Future of Work

Kathy Booth, Director, Center for Economic Mobility WestEd

A decade ago, researchers coined the term “skills builders” to describe students who successfully complete one or two career-related courses and translate that knowledge into increased earning power. New research shows that many people are following this course-taking pattern–a trend that is likely to grow as people seek to reskill for the rapidly changing economy. How can community colleges ensure that more students benefit from short-term training options and encourage students to continue taking courses that lead to industry recognized credentials and living wage jobs? This session will share insights from research in Ohio and Colorado about the economic returns to short-term coursetaking, explain how to identify skills builders at your institution, and offer strategies for ways to support students’ short-term and long-term economic mobility goals.