CEW Updates: Fall Brings Us an Important Message About ACS & More!

CEW Fall 2014 Newsletter

Dear Friends and Colleagues,

First, I would like to bring attention to an important matter. You might already be aware that the U.S. Census Bureau has proposed to eliminate the collection of data on the undergraduate field of degree from the annual American Community Survey (ACS). The ACS is an annual nationwide survey of 3 million households. The Center on Education and the Workforce has relied on the ACS for several research reports on unemployment rates and wages for various college majors.

The elimination of this data is part of a proposal to revise the ACS’s 72-question survey and reduce the time burden placed upon respondents. The move would eliminate the only information that students, parents, and educators can rely on to understand the economic benefits of individual college majors. The U.S. Census Bureau is accepting comments until December 30, 2014. We encourage you to submit comments to Jennifer Jessup in the Department of Commerce (jjessup@doc.gov).

Second, it has been a few months since I joined the center in the capacity of State Initiative Director and I am pleased to have this opportunity to update you on our work. Prior to joining the center, I worked at CLASP (the Center For Law and Social Policy) as part of the postsecondary education and workforce team. While I was at CLASP, I focused on a number of issues, including the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act and development of the performance metrics and data requirements for the Alliance for Quality Career Pathways.

Having worked in different capacities at the intersection of education and employment, I look forward to expanding the center’s efforts to build a multi-state strategy. The goal of this State Initiative is to assist states in the development of information systems that will integrate education and workforce data to improve policies and programs. Business, non-profit and government sectors are increasingly using such data, and we are committed to strengthening and leveraging these efforts.

Third, through this message and on behalf of the Center on Education and the Workforce, I would like to extend our warm wishes during the holiday season. Last year we saw tremendous growth as a center and we tie this success to your support. We thank you for your continued support and for sharing our work.

Yours sincerely,
Neil Ridley
Director of State Initiative

Federal Reserve National Conference

Courageous Learning: The Documentary

CAPSEE Conference: The Value of Education

In partnership with the Federal Reserve, the Heldrich Center for Workforce Development at Rutgers University brought CEW Staff, Neil Ridley and other experts together on Oct 15-17 to share insight on improving workforce skills, job opportunities and creating development strategies that can be used nationally.

Grab a seat and enjoy Courageous Learning: the Documentary as it reveals how educational advancements centered on improving business models of colleges through flexible class options, ability to transfer credits, and lowering the cost of tuition can improve worker’s skills to meet employment opportunities of the future with guest appearance by Dr. Anthony Carnevale. He also appeared as a guest speaker during the Congressional E-learning Caucus held a June movie screening at the U.S. Capitol Visitors Center.

The Center for Analysis of Postsecondary Education and Employment (CAPSEE) held a conference highlighting the value of college. CEW Director, Anthony P. Carnevale and other scholars presented research on state-level labor market outcomes and financial aid programs.

Bureau of Labor Statistics Women Anniversary

Transforming U.S. Workforce Development Policies for the 21st Century

A commissioned series of authors including Dr. Anthony P. Carnevale and Nicole Smith wrote for the United States Department of Labor’s 50^th Anniversary of American Women released earlier this year. Look for their chapter on page 25, Women, Jobs and Opportunity in the 21^st Century.

A chapter from CEW Director, Anthony P. Carnevale and Senior Analyst, Andrew R. Hanson has been commissioned by The Federal Reserve Banks of Atlanta and Kansas City for a new book, Transforming U.S. Workforce Development Policies for the 21st Century. The chapter discusses satisfying a growing demand for skilled workers by connecting education and training programs to labor market outcomes. Stay tuned for the release of the book in 2015.

Hard Times to Better Times

Nursing: Supply And Demand

In this third installment of the Hard Times report, we show the differences in unemployment and earnings for college majors.

This report analyzes the growing demand in the nursing field and the educational requirements necessary to qualify for positions in an unmet market.

Find out where well-paying jobs are that match your skills in USA Today’s Where the Jobs are: The New Blue Collar by Mary Jo. Dr. Carnevale gives his opinion on middle-skill jobs, requiring some post-secondary education but less than a Bachelor’s Degree.

Explore the demand for college credentials with Inside Higher Ed. In this opinion piece experts provide insight on the reshaping workforce.

Do you know which degree will give you the best entry-level opportunities? Check out CNN’s 6 Things You Need to Know About STEM.

We are happy to share Dr. Carnevale’s quote of the Day as featured in the New York Times: “Think of it [schools that offer short-term courses in software coding] as a place where technology outruns education.”

Learn 5 Steps To Calculating Your College R.O.I. on Forbes. The article highlights reasons why college pays off and Andrew Hanson, senior analyst shares how to calculate living cost for out-of-state students.