SCORE memo notes need to align career credentials with workforce trends

A memo released today from the State Collaborative on Reforming Education (SCORE) said the state’s schools must do more to ensure Tennessee students receive the career and technical education needed to better meet the changing workforce needs of the state.

According to the organization's memo, the state needs to establish a clear set of expectations for outcomes that enable students to succeed when they enter the workforce. The memo came after discussions with education leaders, industry experts, student support organizations and policymakers about how degrees and credentials impact student outcomes and meet Tennessee’s workforce needs.

SCORE noted that schools in the state “have incomplete and disjointed data relating to the outcomes students are seeing with the credentials and degrees they are earning.” It added that state education policymakers, K-12 districts, higher-ed institutions, student support organizations and industry partners should collaborate to form partnerships geared toward helping students earn credentials that enable economic independence.

This is important as SCORE says research shows more than half of Tennessee jobs require some type of postsecondary training while less than half of Tennesseans have earned a postsecondary degree or credentials.

“By closely examining outcomes like earnings, job outlook and more, we can better understand which degrees and credentials lead to high-wage, high-demand jobs that are most likely to support students in careers that enable economic independence. We can then use those insights to guide state policies, practices and investments to ensure more students have access to those opportunities,” the memo said. “Most importantly, we can better advise students — in high school, in industry training, and at colleges and universities — to earn credentials that will launch them into fulfilling, economically sustainable careers that also support Tennessee’s economic development and prosperity.”

SCORE added that it’s “critical” for the state to create a framework to support students in gaining workforce credentials, similar to other states in recent years.  The organization said that through such a framework, education leaders, policymakers, community partners and industry leaders will be able to ensure that more students graduate with quality credentials and gain skills that are most in demand among employers.

As one example, the memo noted, North Carolina’s Workforce Credentials initiative categorizes nondegree credentials earned in the state by their level of alignment to high-wage, high-demand jobs. The categories — foundational, essential, career and advanced — provide perspective on the opportunities students can access through certain nondegree credentials based on state workforce trends and needs.

"Imagine a Tennessee where every student has a clear path to a rewarding career. A Tennessee where our education system and workforce needs are aligned, each supporting the growth and success of the other," said SCORE President and CEO David Mansouri. "Tennessee needs a clear set of expectations for outcomes that set students up to succeed when they enter the workforce."