College for All? The Labor Market for College-Educated Workers, by Paul Osterman

This paper addresses the concern that if the supply of college-educated labor is sharply increased, the market for “college jobs” will become oversaturated, and many college-educated individuals will end up in “non-college” jobs. The paper reaches the following conclusions:

1. Given previous ebbs and flows in wage data, there is no reason to believe that in the long run the gains associated with college will disappear.
2. Occupational projections and direct observation of trends in work organization both suggest that employers’ demand for skill will grow over time, albeit at a modest rate.
3. The experience of graduates of the open admissions program at the City University of New York shows that the graduates reaped substantial benefits from their increase in education.
4. A comparison of the projected productivity gains associated with a doubling of the rate of college attendance versus the costs of such a policy shows that the increased attendance would be good public policy.

Center for American Progress, August 2008

Ready for College and Ready for Work: Same or Different?

“This study provides empirical evidence that the levels of readiness that high school graduates need to be prepared for college and for workforce training programs are comparable. These empirical results are also supported by commonalities seen in the types of knowledge and skills students need to be ready for college and workforce training programs, even though these skills are often taught and assessed in different contexts. All of these skills can be acquired through rigorous high school courses, regardless of the context (academic or career focused) within which they are taught. The results of this study underscore the importance of having a common expectation for all students when they graduate from high school: one that prepares all high school graduates for both credit-bearing entry-level college courses and workforce training programs associated with jobs that are likely to offer both a wage sufficient to support a small family and the potential for career advancement.” (p. 8)

ACT, 2006

Fast Track to College: Increasing Postsecondary Success for All Students, by Hilary C. Pennington

”[Advanced placement and dual enrollment] programs are growing in an ad hoc way. For the most part, they are not reaching the young people least likely to go to college, nor are they being shaped intentionally to significantly increase the number of students who complete education credentials beyond high school.  This is unfortunate. In today’s world, we cannot leave to chance the likelihood that most young people will complete education beyond high school. This does not mean that all students should complete a four-year baccalaureate degree, but all young people will b enefit from education and some kind of credential beyond high school, including two-year Associate’s degrees, industry certificates, and apprenticeships.” (Page 2)

“If the end goal is having more young people attain postsecondary credentials more quickly—with less waste of time and resources—attention should focus not only better preparation at each level, but also on the connections between the K-12 and postsecondary education systems.  We must make the transition between these largely separate systems more seamless and easier than it is today, so that students are less likely to be lost as they progress through the pipeline.” (Page 9)

Center for American Progress, December 2004