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Education as a ‘Stepping Stone’ to a New Future for the Unemployed

Kay Kohl, UCEA Chief Executive Officer
UCEA InFocus, May 2009 (PDF)

Even in these recessionary times, there are job openings for adults with the right skill set and work ethic. There are labor shortages in white-collar niches, such as critical care nursing, special education, criminal justice, computer network administration, library science, and environmental engineering. There are also abundant job opportunities for experienced workers with professional credentials in the trades, such as welders, plumbers, electricians, masons, and carpenters.

Soon substantial Recovery package monies will flow to the states. These federal government investments are expected to generate an immediate demand for workers in green infrastructure and transportation in particular. Initially, many of the jobs created by the stimulus monies will not require a college degree. Still, given the Administration's strong push for healthcare reform and climate-energy legislation, there are new job opportunities on the near horizon for professionals as well. Healthcare reform will potentially decentralize the delivery of services and require an increased number of nurse practitioners, medical informatics specialists, and physicians' assistants. Reducing greenhouse gas emissions and requiring greater use of renewable energy will profoundly influence the job competencies required of professionals in the electric utilities and other sectors.

Green Job Growth

UCEA institutions have anticipated many of these workforce needs in the green jobs arena and developed relevant, flexible programs for adults. At one university, Extension offers an online BS degree completion program in Sustainable Management. A number of CE units provide LEED 2000 Strategies courses to project managers, civil engineers and architects who would like to develop the mandated knowledge required to play a leadership role in sustainable design. For adults contemplating a career change, post-baccalaureate Environment and Sustainability certificate programs offered by several urban universities can be an avenue into a new profession.

Similarly, UCEA institutions have been on the vanguard of developing curricula for the healthcare professionals. CE units are offering masters in medical informatics, preparing nurse practitioners, and training clinical laboratory technologists. University CE units are also offering master's in occupational therapy, a field that is projected to grow rapidly as the U.S. population ages.

Stumbling Block

A significant stumbling block to further education for the unemployed is that regulations make it difficult for an individual who has recently lost a job to go back to school without having to forfeit unemployment benefits. What's more, that person often will not qualify for federal student aid because in most cases aid is based upon the previous year's income.

The Administration is trying to enable unemployed adults to pursue education without losing their benefits. The Department of Education is providing colleges with legal advice about how they can put together financial aid packages for unemployed persons that would enable them to retain their unemployment benefits. Meanwhile the Department of Labor also is asking states to modernize their unemployment regulations so as to permit recipients to go back to school without losing their benefits. Though they share many common objectives, collaboration has not been typical of the Departments of Education and Labor. At the direction of the White House, however, Labor Secretary Hilda Solis and Education Secretary Arne Duncan have launched a new web site to help get information out about rules that could help unemployed continue their education without losing their benefits (http://www.opportunity.gov). This represents a radically new and welcome perspective. Instead of viewing unemployment benefits simply as a safety net, the system should also be a stepping stone.one that prepares people for employment when the economy revives.