Credentials for All: An Imperative for SREB States

Publication Gene Bottoms April 2015 | (15V08)

SREB’s Commission on Career and Technical Education offered eight actions states can take to build rigorous, relevant career pathways. Supported by policies and practices described in the report, these actions can help states increase the percentage of young adults earning valuable industry and postsecondary credentials.

States are gaining ground on high school graduation rates. However, the future looks bleak for young people with a high school diploma or less and no postsecondary credential of value in the workplace. The number of jobs available to those with a high school diploma or less has steadily declined for decades, and the Great Recession hit these individuals hard, particularly in SREB states. Workers with a high school diploma or less continue to lose jobs despite the economic recovery.

The Commission addressed ways to create high-quality career pathways and ensure that young adults are prepared for today’s knowledge-based economy

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