Education Meets Workforce Needs
A strategy that aligns academic programs with workforce needs and career opportunities, ensuring students graduate with skills, credentials, and experiences required to thrive in the job market.
Skills Gap
Employers report critical gaps in areas like critical thinking, digital literacy, and adaptability
Career Disconnect
Traditional education often fails to connect learning to workforce applications
Completion Gaps
Students lack clear pathways between education and meaningful employment
Proof Points
Students in career-aligned programs demonstrate significantly higher completion rates, employment outcomes, and earnings while institutions develop stronger community partnerships.
- Students in career-aligned programs are 50% more likely to secure employment after graduation
- Career-aligned graduates earn 14-17% more at entry level
- Structured pathways reduce completion gaps by up to 40% for historically excluded student populations
- Career-aligned graduates see 22% higher employment rates six years after completion
Through its “Earn and Learn” initiative and over 280 employer partnerships, Miami Dade College aligns every academic program to workforce needs while creating paid opportunities. The college saw a 31% increase in completion and 28% improvement in job placement rates.
Miami Dade College
Miami, FL
Benefits
Academic and career alignment improves student outcomes while strengthening institutional relationships with employers and demonstrating clear educational value to stakeholders and the broader community.
Employment Success
Higher job placement rates and stronger career advancement opportunities
Institutional Partnerships
Deeper relationships with regional employers and industry leaders
Student Preparation
Enhanced career readiness and workforce-relevant skill development
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