There’s a widely held assumption that Americans struggling with economic hardship as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic are likely to turn to a community college for retraining. That theory seems to have support in a survey released Wednesday by the Strada Education Network.
Since May, one in five Americans age 18 and older have said they plan to enroll in an education program in the next six months, according to the survey results.
Among those who plan to enroll in some type of education, 37 percent said they prefer skills training or personal development courses. Twenty-five percent prefer a nondegree credential, such as a certificate or license.
Just 12 percent said they plan to pursue an associate degree, however, compared to 16 percent who prefer a bachelor’s degree and 10 percent who plan to earn a graduate degree.