With millions unemployed and many more facing precarious or short-term work, higher learning institutions need to prioritize stackable credentials to put their non-traditional students in the best position for success.
Jordesha Turner dreamed of earning a bachelor’s degree right after high school, but by the time she arrived on our Houston campus, an abusive home life, persistent unemployment and stretches of homelessness had destroyed her confidence in doing so. She started one of our nine-month certificate programs because she wanted to provide a better life for her two children, and it felt like something she could actually do. It was a step forward.
Turner made a bet with a cousin that she’d make straight A’s, and she did. That experience—and earning a medical assistant certificate—gave her the confidence to immediately pursue an associate’s degree and to land a job that pays her $17 an hour and gives her stable hours and benefits. She has her own place now and is able to support her two boys while continuing to work toward a bachelor’s degree.
For students like Turner, pursuing a bachelor’s degree shouldn’t be all or nothing—either complete the entire degree, or go home empty-handed.