Economic forecasts prior to the COVID-19 pandemic predicted that 7 out of 10 jobs would require some form of postsecondary education by 2030. While it is still too early to precisely predict what will happen in the short-term U.S. economy, evidence suggests that the combination of technology and economic forces will favor upskilling in the U.S. workforce. Overall, most of the evidence indicates that the fastest-growing occupations will require postsecondary education and that even midskilled occupations that traditionally have required lower levels of education to enter the workforce will require continued upskilling.
Political leaders have widely recognized that to attract and retain businesses and sustain economic development, it is imperative to have an educated populace and for more adults to obtain credentials and degrees. Currently, however, there are wide disparities in educational attainment across the country...