Measuring the Impact of Non-Degree Training Programs: New Insights and Recommendations

Non-degree training programs have become an essential pathway for skill development and career transitions. However, understanding the true impact of these “alternative” training programs on learners’ careers has been challenging. AdeptID’s new research sheds light on this important topic, and our corresponding policy memo recommends actions for workforce development practitioners and policymakers to better support learners’ career success.

Key Findings

The study evaluated wage growth and job success rates for individuals who completed various non-degree programs. The results highlighted where additional resources might be applied to ensure training programs are benefiting all learners:

• Prior experience and educational background play a crucial role in learners’ post-training success.
• Career changers face greater challenges than those whose prior jobs aligned with the training topic, but they also experience higher wage growth when successful.
• To understand the full picture of program outcomes for all learners, more comprehensive data collection and unbiased representation is needed.

Recommendations for Practitioners and Policymakers

The memo offers several actionable recommendations, including:

• Incentivizing public profile creation for learners
• Enhancing support for career changers
• Addressing educational disparities in program outcomes
• Aligning training programs with labor market demands
• Improving data collection and transparency

To dive deeper into the findings and recommendations, we encourage you to read the full policy memo and explore the complete research paper.

By understanding and acting on these insights, we can work towards a more skilled, adaptable, and equitable workforce for the future.

This research was funded by WorkRise, a project of the Urban Institute.