Years after finishing high school, Tracy Perez is finally in college, working to complete her bachelor’s degree. Help from the military provided an incentive for Perez to complete her education.
But according to a new report from the Center for Law and Social Policy (CLASP), returning to college may become a necessity for millions of adults like Perez.
The report, “Not Just Kids Stuff Anymore: The Economic Imperative for More Adults to Complete College,” finds that the demand for college-educated workers is expected to rise 16 percent by 2018. Yet, what has traditionally been a reliable source of workers—high school graduates—are expected to diminish over the next decade.
In order to keep up with the demands of an increasingly competitive workforce, a growing number of adults will need to attend—or complete—college.
“Congress, state governments and colleges can all support adult credential completion by recognizing that adult students are a substantial and growing share of the undergraduate student population and adjusting policies accordingly,” the authors write.
Cheryl Blanco, vice president for special projects at the Southern Regional Educational Board (SREB), says that the CLASP report, though troubling, brings much needed attention to the plight of adult learners, who have complex schedules and often struggle to balance school, work and family.
Blanco says that the national debate over college completion has excluded large numbers of students who have college credentials but have yet to finish their degrees.
