In this memo, we outline the various nondegree credentials and providers, the stats related to the skyrocketing popularity of nondegree credentials, and the data insights still needed to realize the opportunities nondegree credentials offer to students and the workforce. Readers will:
- Review current characteristics of nondegree credentials and the range of credential types and providers operating in the complex nondegree landscape.
- Make education-to-work connections between nondegree credentials and their ability to help close the state’s projected workforce gaps while also opening doors to high-wage, high-demand jobs for students and Tennesseans.
- Explore the information still needed to develop an understanding of the impact of nondegree credentials and drive action that benefits students, workers, and the economy as a whole.
To learn more about SCORE’s work on credentials of impact, read Connecting Education and Opportunity: A Framework for Credential Impact in Tennessee. Released in the fall of 2024, the report offers a framework for identifying postsecondary pursuits that lead to credentials offering higher wages, a connection to a growing job field, and stackability to increase skills development.
Related Resources
SCORE Institute: Remarks & Data Slides
- Mary Cypress Metz, SCORE Senior Vice President of Strategy
- Dr. Stephen Moret, President & CEO, Strada Education Foundation