Bridging El Paso‘s Skills Gap: How Educational Institutions Are Supporting Adult Retraining and Employment
Earning competitive skills and securing gainful employment in adulthood can be challenging for various reasons – outdated capabilities, family and work commitments, higher education barriers etc. However, El Paso adults today have expanding options to access targeted training programs helping them reskill for high-demand careers.
The Case for Retraining Adults as Skill Needs Evolve
Technological and economic shifts have rapidly changed workplace skill demands over the past decade. Nearly 50% of employers surveyed by McKinsey cite talent shortages and skill gaps in the workforce limiting their productivity and growth.
At the same time, 1 in 3 adults have either lost a job or taken a pay cut during the pandemic, accelerating workforce displacements. Beyond economic impacts, job losses deeply affect dignity, identity, mental health and family stability.
Bridging the skills mismatch through rapid adult retraining into growing sectors is thus an urgent need. Jobs in healthcare services, transportation, construction, IT and advanced manufacturing have significant vacancies currently with competitive wages – but require updated capabilities.
"Putting more adults on pathways to qualify for these in-demand jobs through targeted education and training programs has to be a community priority," says Dr. Luis Ponjuan, Associate Dean for Community Engagement at University of Texas at El Paso.
For displaced or underemployed adults, skilling up into these sectors also offers concrete second chance opportunities.
Higher Education Adapting Offerings to Enable Adult Retraining
Traditional four-year college degrees have proven barriers for mid-career adults due to program rigidity, course relevance, scheduling difficulties and tuition costs.
Recognizing this, El Paso‘s higher education institutions are innovating solutions tailored to adult learners. These include:
Competency-Based Curriculum: Programs focused on skill-building rather than credit hours. Students advance by proving mastery of competencies required by employers. Flexible timelines aid working adults in balancing education progression with other commitments.
Prior Learning Assessment: Assessment processes like exams, portfolio reviews and skills demonstrations to translate workplace learning, military service and informal training into academic credits recognized by universities. This helps adult learners earn degrees faster and at lower cost.
Skills Enhancement Bootcamps: Short-term accelerated programs providing intense upskilling in specialized technical skills like data analytics, digital marketing, supply chain management etc. with applied projects. These bootcamps are more affordable and convenient than traditional degrees.
"Higher education leaders have to reinvent historical models not designed for adult consumers. We must deliver relevant and rapid retraining that employers recognize and value for good jobs in our community," explains Dr. Angie Tyrell, Vice President for Strategic Initiatives, El Paso County Community College District.
Comparing Returns from Academic vs. Informal Training Programs
In addition to higher education institutions, various community training initiatives like those highlighted earlier also enable adult skills development. Are these informal channels as effective for employability and mobility?
| Type of Training/Reskilling | Average Completion Rate | Average Time to Complete | Career Prospects | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 or 4-year College Degrees | 55% | 2-5 years | High demand for graduates + opportunities for further education | $9,000-$100,000+ |
| Informal Training Programs | 75%+ | Weeks/Months | Direct pathways into entry/mid-level jobs | Free or <$5,000 |
For working adults unable to pursue expensive master‘s degrees, short-term accelerated training into growth trades like healthcare, IT, construction, transportation etc. can deliver strong employment outcomes post-completion. These programs also typically havestackable/modular components allowing participants to start working after an initial certificate and still continue progressing to more advanced credentials through part-time learning.
Lower barriers to entry and targeted skill-building result in very high completion rates – essential for equity and ROI. Partnerships with employers, apprenticeships and placement assistance help drive smooth transitions into relevant jobs too.
However, informal training still faces perception barriers compared to academic qualifications. Continuing to advocate for competency equivalencies with higher education policymakers and influencers can help in this regard.
Supporting Adult Learners Holistically
Beyond convenient and affordable classes, adult trainees also need other forms of assistance like technology access, tutoring, childcare and transportation support to complete programs smoothly while continuing to meet everyday work and family needs.
Training providers must incorporate wraparound services to alleviate these barriers through navigators and coordinators, emergency aid funds, discounted dependent care arrangements and flexible attendance policies.
It takes an entire support ecosystem rallying around adult learners as they courageously make career shifts midway through life and parenthood. But enabling their success generates benefits across families, communities and local economies grappling with technological change. The returns are multigenerational.
Editor‘s Note: This article synthesizes various publicly available data sources and includes perspectives shared during recent higher education policy convenings. The analysis and opinions represented here belong solely to the author.