Increase the focus on current and future workforce needs. Understand workforce needs and to align programs to better serve students.

Work together with state leaders to provide toolkits, professional development and training for deans, department chairs and faculty to analyze relevant data and align curricula to workforce needs.

Cultivate relationships between faculty and industry leaders. These partnerships can foster resource-sharing and design better programs to prepare students for the skills employers need.

Work with administrators and faculty to:

• Create comprehensive, coherent strategic plans that commit to being mindful of workforce priorities.
• Create work groups that regularly connect faculty with local or regional employers and the community to discuss workforce needs.
• Engage students in discussions about program or curriculum changes.

Improve data governance and use of education and workforce data.

Encourage a campus culture that is more open to — and capable of — data-informed decisions about what programs to offer and how to deliver them.

Support faculty use of workforce data during review of academic programs and curricula in order to make adjustments, create programs or end programs that are no longer relevant.

Continue to build relevant career pathways for students, with support as they transition to college and then on to careers.

Develop dialogue and processes that lead to more accelerated and innovative learning options for students. These should include:

• Supports for students at key transition points
• More access to dual or concurrent credit, AP courses and IB programs
• Prior learning assessments to give credit for skills and knowledge already obtained
• Job- or industry-based micro-credentials (both credit and non-credit options)
• Stackable micro-credentials, certificates and degree programs
• Academic focus or meta major options so students select a focus area that enables a more efficient path to a degree

Help faculty embed, into all disciplines and curricula, career- or job-related education and preparation skills, including:

• Life skills
• Critical thinking
• Lifelong learning capacity
• Self-marketing skills

K-12 school leaders should also work to embed these skills throughout the middle and high school curricula.

Increase employer engagement on advisory boards, in curriculum review and in learning opportunities such as internship-to-job pipelines for students.