May/June 2007

Bridges to Economic Security in the New Economy

Wisconsin's economy and the jobs it supports have changed dramatically in the last three decades. For example, low-skilled but well-paying manufacturing jobs have declined by the thousands while low-wage service sector jobs - with little or no benefits and little hope of moving up - abound. It is no longer likely that someone can graduate from high school, get a job requiring few skills or educational credentials, and work their way up to self-sufficiency and into the middle class. In order to obtain and retain a family-supporting job in today's increasingly knowledge-based economy, people need postsecondary education and credentials.

These changes in the workplace have been accompanied by changes to our workforce. Significant numbers of baby boomers are beginning to retire, there are more non-English speakers entering the workforce, and many of those who do graduate from high school are entering the labor market with poor basic skills in math, English and computer literacy. The result is a basic skills shortage at the very time when good jobs require strong basic skills and more.

The growing focus on postsecondary education (in the form of associate degrees, technical diplomas, and certificate programs as well as bachelor degrees) is a positive response to the needs of our workers and our employers. Research clearly illustrates the value of this approach. In Wisconsin, those who obtain an associate degree, for example, earn wages 25 percent higher than those just completing high school. In addition to higher wages, those with more education are more likely to work full-time and to have benefits as well.

Helping more workers move into and through postsecondary education is a difficult task, however. Non-traditional students face myriad challenges as they try to return to the education system -- built long ago for "traditional," full-time students -- to increase their skills and their employability. Adult students often have to balance school with work and child care. There are also financial limitations, and they may lack recent experience in academic settings and basic study habits and skills. They may in fact not be prepared academically to enter directly into postsecondary programs , perhaps having to first complete their GED, or take remedial education courses.

These changes and challenges are common nationwide. Leaders in a number of states, including Wisconsin, have recognized the changing nature of work, and are exploring different approaches to fostering greater skill development and educational attainment among adult workers. "Bridge" programs represent one promising approach.

Bridge programs are designed to prepare low-skilled adults for postsecondary education and family-supporting jobs. They are meant for those without a high school diploma or GED, students with a diploma or GED but in remedial education courses, those in English as a second language courses, displaced workers, the unemployed and the underemployed.

Bridge programs are, at their core, a workforce development strategy that typically combines aspects of classroom basic skills learning and specific job skills training that prepare the student both for employment in in-demand jobs (preferably jobs that can lead into a career ladder) and for continued success in postsecondary education.

While the specifics of programs differ based on local circumstances, there are a number of elements common to many bridge programs, including:

  • a curriculum based on the skills and competencies needed for specific jobs;
  • instruction through projects, labs and simulated work situations;
  • a focus on jobs and industries chosen after careful consideration of local economies;
  • program flexibility in location and timing;
  • programs that are condensed to allow for rapid completion or completion in "chunks;"
  • linkages to critical support services (child care, financial aid, counseling, etc.); and
  • job and college placement assistance.

A number of model bridge programs are in operation around the country. For example, the state of Washington is well known for its I-BEST (Integrated Basic Education and Skills Training) programs. Based at community colleges, the programs include basic education and vocational education staff teaching together in the classroom, combining basic and job skills instruction. The programs, which have recently been expanded statewide from the original pilots, include many of the basic bridge program elements listed above, and the results have been positive. I-BEST participants were five times more likely to earn college credits, and 15 times more likely to complete workforce training than those in traditional programs.

There have been limited efforts here in Wisconsin. One Wisconsin example worth looking at is the program spearheaded by the Wisconsin Regional Training Partnership, a labor-management effort in the Milwaukee area that acts as the lead agency in the Center of Excellence in Skilled Trades and Industries program. This is a demand-driven operation in which key employer needs are identified and pre-employment training programs are then developed. Local technical colleges and other local training organizations help develop the curriculum, combining training in the soft and technical skills required in that particular profession. The program has been a successful one, with nearly 150 participants having been placed in laborer, utility, and construction jobs in 2004, at an average starting wage of $15.80 per hour with benefits.

A number of key workforce and education entities can participate, and even lead the way, in the development of local bridge programs, including: workforce development boards, adult education providers, job centers, community groups, community or technical colleges, and Wisconsin Works (W-2) agencies.

Bridge programs represent a particularly promising option for W-2 participants. About one-third of W-2 participants are assigned to adult basic education due to their low skills and low educational attainment levels. These participants could benefit greatly from bridge programs that address both their educational deficiencies and their lack of specific job skills.

Wisconsin's economic performance, and the economic security of the state's families, will rest largely on how policymakers respond to the changes taking place in the workforce and the jobs those workers must fill. Bridge programs are one workforce development strategy that can help meet the growing postsecondary needs of our low-skilled and low-credentialed workers.