Tracking Postsecondary-to-Workforce Outcomes Topic of New Research Report
State policymakers, agencies, and families are increasingly interested in understanding what happens to students after they leave or graduate from college. Post-college outcomes – including whether students pursue further education, successfully enter the workforce, or move out of the state – are essential for evaluating the return on public and private investments in higher education and informing state higher education policy.
A new report from MHEC synthesizes findings from interviews with officials in 11 Midwest states to better understand how states currently track post-college outcomes and to identify potential opportunities for improving state data capabilities in monitoring postsecondary and workforce outcomes within and across states. It focuses on intrastate, cross-state, and national data sources used for student tracking.
“Understanding workforce outcomes is critical for ensuring that postsecondary education leads to meaningful careers opportunities that advance states’ current and future needs,” says John Burczek Dreier, vice president of policy and research at MHEC. “This report provides critical insights into how states are building systems and models to track how their postsecondary students are moving into the workforce. It highlights how there isn’t a single universal approach to tracking workforce outcomes that can meet states’ needs, which is why MHEC remains committed to exploring opportunities to support states in scaling their workforce development and outcome tracking.”
In addition to this new report, MHEC has also offered webinars on how Midwest states are leaning into aligning education to workforce pipelines, including “Defining and Enhancing Value and ROI in Higher Education” and “Bridging Education and Work: How Credential Transparency Serves Learners and Employers.”