Are We Showing Students All Their Options?

Restoring the Dignity of Work – Recommendation #1: Establish and Strengthen Career Awareness and Education Opportunities in Our Nation

Is a four-year degree required for a successful career? Not necessarily.

Data shows that only about 42% of jobs will require a bachelor’s degree or higher by 2031. And already, the amount of graduates earning degrees is outpacing the amount of available jobs that require those degrees.

These and other data points highlight a significant disconnect between how the U.S. education system is designed and what the labor market actually requires. Rather than continue to push students toward four-year and advanced degrees, we should also be highlighting more of the other career pathways available.

With technical careers like skilled construction trades facing high demand for talent, options like apprenticeship and career and technical education (CTE) should be made visible and dignified to students, young adults and their families.

NCCER makes the following workforce development policy recommendation in its 2026 report, Restoring the Dignity of Work:

• Establish and Strengthen Career Awareness and Education Opportunities in Our Nation: Reestablish the nation’s commitment to the equal dignity of all workers by communicating all career paths to students in secondary education and their parents.

To learn more about this and other recommendations to realign education, industry and government workforce initiatives, download Restoring the Dignity of Work: Revitalizing the U.S. Workforce Development System to Build the Future.