Tim Kaine: “In today's economy, ensuring access to a variety of postsecondary programs has become even more critical in light of the…”

“In today's economy, ensuring access to a variety of postsecondary programs has become even more critical in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. As of the end of 2020, more than 10 million Americans were unemployed, and 3. 7 million of those individuals have suffered permanent job loss. These workers will need access to postsecondary education and training to reskill and reenter the workforce. Notably, according to a poll conducted by Strada in June of 2020, Americans strongly prefer nondegree and skills training programs over degree programs as a way to access postsecondary credentials during and post-pandemic. However, when it comes to higher education, Federal policies are not doing enough to support the demands of the changing labor market. Many of the individuals who enter into skills and job training programs are at the lowest end of the socioeconomic level, yet simply because their goal is to enter the workforce rather than obtain a degree, they are denied access Federal financial aid. The Federal Pell Grant Program-- needs-based grants for low-income and king students--can only be used to offset the cost of programs that are over 600 clock hours or at least 15 weeks in length. While many short-term programs provide high-quality skills training that employers need and recognize, they are not Pell-eligible.…”