Four-year college pathways have been the norm. But that continues to change, according to Maria Flynn, president and CEO, Jobs for the Future – JFF.

WorkingNation sat down with Flynn at the Milken Institute Global Conference 2022 in Beverly Hills.

“Employers see the four-year bachelor’s degree as a proxy for career readiness. JFF and a lot of our partner organizations are doing work on the demand side to help them move more towards skills-based hiring, how to hire based on what someone can do versus just looking at the degree as the signal,” says Flynn.

She notes the significance of skills-first learning, “We’re seeing institutions that are putting credentials first and building that into a transparent pathway to additional stackable credentials and, ultimately, degrees.”

“It really enables folks to learn and earn at the same time – by being able to enter and thrive in the labor market at the same time that they’re enhancing their skills and building up for those future opportunities.”

Learn more about Jobs for the Future – JFF.