How We See the Problem
Leveraging workforce training, transferring between postsecondary providers and entering or re-entering the workforce are pivotal moments in a learner’s career or academic journey. Institutions and systems can implement policies and practices that inadvertently make these transitions difficult. For example, when curricula don’t align, or information systems are incapable of sharing data effectively, students risk losing credits, momentum and money. The jump from postsecondary education into the workforce also presents challenges, especially when institutions offer programming that does not align with the skills employers need.
Our Three Investment Priorities
Grants to Streamline Key Learner Transitions
Strategies to Support Holistic Credit Mobility
Exploration
This grant supports Ithaka S+R in identifying and documenting learning from postsecondary institutions that are implementing strategies to recognize and apply credits as learners move across educational settings. Ithaka S+R will facilitate peer learning and develop resources to help institutions in better supporting learner and credit mobility, thereby saving learners time and money and increasing their chances of success.
Advancing Alternate Pathways to Technology Careers for Learners from Low-Income, Underserved Communities
Exploration
This grant supports NPower in expanding its technology sector workforce training programs. NPower will partner with institutions to support learners at-risk of dropping out, increase alumni engagement support for continued education and career persistence in technology, and launch a new full stack developer training program designed specifically for women from underrepresented communities.
Texas Transfer Alliance Phase II
Exploration
This grant supports the Communities Foundation of Texas in building a cross-sector coalition of stakeholders from education and the workforce to improve credit mobility statewide. The expanded Texas Transfer Alliance will work toward the goal of reducing the time and money required for learners to earn a credential of value.
Supporting Expansion of a Jobs-First Higher Education Model in Healthcare
Exploration
This grant supports Propel America in preparing for growth of its short-term, credit-bearing training that leads to an industry-validated credential and employment in healthcare jobs for young adults from low-income backgrounds without a postsecondary degree.
Pathways to Success for Adults with Some College but No Degree
Validation
This grant supports the Tennessee Board of Regents in using insights from prior Ascendium-funded research to redesign the experience of adults with some college but no degree who reconnect with college. Designed as a randomized control trial, the project will evaluate how the redesign of the reconnecting semester for adults returning to community college impacts persistence, completion and time to degree.
The Transfer Intensive 2.0
Scaling
This grant supports the Aspen Institute in expanding the Transfer Intensive, which provides structured support to two- and four-year institutions that are partnering to ensure students can more easily transfer between their institutions without loss of credit. The expansion will include two new cohorts of participating colleges and enable tracking of student outcomes at institutions that participated in prior cohorts.
Fueling Growth Through Innovation
Scaling
This grant supports Per Scholas in bringing to scale their technology workforce training and professional development model to tens of thousands more learners and hundreds more employer partners throughout the U.S. Ascendium’s investment will support Per Scholas in their efforts to build new partnerships to better reach learners, deepen its bench of highly-qualified instructors and redesign its recruitment and admissions processes to be more learner friendly.
Innovation and Expansion of Accelerated Training and Shared Outcomes Model
Exploration
This grant supports Year Up in supporting the implementation and expansion of their centralized program model - training students virtually across multiple geographies with standardized instructional staff, streamlined curriculum, and key in-person touchpoints. Year Up will measure the efficacy of key learner outcomes within the centralized program model compared to its legacy in-person model as they continue expansion. Ascendium's funding will support centralized staff, students in these centralized programs, and Year Up's research and evaluation efforts of this model.
Advancing Community College Students’ Post-Graduation Success
Exploration
This grant supports The Aspen Institute College Excellence Program in supporting a cohort of 10 community colleges to implement policy and practice reforms that will increase the postgraduation success of their students, namely students of color and learners from low-income backgrounds.
Learner and Employment Record Demonstration Project
Exploration
This grant supports Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors in launching a pooled funding initiative that will seed up to eight pilot projects to demonstrate the use of digital Learning and Employment Records (LERs). Funded projects will explore how LERs can support upward mobility by giving learners tools to collect, validate, and communicate their learning and work experiences.
