Abstract
The pandemic surfaced long-existing gaps in economic mobility and racial equity. Despite these well-documented benefits, many high school students from low-income communities do not go to college: of youth aged 18-24, only 40% are in college. Many college enrollees do not complete their program: at two-year and four-year colleges, the national graduation rates are 32% and 55%. At the same time, the diversity among C-suite executives and corporate boardrooms is underwhelming even after promised action following the racial reckoning of 2020. Seemingly, this lack of diversity is directly connected to early career opportunities and college graduation. This study considers programs that provide minoritized, language learners, and low-income youth with early-career or workplace training help to resolve the gaps in college graduation and corporate diversity.
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
Adult, Community, and Professional Learning
KEYWORDS
Diversity, Economic Equity, Early-career Experience, Workplace Learning, Professional Learning
