blog post College Graduates and California’s Future By Mark Baldassare, Hans Johnson Nov 16, 2017 California’s population and economy are changing, and its higher education institutions need to increase both college enrollment and completion rates.
blog post Testimony: The Need for College Graduates in California’s Future Economy By Hans Johnson Nov 1, 2017 California needs to enroll more students in college—especially in our four-year institutions—and ensure greater success of those already in college.
page Workforce Needs Apr 19, 2017 If current trends in the demand for skilled workers and the educational attainment of the state’s population continue, California will face a large skills gap by 2030.
blog post Immigrants Are Key to the State’s High-Skilled Workforce By Hans Johnson, Marisol Cuellar Mejia Feb 3, 2017 Immigrants now make up a substantial share of California’s highly educated workers.
Report Will California Run Out of College Graduates? By Hans Johnson, Sarah Bohn, Marisol Cuellar Mejia Oct 12, 2015 California’s higher education system is a critical driver of the state’s economic progress. As the state’s economy continues to change, will its workforce be ready for the jobs of tomorrow? This report updates and extends projections of California’s workforce skills through 2030, focusing on the supply and demand for workers with a bachelor’s degree. We find that the state will fall about 1.1 million college graduates short of economic demand if current trends persist—a problem we call the workforce skills gap. Even the arrival of highly educated workers from elsewhere is unlikely to be large enough to fill this gap. Today’s college graduates have better economic outcomes than those who do not hold a bachelor’s degree. Over time, college graduates have seen lower rates of unemployment and higher wages than other workers—even through the Great Recession—suggesting that college degrees have become increasingly valuable in California’s labor market. The future workforce skills gap looms large. But California and its higher education institutions can take several practical steps to close it. The core of a new plan for higher education should include increasing access to the state’s four-year institutions, improving college completion rates, expanding transfer pathways from community colleges, and being smart about aid programs.
Report California’s Need for Skilled Workers By Sarah Bohn Sep 17, 2014 If recent trends continue, California is likely to face a shortage of workers with some college education but less than a bachelor’s degree by 2025. State and federal policymakers have increased their focus on boosting educational opportunities for this segment of the workforce. This report examines labor market outcomes among workers with some college training to shed light on the types of jobs that hold the most promise for future workers and the state economy.