New Advancing Innovation Podcast Highlights Student Voices in Adult Education
July 23, 2021

Manhattan Strategy Group (MSG) released a new podcast series highlighting the voices of adult learners from innovative secondary credentialing, bridge, and integrated education and training (IET) programs. The podcast series is an initiative of the Advancing Innovation in Adult Education project, a three-year effort to identify and highlight innovative adult education practices that lead to improved learning outcomes.

Podcasts feature students who share their educational experiences, what they gained from participating in the programs, and advice for other adult learners. “As our nation focuses on recovery following significant employment shifts during the pandemic, these student voices are an inspiration to others looking to retool and rejoin the workforce in high-demand career pathways through the vast network of adult education programs nationwide,” said Lori Meyer, Advancing Innovation Project Director at MSG.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, there are more than 24 million adults in the United States without a high school diploma. A data point from the U.S. Department of Education’s National Center for Education Statistics revealed that approximately 43 million adults have low-level literacy skills. As the country continues to recover from the effects of the pandemic, adult education programs remain a critical tool in helping adult learners prepare to go back to work in meaningful and higher-paying jobs.

Episodes include: 

  • Secondary Credentialing Program: Multi-Craft Core Curriculum High School Equivalency Diploma (MC3/HSED) –Steven Miravete, a current building trades student, shares what interested him in the building trades and the effect of the support he receives from faculty.
  • Bridge Program: PluggedIn Virginia (PIVA) – Samantha Lassiter, a current student, talks about the value of participating in the program and her new confidence as she works towards securing logistics certification.
  • IET Program: Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA) – Jamie Shepherd, a program graduate, shares how a desire for change and the program’s flexibility led her to enroll.

Visit Advancing Innovation online to listen to all podcast episodes

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About the Advancing Innovation in Adult Education Project

The Advancing Innovation in Adult Education Project is a three-year effort to identify and highlight innovative practices in adult education that lead to improved outcomes. The project is funded by the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Career, Technical, and Adult Education (OCTAE), and is executed by Manhattan Strategy Group and Abt Associates.