Strada collaborates with students, policymakers, educators, and employers across the U.S. to strengthen the link between education and opportunity.
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We prioritize policies, practices, and programs that help ensure postsecondary education provides equitable pathways to opportunity.
We advance our mission through research, grantmaking, social impact investments, public policy solutions, Strada-supported nonprofit organizations, and strategic initiatives.
When job seekers have the right skills to do the work, they should have the opportunity to demonstrate their qualifications. A more transparent approach to hiring makes skills the primary currency of the job market. That means workers have access to more employment opportunities, and employers have access to a more diverse talent pool.
< INTEGRATED EARNING AND LEARNING | DATA INFRASTRUCTURE >
FROM Without good ways to evaluate what a job candidate can do, employers turn to proxies, like a college degree, the candidate’s last job, or a recommendation from a close source. This approach is efficient, but it erects barriers to good jobs for many people.
TO The hiring process is fair, transparent, and based on skills. Resumes reflect skills developed through formal and informal learning experiences, and applicants have opportunities to prove what they know and can do. Employers have clear insights into their talent and provide clear internal pathways to mobility for their employees.
On-ramps programs, which provide learners with training and other supports that lead directly to good jobs, offer significant benefits for employers too — such as de-risking hiring decisions and creating a more diverse and inclusive talent pipeline.
Giving job seekers the opportunity to prove what they know, rather than relying on signals like credentials or prior work experience, can create greater equity in the hiring market by ensuring that candidates are evaluated on their performance, not pedigree.
Skills-based hiring is a core component of a more transparent labor market. Skillist connects job seekers and employers through the language of skills.
On-ramp programs educate learners for a specific career path, securing good job outcomes for grads through collaboration and engagement with employers. Many feature work-based learning experiences, which prime prospective job applicants with career-ready skills, while offering employers a “try before you buy” model for recruiting new talent.