Trump Administration Launching Campaign to Tout Alternatives to College Degree

Trump Administration Launching Campaign to Tout Alternatives to College Degree

This is a great idea. Young people have so many more choices than college, especially in such a robust economy.

Inside Higher Ed reports:

White House to Promote Alternatives to the Degree

The Ad Council, which was behind the Smokey Bear and “Just Say No” campaigns for the U.S. government, is set to launch a national advertising promotion for postsecondary education and training alternatives to the four-year college degree.

The “groundbreaking” national campaign will be led by the nonprofit Ad Council in “close association” with IBM, Apple and the White House, the council said.

The ads “will shine a light on how young and working adults can develop the skills in demand for today’s job market,” a council spokeswoman said in a written statement, while also seeking to “raise awareness of the wide variety of educational options available, such as coding bootcamps, on-the-job apprenticeships, certifications, associate’s degrees and more.”

The CEOs of Apple and IBM are helping to steer the campaign as part of their role with the White House-convened American Workforce Policy Advisory Board.

The Trump administration created the 27-member task force in 2018. It’s led by Ivanka Trump, the president’s daughter and a senior adviser to the president, and Wilbur Ross, the secretary of the U.S. Department of Commerce.

The board includes leaders from higher education, large corporations, industry associations and policy makers. Its mandate is to provide advice and recommendations “on ways to encourage the private sector and educational institutions to combat the skills crisis by investing in and increasing demand-driven education, training and re-training, including training through apprenticeships and work-based learning opportunities.”

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