In Kentucky, adults aged 25 to 64 without a post-secondary credential are in dire need. This demographic, named ‘priority adults,’ is needed for the future of the Kentucky economy. By 2031, 63% of all Kentucky jobs will require post-secondary education, including a university, community college, or technical college credential. Compare this to only 55% of all Kentucky adults who hold such a credential, and you begin to see the trouble. But how can Kentucky help its adults?
These priority adults number just under 1.4 million. Of this number, 464,000 or 33% have enrolled in college previously but never attained a degree or equivalent credential. This could be for a number of reasons, however, the most common is prior commitments. 48% of these adult learners have children, which can cause difficulty when scheduling classes. Similarly, 58% of full-time undergraduates are working and 79% of part-time undergraduates hold jobs as well. Despite this, tuition, childcare costs, and bills can quickly pile up and make college expensive.
Fortunately, the state of Kentucky is offering solutions for these adult learners. Not only are there adult learner communities to help support new adult learners, but there is also a childcare solutions network and professional development exchange to help train and support these adult learners further. All this helps to make a degree much more attainable for Kentucky adults.
