Nearly 1.4 million adults in Kentucky don’t have a postsecondary education either by means of a college degree or trade school. Of that statistic, 928,000 of the adults have never enrolled in college, while 464,000 have at least some college credit but no degree to show for it. In Kentucky, 52% of people who fall below the poverty line did not attend college/graduate high school.
Postsecondary education is important, not only for providing a livable wage but closing knowledge gaps in the workforce. While it may be ideal for the majority of the population to pursue a higher education, it is not always in the cards for everyone. This can be for a multitude of reasons including financial challenges, family obligations, work commitments, or lack of academic readiness after being out of school for so long.
By 2030, Kentucky hopes that 60% of its population will have a postsecondary education, so a few strategies have been implemented to meet this goal. These strategies include; deploying adult learner communities to connect individuals seeking higher education later in life, access to professional development for training and technical assistance, childcare solutions for those who cannot afford traditional childcare systems, and finally events that help strengthen workforce partnerships.
