Thresholds of Opportunity: Estimating the Impact of Credential Program Eligibility on Communication and Problem-Solving Skill Development

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Thursday 2:15 pm
  In Roundtable Session: Credentials, Certificates and Assessment in Career and Technical Education & Workplace Learning

Abstract

This study examines the impact of crossing eligibility thresholds for participation in industry-recognized credential programs on adult learners’ development of communication and problem-solving skills. Using a regression discontinuity design, the study will analyze administrative data from North Carolina workforce programs, including Advanced Technological Education initiatives and American Job Centers. Grounded in Durable Human Capital Theory and Social Cognitive Career Theory, the study will investigate how access to IRC-bearing programs influences employability skills outcomes. We expect to detect modest gains in problem-solving skills, with variable effects on communication skills. Findings will inform policies on eligibility criteria, skill integration, and equity in workforce development—advancing AERA’s call to “unforget” past access barriers and imagine more inclusive futures in education and training.

Authors

• Anthony Mark Gray, Dunwoody College of Technology

• Adam K. Atwell, Old Dominion University