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Montana launched a statewide microcredential development initiative on September 20, 2023. Announced by the Education Design Lab (the Lab), the Montana Office of the Commissioner of Higher Education (OCHE), and Montana’s public two-year colleges, the aim of the initiative is to expand the college-to-career pipeline in Montana. Colleges, employers, learners, and local stakeholders will collaboratively design skills-focused educational pathways to expand opportunities for Montanans and meet the state’s growing workforce needs.
Twelve Montana colleges will undergo a two-year transformation to enhance their role as sustainable engines of economic growth and regional talent suppliers. With the support of the Lab, participating institutions will establish 12-20 “micro-pathways.” These are defined as stackable credentials that can be flexibly achieved within less than a year that will put learners on the path to an associate degree and/or immediate employment in high-demand fields, including information technology, allied health, construction, advanced manufacturing, and agriculture technology.
The Lab is providing the framework to design, implement, support, and leverage pathways to jobs with livable wages.
The Montana Micro-Pathway Opportunity is offering a Design Fellows program to provide postsecondary institution and system leaders, government and policy advisors, economic development, and business leaders the opportunity to observe and learn from a state community college systemwide effort as they design and implement micro-pathways. The Lab is assisting Fellows in their design of a micro-pathway implementation blueprint for their state.
The “Year to Career” initiative builds on Montana Future at Work, funded by the Dennis and Phyllis Washington Foundation, Accelerate Montana’s rapid retraining workforce development campaign, and three Lab programs (BRIDGES Rural, Data Collaborative, Community College Growth Engine).
Initial funding for this effort is provided by the Dennis and Phyllis Washington Foundation, Walmart, the Charles Koch Foundation, and the Carnegie Foundation.
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