Rita Karam

Sub-baccalaureate programs (for example, certificate and associate degree programs) aim to prepare the existing and future STEM workforce. However, the career and academic preparedness of adults in these education programs may create barriers to successful completion. In this study, researchers will gather information about the distribution of basic skills (literacy, numeracy, and problem solving) for adults in STEM occupations using a nationally representative data set, analyze primary data...

The purpose of this project is to assess the efficacy of the Viridis tool, a multi-platform software application designed to facilitate credential completion and subsequent job placement for community college students enrolled in one-year occupational certificate programs. Although significant increases in wages and job quality are associated with certificate completion, many students do not complete a credential of any kind before exiting community college. Unfinished occupational credentia...