The disconnect between higher education and workforce needs has never been more evident. Employers report that graduates often lack critical skills and knowledge, making hiring more challenging, while students invest in degrees that don’t always lead to strong career opportunities. As industries evolve—driven by AI, automation, and new technologies—traditional education models with expansive missions and insufficient focus on student outcomes continue to widen the skills gap, leaving both employers and graduates searching for solutions.

At WGU, we take a different approach. With the understanding that education should be a pathway to opportunity, we’re primarily concerned with arming our students with the knowledge, skills, and abilities needed to thrive in the future of work. 

Leveraging Data, Technology, and Employer Partnerships for Workforce Alignment

While our nation’s higher education system accomplishes myriad objectives for students and society more broadly, the promise or belief taxpayers are underwriting is that of economic mobility. And surveys show that’s what learners expect too: Students cite improved career outcomes as the number one reason for pursuing higher education. 

To ensure our graduates are highly employable, WGU only offers programs in the most in-demand fields, leveraging data and technology to track industry trends and analyze employer needs, and working closely with employer advisory boards and industry experts to integrate emerging skills and in-demand certifications. To power program improvements and ensure our graduates are job-ready, we also track how our graduates are performing in the workforce, looking at post-graduation metrics such as job placement and salary growth. 
 
This workforce-aligned approach delivers results: nearly 80% of WGU graduates say they gained the skills needed for their careers, compared to just over half of college graduates nationally. Employers take notice too, with WGU alumni excelling at national and global leading companies including Microsoft, Amazon, Deloitte, Intermountain Health, and Johnson & Johnson. 

Mastering Skills, Not Just Earning Credits

But even workforce aligned credentials mean little if they can’t guarantee students have mastered their course material. To mitigate that risk, WGU employs a competency-based education (CBE) model that requires students to demonstrate mastery before they can advance through their coursework and critically enables students to progress as quickly as they are able. Just as mastery is required for certification in fields like medicine, law, and aviation, this rigorous approach ensures student and employer confidence. In fact, 83% of hiring managers rate WGU graduates as “excellent” or “very good” in their chosen field of work. By prioritizing what students know and can do rather than how long they’ve sat in a classroom, CBE helps individuals gain the skills they need to advance their careers and excel from day one.   
 
Take Kevon Pascoe, for example. He had a goal—to earn a master’s degree and advance his career. While serving as a Marine Corps officer, he needed a flexible, outcomes-focused program that fit his life. Thanks to WGU’s competency-based model, Kevon earned his MBA in just six months, followed by a second master’s degree in science. Armed with these credentials, he’s now pursuing a Ph.D at Columbia, and has earned a promotion to Captain in the military and secured a leadership role at Pfizer as an Incoming Material Testing Manager. His story is proof that education truly is the surest path to opportunity, when it’s designed toward that end.  

When education aligns with workforce needs, everyone benefits—students gain meaningful career opportunities, and employers find the skilled talent they need. By focusing on skill mastery, program flexibility, and industry collaboration, we can create pathways that lead to lasting success – not just for graduates, but for the workforce and society as a whole.