Nearly forty million Americans have earned some college credit but have no degree. To put that in perspective, that’s the combined population of New York, LA, Chicago, Houston, and Phoenix — times two. While they possess valuable skills, their lack of credentials hinders their job prospects and economic mobility, leaving employers with untapped talent.
To explore these challenges, WGU Labs, in partnership with WGU’s Academic Portfolio Department and Gallup, surveyed former WGU students who did not complete their degrees. The study examined their employment status, job market obstacles, and interest in alternative credentials and support systems.
In part one of our series on college non-completers, we explored the barriers individuals with some college but no degree face in the job market, including less job satisfaction, lower engagement with their careers, feeling overqualified for the jobs they’re forced to take, and difficulty pursuing careers that provide them a sense of purpose. In this installment, we dive into how non-completers navigate the job market — including their perception of non-degree credentials. Part three will provide actionable strategies for postsecondary institutions to better re-engage and support these learners.
How non-completers navigate the job market
To better understand how the challenges non-completers face in the job market affect how they navigate their careers, we also assessed their job search behaviors. First, we asked them to indicate the top three tools or techniques they use to search for jobs. The results showed that job search websites (e.g., Indeed, ZipRecruiter) are the most commonly used tool (57%).
Notably, Indeed primarily caters to lower-wage jobs rather than long-term career planning, suggesting that many non-completers prioritize immediate financial stability over strategic career growth. This finding aligns with previous research indicating that students often delay engaging with career services or planning their professional trajectories until after completing their programs.
Respondents identified the top five features they would most like to see in online job search tools and platforms:
- The ability for the platform to review their resume and accurately identify skills gained from education, work, and life experiences (53%)
- A recommendation of career pathways based on their resume or credentials (47%)
- Storing their education and career information in a single place, including credentials from other sources (36%)
- Mapping their current skills to available jobs (36%)
- Visually displaying skills they are missing for different jobs (31%)
Respondents identified the top five services or resources they would be most interested in if offered for free from their university:
- Connecting with employers (43%)
- Receiving help identifying jobs that align with their interests and skills (43%)
- Assistance in identifying employers with relevant opportunities (40%)
- Assistance updating or tailoring their resume (36%)
- Assistance in preparing for interviews and other assessments (23%)
These findings highlight a strong desire for personalized career guidance and tools that help them determine how their skills and experiences translate into sustainable career pathways.
Non-completers’ perception of non-degree credentials
We also sought to gauge non-completers’ perception of non-degree credentials, which universities could provide to non-completers for the courses they have completed. Non-degree credentials are increasingly valued by employers when they align with specific industry needs. However, while these credentials can lead to positive economic returns for learners, there is a need for improved data systems to measure their impact.
Only 33% of respondents agreed that employers value non-degree credentials in the hiring process, while 54% said they were neutral or did not know, and 14% disagreed. These findings suggest that learners are wary of the value of non-degree credentials in the marketplace, indicating the need for clearer pathways to careers from postsecondary institutions and greater adoption by employers for these offerings to be successful.
Additionally, we explored respondents’ interest in opportunities for their WGU coursework to count toward a non-degree credential and found that 36% were interested, 45% were neutral, and 18% were not interested. Additionally, the vast majority (85%) are willing to put in some level of effort to re-engage with WGU to turn their previously completed courses into a credential, highlighting an openness to leveraging past work for tangible benefits that likely applies to other institutions looking to re-engage stopouts.
These findings highlight the need for better career support and alternative credentialing options for non-completers. While many possess valuable skills, they often struggle to navigate the job market effectively, lacking the guidance and tools to translate their experience into meaningful career opportunities. Their skepticism about non-degree credentials underscores the need for stronger employer recognition and clearer pathways between education and employment.
In the final installment of this series, we’ll explore actionable strategies that postsecondary institutions can implement to re-engage non-completers and support them in achieving career success. By addressing these challenges, we can unlock the potential of millions of Americans and create a more inclusive, skilled workforce.
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