At the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation, we are engaging a wide variety of business, education, and quality assurance partners on how to build the missing piece of a new triad, one that can provide better quality signals from employers for both traditional higher education programs and non-traditional programs, such as apprenticeships. The goal? To ensure learners have the information they need on which programs deliver the most aligned career pathways, and employers know which programs they can turn to for reliable talent.

Despite the accessibility of digital technology, there remains a notable disconnect between the tech-savvy and those struggling to find a place in the digital nation. This isn’t a problem that can be overcome with any urgency, but it’s imperative that the educational system continues to pivot curriculums towards digital skills. Programming, AI development, machine learning, analytics, data-driven strategy: if business is to adapt at all levels, it will need a formidable baseline of understanding.

Many large organizations have this same challenge. And yet, there is a degree gap - “a discrepancy between the demand for a college degree in job postings and the employees who are currently in that job who have a college degree.” In an analysis of more than 26 million job postings, the degree gap was found to be significant, according to a study by Accenture, Harvard Business School, and Grads of Life. The study attributes degree inflation to two key factors: the fast-changing nature of many middle-skills jobs and employers’ misperceptions of the economics of investing in quality talent at the non-graduate level.

Over two years ago we set a goal of engaging 1,000 employers in the TPM strategy to help them build those partnerships and create sustainable pipelines of skilled talent for their industry. Since TPM’s launch, we have surpassed that goal. Today, more than 1,500 employers across 26 states are using TPM as their strategy to address their talent needs. And while we are excited about the energy within the TPM movement, exceeding our goal is not permission to slow down.