OPINION: ‘If we don’t act now, working-class Americans will keep slipping economically’

“One of the central promises of education in America is the opportunity to cultivate the knowledge and skills we all need to get good jobs, pursue careers and live productive lives. We invest trillions of dollars to fulfill this promise, yet half of Americans don’t earn a post-high school credential of any kind by the age of 30. Today, there are 32 million working-class adults in America who aren’t earning a living wage. To make matters worse, these struggling Americans are also at risk of losing their jobs to automation. As the pace of change accelerates in the labor market, the current skills gaps will only continue to grow. If we don’t act now, working-class Americans will keep slipping economically.”