Oren Cass, author of The Once and Future Worker, says we’ve gone too far in our college-going culture, steering too many students down a postsecondary pathway that only serves about one-third of our population.

Cass says it's time to destigmatize vocational and technical education, to create and fund alternative pathways between high school and the workplace, and to fill millions of jobs that don’t, or shouldn’t, require a college degree. 

Apprenticeships took center stage earlier this week during a House Higher Education and Workforce Investment Subcommittee hearing. Democrats on the House education committee are working on a bill to authorize $400 million in federal grants for apprenticeships that would double to $800 million by 2025. 

The hearing also addressed including more women, minorities, and low-income individuals in apprenticeships. Several panelists noted the importance of providing apprentices with support services such as housing, childcare, and transportation to help them succeed.