Houston had a problem. In 2016, Houston’s petrochemical industry had countless job positions that were unfilled. And at the same time, a number of the city’s residents were looking for work. So, how was Houston going to fix this? In an effort to help match eligible candidates with open positions, private companies began to step in. And as a large player in the Houston employment market, JPMorgan Chase felt they could help bridge the employment gap.

As part of JPMorgan Chase’s New Skills at Work program — a $250 million global initiative to help support demand-driven skills training for adults — an online portal called PetrochemWorks was created in 2016. Through this portal, job seekers can input their unique skills and goals and receive personalized recommendations for relevant job vacancies and skilled-based training courses. And thanks to this portal, as well as additional job-matching initiatives, Houston’s petrochemical industry degree programs are now at capacity. Given that over 90% of local community college faculty, staff and advisors expressed an interest in continuing to use the PetrochemWorks portal as a tool to help job seekers choose careers, Houston’s petrochemical industry is certainly on its way to becoming adequately staffed.

In the United States, the cost of college is reaching new levels. Student debt surpassed $1.5 trillion in 2018, and the Department of Education estimates that come 2023, 40 percent of borrowers won't be able to pay back their student loans. The rising cost of tuition, among other factors, is leading many to believe that a four year degree isn't for everyone.

Enter the rise of job-training programs. These programs — which focus on skill-based training and preparation for the working world — are proving that there is more than one way to succeed in today's workforce, especially in high-demand fields such as technology. Here we take a look at two alternatives to secondary education, highlighting what makes these job-training programs so appealing for those eager to jump into a full-time career.