Taiwan's $3B AI Plan Boosts Short Credentials, U.S. Follows Suit
Taiwan's government, through its AI Taiwan Action Plan, allocated over 3 billion dollars in 2021 to expand short and flexible educational programs. This move aligns with a global trend, as non-degree credentials have seen a significant surge in popularity in the U.S., tripling from 2009 to 2021.
In 2022, 32 U.S. states committed a total of $5.6 billion to short-term credential initiatives, exceeding the 2023 spending by nearly $1.8 billion. However, less than a quarter of students received financial support for these non-degree credentials. Most programs are too short to qualify for federal aid, leaving many students to pay tuition out of pocket, with more than half doing so.
To address this, the Trump administration established Workforce Pell to help regulate non-degree credentials. Meanwhile, the Higher Education Learning Commission has introduced an endorsement process to evaluate the quality of these programs. Despite financial challenges, up to one-third of U.S. adults have earned some form of a non-degree credential. Yet, the hourly cost of these credentials remains well-above the U.S. minimum wage.
The increasing popularity of non-degree credentials, driven by initiatives like Taiwan's AI Taiwan Action Plan and U.S. state commitments, highlights their importance in today's job market. However, affordability and regulation remain key challenges, with efforts like Workforce Pell and the Higher Education Learning Commission's endorsement process aiming to address these issues.
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