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Education Priorities

2025 Priority: Connecting Credential and Career Quality

Nearly two-thirds of Tennessee jobs require education or training beyond high school. But far too many Tennesseans invest in credentials that don’t lead to good jobs, don’t offer clear career pathways, or fail to deliver a strong return on investment.

 

At the Roundtable, we believe every learner deserves access to high-value education that leads to opportunity—and that employers need clear, trusted pipelines of talent to grow.

What We Think

  • Postsecondary training is essential—but not all credentials are created equal

  • Tennesseans need clear, objective information to compare options

  • Employers are ready to partner in building education-to-career pathways

  • The state must invest in systems that link learning to long-term economic mobility

What We Want

  • Every Tennessean to have access to a post-high school credential that leads to economic independence and career success

  • Better, clearer facts about credential costs, outcomes, and return on investment

  • A system that prioritizes employer-informed training programs

  • Alignment between postsecondary education and the evolving job market

Our Policy Approach

  • Support tools and platforms that help students understand the value of credentials before enrolling

  • Encourage funding structures that reward completion of high-demand, high-value programs

  • Advocate for cross-sector collaboration between higher education, business, and workforce agencies

  • Back state-level efforts to streamline career and technical education pathways

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Tennesseans deserve an education that works. Our economy depends on it.

Want to get involved?

The Roundtable’s Education Council brings members together to identify barriers and opportunities for policy change. Interested in helping shape this work?

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