WAVE 3 TV Louisville, KY | Credit for the real world brings many back to the college classroom

Credit for the real world brings many back to the college classroom

By Shayla Reaves - bio | email
Posted by Charles Gazaway - email

LOUISVILLE, KY (WAVE) - Times are tough and many people are looking for ways to support their families. At the University of Louisville, a new degree program gives you credit for the real world experience you have already earned.

“There are over 400,000 people in the state of Kentucky with some college but no degree,” said Matt Bergman, U of L senior academic counselor.

More people out of work are headed back to school and the numbers are showing it at UofL. School officials say enrollment tripled for the university's Workforce Leadership degree program in the last two years.

“The demand has been so high that we've started to locate our classes out into the community,” Bergman said.
 
Currently, unemployment stands at more than 10% in Kentucky.

“The unemployment rate tends to rise even as the economy turns back up,” said Paul Coomes, a UofL professor and economist. “And that's because companies don't want to add a lot of payrolls when they just went through tough times.”

According to Coomes, that’s the bad news – job opportunities will be few in the next year or so. Because of that, a lot of people are returning to the classroom and students are getting older.

“We actually have a 73-year-old student so it’s pretty amazing that we have pretty much on the front end of their careers and also individuals that are retired,” said Bergman.

UofL’s Bachelor of Science in Workforce Leadership allows people to finish degrees they started. The program requires at least 123 credit hours of course work. Some adults can earn for free through work experience they already have.

“We actually have a portion of the degree program where you can do a portfolio for prior learning assessment. 48 hours through workplace training and certification,” Bergman said.

The goal is to use those skills to build new opportunities for the future.

“So many of our students have hit a ceiling and it’s almost like that glass ceiling of if you do not have your bachelor's degree you cannot advance,” said Bergman.

According to UofL, they are getting about 30 calls a day about the program. For more information, you can contact the College of Education at 502-852-0568.

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