Few TOPS recipients enrolled in associate degree programs needed for high paying jobs

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Louisiana spends about $300 million annually for students to receive free tuition through TOPS, but most of those students won’t earn the credentials needed for well-paying jobs, The Town Talk reports.

“Over 50 percent of the high-wage, high-demand jobs in this state will require an associate’s degree, not a four-degree,” Commissioner of Higher Education Joe Rallo says. “And there are very few TOPS recipients in associate degree programs.”

Rallo spoke about the workforce dilemma at a Higher Education Summit hosted this week by Central Louisiana Economic Development Alliance, highlighting what could be viewed as a disconnect in state government spending and the needs of employers.

For $191 million, the state could pay tuition for all students enrolled in community and technical colleges, Rallo says. That’s where students are enrolling in two-year degree and certificate programs as an increasing number of Louisiana jobs require more than a high school education—but less than a bachelor’s degree.

“What’s the purpose of TOPS? If the purpose of TOPS is to allow students to go to college, that’s great,” Rallo says. “But if the purpose of TOPS is to align what they’re taking in college with the needs of the industry and business, there has to be some change.”

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