In February 2025, Harvard’s Project on Workforce and Education Design Lab released Data and Technology in Action: Community Colleges Advancing Economic Mobility, a set of case studies which explain how four community colleges leverage real-time labor market information (LMI) and emerging technologies to advance economic mobility for their students.
The Lab is working with all four colleges — Hudson County Community College (NJ), Community College of Aurora (CO), South Texas College (TX), and Riverland Community College (MN) — to design and launch micro-pathways in Fall 2025.
Dr. Lisa Larson and Joseph Davis, both of Education Design Lab, highlight a few key takeaways in the conclusion:
This research presents a compelling roadmap for community colleges to enhance learner outcomes and workforce alignment through data-informed, technology-enhanced approaches.
By focusing on forward-thinking institutions like the Community College of Aurora (CCA), Hudson County Community College (HCCC), Riverland Community College (RCC), and South Texas College (STC), the volume demonstrates how community colleges can adapt to evolving economic and workforce demands while advancing equity and student success. These colleges provide examples of how intentional practices and collaborative leadership can enhance educational pathways and regional economic vitality.
Despite these successes, challenges persist.
Common obstacles include limitations in tracking graduate outcomes, the complexity of integrating LMI practices in a consistent manner across both credit and non-credit programming, and the need for greater investments in staff training and data systems. Process barriers, such as slow curriculum approval processes and siloed departmental operations, can further hinder efforts to align programs with workforce demands. Addressing these issues will require concerted efforts from college leadership, state policymakers, and industry partners to provide adequate education and training across departments on the best practices and emerging technologies.
The case studies also highlight the critical importance of leadership in driving institutional change.
Leaders at each college have embraced change and fostered collaborative environments to build relationships with employers, state leadership, workforce boards, and community organizations. These partnerships have enabled the colleges to develop programs that are both responsive to labor market trends and accessible to diverse student populations, particularly those from underserved communities. Initiatives like micro-credentials, micro-pathways, and apprenticeship programs have proven effective in providing flexible, career-focused education for adult learners and traditional students alike while simultaneously providing the institutions the ability to pivot based on the needs of their local ecosystems.
The researchers’ findings underscore the need to formalize and standardize processes and systems to maximize the impact of data-driven practices.
Investments in robust data tracking, integration, and analysis systems can enable colleges to monitor trends in real-time and refine their strategies accordingly. Enhanced graduate tracking, including partnerships with employers and state agencies, will provide actionable insights into employment outcomes and program effectiveness. Additionally, fostering deeper alumni engagement can offer valuable feedback for improving programs and ensuring they remain aligned with workforce needs.
As the labor market continues to evolve at an increasingly rapid pace, the role of community colleges in preparing a skilled and adaptable workforce becomes increasingly critical.
By embracing innovative technologies, leveraging LMI, and fostering strong partnerships, community colleges are capable of not only meeting immediate workforce demands but also building trust with learners and employers so that they can facilitate long-term regional prosperity. Integrating and standardizing processes around LMI data, emerging technologies, and student tracking across departments will inevitably lead to better outcomes and better informed decision making. These successes provide a blueprint for community colleges seeking to advance equity, strengthen student outcomes, and contribute to the economic vitality of their communities.
Community colleges stand at a pivotal moment.
Embracing data-driven, technology-enhanced strategies, fostering collaborative leadership and embracing learner and employer needs, community colleges can meet the dynamic local economic demands, advance educational equity and drive economic mobility.
Download the full report: Data and Technology in Action: Community Colleges Advancing Economic Mobility
