From Education to Employability: How Institutions Can Bridge the Readiness Gap

Students don’t enroll in college just to learn; they come with a clear expectation of return. They believe that if they put in the time, money, and effort to earn a degree, the job market will be waiting for them on the other side. For decades, that belief held up; a diploma reliably translated into an entry-level position and often carried the promise of upward mobility.

But the path has shifted, as recent graduates now face unemployment rates that outpace the national average,¹ even as job openings remain unfilled. Employers aren’t discounting the degree, but they are looking more closely at the skills, preparation, and proof points that accompany it. The reality for students is that while a degree still provides the gateway to opportunity, it no longer guarantees the seamless transition into a career they once expected.

Why Employers Are Looking Beyond the Diploma

Employers continue to value degrees as the foundation for professional roles, but they are also realistic about what a diploma does and doesn’t reveal. A degree demonstrates that a student has committed to a program of study and developed a base of knowledge, but it doesn’t necessarily tell an employer whether that graduate can manage real-world projects, collaborate across functions, or adapt quickly to new digital systems. Those are the questions hiring managers are asking, and they want more certainty than a transcript alone can provide.

That demand for certainty is not theoretical—it’s reflected in real hiring practices. A recent report from Coursera ² shows that 96% of employers believe microcredentials strengthen a candidate’s application, and 85% are more likely to hire someone who holds one. Additionally, 90% of employers said they’re willing to offer higher starting salaries to candidates with recognized, credit-bearing microcredentials.

All of this reinforces a growing reality in hiring: a diploma opens the door—but a credential helps a candidate walk through it with confidence.

The Student Reality: Degrees Without Proof May Not Be Enough

For graduates, the consequences of this shift are immediate. They leave college with the degree they were told would secure their future, only to discover that employers are sorting candidates by something more. The result is a generation of students who feel caught between expectation and reality. In a 2025 TopResume survey,³ 52% of recent grads said they don’t believe their degree alone will land them a job in the next year. Instead of entering the market with confidence, many hesitate before they even submit an application.

The frustration is compounded by a sense that higher education hasn’t kept pace with workplace demands. BestColleges’ 2023 Career Preparation Study,⁴ updated in 2025, found that 85% of undergraduates wished their institutions had better prepared them for the workforce. And while students question their own readiness, employers are noticing the same gaps. A 2025 survey of hiring managers by Resume.org⁵ reported that 80% had hired recent grads who didn’t work out, and 65% had to terminate at least one due to lack of readiness or professionalism.

This is where a combination of workforce readiness courses and industry-specific credentials can change the equation. When students leave college with both a degree and a recognized proof point, whether in areas such as project management, data literacy, or critical thinking, or with credentials such as the CFA^®, SIE^®, or FPQP^®, they enter the job market on stronger footing. Instead of hoping their resume speaks for itself, they can point to credentials that validate their skills. For students, that validation eases the uncertainty of entering a competitive job market, and for employers, it removes the guesswork.

Expanding Access Throughout the Student Journey

Students shouldn’t have to scramble after graduation to find the proof points employers are asking for. With Kaplan’s All Access License^®, universities can give students access to four categories of offerings: (1) admissions test prep, (2) credential test prep, (3) licensure test prep, and (4) workforce readiness and professional development.

What makes Kaplan’s All Access License distinctive is the breadth of resources it brings under one umbrella. Business students can prepare for certifications such as the Project Management Professional (PMP) or Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA). Technology majors can prepare for CompTIA and AWS certifications, or strengthen their skills in cybersecurity and analytics. Healthcare students can access prep for licensure exams such as the NCLEX^® or industry-recognized proof points in coding and administration. Students in liberal arts, communications, and the social sciences benefit from professional development in areas such as digital marketing, leadership, intercultural competence, critical thinking, and public speaking.

By giving students access to this wide spectrum of opportunities during their enrollment, at no additional cost, institutions ensure that every graduate leaves with more than a degree. They walk away with demonstrated preparation that reflects both technical ability and workplace readiness. For employers, those proof points reduce uncertainty in hiring. For students, they offer confidence that their investment translates into tangible career advantage.

Building a Reputation for Career-Ready Graduates

Reputation in higher education is built on outcomes. When graduates step into the job market with not only a degree but also recognized preparation that employers trust, whether through credentials or professional skills development, they become evidence of an institution’s ability to deliver on its promise. Over time, that consistency shapes how employers view the university, how alumni talk about their experience, and how prospective students and families assess value.

This is where Kaplan’s All Access License delivers a scalable, campus-wide resource that supports student readiness and strengthens institutional reputation. As students and parents are weighing return on investment more carefully than ever, the ability to say that every student has access to graduate with both a diploma and career-focused preparation is a differentiator that carries weight in admissions conversations.

For universities, the impact is twofold: current students gain the confidence and employability that credentials and professional skills development provide, while prospective students see a clear reason to choose one institution over another. Prospective students are weighing career outcomes more heavily in their enrollment decisions, and institutions that can demonstrate both degrees and supplemental preparation establish a clearer value proposition. That distinction strengthens recruitment, improves alumni outcomes, and builds a reputation anchored in graduates who are visibly prepared for work.

To learn how Kaplan’s All Access License can help your institution build that reputation and attract the next generation of students, contact a representative today.