Trump’s Vocational Education Con – Washington Monthly

Report on U.S. Education Policy and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) under the 2024 Trump Administration

Introduction

During the 2024 campaign, former President Donald Trump criticized higher education institutions as centers of Marxism and controversial Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) policies, while promoting vocational education as a pathway to well-paying jobs. Now in office, Trump has the opportunity to translate these views into education policies. However, the focus has largely been on punitive measures against certain universities rather than on expanding educational opportunities, particularly in vocational training.

Attacks on Higher Education Institutions

• Harvard and Columbia universities have faced aggressive actions, including attempts to withdraw federal funding, influence faculty hiring, and restrict international student admissions.
• Threats to revoke Columbia’s accreditation have been made.
• The proposed One Big Beautiful Bill includes a significant tax increase on university endowments, targeting institutions with large financial reserves.

Vocational Education Initiatives and Challenges

Vocational education, crucial for equipping workers with skills for good-paying jobs, especially amid rapid technological changes such as AI and automation, has received limited support.

Executive Order on Skilled Trade Jobs

1. In April, President Trump issued an executive order titled “Preparing Americans for High-Paying Skilled Trade Jobs of the Future”.
2. The order directed cabinet secretaries to develop strategies by late July to support American workers and identify alternative credentials to four-year degrees aligned with employer needs.
3. By late August, a plan to increase active apprenticeships to over 1 million was required.

These plans have yet to be released, and legislative and budgetary actions have not matched the executive rhetoric.

Budget and Legislative Proposals

• The Fiscal Year 2026 budget proposes consolidating 11 workforce training programs into the Make America Skilled Again (MASA) grant program, resulting in a net $1.64 billion cut—a reduction of about one-third in workforce training funding.
• Only 10% of MASA grants are allocated for apprenticeships, which translates to a modest $11 million increase, overshadowed by significant cuts in other workforce programs.
• The One Big Beautiful Bill includes a Workforce Pell Grant for short-term job training programs, projected to cost $300 million over 10 years and serve 100,000 people by 2034.
• However, the bill also imposes stricter eligibility requirements for traditional Pell Grants, potentially reducing aid for over half of current recipients and cutting $7 billion from the program.
• Weak standards for Workforce Pell Grant eligibility risk participation by ineffective or unscrupulous training providers.

Impact on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

The education policies under the Trump administration have significant implications for several SDGs, including:

• SDG 4: Quality Education — Cuts to traditional Pell Grants and workforce training programs undermine equitable access to inclusive and quality education and lifelong learning opportunities.
• SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth — Limited investment in vocational education and apprenticeship programs restricts pathways to decent work and economic growth, especially for disadvantaged populations.
• SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities — The reduction in support for programs like Job Corps, which serves low-income youth, exacerbates social and economic inequalities.
• SDG 13: Climate Action — The proposed elimination of clean energy tax credits, including those supporting apprenticeships in clean energy projects, hinders progress toward sustainable energy and climate goals.

Additional Policy Actions Affecting Vocational Education

• The administration seeks to renegotiate or roll back the CHIPS Act, which includes $200 million for job training and workforce development in semiconductor manufacturing.
• Efforts to shut down the Job Corps program, which provides comprehensive support to approximately 25,000 disadvantaged youth, have been blocked by court order but remain a budgetary target.
• Despite known flaws in the Job Corps program, experts advocate for reform and augmentation rather than elimination, emphasizing the importance of apprenticeship programs.

Analysis and Conclusion

The current approach to education policy under the Trump administration and Republican Congress reflects a fragmented and reductionist strategy that prioritizes punitive measures and budget cuts over substantial investments in workforce development and equitable education access.

Vocational education, vital for sustainable economic growth and social inclusion, is undermined by funding cuts and weak program standards. The lack of comprehensive support contradicts the goals of inclusive quality education and decent work opportunities as outlined in the SDGs.

A balanced federal education policy supporting diverse educational pathways—both vocational and academic—is essential to advance sustainable development and improve living standards across all socio-economic groups.

1. Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Addressed or Connected

1. SDG 4: Quality Education
   • The article focuses extensively on education policies, particularly vocational education, apprenticeships, and federal funding for higher education institutions.
2. SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth
   • Emphasis on vocational training, apprenticeships, and workforce development to prepare workers for good-paying jobs aligns with promoting sustained, inclusive economic growth and productive employment.
3. SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities
   • Discussion of Pell Grants and support for low-income students, as well as concerns about cuts to programs like Job Corps, relate to reducing inequalities in access to education and economic opportunities.
4. SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy
   • The article mentions the Inflation Reduction Act’s clean energy tax credits linked to apprenticeships in clean energy projects.

2. Specific Targets Under Those SDGs Identified

1. SDG 4: Quality Education
   • Target 4.3: Ensure equal access for all women and men to affordable and quality technical, vocational and tertiary education, including university.
   • Target 4.4: Increase the number of youth and adults who have relevant skills, including technical and vocational skills, for employment, decent jobs and entrepreneurship.
2. SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth
   • Target 8.6: Reduce the proportion of youth not in employment, education or training.
   • Target 8.5: Achieve full and productive employment and decent work for all women and men, including young people and persons with disabilities.
3. SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities
   • Target 10.2: Empower and promote the social, economic and political inclusion of all, irrespective of age, sex, disability, race, ethnicity, origin, religion or economic or other status.
4. SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy
   • Target 7.a: Enhance international cooperation to facilitate access to clean energy research and technology.

3. Indicators Mentioned or Implied to Measure Progress

1. SDG 4 Indicators
   • Number of new active apprenticeships (implied by the executive order’s plan to reach and surpass 1 million new apprentices).
   • Access to vocational education and short-term job training programs (implied by discussion on Workforce Pell grants and Pell Grant recipients).
   • Completion and job-placement rates of vocational training programs (implied concerns about “completion and job-placement thresholds” being self-reported and potentially unreliable).
2. SDG 8 Indicators
   • Employment rates of youth and adults with vocational training or apprenticeships.
   • Number of people trained through workforce development programs (e.g., Job Corps participants).
3. SDG 10 Indicators
   • Number and proportion of low-income students receiving Pell Grants and Workforce Pell grants.
   • Access to job training and education programs for disadvantaged groups.
4. SDG 7 Indicators
   • Number of apprenticeships in clean energy projects (implied by bonus credits for apprenticeships in clean energy under the Inflation Reduction Act).

4. Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: washingtonmonthly.com