Short-term postsecondary credentialing programs represent an effective way for workers and learners of all backgrounds to build the skills they need to enter rewarding careers and achieve financial security in today’s rapidly changing economy. But it can be difficult to assess the quality of these programs. 

In response to demand from students and employers—and in an effort to address policymakers’ questions about the merits of expanding federal financial aid plans to cover short-term training programs—JFF offers practitioner-informed considerations, rooted in a commitment to equity, that federal and state officials can use as a guide as they contemplate steps to support the expansion of high-quality short-term training programs.