Sarah DeMark, Vice Provost Workforce Intelligence & Credential Integrity at Western Governors University (WGU), shares her insights with the Future Talent Council on aligning higher education with workforce demands and driving meaningful outcomes.
Building Education for the Future of Work: A Vision for Success at WGU
The future of work is here, and with it comes a need to reimagine education—one that prioritizes skills, adaptability, and equity. At Western Governors University (WGU), we’re leading the charge to align education with workforce demands, prepare learners for long-term success, and create scalable pathways to opportunity. These efforts don’t just meet the challenges of today; they redefine what education can achieve tomorrow.
For members of the Future Talent Council, WGU offers a roadmap for reshaping higher education to meet the demands of a rapidly evolving global economy. This isn’t just about preparing learners for their first job; it’s about equipping them with the confidence and skills for a lifetime of adaptability and growth.
Aligning Credentials with Workforce Needs
Today’s workforce is shaped by relentless change, driven by automation, artificial intelligence (AI), and the evolution of work itself. These forces have created unprecedented demand for specialized skills in high-growth fields like cybersecurity, data analytics, and healthcare informatics. At WGU, we recognize that the key to workforce readiness lies in adaptability and foresight, which is why we embrace an adaptive, forward-thinking approach to curriculum design.
Our programs are developed in close partnership with industry leaders and informed by labor market data, ensuring that WGU graduates leave with the skills employers are seeking now and in the future. When the pandemic underscored the critical importance of AI, digital literacy, and remote work competencies, we acted swiftly to begin integrating these into our curriculum. This responsiveness ensures our students stay ahead in a competitive and evolving job market.
But preparing students for the workforce isn’t just about technical skills—it’s about equipping them with “durable skills” that transcend industries and roles. At WGU, we emphasize critical thinking, collaboration, and leadership—skills that empower our graduates to navigate complexity, solve problems, and adapt to change. By embedding these enduring competencies into every program, we ensure our students are not only job-ready but also future-ready, capable of thriving in dynamic, unpredictable career landscapes.
Collaboration Across Sectors: Putting Students First
Global workforce challenges cannot be tackled in isolation. It takes collaboration across nonprofits, philanthropies, academia, and employers to create solutions that scale meaningfully. At WGU, we anchor these partnerships in a shared commitment to equity and student success.
Take, for example, our partnership with CompTIA to deliver IT certifications. This collaboration has created accessible, affordable pathways that equip learners with in-demand skills while addressing workforce shortages. These partnerships thrive because they prioritize shared values, measurable outcomes, and transparency—ensuring student success remains at the forefront.
Each stakeholder—whether a nonprofit focused on access, a philanthropy driving innovation, or an employer seeking talent—has unique goals. The challenge lies in aligning these priorities without losing focus on the learner. At WGU, we center every collaboration on outcomes that matter most: expanding opportunity and equity.
Measuring Success Through Equity and Student Outcomes
At WGU, success goes beyond traditional metrics like graduation rates or job placements. We embrace a holistic view that prioritizes equity, economic mobility, and the transformative power of education. Our commitment to student outcomes ensures that every graduate achieves meaningful success, not just on paper, but in their lives, careers, and communities.
One of the ways we measure this impact is through Factored Graduate Return (FGR)—a forward-thinking metric that evaluates the tangible value our students gain from their education. FGR considers critical factors such as increased earning potential, career advancement, and long-term economic mobility. By focusing on how education translates into workforce outcomes, FGR provides clear evidence of WGU’s ability to deliver on its mission of providing high-value, workforce-aligned credentials. For instance, WGU students, on average, report salary increases of $22,200 within four years of graduation, a testament to the return on investment our programs provide.
Equity is at the heart of this commitment. With 74% of WGU students identifying as coming from underserved populations—including first-generation, low-income, and minority learners—our focus on closing gaps in access and attainment ensures that Factored Graduate Return isn’t just about averages; it’s about delivering equitable outcomes for all. By embedding affordability into our model, offering flat-rate tuition, and enabling competency-based progress that reduces time-to-degree, WGU ensures that learners from all backgrounds can realize economic mobility without taking on burdensome debt.
Our definition of success also extends to non-financial outcomes, such as career satisfaction, personal growth, and community impact. Through alumni surveys and workforce feedback, we measure how effectively our programs empower students to pursue meaningful work and achieve their aspirations. For example, according to Gallup, 84% of WGU alumni report that their degree helped them achieve their professional goals, while 81% are classified as “promoters” based on Net Promoter Score (NPS)—a reflection of their satisfaction with their education and its lasting value.
By integrating Factored Graduate Return with our commitment to equity and holistic success, WGU ensures that its graduates aren’t just job-ready—they’re equipped for lifelong adaptability, economic mobility, and personal fulfillment. True success is inclusive, measurable, and transformative, and at WGU, we’re redefining education to ensure that every student has the opportunity to achieve it.
Future-Proofing Skills at Scale
As nearly half the global workforce will require reskilling by 2030, scalable and flexible education solutions are essential. At WGU, we address this challenge through stackable credentials and lifelong learning pathways. These innovative solutions allow students to gain immediate career value while advancing toward long-term educational goals.
Take cybersecurity, for example. WGU embeds industry-recognized certifications, such as CompTIA Security+ and CISSP, directly into its degree programs. This allows students to earn employer-recognized credentials while progressing toward a bachelor’s degree. By integrating these certifications into degree pathways, WGU creates a ladder of opportunity that aligns with students’ aspirations and workforce needs.
This stackable model reflects WGU’s broader mission: to align education with evolving workforce demands while ensuring learners can achieve their goals on their terms. By focusing on relevance, flexibility, and outcomes, we empower students to succeed today and thrive tomorrow.
Leveraging Technology to Transform Student Success
Technology is the foundation of WGU’s model, enabling us to deliver personalized, scalable, and impactful education. Our competency-based education (CBE) approach allows students to progress at their own pace by demonstrating mastery of skills, ensuring learning is efficient and tailored to individual needs. This model is further enhanced by advanced learning platforms and AI-driven tools, which support students in real time.
Predictive analytics play a vital role in improving student outcomes. By analyzing data, we can identify at-risk learners early and provide targeted interventions, whether through mentorship, tutoring, or financial aid. This proactive approach ensures that students get the support they need to succeed before challenges become barriers.
Virtual labs and simulations are also integral to our technology strategy. These tools allow students to practice real-world skills in fields like IT, healthcare, and business, bridging the gap between theory and application. For example, nursing students gain experience with telehealth technologies, while IT students develop expertise in cybersecurity through immersive virtual environments.
Through these innovations, WGU not only prepares students for immediate success but equips them with the digital literacy and adaptability needed to thrive in a rapidly changing world.
Creating Flexible and Inclusive Pathways
At WGU, we believe education should meet students where they are—not the other way around. That’s why we’ve built a model that prioritizes flexibility and accessibility, ensuring learners of all backgrounds can pursue their goals without sacrificing other life commitments. Through innovations like stackable credentials, micro-credentialing, and our competency-based education model, we design pathways that provide tangible progress at every step of a learner’s journey.
One of the ways we achieve this is through onramps—programs and initiatives designed to help students build foundational skills before they fully embark on a degree program. For instance, WGU’s onramps allow learners to explore key subject areas, earn preparatory credentials, or complete prerequisites, providing a smoother and more confident transition into higher education. These onramps are particularly impactful for students who may not yet meet traditional admissions requirements or who need to strengthen their readiness for degree-level coursework.
A common example is a learner starting with a short-term certificate or preparatory course in IT. They gain valuable, job-relevant skills that can lead to immediate employment or career advancement while building momentum toward a bachelor’s degree. By providing accessible starting points, WGU’s onramps empower students to see progress and opportunity from the moment they engage with higher education.
This inclusive approach ensures that every learner, regardless of their starting point, has the opportunity to succeed. By breaking down traditional barriers—such as fixed timelines, rigid degree structures, or high upfront costs—WGU creates a student-centered experience where education is achievable and transformative. Through these flexible pathways, we fulfill our mission of opening doors, broadening access, and equipping learners for lifelong success.
A Call to Action: Redefining Higher Education
The challenges of today’s workforce demand bold action, collaboration, and innovation. Education must adapt to meet these realities while unlocking the potential within every individual.
At WGU, we’re proud to lead this transformation, but there’s more work to be done. Together with the Future Talent Council and other changemakers, we can expand access, embrace innovation, and center equity in all we do. By investing in scalable, skills-based models, we can close global skills gaps, create pathways to opportunity, and shape a brighter future for learners everywhere.
Let’s answer the call to action. Together, we can redefine education to meet the challenges of today and the possibilities of tomorrow.
Sarah DeMark has dedicated over a decade to Western Governors University (WGU), where she serves as Vice Provost, Workforce Intelligence & Credential Integrity. Her work focuses on aligning education with workforce needs, driving measurable outcomes for students, employers, and communities.
A champion of equity and innovation, Sarah designs programs that equip learners with skills for meaningful careers while empowering organizations with top talent. Her expertise spans competency-based education, digital transformation, and strategic leadership, all aimed at creating accessible, impactful education at scale.
Passionate about making a difference, Sarah is inspired by student success, workforce alignment, and collaborative problem-solving to drive positive change in higher education.