By Catherine Brown, Senior Director, Policy and Advocacy; and Zenia Henderson, Chief Program Officer
Reading time: Five minutes
In February and March 2026, the National College Attainment Network (NCAN) surveyed its members to understand how college access and success advisors are currently engaging with students around short-term credential and workforce training programs, and
how prepared the field is for the rollout of Workforce Pell. Eighty-seven members responded, representing a range of organizations, including community-based organizations, local and state agencies, K-12 institutions, and higher education. The survey
explored the frequency with which students ask about these programs, advisor confidence and knowledge gaps, current advising messages, and early concerns about Workforce Pell implementation. The findings paint a picture of a field that is seeing real
student interest in short-term credentials, but is still building the knowledge, tools, and frameworks needed to advise students well.
Who Responded
Eighty-seven NCAN members completed the survey, predominantly community-based organizations (49%) and local/state agencies (18%), with smaller shares from K-12 institutions, higher education, and research/policy organizations. Most respondents
work with high school and postsecondary students, but 35% also work with adult learners. The vast majority (94%) expressed interest in future learning opportunities on Workforce Pell.
Student Demand for Short-Term Credentials
Demand is real but not dominant. Nearly half of respondents (47%) said fewer than a quarter of their students seek advising on short-term credential or workforce programs, yet 85% reported students ask about these programs
at least occasionally, and 44% said they hear about them frequently. The most requested programs are health-related (CNA, phlebotomy, EMT), skilled trades (welding, HVAC, automotive, electrical), and commercial driver's license (CDL)
programs.
Advisor Confidence and Capacity
This is a significant gap. Only about 9% of respondents said advisors feel very confident advising on short-term programs, while 40% described their advisors as not very or not at all confident. Another 49% were only somewhat confident. Knowledge of program quality is similarly limited with only 20% saying they know which programs lead to high-wage jobs, while a third said no, and nearly half said only somewhat, often noting their awareness
is anecdotal or limited to community college offerings. This issue may be particularly pronounced when advising students about online programs, which have a bifurcated approval process and where information on program quality may be more limited and
harder to obtain than with in-state, in-person programs.
"I think it depends on the program, but there's quite a bit of 'it's a good job' rather than data-driven advising."
"We don't have that much data, other than anecdotal information, on which programs lead to high-wage jobs."
Only 20% of advisors reported knowing which short-term programs are high-quality, with almost half saying they have some understanding. This funding suggests a need for targeted communication to counselors and advisors working directly
with students.
Most organizations (65%) reported using no formal tools, data, or decision-making frameworks when advising these programs. Those who do rely primarily on O*NET, state and local labor data, and local community college information.
Current Advising Messages
Messaging is highly varied and often cautious. Many advisors frame short-term credentials as a viable but supplementary option, frequently steering students toward community colleges and stressing the importance of stackable credentials and continued
education. Several advisors explicitly encourage students to complete the FAFSA now in anticipation of Workforce Pell.
"Our foundation...defines college as any education or training after high school that leads to financial stability."
"We encourage students who do not want to attend college to consider certificate/workforce programs. Currently, we encourage them to complete the FAFSA since we know Workforce Pell is coming."
Some advisors expressed concern about steering students toward lower-value programs, particularly from for-profit providers:
"I fear the for-profit schools will exploit students with useless credentials that they cannot build upon later at community colleges or four-year nonprofit schools."
Concerns About Workforce Pell
The open-ended responses on concerns were among the richest in the survey, and several themes recurred:
Eligibility uncertainty was the most common issue. Advisors don't yet know which programs will qualify, making it difficult to advise students now.
"Unclear guidance on what qualifies/doesn't and how Workforce Pell is applied depending on the program a student chooses."
Pell budget shortfalls worried many respondents, who noted the irony of expanding eligibility while the overall Pell fund faces a shortfall.
"I know that Pell grant funding is already short in the current budget proposal, so I'm worried about this being a false promise to students who can't access funds even if they now qualify."
Lifetime Eligibility Units (LEU) – the cap on how much Pell a student can receive over a lifetime – emerged as a key concern, with advisors worried that students using Pell on a short-term credential could limit their ability to access
aid for a degree later.
"I worry about students not understanding LEU." "Concerned about the long-term effect on the amount the student may have available if they decide to continue their education and attend a four-year school.”
Concern about stackability and incentives for colleges emerged:
“Don't penalize the college if after training the student continues their education instead of working in the occupation they were trained for with WFP dollars.”
Confusion and implementation timing were also widespread:
"Such confusion as to when our state will actually begin this – and when will the program details be available. Surely, this is slow because of slowness at the federal level."
Bottom Line
This survey captures a field that is genuinely interested in Workforce Pell and already fielding student questions about short-term programs, but largely unprepared to advise on it with confidence. Advisors want clearer information on program eligibility,
quality indicators, and how Workforce Pell interacts with Lifetime Eligibility and other student aid. The request that came through most clearly:
"Having some easily accessible and easy to understand one-pagers or slides about Workforce Pell would be helpful."
NCAN is grateful to its members who participated in this survey. We will use the results, along with focus groups and additional information we gather from partners and other stakeholders, to develop a Workforce Pell Advising Guide for college access
and success programs and help the college access field prepare for the implementation of Workforce Pell.
This post was developed with AI assistance (Claude, Anthropic).
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