The Workforce Advantage Nontraditional Students Are Not Claiming—But Should Be
It is after 6 p.m. You just survived a full day at work. On the way home, you navigated a crowded subway, stopped at daycare to pick up one child, and hoped the other made it home and started their homework, since they did not text you when they got in, which is its own conversation. There is no way you are cooking tonight. And somewhere in the back of your mind, you are thinking: my assignment is due at midnight.
If that is your routine, you are not alone. And here is the part nobody says loudly enough: If you are doing all of that while pursuing a degree or certification, let me clearly state you are not disadvantaged. You are among the most disciplined, capable, and battle-tested people in any room you walk in.
I have one question for you: Why not you?
YOU ARE NOT THE MINORITY YOU THINK YOU ARE
When I first began seriously considering pursuing an undergraduate degree, I found myself wondering how many others were doing the same. Then I started noticing many people were earning degrees or certifications while on their career trajectories. Why not me? I concluded that it does not matter your age, and in fact, the research says nontraditional learners hold significant advantages. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, more than 70 percent of undergraduate students today have at least one nontraditional characteristic, such as working full-time, being financially independent, supporting dependents, delaying enrollment, or attending part-time.
Research from the Babson Survey Research Group documents the explosion of online learning, showing that millions of students now complete coursework entirely online—most of them working adults who would not have had access to higher education under a traditional in-person model. Online education did not just make school more convenient; it leveled the playing field. And in some ways, it tilted the opportunity in our favor. Notice how many positions that were once considered entry-level now list “undergraduate degree required, master’s preferred.” That is the market signaling that credentials matter, and you and I are getting them.
A 2022 report from Harvard Business School and the Burning Glass Institute found that employers are increasingly moving away from degree requirements toward demonstrated capability. The direction is right, but the shift is slow. In the meantime, the responsibility falls on you to show up loudly, visibly, and with evidence. That is why we should use tools like LinkedIn. Think of LinkedIn as a place where you can demonstrate expertise in real time, where hiring managers, industry leaders, and potential clients can find you before you ever send an application. Yet many nontraditional students, the very people with the most to show, stay silent on the idea of building a profile on LinkedIn.
Here is what to do right now:
- Build a complete profile on LinkedIn, Indeed, or a similar platform that reflects both your academic progress and your professional experience.
- Post your thoughts. Share a lesson from a class that you applied at work.
- Follow and engage with professionals in your field. Like their posts. Ask questions. Contribute to conversations.
- Show your results. Document projects, outcomes, and metrics wherever you can.
Experience matters. And visibility is leverage. Most of your peers are leaving that leverage on the table. Pick it up. Why not you?
About the Author
Corey R. Pettway, CFM, PMP is a New York-based Operations Executive with 15+ years directing multimillion-dollar capital programs and enterprise facilities portfolios. He holds a Construction Project Management Certificate from Columbia University, a PMP from PMI, and a CFM from IFMA, and is currently pursuing his Bachelor of Science in Business at CUNY School of Professional Studies. Follow him on LinkedIn at linkedin.com/in/coreypettway.
