Local View: Protecting student pathways supports economy By Karin Edwards and Mel Netzhammer Published: January 24, 2021, 6:01am Share: Students at Clark College and WSU Vancouver have big dreams for their futures. They are on track to become engineers who create software and design buildings, nurses who care for sick people and teachers who support the next generation of learners. The jobs that await these students in a post-pandemic economy share a common feature – they demand a post-high school credential, such as a degree, apprenticeship or certificate. The COVID-19 pandemic has made credentials even more essential, especially for the people who are carrying the brunt of this economic crisis: communities of color, young workers and those without education past high school. More than half of Black and Latinx households nationwide reported employment loss due to the pandemic, and about two-thirds of workers claiming unemployment in Washington in November did not have a credential.