Students who enter career training programs are making an investment in their future. They are also taking a bit of a gamble. Deciding to spend on a college education is a large financial commitment, one that often involves going into debt. Taking that risk is accompanied by many questions: If I take out student debt to pay for education, will I make the income I need to pay it off? If I invest my time and energy to complete a postsecondary program, will I be better off than if I never pursued college at all?Likewise, the federal government—specifically, the U.S. Department of Education, which issues the vast majority of student loans—has a vested interest in ensuring that federal financial aid supporting students in higher education is spent on programs that represent a good investment of taxpayer dollars. The country needs an educated workforce, and so federal investments in career training programs should be made at institutions that have a proven record of graduates who can actively participate in the national economy while paying off their student loans.
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- United States of America