With the economy still in a pandemic-induced recession, displaced workers haven’t turned to colleges to retool their skills. Some higher-education observers wonder if that disconnect will end this year.

Among the reasons people aren’t enrolling, particularly at community colleges, is that they’re too busy navigating economic uncertainty to make college a priority. But new research suggests that when workers eventually do set out to learn new skills, they’re most likely to enroll in a nondegree program or seek skills training.

President-elect Joe Biden chose Dr. Miguel Cardona, Connecticut’s first Latino education commissioner, to serve as U.S. Secretary of Education. While Cardona’s experience lies in the K-12 sphere, higher education experts are hopeful about what his selection might signal for higher education policy.

Specifically, scholars and college leaders hope he’ll focus on the needs of low-income and underrepresented students, as well as the institutions that serve them.

Music therapists are health-care professionals who use music as a therapeutic tool to help people deal with their physical, emotional, cognitive, and emotional needs. It is a rewarding career, says Maria Nichta, who helps children with special needs, veterans, older adults, and others achieve their therapy goals.

You can learn more about Nichta and what it takes to become a music therapist in this video, which is part of a new series on promising career paths for early-career workers of all education levels.