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This paper presents an analysis of noncredit programming based on two sources of data - institutional data on program offerings and student survey data - from two colleges. The student survey included questions about respondents' demographic and socioeconomic traits; the features of the program they enrolled in; their reasons for enrolling and any challenges they faced to attendance; and their employment status before and after attendance. At both colleges, occupationally focused training, such as programs in business, information technology, and healthcare, constituted the majority of noncredit program offerings. These programs were offered in online, hybrid, and in-person formats and had a wide range of cost and time commitments. In terms of the demographics of the students in our sample, noncredit students were older than traditional college-going age and were predominantly female and non-white; however, the survey items on age, gender, and race had high rates of non-response. Respondents reported markedly higher prior education attainment than we expected given the reports of noncredit staff at these institutions. Students' goals for enrolling in noncredit programs were primarily to gain skills to pursue a new job rather than to progress in a current position. A substantial proportion, though not the majority, of the respondents were employed prior to their programs, with more employed after their program. The main challenges to attending their programs were costs and competing responsibilities. Given limitations to our data, we offer this study as a starting point that raises interesting and important research questions about students in noncredit workforce programs that the field should address in future work.

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