High School diploma won't cut it

I'm listening to public radio and they're talking about a program in Boston called Jobs for the Future. They're saying that the high school diploma isn't enough. They say you need at least an Associate of Arts degree, if not a Bachelor's Degree. This particular program helps retrain working adults so that they can become skilled workers. In particular, they're talking about a project called Jobs to Careers. I'm not quite sure what the program is in practice, but it sounds a lot like a neo-apprentice program, which is a nice idea. The worker/student is placed in a job that is partnered with an institution of higher learning, if I understand correctly and are able to work and learn at the same time.