Childers' Doctoral Degree Opens Doors to Leadership in Workforce and Technical Education

For almost eight years, Charisse Childers built a career she cared deeply about at Arkansas Northeastern College, working closely with public teachers and their students to earn concurrent college credit for high school coursework. Within years, the federally-funded program directed by Childers and administered through the state's career and technical department had grown to record levels.

This success led the college president to encourage Childers to pursue a doctoral degree, noting it would provide the expertise and credentials needed to take the next step in her career at the college.

It was the newly launched doctoral degree program in public policy at the University of Arkansas that captured her interest.  After learning more about its interdisciplinary approach, Childers applied. The decision set her on a path to becoming a statewide leader in workforce education and then workforce services, culminating in her current role as director of workforce policy and innovation with the Arkansas Department of Commerce.

Childers focused her doctoral studies on education policy, a specialization that soon intersected with her professional path. Midway through her degree, she changed jobs, moving from Blytheville to Little Rock to work for Accelerate Arkansas, an economic nonprofit organization focused on raising the state's per capita income. The role was a perfect opportunity to apply what she was learning in the classroom in a real-world setting.

"The position allowed me to utilize my policy training and experience to draft bills, work with legislators, and speak on behalf of the group," she said. "Everything built on my previous work experience and knowledge, but it also added more value to my degree and my work in nonprofit and economic development, education, and leadership."

As a working adult who lived hours from Fayetteville, Childers found the program flexible and supportive.

"I just have nothing but positive things to say about how they accommodated my schedule," she said. "I finished in around three years. Everyone was so accommodating and so critical to my success, always open to providing guidance and instruction. It was all positive."

After graduation, Childers continued to work for Accelerate Arkansas until 2015, when she became the director of the Arkansas Department of Career Education, where she led the state's workforce development efforts. In 2019, she became director of the Division of Workforce Services, prior to moving into her current role in spring of 2024. That same year, she was named one of Arkansas Money and Politics Influencers of the Year.

Reflecting on her career, Childers notes the critical importance of the doctoral degree to advancing her career.

"The pursuit to finish this degree was partly my personality which is very goal-oriented and driven," she said. "But I also knew that at the end of the day, it would open doors for me and allow me to be a part of conversations and groups that I may not have able to be a part of otherwise."

For more information on the Public Policy Program, visit their website.