Remedial education is delivered in states and communities in two primary ways: through adult basic education programs and through developmental education programs that prepare individuals for taking college-level courses. These programs are housed at a variety of places such as community-based organizations and community colleges. Usually, the courses take place in traditional classroom settings.

The need for remediation is not unique to Jobs to Careers. According to a 2007 Community College Research Center report, over 60 percent of community college students need at least one remedial course. However, students who start out in adult or developmental education often face a challenging path to attaining college credentials. This makes it especially important to find innovative ways to prepare adult learners for community college-level work.

Jobs to Careers focuses on work-based learning as a fundamental approach to helping frontline health care workers advance in their careers, and some project sites have begun using work- based learning and other methods to deliver remedial education to their participants.