Beyond Business As Usual
Colleges and universities play a major role in achieving this goal. Employee training has become an integral part of the strategic plan for many companies. Employers now look for programs that support employee career advancement while furthering corporate growth.
According to the National Center for Education Statistics’ latest report on Labor Force Participation in Formal Work-Related Education, 47 percent of participant adults engaged in formal training in 2000-2001. Business’s provided 46 percent of the training, while higher education institutions only provided 30 percent.
What steps can colleges and universities take to improve their
competitiveness in the job-related training market? In a recent Greentree
Gazette article, Richard Hezel, founder and president of Hezel Associates
noted, “higher education’s course-centric viewpoint hinders
colleges, even community colleges, from being primary suppliers of employment
related education.” Beyond marketing basics, adding industry-related
courses to the regular arts and sciences curriculum is one way of meeting
industry needs and internal objectives.
Other examples: With over 100,000 students, UCLA’s Extension Program
has distinguished itself as the premier career training institution in Los
Angeles, according to Greentree. Elsewhere, Monroe Community College in
Rochester, NY, offers customized training. Together with companies in the
area, Monroe selects and designs curriculums to meet the business goals
of various companies. The offerings include customer specific courses that
are cost-effective and have a flexible schedule. They also offer on-site
delivery and have an open-enrollment policy.
Although market threats remain, colleges and universities are slowly gaining ground in the delivery of job-related training as continuing education.