This week we are honoring military veterans who are an asset to the country they once served in a military capacity. The skills they learned in the military and the work experience they gained while serving represent a wealth of resources for businesses and employers. With skills and work experience behind them, many vets return to school to complete their education. Supports from schools and employers can help veterans make the most of their higher education. 73-80 percent of student veterans are male. • 15 percent of student veterans are traditional age college students; most are age 24-40.

In an economy and culture that demand continual education and addition of skills, students find they need to develop diverse skills. Each job requires specific hard skills that are unique to the work of that occupation. Each job also requires a multitude of soft skills that cross occupations and are needed in every job. Students who develop both skills sets have an advantage in their careers. The Education Advisory Boards says that students who develop both hard and soft skills become “T-shaped professionals” who have the most promising outlook for employment.

Barnes and Noble College, a college bookstore business, recently surveyed 100 traditional and 800 non-traditional students to compare their experiences and find ways to help non-traditional students achieve success. While many of their findings about student barriers and recommendations for success are directed at schools, there are steps that businesses can take through their TAP programs to help their employees be successful in higher education pursuits. The non-traditional students in the survey met one or more criteria: • 25 years of age or older. first-generation students. veteran status.

Today’s economy, with its strengths and weaknesses, is a topic for continual news and discussion. It impacts Americans in many ways beyond financial. One of these ways is in the amount and type of education that Americans need in order to have job success. Americans recognize the impacts this kind of job growth will have on their career and lives. Americans have become very aware of the kinds of skills they need to develop as the knowledge economy has increased the numbers of service-based jobs. Workers in STEM-related occupations need on-going technical education.

Businesses that create a culture that supports and encourages women in the workplace will see positive effects on all employees and overall business success. The Gallup report: The Women in America: Work and Life Well-Lived presents evidence of this positive effect. It also shows that women are an important part of the talent pool and that encouraging female employees can help relieve employment shortage businesses are facing. In spite of the presence of women in the workplace, the percentage of women in the American workforce has been declining recently. In 2000, 59.9 percent. There are 73.5

Two crucial issues in higher education make headlines week after week: access and attainment.Last week the Education Trust issued a report: Fixing America’s College Attainment Problems: It’s About More than Affordability. The report focuses on reasons for increased costs in higher education which is a big factor in low attainment rates, stating that one of the main reasons for increased costs is declining state support, down 20 percent since 1990. In addition Federal aid covers much less than it has in the past. In 2013 there were 5.5 It increases their social and civic contributions. 2.

Like all Septembers, this month has brought us a new season and a new academic year. This particular September is also bringing us challenges in the field of higher education and an opportunity to look at higher education through a new lens. The purpose of higher education is always debated – Is it to prepare students for jobs or is it to deliver a broad base of knowledge? The answer to the question is “yes.” It’s really both. Looking at education through the lens of change and opportunity shows that higher education institutions are taking steps to meet the needs of today’s learners.

The growing class and economic divide in the United States, the topic of discussions and debates, is not an easy problem to solve. One element of the solution is increasing higher education attainment among nontraditional students. Increasing high education attainment among nontraditional students also is a way to solve the employment dilemma many employers face: not having workers who are qualified for jobs that are waiting to be filled. For growing minority populations the statistics are even more alarming. Often attend open access schools such as community colleges. Enrolled part-time.

Higher education of the future students will find many ways to demonstrate mastery of knowledge and skills. In a world where higher education is a lifelong process there are many credentials that come before, are added on after, or take the place of a degree. How will higher education of the future students earn credit and demonstrate mastery? In job market that is continually affected by new technology, workers need to learn new skills quickly. In a world where the half-life of a skill is five years, employees will need to continually update their education and engage in lifelong learning.

Higher education of the future will be a process more than a product. The University of Virginia Miller Center report Transformations Affecting Postsecondary Education says that postsecondary education will be a platform for lifelong learning with undergraduate education as its starting point. How will higher education of the future students learn? There will be diverse pathways for students to follow to meet individual education and career goals. Instead of simply earning undergraduate degrees that lead to graduate degrees, higher education of the future will offer students options.

Every fall students go back to school, beginning or continuing their higher education journey. More than ever before, however, that journey has multiple diverse pathways for a student body that is increasingly diverse. Higher education students of the future will not all be traditional students. They will study new and different subjects. They will learn in different ways, receive credit in different ways, and their educational pathways will follow a different timeline than today. To put it simply: higher education of the future will be different from what it is now. percent compared to 8.7

Today’s college students aren’t all the eager young adults who enroll right out of high school. The curriculum they study isn’t always delivered in lecture halls or studied in heavy text books. Today’s student population is diverse and needs a curriculum that will meet their needs in innovative ways. The Department of Education EQUIP experiment introduces model programs that do that. Last week the Department of Education launched Educational Quality through Innovation Partnerships (EQUIP) with eight higher education institutions and non-traditional education partners. EQUIP changes that.

Middle skills job requirements are higher than they previously were, and business leaders have trouble filling open positions. At the same time many Americans are underemployed or unemployed. This widening skills gap, especially in middle skills jobs, affects businesses in all sectors. The solution could be close at hand. Bridging the Gap – Rebuilding America’s Middle Skills , a report by Accenture, Burning Glass, Harvard Business School, says that America’s businesses have the capacity and opportunity to create their own unique solution to the skills gap and their employment problems. Gary S.

Competency-based education has gained traction in higher education in recent years. An increasing number of schools are offering CBE programs or are in planning stages of offering CBE. A lot of this interest is in response to issues surrounding higher education such as low attainment rates, student debt, and the need serve a diverse student population. Competency-based education is not a replacement for traditional models of higher education. It is a complement to those models and a way to broaden access to higher education for many people. CBE serves non-traditional adult learners well.

Rapidly changing technology has created demands that workers have new skills. This has made it important that U.S. businesses and their employees become part of the “Learning Economy.” The United States will need 106 million Americans to hold postsecondary credentials by 2025. At current rates we will be 19.8 million short of this goal, according to Lumina Foundation 2015 report A Stronger Nation. The workplace has changed. Workers need education and skills for new jobs that have been created and those that have yet to emerge. The number of career fields identified by the U.S. Census Bureau.

Adult learners who take steps to further their education usually do it for practical reasons such as learning new skills for their current jobs or for career advancement. Adult learners, however, often need a support system to overcome barriers and attain their education goals. An effective support system from higher education institutions and business, along with student engagement, can create a successful educational experience. Barriers for Non-traditional Students and Businesses. Employees may need flexible scheduling at times. Responsibilities of all Stakeholders. Michelle R.

Higher education discussions always include the need for reform. Whether the topic is access, attainment or tuition costs, all stakeholders recognize that reforms will help students succeed, and put the US on track for increasing attainment rates. Last Monday the US House of Representatives passed five bi-partisan higher education bills to update portions of the Higher Education Act. John Kline (R-MN), chair of the Committee on Education and the Workforce, acknowledged the need for higher education reform that will benefit students. “We all know the tough challenges that exist.

Nontraditional students sit in classes next to traditional students. In fact, it’s difficult to define the typical college student today. They aren’t necessarily the students living on campus. Of the 20 million students in the United States about one in 10 lives on campus. Only 5 percent of students in higher education today graduated from school and enrolled in college within a year and live on campus, according to Jamie Merisotis, President and CEO of the Lumina Foundation. Nontraditional Student Barriers. Long term postsecondary part-time enrollment. 3. Single parent status. 7.

Economists, politicians and policy makers in all fields talk about the widening divide in America’s social classes. This divide is increasingly apparent, and growing even wider, in the job market. Georgetown Center on Education and the Workforce report America’s Divided Recovery – College Haves and Have-Nots 2016 points out how big a factor postsecondary education plays in this divide. The report also discusses the impacts of multiple industries on the recovery and how job education requirements are changing during the recovery. Today a college education may be the only way to even have a job.

Whether the subject is business or education, the vocabulary words for the current lesson are: lifelong education, upskilling, engagement, pathways, change. These concepts are part of best-practice discussions about how to create successful learning experiences for students. Often these students are employees engaging in lifelong education. These students aren’t necessarily involved in a conflict between school and work; actually school are work can be very closely related. There is no doubt that lifelong education is part of the education and work worlds today. Integrate Work and Education.

Enroll, study, graduate and find a job – at least that’s the plan most students have when they begin their education. But it turns out that this plan might not be quite so straightforward for many people. The McGraw-Hill Education 2016 Workforce Readiness Survey, released this month, shows that many students enroll, study and graduate, but they don’t feel prepared for a career. https:// s3.amazonaws.com/ecommerce-prod.mheducation.com/unitas/corporate/ideas/2016-student-workforce-readiness-survey-expanded-results.pdf. The Deloitte and Manufacturing Institute report The skills gap in U.S. years.

For recent grads the question “What did you major in?” might translate to “What field did you begin your education in?” For most people in the workforce their initial credentials of a degree with a specific major is just the beginning of their skill and knowledge acquisition. Many people are finding they need to expand their skills and knowledge with continued education, many by earning certificates. Certificates are an integral part of the education system today, coming before a degree, as an addition to a degree, instead of a degree, or as an addition to an earlier certification. cid=rclink.

Work tasks have evolved as technology has evolved. Jobs require increased education requirements and more skills than ever, and the demands often cover more than one field of work. Nurses need to know vast amounts of medical information; they also need to handle complicated technology. Engineers need to be able to develop and improve products; they also need to know how changes impact production processes. The more advanced systems become the more education employees need to be effective. link] www.careerbuilder.com/share/aboutus/pressreleasesdetail.aspx?ed=12/31/2016&id=pr940&sd=3/17/2016.

This weekend we honor the military Veterans who have served and are serving our country. Memorial observations, flags and parades aren’t really enough. valuable way to honor those who have served is to assure their “economic competitiveness” as they transition back to civilian life. According to the 2015 Veteran Economic Report from the Department of Veterans Affairs, “economic competitiveness is the ability to favorably compete and remain relevant in a changing economy.” For Veterans age 18-34 the unemployment rate is 20 percent higher than for non-Veterans, the VA report states. pdf “>.

Student loan debt is a hot topic among higher education leaders, economists and politicians. It has become an opportunity to propose quick and long-term fixes along with sweeping policy changes. More than that it is a problem that is both personal for the people who carry debt from their education and for the United States economy and society as a whole. But it is a problem with a solution that can benefit both individuals and the economy. businesses are in a position to ease the student loan debt while they are seeking the talented employees they need to be competitive in the economy.

Developing a growth mindset is beneficial at many levels from students in school to employees on the job and companies earning profits. The impact of growth mindset is widespread. At the college level Stanford’s College Perspectives Program teaches students about growth mindset and encourages persistence, motivation and achievement at community colleges. The original program increased full-time enrollment by 15 percent and increased achievement in STEM courses by more than 20 percent in 2014. In the United States’ culture students often believe that either they are smart or not.

Every person reading this has been impacted in some way by a nurse. Whether they have a taken your vital signs at the doctor’s office, helped you recover from a surgery or taught you how to manage a chronic condition, their touch has been integral to your medical care. Today we are in the middle of National Nurses Week, May 6-May 12, a week that is celebrated to raise awareness of the importance of nurses in our lives. Nursing By the Numbers. This means that on an average day there are 1,174,286 RNs, plus additional LPNs, at work. 1,753 times. • A single nurse will see an average of 6.9

Adrienne Way, owner and CEO of Edcor, is a finalist for the EY Entrepreneur Of The Year® 2016 Award in the Michigan and Northwest Ohio Region. The awards program, which is celebrating its 30th year, recognizes entrepreneurs who demonstrate excellence and extraordinary success in such areas as innovation, financial performance and personal commitment to their businesses and communities. Adrienne Way was selected as a finalist by a panel of independent judges. The past years as an entrepreneur have been nothing short of amazing. About Edcor. About EY Entrepreneur Of The Year®.

Americans value higher education. They believe education leads to better jobs and statistics show that people with higher education are healthier, live longer, and are more engaged in their jobs and communities. For several years Lumina Foundation Goal 2025 has been discussed, inspired changes in higher education and presented a dynamic challenge to the United States. Goal 2025 is for 60 percent of United States Citizens to have a postsecondary degree by 2025, and again lead the world in postsecondary attainment. link] gallup.com/poll/190580/americans-say-postsecondary-education-important.aspx?utm_source=twitterbutton&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=sharing.

Investing in higher education involves risk. Loss of initial capital is always a possibility – and with college there is more than one kind of capital to invest. Students invest time – time that could be spent working earning money, spent with families, or pursuing an alternate activity. Students invest money – money that could either result in a degree or money that could yield student debt. Today many people from student to higher education leaders are weighing in on the risk and value of higher education – especially the risk of not investing in higher education.

According to a new Pew Research Center survey 74 percent of American adults consider themselves lifelong learners. That’s a good thing. New technology, changing demographics and global economies are all driving change, and workers will need to be lifelong learners to find and keep their place in a changing world. These were among the topics discussed at the World Economic Forum in January. “In many industries and countries, the most in-demand occupations or specialties did not exist 10 or even five years ago, and the pace of change is set to accelerate. Workers need new skills now.

When employers offer tuition assistance their employees benefit, and as it turn out, so do the employers. Employees who receive tuition reimbursement are in a position to continue their education, hone their skills, and be at the top of their game. Employees who receive student debt repayment assistance get some relief from burdensome debt, and also they will be able to move further along their educational path. For these employees tuition benefits underscore how the employers value the individual, appreciate employee contributions, and anticipate a long-term relationship. pg=53#pg53.

Questions surrounding higher education are often about its purpose. Is it for a student to acquire a breadth of knowledge and develop higher order thinking skills, or is it to acquire depth of information and develop professional skills? Is the purpose enlightenment or job training? As fast as the world is changing today, and with the demands that are placed on workers, businesses and higher education institutions the purpose can’t be “either-or.” It has to be “both-and.”. Arthur H. says that the purpose of education is to “prepare young people for life, work and citizenship.

When Goal 2020 and Goal 2025 were first set, there was a lot of discussion about why it was important to increase the number of Americans with post-secondary degrees. Today there is an added sense of urgency to the discussion – not just from policy makers and higher education institutions, but from American workers. American workers recognize the importance of higher education and the need to break the barriers that interfere with education completion. American citizens understand the correlation between higher education and economic gain. Breaking Down Barriers. Shared Actions.

Technology changes our world at an amazing pace, and it can be alarming for those who aren’t prepared. Whether the topic is the predicted shortage of skilled workers or discussions of robots and automation vs. human workforce, discussions end with the same conclusion: It is vitally important for American workers to continue their education and update their skill sets. Continually updated skill sets will create the base for individuals to be successful in today’s marketplace, and for businesses to meet consumer, production and development demands. CMP=share_btn_tw.

Analytics informs business decisions, policy decisions, and recently has begun playing a role in higher education decisions. Analytics involves collection and analysis of data, and it proves instrumental in helping institutions of all kinds determine best practices. The insight that higher education institutions have gained from analytics regarding student performance and completion can also be applied to business practices in administering a successful tuition administration program. link] www.sr.ithaka.org/publications/higher-ed-insights-results-of-the-fall-2015-survey/. https://www.

The word sustainable applies to everything from agriculture to zoos. The idea of maintaining and preserving informs practices in every facet of our lives. The concept of “sustainable change” presents a challenge for continued growth and redefinition, especially when it is applied to higher education. Sustainable change in higher education has far reaching impacts. Todd Rose teaches educational neuroscience at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. These systems may have made sense in the industrial age, but in today’s world they are outdated and inadequate. We can do better.”

The cockpit of an airplane, a hospital surgical suite, and the grocery store self-check-out counter are places where automation affects the activity. Automation has made things faster, safer and more efficient. Automation is also bringing changes and challenges to the workplace. People feel safe with auto-pilot and air traffic control, but they feel threatened when jobs tasks are automated. Statistics and studies show that automation will have a direct effect on many workers in the U.S. link] www.mckinsey.com//Insights/Business_Technology/Four_fundamentals_of_workplace_automation. Joseph E.

Picture a classroom, a lecturer imparting information, a student taking an exam. This stereotypical, traditional form of education has served students for centuries. Now think of terms making headlines in higher education. Unbundle. Reinvent. Disrupt. Each of these terms signals change. Education change isn’t necessarily negative, like the connotation of disruption implies. Today’s changes are positive. Where education is taking place, how it delivered and how it is measured are all disruptions or adaptations that increase student access to education. These adaptations are redefining education.

Coaching has become an integral part of our culture. Life coaches help people evaluate their lives and plan for success. Nutrition coaches help people kick bad eating habits and develop healthful diets. Sports coaches lead their teams to victory or defeat. Coaches are not sages handing down advice and knowledge; they are participants in a process helping others plan and take action. Making coaching a part of an employee tuition assistance plan is a very effective way for employers to be sure that a TAP benefit is delivering maximum return. The influence of coaches can change that.

Recent reports have discussed the impact of socio-economic factors on the numbers of students attending and completing higher education. The recent Jack Kent Cooke Foundation report “True Merit” presents data that shows how low socio-economic status impacts students, often contributes to their lack of success in attaining higher education, and the ripple effect it creates. Today 72 percent of students at the most competitive schools in the US are from families in the top income quartile. This is no surprise when statistics show students from the bottom income quartile make up only 11.7

Whether new practices in higher education are labeled innovative, disruptive or alternative, one thing is certain: higher education is dynamic and the changes reach beyond the classroom. Being aware of the predictions for 2016 and watching trends in higher education presents an opportunity for businesses to be sure their tuition benefits complement current education practices. Competency based education is trend that will continue in 2016 and is a valuable practice for adult learners that also has value for employers. https:// cew.georgetown.edu/report/certificates/.

This is the time of year to evaluate current practices and determine how to make them more effective. The New Year is about improvement and doing things better. This includes evaluating tuition benefits and to ensure they are yielding the best return on investment. The following checklist can help maximize the return on tuition benefits. Promote Utilization of Tuition Assistance Benefits. However, less than one-tenth of HR professionals said their employees are very knowledgeable about benefits that are available to them. Offer Student Loan Repayment. Cover Auxiliary Expenses.

Worker shortages, falling enrollment rates, and the need for higher education attainment have been frequent stories in the news this past year, and actually these topics are all intertwined. The need for workers in terms numbers and their skills, has led businesses, higher education institutions and policy holders to take actions that will carry over into the next year and beyond. The momentum created will impact all stakeholders. The need to educate individuals from all demographic segments of the population is receiving a lot of attention. link] www2.ed.gov/programs/gearup/index.html.

Higher education, job openings and the global economy are three components of talent supply affecting businesses today. Business leaders know that to be productive and profitable in a globally competitive economy it is important to have highly qualified employees. The problem for many employers is finding those highly qualified employees. Recent U.S. Chamber of Commerce and CareerBuilder statistics show the immediacy of the need for qualified employees. • 92 percent of executives believe there is a serious gap in workforce skills and almost 50 percent struggle to fill jobs. The U.S.

Technology impacts our lives every day. New developments create medical miracles, make us safer, and move us faster. We benefit from new tools to get our work done and new ways to communicate. The companies that develop the best new products or enhancements command the best position in the marketplace. To create new or enhanced technology businesses need input from a diverse workforce. One of the most practical ways to create that diversity is to be sure that women are an integral part of the workforce. For U.S. Women Involvement in STEM. Women make up just 12 percent of engineers.

The topic of higher education invites discussion about disruption and innovation, calls for problem solving about how to meet the needs of diverse student groups, and is fraught with controversy over debt and graduation rates. In spite of all this there is much to be thankful for regarding higher education. This list names some qualities and features of higher education in the United States, along with the benefits it produces. 1. The United States higher education system. These schools serve many disparate groups of students. In 2013 there were 17.5 Tuition Assistance Programs.

Numerous studies show that highly engaged employees are more productive. A key element of engagement creates ownership of tasks and a sense of value. The 2015 National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) “Engagement Insights” shows a similar effect with students and their education. The more engaged students are in their education, they more feel challenged to do their best work and value the experience. The experiences and attitudes of engaged employees and engaged students parallel each other. Engaged students are challenged to do their best work.

If there is one thing that Elliott Masie’s Learning 2015 conference this month reinforced it is that business and education are more tightly interwoven than ever before. Business learning leaders attended sessions on topics such as understanding learners and meeting the needs of different generations in the workplace. Sessions on approaches to learning that involved using technology, gamification, or blended learning demonstrated that learning techniques can be adapted for every business. He said it is important that learning is delivered just in time for when it is needed.

Hospital patients who are post-operative or ill depend on nurses to provide care that leads to recovery, and how they perceive their hospital stay often relates to the care they receive from nurses. Patients in a Magnet hospital are very likely to report high levels of satisfaction with their care, and the nurses who deliver the care are likely to have levels of job satisfaction. High levels of satisfaction with care and job satisfaction don’t happen in isolation. They are the result of Magnet hospital philosophies and practices. It supports The Code of Ethics for Nurses. percent.

When you ask little children what they want to be when they grow up they might give the traditional answers of doctor or fireman. Ask teens and they may go for glamor and give answers of professional athlete or actor, or follow their current interests and say video game designer. The truth is that many of them will work at jobs that don’t even exist today. And they aren’t even aware that probably the most accurate answer to the question is working learner. Last week the Center of Education and the Workforce at Georgetown released a report “Learning While Earning: The New Normal 2015.” Period.

Higher education is the key to individual social mobility, economic stability and security. Higher education is also the key to business development, an increased share of the global marketplace, and a stable economy and society. While education completion is the goal, the starting line is to raise higher education enrollment. For U.S. businesses raising higher education enrollment is a natural outcome of tuition and education policies. In 2012, 43 percent of Americans, ages 25-64, had attained a post-secondary degree. And future attainment rates are as important as current rates. women.”

Last week the U.S. Education Department announced an experiment related to innovations in education. Higher education institutions participating in the Educational Quality through Innovative Partnerships (EQUIP) experiment will be able to form partnerships with non-traditional education providers such as coding boot camps or technology companies to provide MOOCS, certificates, badges and other credentials. Through the EQUIP experiment, Title-IV eligible schools will be able to award some federal financial aid to students. Partnership Programs have Immediate Impact.

Our physical, scientific, and cultural environments are constantly changing. The challenges that come with these changes can only be met with education. Education is how people learn to adapt. Now, the challenge for colleges and universities is to respond to the change to meet students’ needs. Higher education institutions are meeting this challenge and the needs of students’ with innovative education practices that change how they deliver education. Today’s non-traditional students find work and family responsibilities leave them limited time to advance their education. Stackable Credentials.

There was a lot of attention the past week on the “Gallup-Purdue Index 2015 Report Great Jobs, Great Lives. The Relationship Between Student Debt, Experiences and Perceptions of College Worth.” The report presents statistics that show graduates’ perceptions of whether or not their college degree is worth the cost. Overall 50 percent of graduates from 2006-2015 said they “strongly agreed” that their education was worth the cost. This statistic may have future graduates wondering if they should pursue their degree and invest the time and money it costs. With the U.S. Students were 1.5

By Adrienne Way, Edcor CEO. Now that the new school year is in full swing, the excitement of setting goals, achievement and moving forward is at its height. For many of today’s college students this excitement often means starting school again and picking up the pieces of where their education stopped previously. They are juggling work, family responsibilities and school as they acquire new skills to advance in their careers. The 2011 US Census Report shows that 20 percent of students work full-time, and more than half of those who do not work full-time still put in 20 or more hours a week.

By Adrienne Way, Edcor CEO. Now that the new school year is in full swing, the excitement of setting goals, achievement and moving forward is at its height. For many of today’s college students this excitement often means starting school again and picking up the pieces of where their education stopped previously. They are juggling work, family responsibilities and school as they acquire new skills to advance in their careers. The 2011 US Census Report shows that 20 percent of students work full-time, and more than half of those who do not work full-time still put in 20 or more hours a week.

Reverse mentoring was made popular in the late ’90s by Jack Welch when he was CEO of General Electric. Welch developed it as a way that young new employees could help veteran executives develop Internet skills. Today this practice may be even more beneficial as technology changes even more rapidly. But the advantages of reverse mentoring go way beyond keeping up with technology. Reverse mentoring is a practice that can benefit employees at every level of business. Reverse mentoring does the opposite. Young employees mentor older employees and managers about new practices and technology.

Congratulations to the class of 2015. After years of grit and perseverance, sacrifice and hard work, these graduates have education and talents to bring to the marketplace. In addition, they have student loan debt. On average 71 percent of this year’s bachelor’s degree graduates have loans. The average debt is $35,000. They also are graduating into a job market where employers are competing to find and retain qualified workers. Job openings in the US reached a record high in July of 5.8 million, the Labor Department reported, but hiring dropped to 5 million from 5.2 million in June. percent.

The workforce at most businesses today consists of representative of three different generations, from baby boomers to millennials. Each generation has distinctive traits and needs, but among these differences there is one common factor. Every worker can benefit from higher education and increased training. And business will benefit from providing education for each generation in the workplace. According to Harvard Business Review 84 percent of millennials say they are very ambitious; 42 percent of baby boomers say they will continue to work after age 65. percent to 16.1 percent. link].

The economic recovery is good news for business, the US economy in general, and for individual job seekers. The economy added 250,000 jobs per month in 2014 and has continued adding jobs in 2015 at the rate of 200,000 per month. Most of these jobs have been “good Jobs” that pay more than $53,000 per year for full-time workers, and offer benefits. million good jobs created, 2.8 million of them have gone to workers with at least a bachelor’s degree. Managerial and professional office, STEM jobs and healthcare professional and technical jobs account for most of the growth in good jobs.

Reports come on a regular basis from every sector of American business about the skills gap and the brain drain. Business owners say baby boomers are retiring and taking their skills and knowledge with them. Hiring managers says that higher education isn’t giving college graduates the skills they need. While there may be many differing solutions to closing the skills gap, it may simply be the need to use closing the skills gap as an opportunity to develop a match between employees and jobs. It’s not that job candidates were totally unqualified.

Today’s fast-paced business environment and global marketplace demand speed and agility. Businesses need to be able to respond to demands – or even better be creative enough to foresee changes. company’s ability to adapt or lead depends on its ability to bring out the best in each employee and employees’ collaboration in the workplace. The report also states that in spite of the need for discreet skills, critical thinking, problem solving and communication are more important than the employee’s major. link]. link].

As the use of technology and engineering increases in our daily lives, it’s only natural that business and industry world-wide will need more technology workers. Bureau of Labor Statistics says that STEM jobs are projected to increase to nine million jobs by 2022, an increase of one million jobs. To fill these jobs the U.S. needs a larger supply of STEM workers. To find these workers it is important to increase both gender and ethnic STEM diversity. 2013 U.S. Census Bureau report shows that women are hired for STEM jobs at 50 percent the rate of men. link] www.aauw.org/article/stem-connector/.

When an employee takes a class, finishes the coursework, works on a final project or takes an exam, the learning experience isn’t really over. What happens next has the power to reinforce the learning. For the employee to gain maximum benefit from work he or she has done, and for the employer to gain the maximum return on his tuition investment, a post-learning process is an important part of an employee education plan. Bloom’s taxonomy, well known to educators, is a hierarchy of learning steps. The first step is knowledge. Having employees acquire new knowledge is good.

Documented shortages of qualified workers, immediate need for skills, and upcoming “brain drain,” with baby boomer retirements have left companies scrambling for talent. Nowhere is this need greater than in leadership development. In order to find and retain the necessary talent to fill gaps, prosper and experience growth, businesses need to make employee and leadership development a priority. link]. The stark contrast between these two statistics points to the need for businesses to strategically use their tuition benefits to meet company goals and to develop leaders within the company. link].

For adult students summer months don’t necessarily mean a break in school. While for some people the summer months might be a time to slow down and take life a bit easier, for the adult learner summer months present a time to build momentum, achieve goals and move close to degree completion. Enrolling in each successive semester, without taking a break is advantageous for adult learners. Research from the University of North Carolina and many higher education institutions shows that students who continuously enroll have higher completion rates and complete their degrees faster.

Change is the biggest constant today. Market demands change. Methods of production change. Methods of service delivery change. In the global economy businesses are at the point where, to implement these changes, employee skills need to change also. Employees will need continual education and lifelong learning will be the norm. Skills acquired while attaining a bachelor’s degree will need to be fine-tuned or even replaced after a few years. And in a knowledge economy, attaining a first job is a major inroad to other, life-changing opportunities as well as increased wage earnings premiums.

Employers and college graduates don’t agree about how prepared the graduates are for the workforce. Generally graduates feel they are more prepared than employers, but that doesn’t mean they are really confident as they start their careers. The McGraw-Hill Education annual Student Workforce Readiness Survey showed that only 20 percent of college students feel “very prepared” to join the workforce and 45 percent feel “somewhat prepared.” Mentoring as part of a tuition assistance program benefits new hires as well as more experienced employees. Mentors as Model or Support.

As the United States becomes more diverse, businesses will inevitably see changes in the marketplace. Demands for services and products will reflect the population diversity. Businesses that develop a culture of change and adaptation, and embrace the diversity, will bridge the current marketplace to the near future. Using a tuition assistance program to educate all employees to work in a diverse environment benefits all stakeholders. As employees further their educations they will be involved in an increasingly diverse educational environment. Increase Innovation. Develop Diversity from Within.

The United States competes globally for a share of the marketplace as well as for qualified workers, and workers of all levels are needed to keep the American economy strong and viable. According to Bureau of Labor Statistics from 2012-2022 there will be 1.3 million jobs in computer and math fields. Some of these jobs will be from new jobs and some will be from retirement of workers. But all of them will require workers with technical skills. In the past, many technical skills were learned on the job. However, rapid technological advancements have changed how workers acquire skills.

There is evidence everywhere every day that our economy, culture and lifestyle demand an increasing number of STEM-educated workers. Each day across the world people use small hand-held devices to communicate and rely on large infrastructures that supply power. STEM workers invent, build and install, and repair thousands of technical innovations that make ordinary, everyday life what it is. The demand for STEM workers will continue to grow and businesses play a vital part in helping to meet this demand. Census Bureau. For STEM bachelor’s degree graduates the unemployment rate was 3.2 link].

Adults decide to seek higher education because they believe it will improve their lives and increase their sense of well-being. According to Gallup research 74 percent of Americans believe that higher education will give them a better life and 73 percent believe it is necessary to get a good job. When businesses encourage employees’ education pursuits it can add to the value of employees’ educations, increase their well-being and create a stronger return on the businesses’ education investments. Employees want to be valued. Jones/NCTI White Paper “What Gap?

The greatest need facing businesses today is to find workers with the skills to fill the available jobs. As many as 58 percent of CEOs globally say they are concerned that the skills gap could limit their growth prospects, according to the Jobs For the Future report, “A Resource Guide to Engaging Employers.” One-third of the U.S. unemployment is due to a skills gap between what employers need and skills people have, according to the “New Skills at Work,” report from JP Morgan Chase. High Costs. College costing too much was the top reason, chosen by 54 percent, for not attending college.

When students enroll in classes they expect specific outcomes – the completion of a benchmark, a certificate, or a degree. When businesses hire employees they expect to have concrete outcomes, also – a talent or skill to do a specific job, communication or critical thinking skills, or an innovative approach to product or service development. Students’ outcomes are realized by planning and following guided pathways in their education. Guided pathways can also apply to business use of tuition benefit programs. link] ccrc.tc.columbia.edu/media/k2/attachments/What-We-Know-Guided-Pathways.pdf.

As the economy improves businesses grow and need to hire qualified employees. Often employers say that jobs go unfilled because they can’t find qualified workers and college graduates don’t have the necessary skills. The Degree Qualifications Profile (DQP) helps to bridge the gap between what students have learned in college and what employers need for their businesses. The DQP shifts the discussion from ‘What are we going to teach?’ to ‘What should our students learn?’ What knowledge and skills do they need to thrive?’” says Jamie P. Merisotis, President and CEO of the Lumina Foundation.

Businesses continually need qualified employees. Graduates need meaningful employment in businesses where they can use their newly acquired skills and education. Yet often these two groups can’t meet each other’s needs. Collaboration between higher education institutions and businesses can close this gap which is how the U.S. will maintain a strong workforce and economy. Collaboration between higher education institutions and businesses is a platform where business needs and curriculum development complement each other. Collaboration Benefits All Stakeholders. link]. link]. link]. link].

The time is right for businesses to have an active part in developing the workforce they need. Businesses need educated workers and American workers are willing to acquire more education. This could be a perfect problem and solution. Promoting tuition benefits can meet both employee and employer needs. Educate Current Employees. With tuition benefits and strategic planning employers can meet their workforce needs with current employees. 2014 College of America survey of employers showed that 71 percent would rather promote current employees than hire new ones. This is advantageous economically.

The drive and energy of the largest generation is going to have a strong impact on business. The generation that will fill the new jobs and the needs of businesses is the technology-connected, largest, most diverse, most educated, innovation-seeking Millennials. By 2025 Millennials will make up 75 percent of the workforce. They want to work in businesses that support teamwork, will allow them to grow professionally, foster innovative thinking and are socially responsible. Understanding Millennials’ job and workplace expectations is one way businesses can create the workforce they need. link].

Predictive analytics has become a valuable tool for universities and colleges to predict how successful a student might be. This information is used to create strategies designed to increase and support student success. Using similar predictive analytics and strategies businesses can increase the value and success of their TAP programs. Educause defines predictive analytics as finding “relationships and patterns within large volumes of data that can be used to predict behavior and events.” Eduventures_Predictive_Analytics_White_Paper1.pdf). Analytics and Interventions. link]. trillion. link].

A provider of comprehensive education benefit outsourcing and consulting services takes the spotlight on the latest episode of Corporate Review. In this segment the host of the award-winning series, Jackie Bales, talks to Adrienne L. Way, Owner and CEO of Edcor Data Services LLC , about the many advantages of engaging the outsourced tuition asssistance administration company. Tune in to watch the Edcor Data Services segment airing on Bloomberg Television (as pd. prog) on March 14, 2015 at 5:30pm EST. Check your local listings for airtimes. About Corporate Review. Blog News Press Release

There are many forces that are changing higher education today. Non-traditional students are becoming the norm. The majority of future jobs will require post-secondary education. Baby boomer retirements and current graduation rates are creating a future shortage of qualified workers. These are the stimuli that are creating disruption in higher education – changes in response to business and economic needs. great disruption to higher education has been competency-based education. The value for employers and employee learners is indisputable. Dr. Michelle R. Cost-Effective Options. Microdegrees.

Post-secondary training and higher education is a $1.1 trillion dollar a year venture that involves colleges, universities, government agencies and business. Each of these stakeholders is part of a system that intertwines to educate and train the workforce crucial to economic growth and development. Business investment in post-secondary training and higher education has made it a key stakeholder in this system. Today, obtaining a degree doesn’t mean that workers have completed their education. Businesses invest $177 billion each year on formal training for their employees. pdf ).

Oliver Wendell Holmes said, “One’s mind, once stretched by a new idea, never regains its original dimensions.” This poet, philosopher and professor’s words can also apply to institutions. The idea of competency-based education is changing higher education. And it will never be the same as it was. The idea of competency-based education is quickly becoming a tangible practice. The American Enterprise Institute report “The landscape of competency-based education: Enrollments, demographics, and affordability” defines CBE. First, there is an element of quality assurance about the value of a credit.

The future is bright. The economy is improving. The number of job openings is increasing. Now the challenge for employers is to fill their workforce with qualified workers. recent Association of American Colleges and Universities online survey reveals the wants and needs of employers. “It Takes More than a Major: Employer Priorities of College Learning and Student Success” shows that employers are looking for both soft skills as well as hard skills. Innovation is a top priority for 95 percent of employers surveyed. Business growth depends on improved or new marketable services and products.

Predicted worker shortages, current employees and company strategic plans are all intertwined and impact business stability, growth and development. This makes developing and maintaining a qualified workforce a top priority for businesses. Georgetown Center on Education and the Workforce report predicts: • 55 million jobs will become available by 2020. • 31 million baby boomers will retire in the next six years. • 24 million additional new jobs will be created as the economy recovers. • a shortage of 5 million workers with higher education. These numbers create a sense of urgency.

Adult students returning to college after a break in their education are often concerned about their ability to handle the work load. Many non-traditional students find themselves needing to take a remedial course. But adult learners are not alone. Statistics from the National Center for Education Statistics show that about 50 percent of all undergraduates take remedial courses. About 61 percent of students who start school in their early 20s are likely to take a remedial course and about 54 percent of students 24 years and older take them. It also includes timely and cost-effective delivery.

A recent survey of Edcor Client employees demonstrates that higher education for working adults is a resource that can benefit both employers and employees. Employees were asked why they had chosen to go back to school. Respondents could choose three of six responses for their answers to the question. The top three reasons chosen by over half the respondents were “Self-development/personal goal” (63 percent), “Employer tuition program available to help with cost of going back to school” (61 percent), and “Degree will prepare me for my next position” (51 percent).

Adult learners in higher education face issues and obstacles traditional students don’t. While the traditional right-out-of-high-school students devote time to class attendance and studying, with maybe a part-time job thrown in, the adult learner enrolled in classes needs to divide time between social, family, career and education responsibilities. The Time Crunch. Adult learners recognized that decisions about how to allocate time affect more than the just the student. And they worry that time spent with their family is time that they should be studying. Assess the Situation Realistically.

Defining “adult learners” isn’t easy. Different models and studies define them as having one or more of the following characteristics: over age 24, military vets, baby boomers, more often women than men, having some higher education experience and credits, or having no higher education. Among this diverse group is a common factor: Adult learners face a number of obstacles that differ from those faced by “traditional” students right out of high school. But these obstacles are not barriers as long as there is a plan in place to overcome them. The Financial Obstacle. The Plan.

Trends in higher education make news on a regular basis. Changes in enrollment data, how courses are taught, and how credit is awarded are a few of the practical matters being discussed in the media and by higher education officials. Philosophical questions such as the purpose of an education – to earn more money over a career span, or to develop talent, creativity and innovation? – are weighed by professors, students and business people. Discussions about these issues invite participants of all levels to be open-minded and consider the possibilities. If this sounds ambitious, it is. link].

by David Svenson. Stephanie Briggs was not yet even a teenager when the diagnosis came in: At the age of 11, she had cystic fibrosis, a debilitating, chronic lung disease that can shorten the life of children and young adults. The average life expectancy for someone diagnosed with CF: 37.5 years. In the beginning, Stephanie carried on like anyone with her spirit would: she traveled, enjoyed camping, and kept up with her running. She earned her bachelor’s degree and married the love of her life. With medication, Stephanie continued being the strong, guiding individual she is. 2014 Newsletter