Employer partners help colleges stay abreast of the changing labor market ^ⓘ

191

Average number of employer partners per college

Employer partnerships come in all shapes and sizes, some more intensive than others

Most colleges maintain a mix of all four types of employer partners ^ⓘ

Average share of employer partners by type of relationship

*Partner/customers collaborate on programs open to any qualified student enrolled in the college, while customized contract training is generally open only to the client employer’s existing workforce. But some colleges may have counted some employers twice, and there may be some overlap between the two categories.

A sign of a strong industry partnership: the employer provides opportunities for work-based learning ^ⓘ

36%

Average share of employer partners
that offer work-based learning

Unlike traditional academic credentials, which signal that students have attended and completed a course of study, industry certifications signal what learners know and what job-related tasks they can perform—occupation-specific knowledge and skills measured by tests developed by industry groups.

A growing number of credit and noncredit college programs prepare students to sit for certification assessments administered by noncollege industry groups ^ⓘ

29%

Share of colleges where more than one-third of credit programs
prepare learners to sit for certification assessments

32%

Share of colleges where more than one-third of noncredit programs
prepare learners to sit for certification assessments

Credentials earned by noncredit workforce students ^ⓘ