Career-oriented education helps students, employers
Issue date: 12/21/08 Section: Student Life
(ARA) - Post-secondary education has been growing exponentially in the United States over the past decade, but employers know that on-the-job training is still critical to employees' success. What if you could combine the two?
This is the major premise behind two powerful new models for secondary and higher education: career-oriented colleges and career academies in high school. Advocates of both movements see career-oriented education as the wave of the future - a way to save both students and employers time and money.
Career-oriented college is one model of higher education growing rapidly in response to changing demands in the labor market. The U.S. Bureau of Statistics estimates that 90 percent of the fastest-growing jobs in the country over the next decade will require some form of post-secondary education, creating a huge demand for higher education. With a national focus on ensuring all students master 21st century skills, many higher education institutions are focusing more on hands-on work experiences, internships and real-world problem solving.
For many students looking to enter the job market quickly, the benefits of a career-oriented education outweigh the typical community college model.
"We design our programs to respond to the needs of the labor market," said Chris Tilley, regional vice president of Everest University in Florida. "This means we target our programs to the fastest-growing jobs and constantly review and improve them to make sure that our students receive high-quality training in their fields."
Many career-oriented higher education institutions have also begun to focus on helping students get the skills they need in the most efficient way possible, by offering fast-track programs, night classes and online courses.
"We know our students' lives are busy. The vast majority of our students are juggling families and full-time jobs. That's why we offer flexible programs to fit their lives," said Bruce Jones, president of Everest University in Orange Park, Fla. Some career-oriented higher education institutions also offer mentoring or job placement services.
This is the major premise behind two powerful new models for secondary and higher education: career-oriented colleges and career academies in high school. Advocates of both movements see career-oriented education as the wave of the future - a way to save both students and employers time and money.
Career-oriented college is one model of higher education growing rapidly in response to changing demands in the labor market. The U.S. Bureau of Statistics estimates that 90 percent of the fastest-growing jobs in the country over the next decade will require some form of post-secondary education, creating a huge demand for higher education. With a national focus on ensuring all students master 21st century skills, many higher education institutions are focusing more on hands-on work experiences, internships and real-world problem solving.
For many students looking to enter the job market quickly, the benefits of a career-oriented education outweigh the typical community college model.
"We design our programs to respond to the needs of the labor market," said Chris Tilley, regional vice president of Everest University in Florida. "This means we target our programs to the fastest-growing jobs and constantly review and improve them to make sure that our students receive high-quality training in their fields."
Many career-oriented higher education institutions have also begun to focus on helping students get the skills they need in the most efficient way possible, by offering fast-track programs, night classes and online courses.
"We know our students' lives are busy. The vast majority of our students are juggling families and full-time jobs. That's why we offer flexible programs to fit their lives," said Bruce Jones, president of Everest University in Orange Park, Fla. Some career-oriented higher education institutions also offer mentoring or job placement services.
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