National University expands employer
and community partnerships with a strategic focus on veteran and
military outreach, community college partnerships, and credential
pathways
SAN
DIEGO, July 9, 2024 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ --
National University
(NU)—a nonprofit veteran-founded institution
serving more than 50,000 students annually through its degree
programs and 80,000 more through its workforce and professional
training programs—today announced the ambitious national expansion
of its employer partnerships division, which helps companies,
government agencies, schools and institutions of higher education
attract, educate, and retain talent.
This initiative will align our longtime
focus of developing partnerships with employers to design programs
that are tightly coupled with the needs of employers, workers, and
the modern workplace. - Chris
Graham, executive vice president of Workforce and Community
Education at National University.
Workforce and Community Education (WCE)—formerly known as
Workforce Education Solutions (WES)—reflects the program's expanded
focus on outreach to new audiences, including military and veteran
communities, military spouses, and community colleges, in addition
to its long-standing focus on creating education solutions that
meet the rapidly-evolving needs of public and private sector
employers.
"In today's fast-changing economy, employers are holding on
to—and doubling down on—existing talent even with a high degree of
economic uncertainty because they understand that talent
development and business and organizational success are two sides
of the same coin," said Chris
Graham, executive vice president of Workforce and Community
Education at National University. "This
initiative will align our longtime focus of developing partnerships
with employers to design programs that are tightly coupled with the
needs of employers, workers, and the modern workplace."
The announcement comes as employers across major industries
essential for economic growth and development continue to face a
steep shortage of talent. Meanwhile, according to data compiled by
the Society for Human Resource Management, 86% of HR managers
highlight the importance of training to retain talent, and 76% of
employees are more inclined to stay at organizations that offer
opportunities for continuing education and upskilling.
NU currently works with a broad network of human resources,
talent development, and workforce planning teams at employers
nationwide to help train and upskill their frontline workers,
managers, and executives. Its current partnerships include Fortune
100 companies such as Amazon and Southwest Airlines. The university
also serves as a continuing education partner to various state and
public sector agencies, including the Los
Angeles Sheriff's Department and major K-12 school partners
including San Diego County Office of Education.
The Workforce and Community Education team designs, builds, and
scales customized education programs created by experts in their
respective fields, ensuring that the educational offerings are
relevant and expertly aligned with each sector's specific
requirements. To achieve this goal, WCE has expanded its focus on
three key strategies: outreach to military and veteran communities,
developing tailored education programs for community college alumni
and staff, and leveraging stackable credentials to create multiple
on- and off-ramps to lifelong learning as part of its "value-rich
education" strategy.
Military and Veteran Communities: Founded 53 years ago by a
retired Navy captain, NU maintains a strong commitment to serving
military members and Veterans from all branches of the U.S. Armed
Forces. Meg O'Grady, senior vice
president, of military and government programs, leads a team of
specialists that will now handle all of NU's military and veteran
outreach.
As part of WCE's expansion, this team will conduct outreach to
base installations, Veterans associations, and military spouses.
Earlier this year, NU was designated a Gold status Military
Friendly School and a Top 10 Military Friendly Spouse School by
Military Friendly®.
Community College Partnerships: To expand its reach with
community colleges, NU is undertaking an ambitious new co-location
strategy and deepening its transfer and articulation partnerships.
It also has built new academic pathways, including 19 doctoral
programs, for community college faculty and classified staff
members.
Value-Rich Education: WCE will now be the hub for NU's signature
credential-rich pathways initiative, which leverages stackable
credentials to ensure that individuals have multiple on- and
off-ramps to career opportunities throughout their academic
experience.
Companies partnering with WCE can also tap into the NU alumni
network, a diverse talent pool of more than 230,000 graduates and
50,000 current students across six specialized schools spanning a
wide range of critical industries and in-demand skills.
Well known for its distinctive focus on serving nontraditional,
working, and military-affiliated students, NU has for more than 50
years honed its unique expertise in developing workforce-relevant
degrees and credentials designed specifically for working adults.
Today, NU has a student population that reflects the shifting and
highly diverse demographics of higher education today. and
active-duty service members at U.S. military bases and
installations. Recognized as a veteran-friendly online college and
a Yellow Ribbon school, NU accepts the Post-9/11 GI Bill®.
For more information on WCE and to learn more about its
partnerships with community colleges, companies, associations, and
government agencies, visit the National
University website.
About National University:
National University, a Veteran-founded
nonprofit, has been dedicated to meeting the needs of
nontraditional, working, and military students by providing
accessible, affordable higher education opportunities since 1971.
As San Diego's largest private
nonprofit university, NU offers over 190 online and on-campus
programs with flexible four-week and eight-week classes and
one-to-one graduate education models designed to help students
reach their goals while balancing busy lives. Since its founding,
the NU community has grown to 130,000 learners served per
year—50,000 degree-seeking students and 80,000 workforce and
professional development students—and 240,000 alumni around the
globe, many of whom serve in helping industries such as business,
education, health care, cybersecurity, and law and criminal
justice. To learn more about National
University's new possibilities in education including
next-generation education, value-rich education, and whole human
education, visit NU.edu.
Media Contact
Ashleigh Webb, National University, 760-889-3494, awebb@nu.edu,
https://www.nu.edu/
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SOURCE National University