Even a decade ago, most people saw college as their only option to get advanced learning. They either went to college after high school or at some future date to get the training they wanted. Their actual career training only came after several years of basic courses. The process was long and expensive and discouraged many from pursuing more education. But things have changed.
The role of universities is rapidly evolving due to several factors. One is the need for more remote learning opportunities for people of all ages. The other is a new emphasis on lifelong learning instead of traditional university degrees. People who want to be successful understand that they will need to learn new skills as they go. University partnerships such as OPM and Bootcamp PPPs are facilitating these new learning models
The Role of OPMs
Online program management (OPM) providers are companies that work with colleges, universities and organizations to take academic programs online. They offer Edtech services such as student recruitment, market research, course design and technology programs. Since these companies focus on online learning, they are more agile than educational institutions and set up online classes more efficiently while gathering essential metrics on their effectiveness. They are uniquely equipped to respond to new workplace challenges. And these courses are not necessarily a part of a degree program. They may be for program certification or to learn essential job skills.
BootCamp PPPs
Bootcamp PPPs (public-private partnerships) offer short, intense learning experiences, usually 12–15 weeks, that prepare students for careers. They are immersive and involve hands-on learning that is quite effective. For instance, instead of getting a computer science degree, students might choose a bootcamp that teaches them coding, online security systems and problem-solving skills. These learning experiences are meant for job preparation and mean less student debt and a much shorter time investment. College degrees still have their place, but learners have many more options now, especially since the private and public sectors are working in tandem. Students do not have to put their lives on hold for years at a time to get the training that they need.
Lifelong Learning Lifestyle
People around the world are looking at education differently because of the recent emphasis on remote learning but also because of the ever-changing job market. Technological innovations mean that human workers have to learn new skills repeatedly during their working life, often taking on completely new roles. And that working life is expanding because people live longer and many governments are trying to stretch out benefits.
Countries like South Africa, France and Greece have relatively young retirement ages, around age 60. Others like Finland, Germany and the UK have a retirement age around 63–64. The United States now has an average retirement age of 67 while South Koreans retire around age 72. Globally, people are working for many decades and have to be lifelong learners and to stay employed. Online learning and bootcamps are ideal for meeting their educational needs.
Final Thoughts
People used to think their only post-secondary learning options were traditional college or trade school courses. And while a college degree is still valuable, it’s no longer considered the only way to get ahead. In fact, traditional education models simply don’t work for many people who need lifelong learning to maintain or change their careers.
Lifelong learning can be as simple as learning something new for mental stimulation, but more often now, even seniors are working to stay current with new career opportunities and requirements. PPPs and OPM are two important ways their needs are being met.
