Examining the Benefits of Workforce Partnerships in Higher Ed

This week, The Center for Higher Education Policy and Practice (CHEPP) at Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU) released a new report evaluating the current landscape of higher education workforce partnerships and provides guidance for practitioners and policymakers through the lens of learner-centered design.

CHEPP’s new white paper, Unpacking Workforce Partnerships: Improving Structures for Learners, examines different types of partnerships between higher education institutions and employers and how completing a credential or degree through an employer can help employees advance within their company, or pursue a degree that allows them to advance their personal and professional growth elsewhere. By sharing best practices and policy recommendations, the research is aimed at helping to ensure these relationships serve learners’ needs and contribute to their postsecondary and economic success.

The story of Pedro Borges, a recent SNHU graduate who earned his BS in Business Administration through Walmart’s tuition benefit program, is an example of the success of these kinds of partnerships. Borges immigrated to the United States from Cape Verde to Massachusetts at the age of 18 to pursue the American Dream. Without access to Walmart’s program, Pedro would have struggled to pay for college. With his degree, he hopes to continue advancing his career.

“I wanted to come to the U.S., like everybody else, to get a better life, but my main goal was always having a degree from a college in the U.S.,” Borges said. “Getting my degree through Walmart helped motivate me more because I knew I could not lose this opportunity and needed to take advantage of that and work hard through this program.”

CHEPP’s research emphasizes that as the number of workforce partnerships continues to grow, higher education institutions, employers, and policymakers must understand how these programs work and what makes them successful to ensure that learner success is a core element of these partnerships.

To learn more, read CHEPP’s latest white paper.