CONFERENCE ON ADULT LEARNER ENROLLMENT MANAGEMENT 2013
The Employer Side of the Equation
Sean R. GallagherNortheastern University
Wednesday, July 17, 2013
CONFERENCE ON ADULT LEARNER ENROLLMENT MANAGEMENT 2013
• Contextual perspectives and insight on the often unexamined role of employer dynamics in the adult learner enrollment landscape
• Evidence-based synthesis of multiple sources– Proprietary surveys/analyses– Hundreds of meetings– Third-party research
• Dialogue and discussion
Session Objective
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CONFERENCE ON ADULT LEARNER ENROLLMENT MANAGEMENT 2013
Increasing Calls For Attention to Employers
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CONFERENCE ON ADULT LEARNER ENROLLMENT MANAGEMENT 2013
A Global Imperative
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“(Unemployment and underemployment) represents not just a gigantic pool of untapped talent; it is also a source of
social unrest and individual despair.
Paradoxically, there is a critical skills shortage at the same time. (Across
countries) only 43% of employers surveyed agreed that they could find enough skilled
entry-level workers. This problem is not likely to be a temporary blip; in fact, it will probably get much worse… by 2020 there
will be a global shortfall of 85 million high- and middle-skilled workers.”
Source: McKinsey & Company, “Education to Employment” (2012)
CONFERENCE ON ADULT LEARNER ENROLLMENT MANAGEMENT 2013
Employers: Multiple Roles in the Higher Ed Ecosystem
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EMPLOYERS
Hiring Graduates
Informing Curriculum
Policy & Decision Influence
Funding/Tuition
Assistance
Executive Education & Training
CONFERENCE ON ADULT LEARNER ENROLLMENT MANAGEMENT 2013
Themes We Will Discuss
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Job market (e.g. occupation/industry and skills trends)
Role of college credentials in the hiring process
Influence on adult learner decision-making
Perception of online degrees
Tuition assistance dynamics
Marketing and selling to employers effectively
CONFERENCE ON ADULT LEARNER ENROLLMENT MANAGEMENT 2013
A Relatively Healthy Job Market for College Degree Holders
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Source: Bureau of Labor StatisticsTable A-4. Employment status of the civilian population 25 years and over by educational attainment (July 2013)http://www.bls.gov/news.release/empsit.t04.htm
Unemployment Rate by Educational Attainment Level
CONFERENCE ON ADULT LEARNER ENROLLMENT MANAGEMENT 2013
Employers’ Use of College Credentials in Hiring
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• Understudied area• Recruiting as a key strategic priority for employers
(“talent war” / “skills shortage”)• College credentials normative, especially BA/BS • Dynamics:– Human capital and signaling/screening
• Prestige and other signals
– “Experienced hiring” vs. “college recruiting”– No link between grades and performance?
• (Cappelli, Rivera, Google…)
CONFERENCE ON ADULT LEARNER ENROLLMENT MANAGEMENT 2013
The Current Job Landscape Demands Bachelor’s & Graduate Degrees
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“Requested Educational Credentials” Across 3.9 Million National Job Postings Note: Both Required and Preferred – Totals Exceed 100%
Source: BurningGlass LaborInsight, April-July 2013
CONFERENCE ON ADULT LEARNER ENROLLMENT MANAGEMENT 2013
Top Occupations (Bachelor’s and Graduate Degrees)
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Real-Time Job Postings (BurningGlass Labor Insight, April-July 2013)
Note: Strong correlation with credentials/majors (Business, Computer Science, Nursing, Engineering, etc.)
CONFERENCE ON ADULT LEARNER ENROLLMENT MANAGEMENT 2013
Top Skills Desired By Employers Apply Across Programs/Disciplines
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• Communication• Writing• Leadership• Teamwork• Critical Thinking• Problem Solving• International/Intercultural Competency• Innovation/Entrepreneurship• Project Management• Technical: Sales, Business Development, SQL, JAVA, Patient Care
Sources: Employer Interviews, BurningGlass, Georgetown Center for Education and the Workforce
CONFERENCE ON ADULT LEARNER ENROLLMENT MANAGEMENT 2013
Rise of the Professional Graduate Degree
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• Economic/salary premium for advanced degrees– All post-2000 college wage premium growth– 30-35%+ premium varying by industry/occupation
• Credential upgrading/inflation by professional and industry bodies
• 20-25% of jobs vs. 11% attainment
• 36% growth in graduate enrollment nationally, 2000-2010– 5 million more Americans now hold a master’s
credential
CONFERENCE ON ADULT LEARNER ENROLLMENT MANAGEMENT 2013
Regional Variation in Industry Demands/Culture, Human Capital
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X Washington, D.C.
X San Jose, CA
X Austin, TX
X Boston, MA
X Seattle, WA
X Portland, OR Salt Lake City, UT X
X Charlotte, NC
Source: U.S. Census, BLS
CONFERENCE ON ADULT LEARNER ENROLLMENT MANAGEMENT 2013
Employer Influence on Adult Learner Decision-Making
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• Conversations with (a) managers and (b) co-workers among more influential and credible “word of mouth” marketing channels
• Employer policies and partnerships as a consideration
• Industry Associations as powerful endorsements or channels – underleveraged
CONFERENCE ON ADULT LEARNER ENROLLMENT MANAGEMENT 2013
Employer Perception of Online Degrees
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• Still limited understanding – growing area of research
• Consistently better accepted for advanced degrees/continuing education – vs. entry-level or initial credential
• Alignment and “fit” with certain employees, learning styles, culture
• Excitement and interesting regarding online models
• HR Managers’ Views (2010 SHRM Poll)– 87% had more favorable view of online degrees in 2010 vs. 2005– 49% still viewed an online degree as “less favorable”– 55%, felt an online degree would make “no difference” – Harder to distinguish “online” degrees as worlds blur and traditional schools offer
online and blended programs
CONFERENCE ON ADULT LEARNER ENROLLMENT MANAGEMENT 2013
Online Degrees: Changing Consumer Perception and Other Dynamics
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• Consumer/Public Perception in 2012 national poll by Northeastern:
“Online education will be just as recognized and accepted among employers as a traditional college degree in the near future (5-7 yrs)”
– 58% agree• 68% agree among 18-30 age group
• Beware the influence of MOOCs?
CONFERENCE ON ADULT LEARNER ENROLLMENT MANAGEMENT 2013
Employer-Provided Tuition Assistance
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• Offered by about 75% of companies– $20 billion in annual spending
• Retention, recruiting, training
• ~45% of all adult learners receive some financial support
• Tax-free benefit status was at risk with “fiscal cliff”– Made permanent by Congress January 2013 (IRC: 127)
– ~1 million students annually benefit
• Decline since 2009– Recession prompted re-evaluation of benefits and greater focus on
ROI, value, outcomes
– Growing alignment with talent management strategies
Sources: SHRM, Eduventures, EdLink, EdAssist, NCES, Northeastern University
CONFERENCE ON ADULT LEARNER ENROLLMENT MANAGEMENT 2013
Tuition Assistance Search Trends: Seasonality and – Decline?
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Jan.
Aug.
Aug.
Jan.Jan.
Aug.Jan. Aug.
Aug.
Jan.
Consumer Searches
Source: Google Trends, July 2013
CONFERENCE ON ADULT LEARNER ENROLLMENT MANAGEMENT 2013
Employer “Buying”/Partnership Decisions Are Dispersed
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• Human Resources• Line/department/functional unit managers• Executives & senior management• Training managers and directors• Individual employees
CONFERENCE ON ADULT LEARNER ENROLLMENT MANAGEMENT 2013
B2B: An Emerging Trend/New Frontier for EM
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• Employers prefer an active “sales” dialogue
• Need for creativity in reaching adult students/professionals
• Various B2B models and growing number of institutional examples– Northeastern– Other non-profits: Drexel, Indian Wesleyan,
Liberty, Brandman, etc.– For-profit universities– “Elites” : MIT, Harvard, Stanford, etc.
CONFERENCE ON ADULT LEARNER ENROLLMENT MANAGEMENT 2013
A “Solution Selling” / Consultative Sales Approach
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Characteristics • Customer-centric
– Dialogue: problem solving based on understanding of challenges
• Long-term relationship• Complex
– More decision-makers– Longer sales cycle
Implications• Requires a broader skill set and more time
– Listening, probing, questioning vs. positioning• Demands a consultative approach
– Needs assessment -> solution mapping
CONFERENCE ON ADULT LEARNER ENROLLMENT MANAGEMENT 2013
Employer Business Development Role Example (M.I.T.)
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Job Requirements:
REQUIREMENTS: a master's degree (Ph.D. desirable) in a relevant technical discipline; minimum of ten years' experience working with industry within the U.S. and internationally; ability to relate effectively to faculty and manage relationships with senior executives in a large corporate environment; proven ability to understand, communicate, and present complex business and technical information in sales and service contexts; and ability to develop, manage, and close complex sales. Experience in business-to-business technical sales, technology transfer, marketing, or consulting desirable; as is international travel and business experience. An MBA and fluency with languages (in addition to English) also desirable. A degree from, knowledge of, and experience at MIT a plus; as is experience working with Japanese and/or Korean companies. MIT-00009471-Q
CONFERENCE ON ADULT LEARNER ENROLLMENT MANAGEMENT 2013
Concluding Recommendations
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• Innovate and adapt to the call for industry alignment
• Consider distinctions by credential/level, sector, region, etc.
• Need for more research and knowledge sharing– Degrees in hiring; online perception; TAP changes; effective sales models…
• Monitor changes in the “credentialing” landscape– Key moment for degrees vs. competency, certificates, badges, etc.
• Outcomes and assessment increasingly important – proving ROI
• Continued work to demonstrate credibility and efficacy of online models
• Dedicate capacity to and engage employers actively through business
development activities of various types
• Integrate disparate functions and views
CONFERENCE ON ADULT LEARNER ENROLLMENT MANAGEMENT 2013
QUESTIONS / DISCUSSION
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Sean R. GallagherSenior Strategist & Market Development OfficerNortheastern [email protected]: @HiEdStrat