According to data published in December by the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center, 250,000 fewer students were enrolled in college last fall than a year ago — marking the eighth consecutive year that national student enrollment has fallen.
There are a number of reasons for the decline but the booming economy is a major factor contributing to the fall in student enrollment.
As the economy improves and the unemployment rate goes down, more people are choosing work over college.
To address this issue, Washtenaw Community College is creating more programs designed to lure adult students back to school. One such plan is accelerated business programs offered by the college.
“Working adults have different requirements than traditional age students,” said Eva Samulski, dean of Business and Computer Technologies at WCC.
“They don’t want to be in school for 15 weeks a semester for two years. They want to quickly learn the skills they need to be qualified to make more money or find a new job.”
WCC’s accelerated business programs are designed to meet those needs. Recognizing that adults have many demands on their time, these programs can be completed in half the time it normally takes to earn a business certificate.
The college currently offers four accelerated business programs: a 12-credit Management certificate, a 12-credit Entrepreneurship certificate, a 15-credit Business Enterprise Basics certificate and a 21-credit Core Business Skills certificate.
“With the Enterprise certificate, students can take three classes in one semester and learn everything they would need to get their foot in the door in the business field,” said Samulski.
Samulski also suggested that people shouldn’t miss their opportunity to get ahead, because the economy currently is booming.
“Now is a good time to be proactive, take some classes and earn a certificate or degree,” she said. “If the economy does slow down, you’ll have new skills and will be in much better position to weather the downturn.”
Tags: Accelerated Programs, Adult Education, Business Enterprise Basics Certificate, Business and Computer Technologies, January 2020, Management, On The Record, ousearch_News_On The Record