Exploring Public-Private Partnerships: Collaborations Between Colleges and Businesses
Colleges and private-sector businesses are reimagining education and workforce development. And they’re quickly discovering the benefits of working together.By: AJ Lemheney, Ed.D., Vice President and Executive Director, Graduate and Continuing Education, Muhlenberg College Monday, September 16, 2024 02:46 PM
One size has never fit all, for either students or employees. The straight path to a four-year degree has blurred as students embrace nontraditional learning paths. Simultaneously, the vertical climb up the corporate ladder now includes several sideways and backward steps as employees test out multiple career options.
Faced with these new realities, colleges and private-sector businesses are reimagining education and workforce development. And they’re quickly discovering the benefits of working together.
Companies can bring their workers high-quality, personalized learning experiences by teaming up with local colleges. As a result, they’re strengthening job retention and building employee loyalty. Let’s explore this emerging trend and unpack four types of innovative college-business partnerships I have found most successful.
Why partner with a local college or university?
Businesses in almost every industry face a vast skills gap right now. It’s tempting for many companies to fill these gaps with online learning platform courses. However, they often grow frustrated when they discover that these non-accredited learning paths, for-profit colleges, or prominent online colleges don’t give their employees the knowledge and proficiency they need to excel in the workplace. They may have earned a degree or certificate, but they may not have gained the required knowledge and skills.
Collaborations with local colleges and universities offer companies a more robust and targeted learning and development option. Academic institutions have a proven track record of designing effective learning pathways, making them the ideal choice to nurture a company’s workforce education.
4 types of successful public-private partnerships
At Muhlenberg College, we believe the most successful public-private relationships are long-term, strategic partnerships. We combine a deep understanding of our regional workforce with our tradition of the liberal arts. This unique approach empowers companies to help their workers develop in-demand durable skills—such as leadership, autonomy, diversity, quantitative reasoning, and change measurement—along with technical knowledge and skills that solve the most difficult business challenges.
We’re proud to be corporate partners with some of the largest regional workforces in the Lehigh Valley, spanning healthcare, manufacturing, financial services and other industries. These partnerships often fall into one of four categories.
1. Scholarships and financial aid
Companies can partner with Muhlenberg to provide employees and their family members with special scholarships and tuition benefits. When combined with employer tuition benefits, this type of partnership leads to very low out-of-pocket costs for the employee. Your workers can use this benefit to finish their bachelor’s degree quickly without sacrificing the quality of their education. They can also explore master’s degree programs in sought-after disciplines such as Applied Analytics and Organizational Leadership. They can also pursue a Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging (DEIB) certificate or other focus areas. The choice is theirs.
- Customized learning journeys
Want something more personalized? We’ll work with you to co-design courses and programs to expand your employees’ knowledge. For example, we’ve partnered with engineering firms to elevate their employees’ durable skills, such as emotional intelligence, problem-solving, and teamwork. We’ve also teamed up with a local healthcare affiliate to customize elements of our DEIB program to benefit their workforce. We strive to make these programs flexible and convenient for your employees. Your organization can choose how we deliver classes: on-site at your facility, on our campus, hybrid (in-person and online) or fully online.
3. Internships and externships
Formal internship and externship (job shadowing) programs cultivate a continuous talent pipeline of fresh ideas and perspectives. At Muhlenberg College, experiential learning is mandatory for all undergraduate students across majors, and we’re always seeking corporate partners willing to invite our undergraduate and graduate students into their workplaces. These hands-on learning opportunities—structured with clear learning objectives and outcomes—create well-rounded critical thinkers ready to excel in the modern workplace. They also give companies extra team members during peak seasons.
4. Reciprocity of services
By exchanging services and knowledge, public-private partnerships can generate significant community impact. One example is the collaboration between Muhlenberg College and Lehigh Valley Health Network (LVHN). Muhlenberg offers scholarships and financial aid to LVHN employees, while the health network provides sports medicine services for our athletic teams. Recently, we expanded our partnership by creating LVPG Family Medicine—Muhlenberg. This on-campus medical practice, the first in the Lehigh Valley, provides primary and behavioral health care for our students and minor injuries and illnesses. It’s a natural extension of an already strong working relationship,
Why companies benefit from collaborations with college
Forming a well-crafted partnership with an academic institution empowers companies to:
- Boost employee retention by giving workers the skills to evolve their careers and grow within your organization. Investing in your current employees' development and promotion from within is far less than the costs of recruiting and onboarding new employees.
- Improve worker productivity by teaching durable skills that make employees more adaptable and resilient.
- Access unique insights from subject matter experts with real-world expertise in specific fields.
- Extend brand recognition by teaming up with a well-known community partner.
What to look for in an educational partner
The ideal educational partner will walk alongside you, helping you bridge the gap between organizational cultures and expectations. Seek partners who will address your immediate training needs and guide you in building the future of your workforce.
Should you choose to partner with Muhlenberg, our team will ask you all the right questions, exploring how we can help you both now and as your organization evolves. Together, we’ll review your business plan, unpack your goals for the next two to four years, and map out a professional development plan that meets your unique requirements.
Along the way, we’ll help you set milestones and goals, meet with your managers and frontline workforce members, and commit to regular meetings and communication with your management team so we can continue evolving our partnership for maximum benefit.
Explore partnerships in greater detail
Building the workforce of the future is challenging, and companies shouldn’t have to go it alone if you’re looking for an academic partner who will put your organization at the center of the entire process, contact us today. We’ll set up a 30-minute needs assessment meeting to get the relationship started.
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About the Muhlenberg College School of Graduate Studies
The Muhlenberg College School of Graduate Studies offers a variety of post-baccalaureate certificates and master’s degrees aimed at enhancing intellectual and career development through challenging coursework grounded in the liberal arts. With a mix of graduate certificate pathways and master’s degrees aligned with workforce and economic trends, the Muhlenberg College School of Graduate Studies enables students to prepare for professional work and career advancement, with a focus on leadership and innovation.