EDUCATION WITHIN THE CORPORATE ARENA

By G. E. Schmutzer

In today’s global-based economy, the only constant an employee can depend upon is change. Change can be frightening and abrupt, or can be met head-on. It can mean the loss of one’s job; working one day, laid off the next. According to the State of California Occupational Trends and Outlook 1993 2005, “The changing occupational structure of each industry also affects occupational demand. The main causes of occupational structure change within industries are technological change, changes in business practices and methods of operations, and product demand changes.”

Change can be positively embraced, in job retention or promotion (usually accompanied by an increase in salary), and this is achieved primarily through education. Forward-thinking employees can make change work for them through education, while sharp employers may utilize this opportunity to assist in education, then promote from within the graduate ranks, thereby putting the benefits of an educated and loyal employee to work, a relationship where both parties benefit. Increasingly, Southern California’s corporations accommodate the opportunistic employee by offering tuition reimbursement programs, bringing off-campus degree programs on site, or promoting education and benefit fairs, giving the employee the option to choose the college or university they would like to attend.

The employee who embraces change within the workplace is, in fact, willing to take on new challenges. Quite simply, the most effective way for the adult employee to move “onward and upward,” so to speak, is to return to school and attain either the bachelor’s degree, or continue with postgraduate education. The educated employee becomes more efficient (learning time management skills, juggling family, job, and school), and therefore, more productive, an obvious benefit to the company. The degreed employee has achieved the goal set forth (completion of the degree program), which proves a boon to the individuals’ sense of esteem. For the employer, a more confident employee is willing to meet new challenges. And most importantly, educated employees achieve the ability to teach themselves how to learn. An education of value leads to an employee of value, personally as well as professionally.

Because returning to school generally culminates in degree/promotion/increase in salary, adult students are doing just that. According to the National Center for Educational Statistics, “adult enrollments [are] steadily increasing from 30 percent in 1970, to 40 percent in 1980, to nearly 45 percent in 1990,” proportionately higher than enrollment for traditional age students. The methods by which working adults are educated are quite apart from those attending classes on campus. Successful educative methods should be tailored to the specific needs of the corporation. The education received should be readily applicable in the workplace, access to research material streamlined, quick and easy text availability, accessible academic advisement, relatively easy tuition payment plans, and a classroom environment that recognizes the fact that many students have not been in school for more than two decades. Utility, convenience and accessibility are the order of the day. Provided the interest is evident, bringing degree programs directly to the corporation is the environment today’s adult student is most likely to excel in.

Convenience and comfortability are the primary reasons why corporate education sites exist. Time and again I have seen prospective adult students balk at the idea of returning to school, then become enthusiastic upon learning that degree programs can be delivered where they work (and they invariably know someone in their department who is also interested). Most people find it difficult to get off work (stress), drive (stress) to campus, find a parking space, walk to class, and be on time to a class full of strangers (and more stress). With an on-site program, the student can easily make it to class with time enough for coffee and conversation with other students/employees. Additionally, certain camaraderie exists between students, both as workmates/friends within a similar age group, sharing in the quest for knowledge, and a better paying position.

Employers are well aware of the changing nature of the California workforce, which is why education and educative benefits figure so prominently as a benefit for their employees. More and more, job descriptions call for the completion of a college-level education, because the economy has shifted from being labor-based, to professionally or technically based. Turning to the Occupational Trends and Outlook 1993 2005, “The occupational group that is expected to gain the most in the projection period is the professional and technical group. In 1993, 22.8 percent of California’s workers were employed in professional and technical jobs. By the year 2005, it is expected that 23.9 percent will work in these fields. Over 900,000 new professional and technical jobs will be created. By 2005, nearly one in four Californians will be employed in a professional or technical job.” A choice exists for the employer; they can either procure new recruits through outsourcing, which is a common (and expensive) method of filling positions with unknown people, or they can bring university programs to the existing workforce, and educate, graduate, and promote known employees from within the ranks. The result? An employee who feels cared about, is loyal, productive, aware of current business trends, ready to tackle new projects with efficiency, accuracy, and results.

This scenario does not imply, however, that all labor-based jobs will grossly decline; rather, the “group that are projected to decline are service station attendants, machine tool cutting operators, aircraft assemblers, commercial electrical repairers, and maintenance mechanics, marine equipment” The point is, that most occupations expected to decline are labor-based, while the “white collar” jobs, “general manager, top executive, is expected to employ close to half a million people (446,420) by the year 2005, adding about 110,000 new jobs. In addition to the job openings created by growth, another 100,880 general manager job openings are expected from net separations.” In many industries, the same scene is played again and again: production line employees want to move into the office; in the office, managers long to move up, becoming site or department supervisors; supervisors want to take on the top executive positions available within the company. In each instance, promotion can be achieved through education; in each industry, education benefits the employee who in turn benefits the company; in each corporation, on site education affords employee loyalty and increased performance. The path leading to a set of keys for the executive washroom is precipitous and rocky, but altogether negotiable, provided the climber is armed with the right set of tools, and a clear vision of the terrain. Employee education and corporate success can work together to make career dreams and profitability a harmonious reality.

Mr. Gregory E. Schmutzer is Corporate Contact Marketing Director for the University of La Verne.