MnSCU's nontraditional-student trends
The left-leaning think tank Minnesota2020 has issued a report that -- surprise! -- talks about how vital the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities (MnSCU) system is for the retraining of nontraditional students and calls on the state to offer more support..
MnSCU: Retooling Minnesota for Recovery is an overview of MnSCU trends regarding nontraditional students -- where they're going, what they're studying, etc. -- followed by some suggestions for the state.
I wish it had tackled its title and opening paragraph below with more number-crunching, though it might be hard to find someone to dispute it:
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During the economic downturn, MnSCU played a critical role helping displaced Minnesota workers quickly retrain and upgrade their skills to compete for jobs in new industries or attain higher-paying, more stable careers.
Here's what it considers its key findings:
MnSCU has been a critical asset in educating and retraining Minnesota workers displaced by economic downturns, maintaining a steady enrollment increase from FY2006 to FY2010, especially among non-traditional students.
MnSCU is a resource for more than 6,000 employers to send their workers directly to the state’s community and technical colleges for job-related training or provide on-site training or classes
Non-traditional students select MnSCU colleges and universities for three key reasons: location, affordability, and flexibility. MnSCU operates 54 campuses in 47 communities across the state and offers significantly lower tuition rates compared to private alternatives.
While non-traditional students graduated from a variety of programs inFY2010, namely the liberal arts (18 percent), business (15 percent), and STEM (10 percent), the majority of students (33 percent) graduated from health programs.
Even with years of hands-on work experiences, non-traditional students are returning to institutions of higher education to gain academic credentials to become more marketable in a highly competitive workforce.
MnSCU funding cuts will threaten Minnesota’s ability to maintain and grow a highly skilled workforce.
Students in the 25-34 age group had the highest enrollment increase among non-traditional students since FY2006, with a 15,629 headcount increase.
And its recommendations:
State policymakers must maintain sufficient investments in MnSCU programs.
MnSCU must continue expanding its health care educational opportunities, especially in Greater Minnesota.
MnSCU must continue and enhance its outreach and support for non-traditional students.
MnSCU must increase outreach to employers seeking assistance with workforce- and on-the-job training.