Labor college will offer affordable, high-quality online degree programs
The National Labor College, which was founded by the AFL-CIO in 1969, has announced plans to establish a new online degree program. The program will build upon the College's existing distance learning curricula. It will combine the advantages of online learning with the on-the-ground resources of labor unions throughout the nation to provide programs specifically suited to the special needs and interests of union members and their families.
The National Labor College is the nation's only accredited higher education institution devoted exclusively to educating union leaders, members and activists. The NLC became a degree granting college in 1997 and earned accreditation a short time later. Although the college currently concentrates on study programs associated with labor matters, the planned program will include other, general fields of study.
Richard Trumka, President of the AFLCIO, also announced that the College's Board of Trustees has approved the selection of The Princeton Review, Inc. and its subsidiary, Penn Foster Education Group, Inc., as its partner to implement the College for Working Families. That shows the serious intentions of the program because The Princeton Review and Penn Foster Education Group are leading providers of postsecondary educational services.
"Expanding good jobs is a top priority for the AFL-CIO," Trumka said. "To achieve this, workers' skills and knowledge must match the role of employers in a changing job market This new online education venture demonstrates our strong commitment to playing a significant role in ensuring that quality education for America's workers and their families remains affordable and accessible. We believe this is one of the best ways to retain and grow good jobs in this country."
Under the plan, the National Labor College's programs will enable working men and women to build on their prior training and experiences, including formal and informal learning they may have undergone through union and/or industry sponsored training programs (such as our own union's ITP), as well as through local institutions, particularly community colleges.
It's no secret that working men and women gain a wealth of learning simply through their employment and life experiences. The College for Working Families will take much of this into account in designing efficient and effective programs that will lead to a range of academic degrees. In short, the proposed online degree program will support the increasing need of working men and women and their families to expand their knowledge in an affordable and accessible manner.
The planned National Labor College's online degree program will be a joint venture that will bring together the skills and significant financial resources of "The Princeton Review" and Penn Foster in order to assure a quality educational experience. The joint venture is subject to the negotiation and execution of definitive agreements among the AFL-CIO, the National Labor College and The Princeton Review, which are expected to be completed shortly. In addition, implementation of certain anticipated programs may be subject to regulatory approvals. But the program should be up and running - and providing quality affordable online education - in the not-too-distant future.
The Princeton Review has been helping students achieve their higher education goals for more than 25 years through college and graduate school test preparation and private tutoring. The company provides students and their parents with the resources to research, apply to, prepare for, and learn how to pay for higher education. The Princeton Review owns and operates Penn Foster Education Group, a global leader in online education. Penn Foster provides career-focused degree and vocational programs in the fields of allied health, business, technology, education, and select trades.
National Labor College President William Scheuerman said the school went through a thorough evaluation process before selecting The Princeton Review and Penn Foster. "We underwent an extensive study to identify a partner with deep experience helping working Americans achieve their educational goals," he said. "We were particularly impressed with Penn Foster's demonstrated expertise in providing high-quality student services and support, elements that we consider essential to the success of this ambitious undertaking."
"It is critical that the American workforce can be successfully educated without driving tuition costs beyond the point of affordability," explained Michael Perik, President and CEO of Princeton Review. "We are confident that, through this partnership, we can help ensure that the students who enroll in the National Labor College's online degree program will have a successful learning experience."
As noted, it is expected that this affordable online college degree program will begin operations before the end of the year. Hotel Voice will keep members informed about this exciting educational opportunity as soon as it becomes available. In the meantime, members wishing to upgrade their job skills in the hotel industry have the opportunity to do so through a number of Spring Semester courses that are still available at the Industry Training Program. For details, call the school at 718-361-5100 ext. 3600.
