Partnering to Support Adult Learners: How Franklin University Advances Careers

Adult learning through various professional development courses online can be a crucial tool for keeping employees at the forefront of their fields – while boosting engagement and retention. But in this era of economic uncertainty and rapid technological change, workers face unique challenges that make it more difficult to commit to an education program. Many employers wonder what they can do to initiate career growth opportunities to help their employees become lifelong learners in pursuit of new skills and career mobility.  

Franklin University, one of Workforce Edge’s featured education providers, has some powerful insights around adult education programs, navigating change, and supporting adult learners. 

Franklin University: built around adult learners 

For more than 120 years, Franklin University has been helping working adults grow their skills and advance their careers. The university was a pioneer in online courses for adults and serves students across the U.S. and internationally. Students can choose from 98 career-relevant programs in business, technology, education, healthcare, nursing, and more – plus professional development courses online. Accredited, nonprofit, and dedicated to meeting the needs of busy working people with diverse learning styles, Franklin provides continuing education for adult learners with built-in flexibility, robust student support, and multiple options to reduce costs. 

Franklin University and Workforce Edge: career-focused, student-centered

For Franklin, working with Workforce Edge is a natural fit. “Our partnership with Workforce Edge is a direct extension of Franklin’s commitment to working adults,” says Dr. Patrick Bennett, vice president for academic quality and planning and dean of the School of Education. 

“Workforce Edge helps us tailor programs in partnership with employers, so that education outcomes align closely with real-world job demands.”

- Dr. Patrick Bennett, VP of academic quality & planning and dean of the School of Education

“Our teaching model is different,” adds Sherry Mercurio, Franklin University executive director of public relations. “We align our curriculum with workforce needs. Each program has an advisory board made up of experts in their field. Our classes are taught by folks who are practicing in the real world.” 

What are the main challenges faced by adult learners? 

Adult learners often face challenges that may differ from those of traditional college students, such as balancing work, school and family. But today’s non traditional student confronts an environment of near-constant change that is accelerating at a faster pace than previous generations of workers could have imagined. 

“Adult students today are juggling more than ever,” Dr. Bennett notes. “The intensity of these pressures feels more pronounced now as many adult learners are also navigating career changes or upskilling in response to shifting industry demands.”  

For some workers, these pressures could create concerns about the value of their educational investment, particularly whether their self-directed learning will apply to current or future roles. It could also heighten anxieties around balancing school, work, and family commitments. “We asked employees what mattered most to them in choosing a degree program,” says Dr. Bennett, “and the top answers were cost and schedule.”

Overcoming barriers for adult learners

“At Franklin, we’ve designed our entire experience around the needs of adult learners,” notes Dr. Bennett. To address the unique challenges of going back to school as an adult, Franklin has a host of initiatives and solutions that address cost, scheduling, speed to completion, and much more. Here are just a few:

• U-LEARN: 
  This innovative program can put a tuition-covered college degree within reach. With U-LEARN, students are free to take as many courses as they can successfully complete in a calendar year – even after reaching the annual limit of their employer’s tuition benefit. This allows students to maximize their employer’s tuition assistance program and earn a bachelor’s or associate degree with little or no out-of-pocket cost. Stacy Aichele, Franklin University director of marketing communications, shares how U-LEARN puts more control in the student's hands: “The student is completely in the driver's seat of how far they want their employer tuition benefit to go.” 
• Balanced learning format: 
  Courses are structured to allocate workload throughout the term to help students balance their study time with other commitments. Courses are fully detailed, week-by-week and assignment-by-assignment, enabling students to plan their studies around their lives. 
• Transfer credit: 
  “We have one of the most generous transfer credit policies around, which helps students finish classes faster,” Dr. Bennett points out. In fact, 90% of Franklin undergraduates bring transfer credits from at least one other institution. There’s also an online calculator for students to see how their previous credits may transfer. Franklin also enables students to leverage their previous work experience and training to qualify for credit. 
• Support: 
  Whether it’s one-to-one academic advising, tutoring, or mental well-being resources, Franklin surrounds students with tools and services to enable their success. “We like to say ‘online, but never alone,’” Aichele explains. 
  
  “We’ve built every layer of support – academic, financial, and structural – around adult learners.”
  

-Stacy Aichele, Franklin University director of marketing communications

• Pathway portal partnerships: 
  Franklin has partnered with more than 130 community colleges to offer students a more seamless pathway to a degree. As they progress through their associate degree, students can use a Franklin portal to see how their credits will transfer toward a degree path – instead of gathering and submitting transcripts. Plus, students in the pathway portal receive discounted tuition at Franklin.

How employers can support going back to school as an adult

Leveraging strong principles of adult learning, Franklin University has taken major steps to create an environment that removes obstacles for working adults that want to pursue a degree, a certification program, or other professional development courses online. But what can employers do to encourage employee learning and upskilling to better support their education goals? 

• Start with a culture of lifelong learning: “Create a culture where lifelong learning is valued in the workplace,” suggests Aichele. Doing so has the added benefit of creating stronger internal networks. “I have heard from students who go through programs with co-workers that it really does help form bonds between employees.” 
• Promote relevant programs that upskill: “Employers can also elevate specific degree pathways that support their evolving workforce needs, creating a stronger, more future-ready talent pipeline,” says Dr. Bennett. 
• Choose adult-focused education providers: It’s important to select universities and other education options that, like Franklin University, maximize the benefits of online learning and offer the kind of flexibility and support adult learners need.

Make education a career driver

Workforce Edge is proud to partner with Franklin University, an education provider that shares our commitment to helping adult learners – and the organizations they work for – expand their potential. 

Ready to unlock a brighter future? Your job’s education benefit could be the key. See if your employer has partnered with Workforce Edge.