Accreditation as an Asset

Training

Accreditation as an Asset
June 06, 2007
Make money while training your workforce by becoming accredited by the U.S. Department of Education

By Rebecca Busacca

Ever wonder how large universities tap into government funding programs? Or how they draw in international students? Or how they continue to win large government contracts with ease? They do it by becoming nationally accredited with an agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education (USDOE). Accreditation is no longer just for colleges and traditional training schools; it is something all types of training organizations should start considering immediately. In fact, large corporations are realizing they can train their own staff and compete for the billions of training dollars that come via accreditation.

Imagine this scenario…

Your company is growing rapidly and you need 15 new hires to fill positions. You run a radio advertisement to spark some interest in these openings. Some 20 potential candidates interview for the positions. Fifteen of the 20 are selected to take a four-month intensive corporate training program for 40 hours per week. All 15 students are charged a nominal fee of $10,000 for the training program. Each student is offered Federal Financial Aid Options, which include Pell Grants, Low interest Guaranteed Student Loans, and Stafford Loans to pay for the training. Your staff trains all 15 students on your corporate policies and procedures. At the end of the program, you have 15 highly qualified staff members.

Your cost per student: $5,000

Your profit per student: $5,000

Total profit for your newly trained workforce: $75,000

This is not a dream…this is happening right now. In fact, many large medical, staffing, pharmaceutical, retail, industrial and trucking corporations are living this dream and growing rapidly as a result. The key is maintaining a separate training division that seeks national accreditation with a U.S. Department of Education-recognized accreditor.

What Is Accreditation?

The process of accreditation requires organizations to participate in an ongoing improvement process that continually stimulates vital educational efforts through a process of self-regulation. In seeking accreditation, applicants must meet rigorous organizational and training standards, which are considered essential for quality education. Accreditation ensures that the training organization has undergone a self-study and validation process with a third-party accrediting agency that is recognized by the USDOE. Recognized accrediting agencies are subjected to a rigorous process of obtaining USDOE approval in accordance with the Higher Education Act of 1965, which makes them reliable authorities regarding the quality of education or training offered by the institutions or programs they accredit. By achieving accreditation, there is an affirmation of quality endorsed by the USDOE and the educational community. Many schools that lack recognized accreditation often claim accreditation from unrecognized sources. Unrecognized accreditations are meaningless to the academic community. Therefore, only those organizations or schools that obtain accreditation with a USDOE-recognized agency may reap the benefits that come with it.

Accreditation with a nationally recognized agency gained its foothold at the turn of the 20th century when there was a greater focus on public education, accompanied by governmental reforms in education and the first efforts to regulate the private vocational schools. It all began with veterans who enrolled in proprietary schools in record numbers after World War II, thanks to federal subsidies available on the G.I. Bill.

During this time, the rivalry between community colleges and proprietary schools began, which resulted in a college attendance surge. Existing public institutions expanded their facilities, new campuses sprouted all over the country, and enrollments increased dramatically. As training organizations faced new pressures to compete for students and financial aid through Title IV funding programs, proprietary institutions also increasingly were targeted for criticism. As a result, accreditation began to take root. Thus, during the last 50 years, efforts to coordinate oversight responsibility for the proprietary training sector among the state higher education agencies, accrediting bodies, and the federal government continue to be a hot topic.

Although some corporations may take an adversarial stance toward accreditation with a USDOE recognized agency, successful companies see accreditation as another way to gain a competitive advantage. In fact, concentrating on the continuous implementation of high standards sets organizations apart from their competition and opens doors to top-notch labor in the U.S. and abroad. Successful companies realize labor is not a commodity—it is a competitive advantage and ultimately will drive business your way as clients will hire your company over another because they know they can put their trust in your staff. Staffing is just one of many benefits corporations can derive from accreditation. It also:

• Results in national recognition with a U.S. Department of Education Accrediting Agency

• Promotes organizational growth by tapping into additional sources of revenue and federally funded loan programs

• Allows organizations to obtain Department of Homeland Security Recognition for visa issuance

• Allows organizations to bid on Federal Contracts that require USDOE Recognition

• Entrenches the market with your training values

• Enhances brand dominance as the leader in your field

• Increases investor confidence with a more reliable and effective management processes

• Increases client and customer confidence and satisfaction due to consistent training processes

• Improves risk management

• Provides standards for tracking Return on Investment (ROI) for staff training

• Provides a competitive edge for recruiting the best and brightest

• Increases staff commitment and longevity

Corporations are recognizing that now is the time to become accredited, particularly since today’s corporate structures are turning to virtual teams and remote workers. The nature of work has shifted, making training imperative. Accreditation promotes a system where everyone is focused, engaged, and contributing their best efforts to produce exceptional results. In doing so, corporations satisfy investors and clients and prosper financially. By making a commitment to accreditation, corporations are clearly differentiating their training programs and growing as a result.

To learn more about how to become nationally accredited, contact Rebecca Busacca, president of Accreditation Training Advisors, via e-mail at rebecca@accreditationtrainingadvisors.com.

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