In today’s rapidly growing workforce landscape, higher education institutions face growing pressures to demonstrate value, relevance and ROI. In this challenge is an underutilized strategy with great potential: credit from previous learning.
We have long recognized the benefits of CPL for students. Learners who earn CPL credits are more likely to complete their degree (no one has a degree of 49% vs 27%), and on average, they earn an additional 17.6 credits, completing 9 to 14 months early, and saving $1,500 to $10,200 in tuition costs (CAEL). But what is often overlooked is CPL’s ability to change the relationship between educational institutions and employers, creating a win-win situation for students, institutions and industries.
Beyond the interests of students
CPL’s traditional narrative around CPL emphasizes students’ strengths: increasing enrollment, improving completion rates and reducing graduation time. These metrics are very important, but they tell only part of the story.
CPL can act as a bridge between academia and industry, creating strong new partnerships. When universities and universities accept strong CPL programs, they send an explicit message to employers: We value the training and development you provide. Recognizing that company training as a credibility learning demonstrates respect for workplace knowledge and emphasizes higher education’s commitment to real-world relevance.
Employer and labor gains
For employers, CPL confirmed their in-house training program academic achievement. This recognition strengthens recruitment and retention efforts as workers see clear pathways to improve their education without having to repeat the learning they already master. Companies that invest in employee development also gain educational partners who understand industry needs and value attributes that drive employee success.
Profits further expand: Organizations with compensation or compensation programs can reduce costs while increasing employee motivation and durability.
Deeper collaboration between senior and industry
As institutions evaluate the credit equivalence of workplace training, they gain valuable insights into industry practice and skills needs. This exchange allows universities to refine their courses to better meet market demands and ensure that graduates have the abilities that employers seek, not just those defined in academic silos.
Tough and necessary dialogue – efforts between faculty and company training leaders – to ensure that the CPL evaluation is strict and relevant. Key questions include: Why are some topics included but no others? How do we know that participants can prove knowledge? Is training aligned with a wider discipline or leadership, or is it a niche? These discussions enhance educational and workplace outcomes.
Reimagine CPL
The future of higher education lies in breaking down artificial barriers between academic and workplace learning. By using CPL as a cornerstone strategy (not just for student success but also for employer partnerships), you can position yourself in the connection between education and employment.
This approach does not reduce rigorous academics. It expands our understanding of where and how meaningful learning happens. Doing well, CPL creates avenues to honor all learning, no matter where it happens. For learners, the message is clear: your hard work is important.
