Coalition for the Common Good adds workforce partners

The Coalition for the Common Good says more than 20 employers and organizations have joined its workforce-development model as it enters its fourth year. The expanded network is meant to help working adults earn flexible credentials while helping employers recruit, train, and retain talent.

Why it matters: - The Coalition for the Common Good is trying to connect higher education directly to employers, which can make training more accessible for working adults. - The model is designed to help organizations build pipelines for talent, while also giving employees and members flexible ways to earn degrees and credentials. - The coalition says the approach addresses both workforce shortages and retention challenges.

What happened: - The Coalition for the Common Good said it is expanding a national workforce-development model that brings higher education to employers and membership organizations at work, online, and in hybrid formats. - The coalition said its partnership network now includes more than 20 organizations, with additional collaborations in development. - The expansion comes as the coalition begins its fourth year. - John Comerford, president of the Coalition for the Common Good, said partners can expect flexible and accessible educational opportunities, along with tuition discounts for undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral programs.

The details: - Partner organizations can offer customized training, seminars, workshops, stackable credentials, credit-bearing certificates, and tuition benefits for employees, members, and their families. - Programs can be delivered on-site, on campus, online, or through a hybrid model built around each organization’s workforce needs. - The coalition said the model can serve partners coast-to-coast. - InnoSource uses a program called InnoSkilling, which combines customized job training with higher-education credit. - The coalition said multiple cohorts have completed InnoSkilling, and InnoSource has reported stronger retention among participating employees. - Columbus City Schools is working with the coalition to expand access to school counseling programs, teacher apprenticeship pathways, management and leadership degrees, certifications, and continuing-education opportunities. - Michelle Koppitz, associate vice president for strategic initiatives at the coalition, said the goal is to minimize barriers to higher education by meeting people where they are, especially at work. - Other partners include AHMP, Behavioral Health Partners of Central Ohio, Blue Star Families, City of Columbus, Columbus Early Learning Center, Educational Service Center of Central Ohio, Infant Massage USA, Kettering Health Network, LA Urban League, Landmark College, Maricopa Community College, Nationwide Children’s Hospital, NEA-New Hampshire, OhioHealth, Premier Health Network, River Valley Community College, Service!/Cafe Overlook, Sinclair College, and Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. - More partners are listed at current workforce partnerships. - Additional information is available by email at partnerships@antioch.edu or at ccgedu.org.

Between the lines: - The coalition is positioning higher education as a workforce service, not just a degree pathway. - The partner list spans healthcare, education, military, labor, and nonprofit groups, signaling broad demand for flexible training models. - The emphasis on stackable credentials and hybrid delivery suggests the coalition is targeting adults who cannot leave work for traditional campus-based study. - The tuition-benefit piece gives employers another retention tool without requiring them to build programs from scratch.

What's next: - The coalition said additional collaborations are in development. - More organizations may join as the model continues to scale across different sectors and regions. - The coalition will continue promoting flexible degree and training pathways through its partner network.

The bottom line: - The Coalition for the Common Good is using higher education partnerships to help employers solve talent gaps while giving working adults more practical routes to credentials and advancement.