Coalition for the Common Good adds workforce partners across sectors

The Coalition for the Common Good is broadening its workforce-development network with more than 20 partners in healthcare, education, nonprofit, military, and industry. The expansion is designed to deliver flexible education and training to working adults while helping employers and membership organizations recruit and keep talent.

Why it matters: - The Coalition for the Common Good is pushing higher education closer to the workplace, which can reduce barriers for working adults who need credentials without leaving their jobs. - Employers and membership groups can use the model to strengthen recruitment, retention, and employee development at a time when talent competition remains intense. - The expanding partner network shows demand for flexible degree and training options that can be delivered on-site, online, or in hybrid formats.

What happened: - The Coalition for the Common Good said it is expanding a national workforce-development model that brings higher education directly to employers and membership organizations. - The coalition said its partnerships now include more than 20 organizations as it enters its fourth year. - The network spans healthcare, education, nonprofit, military, and industry partners. - The coalition said the model serves organizations coast-to-coast.

The details: - Partner organizations can offer customized training, seminars, workshops, stackable credentials, credit-bearing certificates, and tuition benefits for employees, members, and families. - Programs can be delivered on-site, on campus, online, or through a hybrid model tailored to workforce needs. - The coalition said the approach is meant to address two issues at once: helping adults gain career-relevant education and helping organizations attract, develop, and retain employees and members. - John Comerford, president of the Coalition for the Common Good, said partners can expect flexible, accessible, innovative educational opportunities and added tuition discounts for undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral programs. - InnoSource worked with the coalition on “InnoSkilling,” a program that combines customized job training with higher-education credit. - 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 for teachers and administrators. - Michelle Koppitz, associate vice president for strategic initiatives at the coalition, said the goal is to minimize barriers by meeting people where they are, especially at work. - Other partners listed 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 available online at current workforce partnerships. - The coalition provided a contact email for more information: partnerships@antioch.edu.

Between the lines: - The coalition is positioning workforce education as a benefit that goes beyond training, with tuition support and stackable credentials designed to make participation easier for employees and members. - The mix of public agencies, schools, health systems, military organizations, and nonprofits suggests the model is being tested across different labor markets rather than in a single sector. - The retention result reported by InnoSource points to an early signal that employer-linked education can support workforce stability, though the release does not provide broader outcome data.

What's next: - The coalition said additional collaborations are in development. - The partner list is expected to keep growing as the model scales across regions and sectors. - Interested organizations can review the full partner list online or contact the coalition directly for more information.

The bottom line: - The Coalition for the Common Good is turning higher education into a workplace-based talent strategy, and its partner growth suggests employers want more flexible ways to train and keep workers.