Our education system is broken right now because tuition keeps climbing, while unemployment stays stagnant, and there's a major skills gap globally. According to the 2012 Manpower Talent Shortage Survey, 49 percent of U.S employers currently have difficulty filling mission-critical positions. In the Wall Street Journal, SHRM's Mark Schmit agrees that the talent shortage is the number one issue HR managers are facing. There is no guaranteed job after graduation anymore and internships don't magically turn into jobs either. Students are in debt because of loans and they are graduating into retail and bartending jobs instead of professional ones. Even if they get a job, it's usually doesn't reflect their major. Our school system needs to adjust to fit the new economic reality and we're starting to see the transition happen as we speak.
In a new study my company did in partnership with Internships.com of over 1,345 students, we found that 50 percent of students believe they don't need a physical classroom to learn. In addition, 53 percent believe that online colleges are reputable and 39 percent view the future of education as being more virtual. Despite where we are going, students still believe it's easier to learn in a traditional classroom setting over an online one. This will change though as technology breaks more barriers and creates better user experiences that connect students and teachers.
Students value the benefits of online learning including balancing work and class, flexibility in assignments and lower costs. "As new modes of online higher education develop and students use technology in greater and greater numbers within and for their academic curriculum, it's clear that the desire for relevant 21st century jobs and career experiences go hand-in-hand," says Robin D. Richards, CEO of Internships.com. This is true because more students are doing virtual internships and more employees are working remotely than ever before. As the world becomes more virtual, it will lower costs and allow more students who couldn't afford education or don't want to deal with outrageous students loans to educate themselves.
Companies such as Academic Partnerships and 2U are taking advantage of this extremely important need by providing platforms for online learning that makes you feel like you're in the classroom. As more schools take the plunge, more students will jump on board because they were raised with tech tools and can adapt easier than older generations. This will also make it easier for students who don't want to move but want to attend top tier colleges. There shouldn't be a one-size-fits-all model when it comes to getting an education and not all students will want to take the online option but it should be available.