Hartford Business Journal

6 Hartford Business Journal • January 21, 2019 • www.HartfordBusiness.com By Sean Teehan steehan@hartfordbusiness.com W hen Aric Krause became dean of aca- demics at Rensse- laer Polytechnic In- stitute in Hartford about a year-and-a-half ago, he started an intensive regimen of in-person and teleconference meetings with employ- ers in the area and worldwide. "What we ask them is a very funda- mental question: 'What does some- body need to be able … to be successful in your organization?' " Krause said. "And we collect that data … and build a program around that." The result is an ambitious slate of some 20 new programs Rensselaer Hartford plans to start rolling out in May. The new offerings, which are currently pending approval from the state Office of Higher Education, run the gamut from data analytics to arti- ficial intelligence, but they all share at least one thing in common: They are non-degree certificate programs that aim to train workers on skills most in- demand among employers. Such certificate programs have been increasing in popularity at colleges and universities across the country, especial- ly as enrollment among traditional four- year students continues to drop, forcing schools to recruit new demographics in need of training, said Jennifer Widness, president of the Connecticut Confer- ence of Independent Colleges. More than 485,000 college certifi- cates were granted by higher-ed insti- tutions during the 2015-2016 academic year, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. That's nearly 33,000 more than reported just three years before, a 6.8 percent increase. Other local schools that offer certificate pro- grams include the universities of Hartford and St. Joseph, Trinity and Goodwin colleges, and even UConn. "As higher-ed comes under in- creased pressure to revise their business model and make sure that they have sustained enroll- ment, I think there's going to be increased opportunities for them to work with employers," Widness said. This is Rensse- laer Hartford's first foray into non-degree certificate programs, which often teach specific skills, are geared toward working professionals and take a fraction of the time to complete compared to a master's degree. The typical student they're trying to attract works full time and must have a bachelor's degree. Certificate programs also give students academic credits, which can add up to a full degree. Rensselaer's certificate focus is part of a new strategy the school an- nounced in 2014, when it said it would shutter its executive MBA program, which was suffering from poor enroll- ment, to focus more on mechanical en- gineering and information-technology curricula. Rensselaer, at the time, said it hoped to have 1,200 students enrolled at the Hartford campus by 2024; as of Dec. 2014, it had only 185 graduate students. Rensselaer Hartford officials said they hope to have several hundred students in certificate programs, the first six of which could begin signing up pupils soon, pending state approval. Stanley Dunn, vice provost and dean of graduate education at Rensselaer's flagship campus in Troy, N.Y., said the school has a long history of providing education for working professionals. "In order for Rensselaer to be respon- sive to the industry that we serve, we have to be able to provide the back- ground and the training and the skills that are in very specific areas that (stu- dents/professionals) can get on a short- term basis and turn around and im- mediately use in their jobs," said Dunn, adding that areas of study will include big data, internet of things, advanced manufacturing and automation. Skills update Rensselaer at Hartford was es- tablished by Rensselaer and United Skills Training Rensselaer Hartford, other colleges turn to non-degree certificate programs to boost enrollment, meet employer needs CT education attainment levels (residents ages 25-64) This data shows that only a small percentage of Connecticut residents have completed certificate programs, but their popularity is rising. Education level % of CT population Less than 9th grade 3 9th-12th grade, no diploma 4.7 High school graduate (including GED) 25.9 Some college, no credential 12.6 Certificate 5 Associate degree 8 Bachelor's degree 24.1 Graduate or professional degree 16.8 Source: Lumina Foundation Rensselaer Hartford Dean of Academics Aric Krause is planning to introduce an ambitious slate of some 20 certificate programs over the next three years. HBJ PHOTO | SEAN TEEHAN

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