[B]URLINGTON — Burlington College is launching a new workforce training venture that fills educational gaps.
The new “Communiversity” at Burlington College is designed to help nontraditional students enter the workforce through training programs and earn credit toward a degree.
“This is a relatively new concept in higher education. The essence is a community and university partnership,” said Carol Moore, Burlington College president at a news conference Tuesday.
There are roughly 15 other “communiversities” nationwide, she said.
Burlington College is teaming up with Vermont HITECH, a nonprofit education center that tailors job-training courses to the needs of employers. Students who complete training sessions at Burlington College will be a few credits shy of an associate degree and will be guaranteed a job with the employer sponsoring the training.
Some of the other groups participating in for-credit training programs include the New England Institute for Teacher Education, a professional development company for educators; and the Community Kitchen Academy, a project of the Vermont Foodbank that partners with professional chefs to give unemployed or underemployed people skills for careers in the food service industry.
Burlington College is also working with Oplerno, a Vermont-based company that offers online courses approved for college credit by the Vermont State Board of Education.
Burlington Mayor Miro Weinberger said the new workforce training programs will help Burlington meet “educational needs not being served by other players in the market.”
“It’s been awhile coming,” Weinberger added. “I think we’ve all long looked forward to being able to talk about the exciting education that’s happening here.”
Burlington College has struggled over the past five years since former President Jane Sanders, wife of presidential candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders, was forced to resign by the school’s board of trustees. Sanders took out $10 million in loans to purchase the school’s current North Avenue campus.
Declining student enrollment and a staff exodus made it difficult to pay back those loans, and in June of 2014 the regional accrediting agency in June placed the college on a two-year probation for failing to meet financial standards.
Burlington College has sold much of the North Avenue campus to developer Eric Farrell, and while the sale has improved the school’s financial outlook, it remains on probation.
Moore who became president earlier this year has made boosting student enrollment her top priority.
Howard Fisher, a consultant with the Community Kitchen Academy, praised Moore for developing partnerships with groups like his and others.
“We went through two or three college presidents here at Burlington College to get to you, Carol, but it took Carol about two seconds (to see) that there was potential to partner,” Fisher said.
The venture will also create more opportunities for high school students through the state’s dual-enrollment program, and adult learners will be able to pursue credentials ranging from certificates to associate, bachelor’s and master’s degrees.
