The United States has established itself as the preferred destination for higher education (Chao & Negarty, 2014). Every year, the country opens its doors to thousands of eager students who wish to study at the finest institutions. Generous endowments, research in key areas and the high demand for students from American universities are some of the factors that are responsible for the remarkable growth of the US higher education industry. While top ranking universities have been the subject of much attention, there are other institutions that continue to play an important role in supplying society with responsible, gifted and skilled adults. Florida Career College is among these institutions. For years, this institution has strived to prepare students for the challenges of the modern workplace (“Florida Career College”, n.d). The college offers a number of programs that include business, healthcare, nursing and information technology, among others. With multiple campuses across the country, Florida Career College targets students who wish to make a difference. The future of this college is indeed promising. However, for this future to be realized the college must exploit its strengths and opportunities while minimizing the impacts of threats and weaknesses.
SWOT analysis
Florida Career College possesses a number of key strengths that it can exploit to enhance its position. The versatility and range of programs that it offers is among these strengths. As already pointed out above, the college offers programs in such areas as information technology, nursing and business (“Florida Career College”, n.d). Thanks to the fairly wide range of programs that the college offers, it is able to attract a wider and more diverse pool of students. When an institution of higher learning offers its learners a wide range of programs to select from, it positions itself in a competitive position (Associated Press, 2015). The wide network of campuses that the college has established is another strength that could cement its position in the higher education industry. Florida Career College has set up campuses in West Palm Beach, Boynton Beach, Margate, Lauderdale Lakes and Jacksonville (“Florida Career College”, n.d). A wide network of campuses allows an educational institution to expand its reach and target more students. Thanks to the multiple campuses that it has set up, Florida Career College has been able to bring its services closer to many students. The long history of offering quality training and services is yet another strength that Florida Career College possesses. The institution has been training and preparing learners for the workplace for over 30 years (“Florida Career College”, n.d). This experience can be taken as indication that the college has developed expertise and facilities needed for effective learning and training.
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It is true that Florida Career College’s growth has been the result of the numerous strengths that it possesses. However, it is important to examine some of the weaknesses that are holding the college back from further success. The focus on preparing students for employment is one of the weaknesses. In the testimonies that students of the school have shared, great focus is given to the role that the college has played in readying them for the workplace. For example, Tyrone states that “they turned me into a technician. I got a job” (“Florida Career College”, n.d) Today, more and more institutions are moving away from the traditional approach where the main aim was to prepare learners for finding jobs. These institutions are striving to impart skills that challenge learners to become job creators and active citizens (Duval-Couetil, 2013). Unless Florida Career College adopts a fresh approach, it risks losing students who wish to become more than mere employees. Another weakness of Florida Career College is the fact that is accreditation is in question. The college states that the Accrediting Council of Independent Colleges & Schools, the body that accredited it, has lost its government recognition (“Florida Career College”, n.d). While the college has initiated a fresh accreditation application, its status remains in limbo. This means that students are likely to stay away from the school. Accreditation lends credibility and authority to educational institutions. Without accreditation, an institution loses its appeal.
The higher education market is full of opportunities that Florida Career College needs to grab. The growing demand for college education is among these opportunities. In the recent past, the US has witnessed a remarkable trend where more learners are pursuing college degrees (Kumar & Hurwitz, 2015). Moreover, employers are insisting that their employees must hold college degrees. This trend represents an opportunity for Florida Career College. Presently, the college offers diplomas and associate degrees (“Florida Career College”, n.d). It could expand its programs to include Bachelor Degrees. The higher education industry is fraught with more challenges and threats than opportunities. The rise of online learning is among the threats that Florida Career College must brace for. Over the last few years, thousands of online courses that offer low-cost and convenient learning have been developed (Jordan, 2014). These courses pose an existential threat to such traditional institutions as Florida Career College. The increasing cost of education in the US is another threat that Florida Career College faces. Ever year, American students spend huge amounts as they pursue college education. Many have been forced into debt while others lament that college education has failed to improve their career prospects. Given that Florida Career College prides itself in preparing students for employment, the declining faith and interest in college education is a real threat to the institution.
Career trend analysis
No career is static. Nearly all professions undergo some form of change. The various careers that Florida Career College prepares learners for have evolved and continue to witness change. The schools of business and information technology are among those that have seen far-reaching changes. The emergence of new employment positions and the requirement that students must develop certain skills are some of the trends that are being witnessed in the schools of information (“Emerging Career Trends”, n.d). For example, students in these schools need to possess excellent communication and information skills. New opportunities are opening up in such sectors as the government and military (“Emerging Career Trends”, n.d). Some of the trends that the schools of business are undergoing include the emergence of entrepreneurialism and the adoption of action-based learning. Flexible learning, specialization, personal branding are other trends that the schools of business are witnessing (“Top MBA Trends”, 2016).
Apart from the schools of business and information, fresh trends are also being witnessed in the schools of nursing, allied health and cosmetology. In the schools of nursing, it has been observed that there is a shortage of teaching staff and students are denied the opportunity to conduct clinical site visits (“Nursing Education Trends”, 2016). Another trend is a decline in the quality of education programs that are offered in the nursing schools. The changing role of the modern nurse is another trend that the nursing schools are witnessing (“Nursing Education Trends”, 2016). The emergence of new career opportunities is one of the trends that are shaping these schools. Such opportunities as occupational and physical therapy are offering learners in schools of allied health with avenues to display their learning and skills (Wood, 2013). Another trend is that there is a growing need for such services as imaging and laboratory services. This means that the demand for the skills that the students in schools of allied health possess is increasing. The schools of cosmetology are also experiencing some changes. One of the trends that are transforming these schools is the emergence of new fashion styles and cultures (“5 Big Trends in Como”, 2016). These schools will need to change their approach as they respond to this trend.
The main student population that Florida Career College targets are workers who wish to enhance their career prospects. Given that the college has remained active for over 30 years, it would be reasonable to assume that this student population has been sufficient to sustain the college. However, it must be remembered that the US higher education industry is becoming increasingly competitive. Institutions are resorting to measures that are rather desperate in a bid to attract students (Podolsky, 2014). For instance, the institutions are promising such incentives as laptops to students who enroll. It is clear that if Florida Career College is to remain alive, it must widen its target student population. It is recommended that the institution should woo learners who are not necessarily employed. In addition to providing the institution with a new student segment, this move will also allow the college to aid students who have traditionally been neglected in their quest for higher learning. The future needs of the students that learn at Florida Career College are bound to change. The college appears adequately prepared to meet these needs. The preparedness of the college can be seen in its variety of programs, network of campuses and its long history of offering exceptional training.
Strategic opportunity
In an earlier discussion, some of the threats that Florida Career College faces were examined. The rise of online learning was identified as among these threats. The college could let this threat erode its performance. On the other hand, the college could embrace this treat and transform it into an opportunity. It is proposed that the college should integrate online learning into its delivery processes. An increasing number of traditional learning institutions are adopting online learning. They are creating online platforms where they make their courses available (Jordan, 2014). The key advantage of this approach is that it enables students to learn in a simple and convenient fashion. It also spares students of the need to be present in brick and mortar classes. This strategic opportunity is market responsive. This is because it will enable the college to adapt to the changes that are taking place in the industry. The opportunity is also learner centered and academic focused. It is learner centered in that it shields learners from the hurdles and inconveniences that traditional learning present (Jordan, 2014). The opportunity is academic focused in the sense that it delivers the same insights and knowledge but in a fashion that is more convenient and cost-effective. Risk sensitive and promise-oriented are the other features that characterize the opportunity of online learning. What makes this opportunity risk sensitive is that the college will not need to invest huge amounts as it implements the opportunity. It will only need to set up an online platform where it makes it programs available. Moreover, online learning has been tried, tested and found to be an effective approach for delivering learning. As it embraces online learning, Florida Career College will be making a promise to deliver quality, convenient and cost-effective learning. This makes this opportunity promise-oriented.
Stakeholder analysis
Florida Career College understands that the effective delivery of learning calls for strategic partnerships and collaboration. This can be seen in the fact that the college has joined forces with a number of stakeholders. The local community is one of the college’s key stakeholders. The college partners with the community in a number of initiatives. For instance, the college promises financial aid for certain groups of students (“Florida Career College”, n.d). This is clear evidence that the college is committed to empowering the local community. Employers are other stakeholders that the college collaborates with (“Florida Career College Exciting”, 2014). As noted in an earlier discussion, the college seeks to equip its students to meet the demands and specifications of employers. Through its partnerships with employers, the college is able to link students with employers.
While it is true that Florida Career College has established key partnerships, it is necessary for the college to reach out to new partners. Sponsors are among the new stakeholders that the college needs to establish relationships with. Sponsors serve the very important function of providing the funding that learning institutions need to finance their programs. There is also need for the college to work with government agencies. These agencies are crucial as they offer support and facilitate the operations of learning institutions.
Strategic goals
That Florida College has been in operation for over 30 years is indeed remarkable. However, if this college is to remain active, it must pursue a number of strategic goals. The three main goals that the college needs to pursue include increasing its student enrollment, bringing sponsors on board and finalizing its accreditation process. The number of students who attend a particular school determine the level of performance and success that the school achieves. If Florida Career College is to overcome the challenges that it faces, it must reach out to new student segments. It is also important for the college to attract sponsors. Many institutions of higher learning have been forced to implement such measures as layoffs and budget cuts in response to dwindling revenues (Matthews, 2014). To shield itself against harsh economic realities, there is need for Florida Career College to appeal for more funding from sponsors. The third goal that the college needs to pursue is ensuring that it receives full accreditation. In an earlier discussion, it was pointed out that the college is in the process of obtaining accreditation. The college must throw its full weight behind this process. Accreditation will restore the respect and credibility of the college.
Utilization of enrollment funnel and scorecard in implementation
The enrollment funnel is one of the tools that colleges have traditionally relied on for their marketing campaigns. Essentially, this tool identifies a large pool of prospective students some of whom are converted into individuals making inquiries (Levitz, 2009). A portion of those who make the inquiries become applicants who fill in application forms. This process continues until the school gains enrollees who proceed to take programs and eventually graduate. It is advised that Florida Career College should employ the enrollment funnel. As it does this, the college will be able to target a particular group of prospective students from which it gains students. It is also advised that even as it adopts this tool, the college should exercise caution and supplement it with other techniques such as internet marketing. This is because it has been shown that the enrollment funnel is losing its effectiveness in the wake of the development of better approaches like internet marketing (Levitz, 2009). It is also recommended that as it implements programs, Florida Career College needs to adopt a scorecard. A scorecard enables an organization to evaluate its performance and identify areas that require improvement. These are some of the gains that the college will enjoy upon the adoption of a scorecard.
In conclusion, Florida Career College plays the important role of preparing learners for the challenges of the workplace. For over 30 decades, the college has delivered quality programs through its various campuses. The college offers a number of programs that include information technology and nursing among others. While the practices that the college has adopted have proven successful, the college must refresh its approach. It should enhance its strengths as it exploits opportunities. The college should also address its weaknesses and transform the threats in the industry into opportunities. As it takes these measures, Florida Career College will be positioning itself as a responsive and student-focused institution of higher learning.
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