A Mandate for Professional Education
Though the demand for continuing education has generally slowed after spiking during the COVID-19 pandemic, market forecasts project increased investment in the professional development segment. And market projections call for growth in the executive education subsegment, from $49.17 billion in 2025 to $53.9 billion in 2026, driven by a high demand for leadership upskilling.
Classroom-based professional development offered by higher education institutions still represents the largest share of the market — but competition from corporate training providers, trade organizations, and large e-learning platforms is increasing. To remain competitive, colleges and universities institutions must clearly align their program offerings with the needs of industry and working professionals.
A growing professional education audience
According to the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), 91% of corporate learning and development professionals say continuous learning is now more important for career success. As the world of work evolves, required license renewals, technological changes, and the use of AI in fields such as healthcare and engineering are driving interest in specialized, accredited programs.
Despite these near-universal demands, many organizations still struggle to deliver effective training. Employees frequently report that training options are poorly timed, difficult to fit into their schedules, or — perhaps most alarming — not relevant to their roles.
Working professionals who return to learning usually want to advance or change their careers, learn new technology, or earn more money. They look for programs that teach clear, job-related skills and knowledge, and sometimes help them build new professional networks. Quick, stackable certificates are increasingly pursued as efficient, cost-effective ways to earn short-term credentials that help learners fill immediate skill gaps and acquire specialized knowledge.
The convenience of blended learning (a mix of online and in-person classes) is also sparking demand. Working professionals prefer online programs or hybrid courses, predictable schedules, quick completion, and clear career benefits.
How to delineate and differentiate professional education
The takeaway from SHRM’s research is clear: Generic training does not work in this environment. Effective professional learning must align closely with real job responsibilities and role-specific skill sets. It is vital, therefore, that academic institutions clearly differentiate their professional programs from general continuing education.
The poster child of a university that is aligned with industry in professional education is Northeastern University, a source of many RDW and iFactory interns over the years. Northeastern doesn’t just consult industry; it co-designs programs with employers. Its professional and continuing education offerings are shaped by ongoing relationships with companies, healthcare systems, government agencies, and nonprofits that actively inform curriculum, competencies, and delivery formats.
Another example is our client North Shore Community College (NSCC), which runs a Corporate Training Solutions program within its Workforce Development Training initiative. They work directly with a company to customize training, and can develop broader, generalized industry/sector programs. Their collaborative and customizable process includes comprehensive needs analysis and employee assessments that inform every aspect of any plan or program they develop. We partner with NSCC to promote their Corporate and Professional Education (CPE) offerings, which target individuals looking for non-credit programs and training.
Last but not least, our client Montgomery College’s MC Business Solutions offers customized training programs courses, similar to North Shore Community College. Their partnerships with businesses are a model of heightened collaboration between industry and academia.
How can higher ed institutions stay relevant?
These four steps will help you create clarity in the marketplace and make your professional development programs stand apart.
- Clarify program purpose and audience. You must clearly define who each program is for, the problem it solves, and the outcomes learners can expect. Precisely target your professional audience and clearly distinguish professional education offerings from more traditional academic programs.
- Seek and strengthen employer and industry partnerships. Use employer input to shape curriculum, support employer-funded pathways, and build faculty/executive relationships. Design programs modeled on proven private-sector learning and development practices.
- Leverage your institutional brand and credential value. Assuming you have positive brand equity, emphasize credibility, trust, and the long-term value your brand brings to the table.
- Sharpen marketing and enrollment messaging. Communicate and illustrate the program format, cohort experience, and target outcomes. Importantly, develop messaging that speaks to both learners and employers to create a “push-pull” effect. Use dedicated, program-specific landing pages to elaborate on program relevance and benefits.
Meeting workforce needs
As a category, professional education is explicitly career-oriented and designed to help learners advance within an industry, transition to a new role, or gain credentials tied to workforce needs.
In today’s market, continuing education programs without clear outcomes are experiencing softer enrollment. However, professional education programs tied to workforce needs, employer partnerships, and measurable results are more stable and often growing.
Enrollment and marketing teams should use this distinction to guide decisions around program positioning and audience targeting. If you’d like to explore how your continuing or professional education portfolio aligns with these trends, we’d welcome the conversation.
