The U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the world’s largest business organization, is the latest major player to recommend steps to radically restructure higher education in America. As indicated in a recent Brookings briefing, the Chamber’s nonprofit affiliate recently issued a report arguing that employers should establish their own talent supplier recognition and certification system – essentially an alternative to the traditional college and university accreditation system.
It’s not surprising that frustrated employers are looking to create an alternative to accreditation. Higher education officials around the nation appear to be under the impression that they are doing an excellent job creating the next generation of productive workers.
Business leaders don’t seem to agree. While ninety six percent of college chief academic officers believe that they turn out work-ready graduates, only eleven percent of business leaders feel that college graduates are properly equipped to enter the workforce.
Accordingly, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce report argues that higher education should utilize principles of supply change management, with colleges and employers working together to develop performance measures to assure that graduates have required workforce skills.
