Episode: 448

Episode Title: How Disruption Helps Everyone

Could the education system benefit from a little disruption? The short answer is yes. Here’s why, next on The Perna Syndicate.

Ep 448 show:

You’re now in The Perna Syndicate—thanks for tuning in! This week we’ve been talking about disruption and how it applies to the world of education and workforce development. In the business world, disruption happens when a newcomer is able  to successfully challenge larger, more established companies in the industry. 

In education, this is happening with a whole host of new postsecondary options starting to take a bigger market share. These options include apprenticeships, certification programs, industry credentials, coding bootcamps, and other ways to build technical skills that don’t require a college degree. Traditional colleges and universities are being disrupted by these new opportunities. 

But before we get too concerned about the state of higher education, think for a minute. What’s good about this disruption that’s taking place? It gives young people more choices, for one thing. But even beyond that, it can spur the incumbent colleges and universities to rethink what they offer and how they deliver value to their customer base. 

Disruption is really just competition, and we all know how competition can affect performance. It motivates us to do better, to improve what we’re offering so we can stay on top.

When colleges embrace this challenge, it will benefit everyone. Disruption may not feel comfortable, but it’s absolutely necessary to make sure all postsecondary pathways deliver on the promises they make to the students they serve. 

Tomorrow: What’s the first step to start disrupting education in a positive way? On the next episode of The Perna Syndicate, we’ll talk about it. Until then, take care!