OPM's New Educational Alliance

We know from the Office of Personnel Management's research that federal employees are well-educated and many hold multiple college and university degrees. They love to learn and often don’t consider their educations complete just because they work for the federal government. That is why I am excited to announce a new educational partnership for our workforce.

Beginning this summer, an OPM partnership with Champlain College will help federal employees, their spouses and legal adult family members pursue online post-secondary education in such high demand fields as business, health care and technology.

We know programs like this one work. One year ago, we initiated a partnership with University of Maryland University College. UMUC’s results are encouraging. More than 1,200 federal employees enrolled in UMUC programs, including nearly 100 spouses and dependents. Together, they have saved nearly $765,000 in tuition. And we know that federal employees across the country are taking interest. UMUC enrolled students from 42 states and the District of Columbia and from more than 100 federal agencies.

Our work with UMUC and our new partnership with Champlain College are win-wins.The additional knowledge and skills that federal workers get through these courses will help them advance their careers while also making them more engaged on the job and more skillful in fulfilling their agencies’ missions.

Champlain College will give up to a 70 percent discount on the courses. The amount of discount will vary depending on the exact nature of, and the number of, courses they choose to take. In addition to the discount, federal employees will be able to apply for financial aid and perhaps accrue little or no debt.

Our collaboration with Champlain College will increase all federal employees’ access to high-quality and affordable educational resources. Champlain’s online courses will allow federal employees to enroll no matter where they live, and to complete certificate, bachelor’s and master’s degree programs in such fields as cybersecurity, digital forensics, health care administration and human resources management.

Employees can immediately begin submitting their applications for the summer term.

Lifelong learning is a staple of today’s federal workforce, and our alliance with Champlain College pushes us further along that path. I am incredibly proud of the work federal employees do each and every day, and the time and energy they invest in their jobs. Through our partnership with Champlain, we will help solidify the foundation of that investment. And stay tuned; there are even more opportunities like this to come.

(Image via carroteater/Shutterstock.com)