2018 Report: Growth of Continuing Education Programs Present Opportunities, Tradeoffs for Association Professionals
MADISON, Wisc. (PRWEB) June 06, 2018 -- Educational programs provide a tremendous source of value for associations and other training-based organizations. And according to the 2018 Training Trends Report published by Omnipress, the majority of associations in this year’s survey (67%) look to capitalize on this fact by increasing the number of programs they offer. The focus on core strategic initiatives in the coming year designed to support this growth, such as program and content development, however, may suffer at the expense of other tasks.
Omnipress, provider of print and digital content solutions for associations and other organizations, conducted an online survey of 111 association professionals, a majority of whom are primarily responsible for continuing education and training programs, to understand the current state of educational content, predictions for 2018, challenges, and how well organizations are positioned for the future.
According to Dan Loomis, Director of Training and Education Markets at Omnipress, “Associations are spending a disproportionate amount of time and resources simply managing and distributing their existing educational content.” According to the report, this includes tasks such as managing content changes, offering the right mix of formats for all learners, and keeping the materials fresh and relevant. Adds Loomis, “While these tasks are necessary, they do little to advance the organization. Education professionals have told us they want to spend more time on higher-value initiatives such as program development and growth.”
Why is content becoming more difficult to manage? “The content landscape has become more complex,” states Jonny Popp, Omnipress’ General Manager. “Associations are dealing with a multitude of factors that weren’t as prominent just a few years ago: a more diverse membership base in terms of both demographics and preferences, increased content delivery options, and changing expectations on how and when content is accessed.” Popp also notes, “The fact that budgets are expected to remain flat only complicates matters further.”
Navigating the content landscape is going to continue to become even more important in the next several years, as associations seek to attract and retain young professionals—a task many aren’t ready for. According to the report, only 16% of respondents have developed a strategy to address the needs of Millennials, while only 12% are addressing the needs of the generation to follow—Generation Z. States Loomis, “There is a major opportunity for associations to solidify their relevancy and value, as long as they can free themselves up to do so.”
http://www..omnipress.com/2018-Training-Report [Download the full report. __title__ 2018 Training Trends Report]
About Omnipress
Omnipress was founded over 40 years ago to help associations and other organizations simplify the process of collecting, producing and distributing print and digital educational materials for their members, attendees, learners and staff.
Tracy Grzybowski, Omnipress, http://www.omnipress.com, 6082462600, [email protected]
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