In many jurisdictions, education remains an important function that helps young people develop proper skills that can guide them to become successful members of their respective communities. Learners can join different institutions or academic levels depending on various attributes, such as age, developmental abilities, and required competencies. A college is one of the establishments or entities designed to provide specialized, vocational, professional, or specialized training to students (Howard et al., 2018). Countries across the globe have established different colleges known to provide a wide range of competencies depending on the learners’ needs.
In most cases, colleges are described as smaller institutions that are designed to provide diplomas or degrees in liberal arts or technical subjects. Learners are introduced to a wide range of content, skills, and competencies that are capable of supporting their current and future career goals. Some might intend to expand their abilities in such a way that they can complete a wide range of tasks in their respective fields (Guàrdia et al., 2021). Individuals who join different colleges develop the necessary skill sets and learn how they can apply them in different areas. The concept of continuous improvement is a common attribute associated with college education since it allows individuals to improve their abilities.
However, the recent past has resulted in a new model whereby college education appears to be redesigned. Specifically, more people are enrolling in various degree programs and academic sessions to further their knowledge. In many countries today, the nature of college education offered has become more theoretical than ever before (Howard et al., 2018). This means that most of the beneficiaries acquire increased content or concepts in relation to their areas of specialization. Consequently, most of the graduates from such institutions might possess the relevant knowledge but be unable to complete practical tasks or activities.
From this presentation, it becomes quite clear that college is no longer what it used to be. For many decades, individuals enrolling in such institutions have been introduced to liberal or general arts education. This trend means that most of the beneficiaries would only become proficient in careers associated with white-collar jobs (Guàrdia et al., 2021). This trend has created a unique gap whereby most of the qualified candidates are unable to complete tasks and duties more effectively at the workplace. The increasing need for college education has led to a unique form of education system that focuses primarily on theory while ignoring practical skills.
Based on this observation, there is a need for curriculum planners and implementers to consider a new approach to college education. Specifically, the model needs to be more flexible in such a way that the targeted beneficiaries are able to identify their career fields and enroll in programs that resonate with their needs (Howard et al., 2018). Such academic offerings need to be customized in such a way that they respond to the recorded market needs. Individuals visiting such institutions should be informed about the offered technical skills that are in tandem with the demands recorded in the global market (Howard et al., 2018). The content needs to be customized in such a way that it focuses mostly on the required skill sets. Individuals should be subjected to industrial or workplace-related environments depending on their career goals. This approach will ensure that the learning process is capable of supporting economic growth and performance.
The involvement of key stakeholders becomes critical to identifying the impacts of globalization and how they are influencing people’s career choices. The consideration of emerging technologies and the introduction of relevant skills could guide more learners and prepare them for the recorded changes (Guàrdia et al., 2021). This kind of approach means that most of the beneficiaries of college education will possess the relevant competencies and be able to function in a wide range of sectors. This proposal is capable of helping transform colleges and ensure that they provide better skill sets and knowledge that are capable of supporting people’s career goals.
References
Guàrdia, L., Clougher, D., Anderson, T., & Maina, M. (2021). IDEAS for transforming higher education: An overview of ongoing trends and challenges. International Review of Research in Open in Distributed Learning, 22(2), 166-184. Web.
Howard, C. M., Moret, L., Faulconer, J., Cannon, T., & Tomlin, A. (2018). Preparing for college success: Exploring undergraduate students’ perceptions of the benefits of a college reading and study skills course through action research. Networks: An Online Journal for Teacher Research, 20(1), 1-18. Web.