Canadian and American career college associations strengthen cross-border collaboration, expanding offerings and membership benefits.
October 12, 2022—OTTAWA, Ontario and ARLINGTON, Virgina—Today, the National Association of Career Colleges (NACC), the Canadian association representing Canada’s private postsecondary career colleges, joined its American counterpart, Career Education Colleges and Universities (CECU) in announcing a working alliance between the two organizations. The alliance will result in a closer relationship between the two, increasing the benefits available to members of both associations.
The two associations will work together on issues important to schools across North America, such as curriculum alignment, employer partnerships, accreditation recognition, and the development of outcome standards. CECU’s popular multimedia platforms, such as its podcast and Career Education Review magazine, will also feature more international content of interest to NACC’s Canadian members.
In 2023, both NACC and CECU will host joint events including the North American Career Education Convention to be held in Kansas City, MO, in June 2023 and the CEO Summit in Montreal, Quebec, in November 2023. Plenary speakers and breakout sessions will be designed to appeal to attendees from both countries, and time will be built into the sessions to allow for collaboration and networking between the groups.
All NACC and CECU members will now have access to world-class training events and quality professional development offerings, including:
- CECU events and webinars, along with the extensive library of recorded presentations on various professional development topics through the CECU Member Resource Center;
- Eligibility for CECU’s renowned Certified Higher Education Professional (CHEP) certificate courses;
- NACC’s Instructor Development Program;
- NACC’s online instructor and college educational sessions;
- Access to NACC’s affinity programs at member rates; and
- Access to a library of CECU’s affinity partnerships, including CECU’s newest partnership with BlueRecruit, an online platform that connects graduates in the skilled trades with employers hiring for those specific jobs.
Michael Sangster, CEO of NACC, expressed strong support for the affiliation. “By aligning together on issues to support workforce development where we have a common interest, we are capitalizing on economies of scale, embracing new ideas and increasing the benefits available to members,” he said. “The real value in this partnership is the investment in professional development for the thousands of instructors who deliver the world-class training programs offered at regulated career colleges. We see a great deal of opportunity to grow together in the years ahead.”
CECU’s President and CEO, Dr. Jason Altmire, believes the alliance will be a benefit to members of both organizations. “CECU is excited to move forward with this partnership with NACC,” he said. “By increasing the professional development and meeting opportunities for members, we will increase the value proposition of membership. It is a win-win for members and the associations.”
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About the National Association of Career Colleges
National Association of Career Colleges (NACC) is a national association representing 450 regulated career colleges from across the country.
About Career Education Colleges and Universities
Career Education Colleges and Universities (CECU) is the national association serving the proprietary higher education sector.
Media Contacts:
Canada
Victoria Ventura
Communications and Stakeholder Manager, NACC
Email: vventura@nacc.ca
United States
Jenny Faubert
VP of Communications, CECU
Email: Jenny.Faubert@career.org
