Reasons why college enrollments are declining, according to Coursera's CEO

Um, Mr. Cheap here, perhaps if American colleges or universities offered a $4K online degree, then Coursea would have hard competition. Yet, could see a community college taking the tech certificates and making an Associate degree around one or two certificates?

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/declining-college-enrollments-a-us-phenomenon-coursera-ceo-says-170903514.html

“Third "is the alternatives to learning that just didn't exist, say, five, 10 years ago," Maggioncalda noted.

He credited the pandemic with accelerating this trend as flexible and affordable tools for learning skills and getting better-paying jobs became more prevalent.

As a learning platform that offers access to online courses and degrees, Coursera has been leaning into flexible job-oriented skills courses. For instance, the company launched Career Academy in May, a program that allows students to obtain 30 different professional certificates, particularly in the technology sector.

These courses are "created by IBM and Google, Salesforce, Meta," Maggioncalda said. "Students can take these things online and potentially defer going to college. But now increasingly at the statewide levels, we are seeing states say that the state education system will award academic credit towards a college degree for a professional certificate earned on Coursera."

As a result, students are thinking twice about signing off on high tuition fees, Maggioncalda added. "A lot of students are looking at the ROI calculation saying, I'll start my degree online on Coursera in a job training program and then have that count towards a campus-based degree program if I want to do that in a couple of years."

Maggioncalda expressed optimism in the long-term outlook for online learning, even as tech companies such as Coursera face macroeconomic headwinds.”

 

Empmoyers and the hiring managers are after results. Maybe more job opportunities out there for people who are not in the rush to earn degree but got tehir skills updated? Maybe it's the cost?
Just speculating.

 

Somewhat inclined to find his assertions as awash in aspirational thinking for his organization… more so than the causation being part of the large convoluted challenges facing higher education and society these days…

 

Good education is a good investment.
Even if at the time the selected feeld or major seem to be not in demand.
The lucky person who got higher education may not notice all the positive it done for them.
From critical thinking and communication skills, to being able to complete work and projects, plan, correct, colaborate and other developement.
No guarantees in life but statistically college graduates have higher fulfillment of their life goals.
So just like many things the college enrollment is cyclical. Times dictate or affect it.
I don't know wich statistics exists but wonder how many people met their significant one in college? And how many miningful friendships came out of attending college?
And obviously getting precious knowledge.