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Sustainable College-Employer Partnerships

A cohort-based initiative supporting community colleges and chambers of commerce in building and sustaining strong employer-college partnerships that align credentials with workforce demand and expand pathways to employment.

Overview

Sustainable College-Employer Partnerships is a two-and-a-half-year, cohort-based initiative supporting community colleges and local chambers of commerce in strengthening collaboration, aligning programs with labor market demand, and expanding access to work-based learning and employment opportunities.

Launched by Achieving the Dream in partnership with the Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives Foundation and funded by JPMorganChase, the initiative brings together seven to eight college–chamber pairs to build durable, employer-aligned pathways that support credential attainment and economic mobility.

Through cohort-based learning, coaching, and applied implementation, participating teams strengthen employer engagement, improve alignment between education and workforce systems, and develop partnership models that can be sustained over time.

Complete your application by April 10

Why It Matters

Community colleges play a central role in preparing learners for the workforce and supporting regional economies, while employers continue to seek talent with in-demand skills. Yet connections between colleges and employers are often fragmented, limiting the development of clear pathways from education to employment.

Chambers of commerce can help bridge this gap by convening employers and identifying workforce needs. Strengthening collaboration between colleges and chambers supports more coordinated, system-level approaches that can connect students to work-based learning and quality employment opportunities.

Goals and Outcomes

Through the Sustainable College-Employer Partnerships initiative, participating college–chamber teams will: 

  • Strengthen employer partnerships by establishing or deepening ongoing collaboration between colleges and chambers as workforce intermediaries
  • Align credentials with workforce demand by using labor market information and employer input to inform program design and improvement
  • Expand work-based learning opportunities, including internships, apprenticeships, and other applied learning experiences
  • Improve student transitions to employment by strengthening pathways from credential completion to jobs with opportunities for advancement
  • Institutionalize sustainable partnership practices by embedding employer engagement and cross-sector collaboration into institutional structures
  • Contribute to field learning by documenting and sharing effective strategies, tools, and lessons learned