Promoting Continued Learning
Empowering the workforce by supporting education goals
Education-Friendly Workplaces
An Education-Friendly Workplace provides employees with a variety of supports that allow them to access and attain opportunities to upskill, train for internal leadership or job promotion, earn a certificate/associate/bachelor’s degree, or other educational activities that will benefit both the individual and the employer.
Supports may come in the form of tangible policies like providing tuition reimbursement or cultural practices such as providing mentorship opportunities and celebrating educational milestones.
What you should know
Facts:
Only 36.7% of working-age adults in New Mexico have an associate degree or higher. This lags the national average of 43.6% (US Census 2022).
Positive correlation between the workforce’s level of education, a state’s median wages, and productivity (CityObservatory 2017).
Internal promotion is 18-20% less expensive than external hiring (SHRM).
Myth-busting:
Myth: It’s costly!
Truth: Many supports are low-cost and the NM Opportunity Scholarship can supplement efforts.
Myth: It will lead to turnover!
Truth: Education-friendly workplaces attribute reduced attrition to skill-building for internal promotion opportunities and decreased feelings of stagnation (NBER 2007).
Myth: It’s complicated and time-consuming!
Truth: Partnerships with institutions/programs reduce need for employer organization and management.
Interested in learning more about how ed-friendly policies intersect with family friendly policies? Interested in receiving recognition for your Education-Friendly policies and practices? Visit our partner, Family Friendly New Mexico, to learn more and apply for their annual Family Friendly Business Award® and Education Support Special Designation.
Tremendous thanks to partners in this work:
Amplify Consulting
Bridging the Talent Gap
CABQ
CNM
CNM Ingenuity
Family Friendly New Mexico
Garza Enterprises
M’Tucci’s
NMDWS
UNM
