TESU’s Workforce Collaborations Uncover College-Level Learning Wherever it Occurs

Roxbury High School students pursuing handson training in the building trades no longer find themselves at a fork in the road when they graduate. Ongoing synergies between Thomas Edison State University (TESU) and skilled trade organizations guarantee that they have the best of both worlds.

By leveraging TESU’s Professional Learning Review (PLR) in assessing the pre-apprenticeship Career Connections certifications they have already earned, students at the Morris County, N.J., school can receive up to 16 college credits and potentially save $7,000 in tuition toward a college degree. The high school’s Career Connections collaboration with TESU is the first of its kind for both institutions.

“TESU reviewed the Carpenters International Training Fund’s Career Connections program in 2022 and through its PLR methodology and rigorous academic evaluations, determined that the learning taking place in the program equated to 16 collegelevel credits,” noted Dr. Jeff S. Harmon, vice provost for Strategic Initiatives and Institutional Effectiveness at the

University. “Students participating in the program have the option to apply those credits to an Associate in Applied Science (AAS) degree in Construction and Facilities Support, a Bachelor of Science (BS) degree in Construction or in Technical Studies at the University, or they can obtain an Individual Learning Account (ILA) transcript with the credits applied and transfer them to another institution.”

According to its website, the Career Connections program was developed to provide high school students with an opportunity to learn firsthand the required skills and values needed for a successful career as a skilled carpenter. In tandem with their potential academic tracks, the students are encouraged to enroll in the registered apprenticeship