CFA Signs MOU with Columbia Southern University for Member Benefits

#CFACON2021 takes place next month in Charleston, South Carolina.  In many ways, this event can be seen as focusing on a primary variable, risk and need in your company–workforce development.  Keynote speakers for the event, Mack and Ria Story, will lead you along a path of transformation to become a “destination employer”.  Do you want to lead in the marketplace and attract the best workforce?  You must provide substantive and tangible benefits that partner with their direct pay rewards.

The Concrete Foundations Association (CFA) has initiated a program for member companies that provides one such opportunity.  During the World of Concrete 2021 in Las Vegas, Association Executive Director James Baty met with representatives from Columbia Southern University (CSU), an online university based in Orange Beach, Alabama.  CSU “strives to change and improve lives through higher education by enabling students to maximize their professional and personal potential.”  The result of this meeting is a new member benefit program added to the already immense value that becoming and remaining a CFA member offers.

Confucius is quoted, “Education breeds confidence. Confidence breeds hope. Hope breeds peace.”  As tomorrow’s workforce leaders enter your workplace, one of the best gifts or incentives that can be given to them is the empowerment to continue learning–to achieve something they perhaps set aside or to finish what they may have started.  This relationship with Columbia Southern University is a foundational element to do just that.  CSU offers associate, bachelor’s, master’s, doctorate, and certificate levels for a wide range of areas.  Some of these include Occupational Safety & Health, Finance, Human Resource Management, Marketing, Project Management, Business, Psychology, and many more that can play an integral role in the evolution of your organization in addition to your co-worker or employee.

“Education is not the preparation for life; education is life itself,” offered by John Dewey, is an essential understanding for transforming your business to become a destination employer by helping your prospective and existing workforce find value in themselves as well as you.  The construction industry has numerous certifications that can be obtained, but those pale in comparison to the culmination of hard work in an attained degree that speaks to a discipline or passion of interest, and one that can further aspirations.

With this new member benefit, CFA and CSU have combined to pave the way for persons in your organization to receive a 10% discount per credit hour.  These credit hour rates include all textbooks, online access, flexibility and much more.  Furthermore, the programs at CSU are specifically designed to meet students where they are by allowing transfer credit for all prior academic credits, training and relevant professional licenses and certifications.  The transcript evaluation process, also complimentary, will assist any individual in your company in identifying what they already possess with where they intend to head to align for the most efficient and effective path to completion.  CSU is also fully supportive of the GI Bill, military training credits and tuition assistance for active and veteran military.

Who is ideal for these programs?  We know your company’s employees may have entered the workforce out of immediate need.  Some may have started working to fund their future academic goals.  Perhaps a mom, dad, spouse, or other relationship has put finishing a degree on hold for numerous life reasons.  You can now help them complete those goals and visions with an online education program that leads to the right degree or degree of choice.  You may also consider additional employer benefits such as tuition remission or tuition partnership to complement their commitment to work and evening education.

Through this Memorandum of Understanding with Columbia Southern University, the Concrete Foundations Association continues to seek out ways to meet you where your company and your staff are, while setting higher bars in the industry around you with exclusive access.  For more information on accessing this newest member benefit, contact Executive Director James Baty at jbaty@cfaconcretepros.org or 319-895-6940.

A representative from CSU will be joining you at #CFACON2021 to talk in person and help you begin to offer or integrate this opportunity for your workforce.  For more information on Columbia Southern University, please visit columbiasouthern.edu/Partners.