Here’s the latest on what you say, from polls at the 2025 LERN Annual Conference.
The top challenge for programs for 2026
Your top challenge is again Marketing, polling 33% of the attendees.
Programs still don’t have a good handle on social media, for example.
-The second top challenge at 29% is Operations and procedures, including –or maybe especially– technology like using AI.
New poll this year:
The area where you are PLEASED the most right now
The choices were Marketing; Finances; New Programs: Staff Productivity and Operations.
Staff Productivity got a whopping 50% of the votes. A vote of confidence in your staff.
Division Operating Margins
Only 34% (just one-third) of programs know their Operating Margin for each Division.
So you don’t know how profitable your Divisions are. Knowing your Division Operating Margin is THE measure, along with cancellation rate, for profitability of a Division.
This is also a critical data point for planning new classes, cost recovery, and staff time allocation.
Biggest Staff Challenge
“All of the Above” seemed to be challenges with staff right now. Aside from staff productivity, where you were most pleased, the following all are concerns for you right now:
-Addressing stress, anxiety and morale for staff, 28%
-Staff training, 26%
-Staff working overtime, burnout, 26%
-Staff reluctance to change, 20%
Recruiting Instructors Big Issue
Recruiting instructors is a big issue right now. It first appeared as a major problem for programs after the pandemic. And it continues to be a big issue.
In fact, it topped three other “big deal” issues for programs right now:
47% Recruiting instructors
24% Dealing with economic uncertainty
20% Articulating your value to the institution
9% Budget cuts
News, tips, trends and pioneering breakthroughs coming out the LERN 2025 Annual Conference will continue to be reported and then researched by your LERN staff throughout 2026. It was, again, “the most exciting week of the year in lifelong learning programming” and sets the tone for the field for the coming year.
