“We Want to Launch Without Market Research?”
Let us start with a scene that plays out far too often in continuing education units across the country. A passionate program champion brings forward an idea for a new certificate, a skills bootcamp or a microcredential in a promising field like AI, blockchain or digital sales. The proposal sounds good, maybe even great, then someone asks that inevitable, critical question: “Do we have any market research to support this?”
Silence.
In a sector facing declining public funding, rising costs and intensifying competition from global platforms and traditional institutions alike, this question is painful but pivotal. Today’s continuing education units cannot afford to build programs on excitement or intuition alone. The new currency is insight. Market research and data must be part of the conversation from the outset, not added as a justification at the end.
Pressure Is Mounting on All Fronts
Those of us working in continuing education already feel the pressure. Inflation is pushing up operational costs. Policy changes are reshaping who can enroll and how programs are funded. Tuition increases are testing the limits of what learners are willing to pay. At the same time, learners are demanding flexible, career-focused options and making quick decisions about where and how they learn.
New technologies like AI and large online providers are scaling rapidly and changing the game. The result is clear: We no longer have room for guesswork.
Programs must land. They must deliver value for learners and employers, and they must do so quickly and efficiently. That need to marry precision with agility is where research and data become indispensable.
Data as Diagnosis and Direction
Market research and data are a map and compass on the open sea; they can’t calm the waves, but they help us to confidently navigate with clarity and purpose. At NAIT, and through our collaborations with stakeholders including industry partners, associations and labour market platforms, we have seen how continuing education teams can use data to,
- Identify Points of Strain
Which programs are oversaturated? Where are real skill shortages? Which sectors are hiring but lack targeted training?
Labour market data, sectoral trends and employer feedback allow us to uncover these pressures. Cybersecurity and blockchain may both be high-profile fields, but only one may show sustained hiring demand among local employers right now.
- Prioritize Resources Wisely
Insights help us focus limited resources such as time, funding, and people on programs with strong learner demand, clear employer alignment and long-term viability. Forecasting tools, along with our own internal enrollment and search trend data, help us anticipate where demand is rising and where interest may be waning.
- Build Confidence Internally and Externally
Stakeholders, including executive leadership, faculty and government partners, do not just want good ideas. They need a compelling rationale. Market research strengthens internal discussions, informs program design and supports grant applications. Whether we’re launching new programs, refreshing existing ones or retiring legacy offerings, data ensures our decisions are transparent, accountable and align with real needs.
Toolkits That Get the Job Done
What does this look like in practice?
At NAIT, we combine multiple tools. We use labour market analytics, track enrollments, conduct competitive scans and run employer interviews. We also engage learners and stakeholders using surveys, focus groups and design tools. We are increasingly integrating generative AI into early-stage research as well.
This mixed-method approach allows us to assess not only feasibility and viability but also alignment with our strategic goals. And market research supports far more than just new program ideas; it drives curriculum refreshes, informs grant proposals, guides marketing efforts and supports business case development across the board.
From Clean Energy to Career Pathways
Karla Barron, our program manager for energy & environment, puts it clearly:
"Guided by this mindset, our research has shaped clean energy programs that directly respond to workforce needs. These include upskilling in hydrogen vehicle maintenance, sustainable systems and energy-efficient building retrofits. The goal is to support workers transitioning from traditional energy sectors into future-ready roles. While data was not the only input, it provided the essential foundation for timely and strategic program development." — Karla Barron
Emerging Fields Require Better Questions
Sectors like hydrogen, carbon capture, industrial automation systems and blockchain sound promising, but how do we know when they are ready for continuing education? And which learner groups will benefit first? This is where data becomes essential. Job title clustering, skills adjacency mapping and employer feedback provide clarity. Market research helps us filter signal from noise and invest only when the conditions are right.
Advice to Continuing Education Units: Start with Insight
For those of us working in continuing education, here are some guiding principles:
- Do not wait until a program is fully developed to ask for data. Start early.
- Engage with industry stakeholders early and often. Validation matters.
- Use both quantitative and qualitative research. Numbers tell one story; conversations reveal another.
- Develop criteria for moving forward or stepping back. Use consistent metrics.
- Foster a culture of insight. Market research should not be isolated to one role or department.
When everyone from program managers and stakeholders to marketers and academic leads see research and data as shared tools, we become more agile and more aligned.
Insight Is Not Optional
Continuing education teams are agile by design. We can adapt quickly, build partnerships and launch new programming faster than most traditional academic units, but this agility must be rooted in something solid. Market research is not just a procedural step or box to check; it is the foundation that enables us to act with clarity, build with confidence and serve learners and industry in meaningful ways.
So, the next time we’re excited to brave the waters of new development, let us ensure we have our map and compass with us when we ask, early and with confidence, “Do we have the insight we need to move forward?”
You Might Also Like
