For decades, Saint Joseph’s College has worked to make education accessible to non-traditional students through its distance education programs. Now, in an innovative partnership with the Maine based construction company Cianbro, the college is granting Cianbro employees academic credit for the company’s own training programs, which can be put toward degree programs at Saint Joseph’s. Depending on their training backgrounds, students from Cianbro can receive from four to six credits for completing corporate training.

“Cianbro has made a commitment to make education more affordable to its employees,” says Lynne Robinson, Director of Business Development, Continuing Education & Training. “We entered an agreement with them that can help working people of Maine reach higher education levels.”

In addition to its new partnership with Saint Joe’s, Cianbro has also signed workforce learning agreements with Kennebec Valley Community College and the University of Maine Augusta. These partnerships will enable Cianbro’s more than 4,000 employees around the United States to supplement their work skills with academic training, opening the door to more career opportunities.

“Saint Joseph’s College is pleased and proud to be a part of this multi-organization educational partnership with Cianbro, Kennebec Valley Community College, and the University of Maine at Augusta,” says President Dlugos.

“For us, successful partnerships depend on ongoing communication and dialog. We partner not just with organizations, but with each and every person with whom we interact. We look forward to getting to know Cianbro and its employees over the months and years to come, and to a wonderfully successful and evolving relationship.”