Giving Compass' Take:

• Trilogy Education Services is a boot camp provider that online program manager 2U will acquire and work toward providing lifelong learning for students and workers in the form of a "career curriculum continuum."

• What skills can boot camps offer that traditional courses in higher education cannot? 

• Read more about how boot camps can be a viable alternative to college.


Boot camp provider Trilogy Education Services was a big get for online program manager (OPM) 2U, which last month announced plans to pick up the four-year-old company for $750 million. And the move is symbolic of a bigger trend among OPMs to fill out their product portfolios with a broader range of offerings.

Boot camps, which provide intensive skills-based training in technical areas, are expected to be of interest. For instance, Zovio, formerly Bridgepoint Education, acquired boot camp company Fullstack Academy earlier this year. Such deals comes as the boot camp market's growth accelerates and the federal government considers opening up federal aid to short-term programs.

For 2U, the addition of Trilogy expands options for its higher education and corporate partners, particularly in service of the idea that such organizations should provide "lifelong learning" for students and workers.

2U calls it the "career curriculum continuum," which runs the gamut from MOOCs to graduate degrees. It also includes boot camps, both as a standalone product as well as a form of education that can be integrated into other programs.

In turn, the deal gives Trilogy the opportunity to expand its traditionally in-person programs online, and it gives them access to new partners through 2U and the opportunity to bring skills training to more types of educational offerings. The kind of student a company like Trilogy serves — averaging 31 years old — reflects colleges' push to reach students beyond the traditional pool of 18-to-24-year-olds.

Read the full article about how boot camps are bringing skills training to college by Hallie Busta at Education Dive.