National Council for Continuing Education & Training

What National Council for Continuing Education & Training does

The National Council for Continuing Education and Training (NCCET) is a private nonprofit membership association founded in May 1969 as the National Council on Community Services, renamed to its current form in 1996, and governed under Washington State law with operational headquarters at 425 Fawell Blvd., Glen Ellyn, Illinois. NCCET serves continuing education professionals and institutions within the U.S. community college sector, with a primary focus on directors, deans, and administrators of CE programs who need tools, models, and advocacy support to operate successful programs amid tightening budgets and rising community workforce needs.

NCCET's core offerings are membership services, advocacy representation through the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC), and event programming. The flagship product is the Annual NCCET Conference (54th edition hosted at College of DuPage in April 2025; 55th edition scheduled for November 2026 at Boston Park Plaza in partnership with NACCE). A regional product line — the Midwest Innovation and Entrepreneurship Summit — was launched in 2026 with a 2027 edition already announced, co-presented with College of DuPage and Innovation DuPage. Institutional membership provides access to networking, best-practice resources, and discounted conference registration, with complimentary membership extensions offered to conference attendees through December 2026.

NCCET generates revenue from two streams: institutional membership dues and annual conference registration fees. Pricing is tiered via promotional codes (early-bird code EBNM26NCCET through July 31, 2026; regular code NM26NCCET from August 1, 2026), with a $400 member discount bundled through the NACCE partnership. Administrative services have been outsourced to an association management company since 2012, keeping fixed costs low. No proprietary technology platform, software product, or AI/ML capability is offered; the underlying "technology" is the institutional membership database, the conference logistics stack, and the AACC advocacy channel. Customer segments are community college continuing education administrators (persona) and community colleges/institutions (business unit), with all named logos (College of DuPage, Austin Community College, Delaware County Community College, Pasadena City College, Seattle Colleges) concentrated in a single vertical.

Name

National Council for Continuing Education & Training

Legal name

National Council for Continuing Education and Training

Website

https://nccet.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1969

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

NCCET is a U.S. nonprofit membership association founded in 1969 that serves continuing education professionals and administrators at community colleges through institutional membership, annual conferences, regional summits, and policy advocacy via AACC.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Association Services (Continuing Education)

NAICS

Educational Support Services (61171), Professional and Management Development Training (611430)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Continuing Education (CE/CPD) & Provider Accreditation Bodies (EDADACAF)

akta.pro secondary industry

Education Professionals (Teacher/Administrator CE, CPD) (EDAAALAE)

Keywords

• Continuing education association
• Workforce development membership
• Professional conference services
• Community college advocacy
• Nonprofit education council

Headquarters

HQ city

Austin

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Conference Registration Fees: NCCET generates revenue through annual conference registration fees, including early-bird pricing, regular member rates, and promotional codes for member discounts. The 55th Annual Conference partnership with NACCE offers a $400 member discount per registrant.
2. Institutional Membership: NCCET provides institutional membership benefits including access to resources, networking, professional development, and event discounts. Membership extension through December 2026 was offered free to attending institutions.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

NCCET is a nonprofit professional association that provides institutional membership, an annual national conference, regional summits, advocacy representation through AACC, and professional development resources for continuing education and workforce development leaders at U.S. community colleges. Its core deliverables are networking, best-practice sharing, policy advocacy, and recognition for the continuing education profession.

Product overview

NCCET (National Council for Continuing Education and Training) is a professional membership organization, not a software product company. Its offerings consist of membership benefits, annual conferences, regional summits, advocacy services, and professional development resources. The Annual NCCET Conference serves as the flagship event, while the Midwest Innovation and Entrepreneurship Summit provides regional programming. Member benefits include access to best practices, networking, and national advocacy through AACC. No software products, SaaS offerings, or technology platforms are offered.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Annual NCCET Conference Annual national conference bringing together continuing education and workforce development leaders to explore emerging trends, best practices, revenue expansion strategies, and workforce innovation. The flagship NCCET event; the 55th edition is co-located with NACCE for a combined continuing education and entrepreneurship experience.
• Midwest Innovation and Entrepreneurship Summit Regional summit exploring emerging technology topics (AI, quantum technology, future of work) featuring industry leaders, innovators, and entrepreneurs from across the Midwest. Provides practical startup insights and networking opportunities; editions held in 2026 and 2027.
• Institutional Membership Program Annual institutional membership providing community colleges and educational institutions with access to leading-edge programs, networking, professional development, event discounts, and a complimentary membership extension through December 2026 for conference-attending institutions.
• National Advocacy Services Representation through the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) to elevate continuing education priorities with policymakers and college leadership, ensuring CE professionals and their work receive recognition and backing at the national policy level.
• Professional Development Resources Tools, models, and strategies that help members implement and scale successful continuing education programs, including best practices documentation, leadership development opportunities, and webinar programming.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 35,000 students served annually by member institution College of DuPage Continuing Education
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Bumper to Bumper Easy CDLminorOthers · 8 April 2025Sponsor of the 54th Annual Conference and Partner Exhibition (April 8-9, 2025) at College of DuPage.
• DatatelligentminorOthers · 8 April 2025Sponsor of the 54th Annual Conference and Partner Exhibition (April 8-9, 2025) at College of DuPage.
• EntrinsikminorOthers · 8 April 2025Sponsor of the 54th Annual Conference and Partner Exhibition (April 8-9, 2025) at College of DuPage.
• ed2go/Cengage GroupminorOthers · 8 April 2025Sponsor of the 54th Annual Conference and Partner Exhibition (April 8-9, 2025) at College of DuPage.
• XenegrademinorOthers · 8 April 2025Sponsor of the 54th Annual Conference and Partner Exhibition (April 8-9, 2025) at College of DuPage.
• College of DuPagecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollege of DuPage has been a NACCE member for more than 20 years and served as host college for the 54th Annual NCCET Conference (April 2025). Its best practices in entrepreneurial education have played a major role in the college's success. College of DuPage Continuing Education enrolls more than 35,000 students annually. Joseph Cassidy, MBA, Ed.D serves as President of NCCET as Vice President Workforce Innovation and Community Education at College of DuPage.
• NACCE (National Association for Community College Entrepreneurship)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHistoric collaboration: NCCET joined forces with NACCE to offer two conferences in one at the 55th Annual NCCET Conference (November 1-4, 2026, Boston). NCCET remains a national leader in continuing education while NACCE drives innovation in entrepreneurial education. The partnership creates a unified experience designed to strengthen institutional capacity, expand workforce pathways, and support colleges. NACCE extended a $400 member discount to NCCET members plus at least $500 in added value through complimentary NCCET membership extension.
• AACC (American Association of Community Colleges)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNCCET has representation through AACC to elevate continuing education priorities with policymakers and college leadership. This advocacy partnership ensures CE professionals receive recognition and backing at national policy levels.
• Innovation DuPageminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-presenter of the Midwest Innovation and Entrepreneurship Summits (2026, 2027) alongside College of DuPage, highlighting emerging tech, practical startup insights, and powerful networking opportunities shaping the region's next wave of innovation.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• NACCE (National Association for Community College Entrepreneurship): The most direct peer — NACCE is a national membership association for community colleges focused on entrepreneurship education, and in 2026 it co-hosts the 55th Annual NCCET Conference. Its membership base, member institutions (including College of DuPage), and event-driven model are directly comparable to NCCET.
• League for Innovation in the Community College: Community college-focused consortium advancing innovation, with conferences and leadership programs serving a very similar institutional audience. Comparable in community college orientation, thought-leadership positioning, and event-based engagement.
• American Association for Adult and Continuing Education (AAACE): National professional association for adult and continuing education practitioners and scholars. Comparable mission, member-driven structure, and conference-led engagement, with an academic/research orientation relative to NCCET's practitioner focus.
• Council for Adult and Experiential Learning (CAEL): Nonprofit focused on adult learners, prior learning assessment, and workforce partnerships with higher education institutions. Directly comparable as an adult/CE advocacy and practitioner organization serving similar institutional buyers.
• Association for Continuing Higher Education (ACHE): Professional association for continuing higher education administrators offering conferences, publications, and networking. Directly comparable in scope (CE leadership), membership model, and event-driven GTM, though membership skews toward four-year institutions.
• UPCEA (University Professional and Continuing Education Association): National professional association serving continuing and professional education leaders at higher education institutions. Closely comparable in mission (CE advocacy, professional development, networking) and member base (CE deans and directors), though UPCEA focuses on four-year universities whereas NCCET focuses on community colleges.

Broad incumbents

• Association of Community College Trustees (ACCT): National nonprofit serving community college governing boards. Broader incumbent in the same community college ecosystem, addressing governance rather than CE operations but serving overlapping institutional buyers.
• American Association of Community Colleges (AACC): The apex national association for community colleges; NCCET partners with AACC for policy advocacy. AACC is a much broader incumbent covering all community college functions, whereas NCCET specializes narrowly in continuing education.

Emerging players

• Workforce3One (National Association of Workforce Development Professionals): National network for workforce development professionals, including those in community college workforce/CE functions. Comparable in mission (workforce and CE professional community-building) and member-driven event model, but focused specifically on the workforce development silo.
• ed2go (Cengage Group): A continuing education online course provider that partners with community colleges for non-credit and workforce programs; a recurring NCCET conference sponsor. Comparable target market (CE programs at community colleges) but commercial/product rather than membership model.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/playlist?list=PLWBdQ8iSKNHt23EItXpxzjiSDHZSoucv7
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/nccet

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about National Council for Continuing Education & Training