--- title: "Nine Shift: For-Profits Try to Take Over Lifelong Learning" description: For-profit providers, having failed miserably with K-12 schools and higher education, are now looking at online learning for adults as their next big opportunity to make money. --- [LERN Club Sign-In](http://beta.lern.org/club/) [![lern-logo.png](https://blog.lern.com/hubfs/June-folder/lern-logo.png "lern-logo.png")](http://lern.org) ** # Articles # Nine Shift: For-Profits Try to Take Over Lifelong Learning Tue, May 12,2015 @ 03:25 PM by William Draves | For-profit providers, having failed miserably with K-12 schools and higher education, are now looking at online learning for adults as their next big opportunity to make money. It poses a huge threat to colleges and schools. Currently, the public looks to colleges and schools for continuing their education, as the nonprofit sector has credibility and of course, a 100-year track record of serving the entire community. So for-profits are going through colleges and schools to offer their for-profit online learning.  One or both of these scenarios will damage colleges and schools: 1.A for-profit garners enough market share to dominate and control and subordinate the colleges and schools. 2.One or more for-profits find a way to reach the public directly, without involving the colleges and schools, dealing them out.  Either way, our history demonstrates time and again that nonprofits best deliver education in society, serving everyone.  The for-profit online providers are a threat colleges and schools should take seriously.   [![A free guide: Pick the best delivery method for a course](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/119076/dcde0556-473c-49d1-88e0-b479e4d21477.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/119076/dcde0556-473c-49d1-88e0-b479e4d21477)       ### LATEST NEWS Video: How to Get the Most From a LERN Membership LERN Video - The LERN Program Review: Position Your Unit for Success LERN Cancellation Rates and New Programs: A Lesson From Netflix Kathryn Lynch-Morin Ready for Liftoff: Drones and Drone Courses are More Popular Than Ever Kathryn Lynch-Morin Working with the University of Nebraska - Omaha LERN [Tweets by @LernUpdates](https://twitter.com/LernUpdates) [LERN Club Sign-In](http://beta.lern.org/club/)