Division of Continuing and Extended Education’s Post

🌟 Bridging the Gap: Unpacking the Disconnect Between Degrees and Skills In this eye-opening video, Kim K., delves into how government initiatives have long advocated for skill-focused hiring practices. Despite this, a significant skills gap persists in our workforce. Let's explore together how investing in people's potential beyond degrees is key to tackling this challenge head-on. It's time to rethink our approach to talent acquisition and development! 💼🚀 Watch the full video down below! #SkillsGap #FutureOfWork #InvestInSkills #BridgingTheGap #DegreesVsSkills #SkillFocusedHiring #WorkforceGap #InvestInPotential #TalentAcquisition #DevelopmentStrategies #RethinkApproach #SkillsOverDegrees #ClosingTheGap https://lnkd.in/garfnBwW

Interesting to read Business in the Community's insightful piece on how businesses can engage with young people to develop their pipeline of an educated and skilled workforce. ⭐ It's brilliant to see our #EmployerStandards recommended as a tool to support businesses. Learn more about Employer Standards 👉 https://bit.ly/3POyK6U #InternationalDayOfEducation

Are you committed to improving workforce alignment strategies in higher education? Register for our webinar where experts will present best practices and insights into aligning to workforce needs. https://hubs.ly/Q02xfcKh0

This International Day of Education, is your business ready to help bridge the skills gap and support workforce development? 👇 Businesses benefit directly from an educated and skilled workforce, and the opportunity to connect classroom learning with real-world expectations has never been more critical. We've engaged our members to explore how the curriculum can better support young people, from the classroom right through to their future careers. Download our new factsheet that summarises key insights and recommendations, focusing on skills, inclusion, and partnerships between schools and businesses. https://lnkd.in/ebqT3JXM #InternationalDayOfEducation #ResponsibleBusiness #EducationDay

In today’s rapidly evolving job market, creating sustainable workforce solutions requires collaboration between communities, businesses, and educational institutions. A new pilot program shows the power of community-led education initiatives in reshaping the future of work. 🔑 Key Takeaways: Hands-on learning bridges the skills gap. Tailored programs meet local industry needs. Collaboration creates meaningful career pathways. Discover how community education is paving the way for a more resilient and adaptable workforce. https://lnkd.in/e-sEMPjX #WorkforceDevelopment #CommunityEducation #FutureOfWork #Collaboration

🌟 Enroll in our NEW professional development course, "The Workforce Ecosystem: Building Partnerships for Community Growth." Starting on September 23rd, this four-week online course will dive into the power of collaboration between employers, postsecondary education, community-based organizations, and workforce development entities. Sign up today 👉 https://hubs.li/Q02PytFV0 #ProfessionalDevelopment #WorkforceEcosystem #EducationMatters

Is your community college ready for the next growth phase? Community college workforce training departments typically evolve through 5 key stages: 1.      Foundation - not strategic; offering some courses 2.      Growth- beginning to collaborate with employers to understand workforce needs and offering a few workforce sequences/programs 3.      Optimization-strong industry partnerships and advisory boards informing courses and programs 4.      Excellence - Workforce development is a priority in the college's strategic plan and meeting employers needs with a skilled workforce 5.      Innovation - Iteratively improving on programming and delivery Many Maryland community college have advanced to the Excellence and Innovation stages and are mature workforce . These colleges make workforce development a priority and excel at partnering with local employers to provide short-term, impactful workforce training that meets real-world needs. To advance on your path toward excellence and innovation, the college needs to make workforce development a priority that is reflected in its strategic plan. It must align its organizational structure and resources to support this priority. How mature is your college when it comes to workforce development?

Question of the Week❓ 💼 What role should higher education play in workforce development? 💼 Higher education is key to workforce development. How can institutions better align their programmes with the needs of the modern workforce? #WorkforceDevelopment #HigherEducation #CareerReadiness #ATHE

Someone asked me recently why I left workforce development. My response was that I didn't, I just went to the front of it. Check out this recent Forbes article highlighting our CEO Michael Hansen as he shares how higher education has to align with technology to meet employability gaps and Cengage is right in the middle of helping to research and develop globally how prepared that talent is once it leaves the classroom and goes to work in your neighborhood. https://lnkd.in/e5j4PDCq

When learning is fully funded, the impact is clear. 🎓 Our 2024 Workforce Education Motivations Survey shows that 73% of employees are likely to pursue education when their company covers full tuition. But when only partial funding is offered, interest drops to 54%. Investing in fully funded education programs is key to driving engagement and retention. 👉 Dive deeper into the findings—get the full report: https://bit.ly/3yYDh22 #InStride #WorkforceEducation #LearningAndDevelopment #EmployeeEducation #TalentRetention