Rick Hodge

The relationship between higher education and industry has undergone a significant transformation. What once was a clear linear progression from higher education to industry has now become more fluid, with nonlinear careers and frequent transitions between higher ed and the workforce becoming more common. In this interview, Ritu Saksena discusses the current state of the industry-higher ed, the challenges to meeting industry demands and how workforce-aligned programming can help.

In sharing the same value proposition, it’s critical for higher ed institutions to work with industry partners to create skilled workers who are prepared for the workforce. Businesses are in short supply of skilled workers, and learners are looking to get into the workforce and remain relevant through their careers. Institutions have the opportunity to become the bridge between learners and workforce and address the skills gaps in the industry while preparing learners for successful careers.

As the need to close the skill gaps increases, institutions can look to deliver job-focused education to not only meet the needs of employers but also the modern learner. Students today are looking for career mobility when it comes to the next step in their lives. This means institutions need to deliver jobs-focused education to meet this need. But this programming needs to be implemented strategically to maximize its potential.