Press contact:
Andrea Roebker, 312.385.1422
aroebker@kaplan.edu
Kaplan Education Leadership Forum Reinforces Need for More Collaboration between Higher Education and Employers
INDIANAPOLIS, March 31, 2011 – Indianapolis political and community leaders, workforce development experts and educators came together to discuss building strong partnerships at an Education Leadership Forum hosted by Kaplan Higher Education.
The forum, Educating the 21st Century Workforce: Employer and Student Needs, was held Wednesday, March 30, at the downtown Central Library and reinforced the need for employers and educators to partner to better meet labor market demands and student needs.
“Postsecondary education is a key to helping turn our economy around. Yet, research and reality show that too often American college students are graduation-ready, but not workplace-ready,” Peter Smith, senior vice president of academic strategies for Kaplan Higher Education, said. “It is essential for educational institutions to understand labor needs and collaborate with employers so today’s graduates, including Kaplan’s, can be contributors to a thriving global workforce.”
The first panel, Employer Needs, focused on the skills employers seek in new hires and what educational training is needed to better prepare students for the workplace. Moderated by J.K. Wall of the Indianapolis Business Journal, panelists included Tom O’Neil, Hispanic Business Council; Terrie Daniel, Department of Minority & Women Business Development; Brooke Huntington, EmployIndy; and Marty DuRall, St. Vincent Hospital.
The panel also addressed questions on the skills today’s graduates are missing, the most in-demand fields and the barriers to getting more skilled workers into those fields.
The Student Needs and Outcomes panel, moderated by Clyde Lee and Diane Willis, hosts of Indiana – By Degrees on WFYI, brought together leaders in higher education to discuss how institutions can better respond to labor needs, contribute to workforce development, and how to best prepare students to meet market demands.
Panelists included Teresa Bennett, Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis; Marcus Kolb, Lumina Foundation; Jill Robinson Kramer, Ivy Tech Community College; and Marilyn Moran-Townsend, Indiana Commission for Higher Education.
Kaplan Higher Education will host additional forums across the U.S. with a goal to continue the dialogue about workforce needs and the role of private sector higher education in ensuring students receive the knowledge, skills and credentials necessary to be sought-after candidates for employment.
About Kaplan Higher Education
Kaplan Higher Education serves more than 95,000 students through 70-plus campus-based schools and online operations across the United States. Its online institutions include Kaplan University and Concord Law School of Kaplan University. Kaplan Higher Education schools offer a spectrum of academic opportunities, from certificates and diplomas to graduate and professional degrees, including a juris doctor degree. Kaplan Higher Education is part of Kaplan, Inc., a leading international provider of educational and career services for individuals, schools and businesses. Kaplan serves students of all ages through a wide array of offerings including higher education, test preparation, professional training and programs for kids in grades K through 12. Kaplan, Inc., is a subsidiary of The Washington Post Company (NYSE: WPO), and its largest and fastest-growing division. For more information, visit portal.kaplan.edu.
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