Ivy Tech Community College and Purdue Global collaborate to prepare future workers
A recent summit with leaders from around Indiana looked at the partnership between Ivy Tech Community College, Purdue Global, and other institutions from around the state to prepare the workforce as the economic outlook evolves over time.
More than 100 leaders from around Indiana, including state and local workforce and economic development groups, Purdue Global, and Ivy Tech Community College gathered recently to expand opportunities for workers in the state. Frank Dooley and Sue Elispermann looked at the nearly two million employed Hoosiers who do not have a college degree or any credentials and saw an opportunity. Thus an idea was born with the goal of increasing the skills, financial standing, and worker mobility throughout the state.
Frank Dooley is the Chancellor of Purdue Global and Sue Ellspermann is the President of Ivy Tech Community College. The two of them collaborated to create a partnership between the two organizations.
In an article from Purdue University, Ellspermann was quoted on the recent summit celebrating the partnership, saying, “The summit shined a light on the unique opportunities we have to impact the lives of adults, employers, the labor market and our communities by leveraging two amazing institutions. We have a shared commitment to career pathways for adult students that lead to high-wage, high-demand careers that skill and reskill our workforce.”
Dooley talked about the many times the institutions have partnered over the years, and talked about how both organizations are using their resources for adult learners in the workforce, such as more pathways to degrees and credentials and recognition for prior learning: “Purdue Global is part of Purdue’s land-grant mission. The essence of it is we’re providing opportunity. We need to think broadly of our mission of public service to our communities. We are always looking to expand access to education and help more students be successful in their career paths.”
As Indiana competes for jobs in emerging fields such as semiconductors, electric vehicle components, and defense relation industries, and more traditional industries to the state like agriculture and manufacturing, as well as increasing advances in technology, it is important to make sure the adult workforce is prepared to meet the needs of the incoming jobs. For example, a semiconductor company coming to Indiana, SkyWater Technology, announced last July that it had plans to build a nearly two billion dollar semiconductor fabrication facility at Purdue, which would create some 750 jobs.
Ivy Tech Community College and Purdue Global have a few agreements in place for students to transfer their credits easily between the two institutions. For instance, a student who earns an associate degree from Ivy Tech (who is the state’s leader in providing such degrees) can then seamlessly apply those credits to Purdue Global to put toward a bachelor’s degree.
The solid partnership between the two organizations is leading the country in the exchange and acceptance of credits from prior learning from one school to the other.
At the recent summit, mentioned above, those in attendance were presented with more information about what is being done in the areas of workforce and economic development. A panel discussion called “The Indiana Workforce Landscape” was hosted by the commissioner for the Indiana Commission for Higher Education, Chris Lowery. Lowery talked about the partnerships, programs, and policies that are in place with the goal of expanding educational opportunities to Indiana residents that keeps pace with the speed of business in the state.
Tony Denhart, who is the executive vice president of workforce and talent at the Indiana Economic Development Corporation, David Adams, the commissioner of Indiana’s Department of Workforce Development, Marie Mackintosh, the president and CEO of EmployIndia, and Kevin Brinegar, president and CEO of the Indiana Chamber of Commerce, were all on the panel facilitated by Lowery.
Several reports have been published by groups like the Indiana Chamber of Commerce, Ascent Indiana, and EmployIndy on the subject of talent-development in Indiana. The needs of many industries were enumerated so that educators, employers, and employees could be prepared for the coming changes to the economy. Both talent and economic development have added a new component as Indiana state officials have started to add education partnerships and opportunities as a reason for new employers to come to the state.
Tony Denhart moderated the panel called “Our Role in Helping Shape the Future of Indiana”
and said that the Indiana Economic Development Corporation is dedicated to quality jobs over a quantity of jobs, while also paying attention to the diversity of jobs across Indiana.
Denhart also said his organization focuses on what he called the “5Es” when discussing expansion plans with employers not yet located in the state. Those five Es are External engagement, Energy, Entrepreneurship, Economy of the future, and Environment/quality of place.
“For the economy of the future, we are looking at the workplace and what the workers of the future will need,” he said. “We’re looking 10 and 20 years ahead. We are looking at life sciences, quantum computing, aerospace, defense, advanced manufacturing, agriculture and artificial intelligence/machine learning. Relationships matter in both economic development and talent development.”
Ivy Tech Community College and Purdue Global are constantly working together to improve their responses to the quickly changing workforce needs, as illuminated by Denhart, and echoed by others, in his panel discussion.
Part of what the two organizations are doing are adding new classes, working with employers to provide more affordable education opportunities, and providing additional resources for adult learners who are currently working, among other things.
Currently, Purdue Global is working to rebuild its teaching model so that it can give more support to students such as adding mentoring and coaching.
Vice President of Organizational Culture and Chief Diversity Officer at Purdue Global Tiffany Townsend and Amber Williams, who is the Executive Director for Employee Diversity, Equity, and Belonging at Ivy Tech Community College, presented a panel called “Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion and Belonging: Building a Foundational Approach to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging Together.” The talk explored how Ivy Tech and Purdue Global both work to make students feel like they belong, regardless of background. Responses from those in attendance were gathered, and will be looked at to help build plans that will be dispersed to staff and faculty in the coming semesters.
Dooley spoke on this tactic, saying, “If we start with the end in mind – thinking of the students and how they get their degrees – it affects how we approach our work together.”
Ivy Tech is also planning to expand its associate degree nursing program in response to the shortage of healthcare workers in Indiana. The school is working with providers to have more clinical sites as enrollment numbers increase.
Ellspermann addressed this topic, saying, “Working adult learners come to Ivy Tech and Purdue Global to find a better path forward, more prosperity and/or more fulfillment in their careers. These are our ‘traditional’ students, and we are committed to meeting them where they are and helping them succeed.”
Currently, Purdue Global and Ivy Tech provide courses to over 35,000 students at 46 campuses all over Indiana.
Dooley talked about how the partnership between the two schools can help them be more flexible when responding to student needs, saying, “We’ve got to be responsive to opportunities that come forward to us. If we – both Purdue Global and Ivy Tech – become aware of the need, we can adapt our programs and pathways to career quicker than others.”
Ivy Tech Community College is the largest higher education facility in Indiana, and the biggest singly accredited statewide community college system in the country. It is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. Ivy Tech has campuses all around the state, and educates thousands of students online every year. It is Indiana’s engine for workforce development offering such opportunities as industry training and certifications, short term certificate programs, and associate degrees that align with the needs of local industry and the community as a whole. The school provides seamless transfer to other universities and colleges both for Indiana schools, and schools around the country, which makes for a more affordable path to a bachelor’s degree. More information about Ivy Tech Community College can be found on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn, as well as the school’s website.
Purdue Global works to give personalized online education specific to the needs of adults who have work and life experience outside of the classroom. This enables them to build up both academic and professional skills with support and flexibility so they can continue to work as they achieve their academic and career goals. Purdue Global offers personalized paths for students to earn an associate, bachelor’s, masters, and/or a doctoral degree based on their work or military experience, previous college credits, desired pace, and other considerations. Purdue Global is a nonprofit, public university, and is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. It is affiliated with Purdue University. More information about Purdue Global can be found on its website.