Addressing Workforce Challenges in North Texas with Supply Chain Education

Research shows that 80% of hiring managers report recent graduates haven’t met expectations in the past year, and nearly 60% of employers say new graduates are unprepared for the workforce. https://lnkd.in/giwnbbtF Cornerstone University, Johnny Brann Jr., Interphase Interiors,Pastor Corey Brooks, Project H.O.O.D., New Beginnings Church of Chicago, Kristin Collier, MD, FACP, Keith A. Cureton, Bethany Christian Services, Kevin Cusack, Stifel Financial Corp., Mark Johnson, Michigan Software Labs, Mary Ann Gomez Orta, Congressional Hispanic Leadership Institute, Roger Spoelman, DBA, MBA, BAMF Health

When individuals are equipped with the skills to unlock opportunity, they don’t just transform their own lives—they strengthen the organizations they serve and the communities they’re part of. At Western Governors University, this belief has guided every innovation we’ve deployed, from competency-based education, which measures progress based on what learners know and can do, to Learning and Employment Records, which make learners’ capabilities visible, verifiable, and valued. But the work can’t stop with any one institution. Realizing the full potential of a skills-based economy will require collective action—employers, educators, policymakers, and technology leaders working together to build shared skills infrastructure that powers mobility and productivity for all. We’re already seeing what’s possible. IBM has embedded a skills-based approach across the entire talent lifecycle, from hiring to internal development, supported by a robust digital badging platform. Walmart has taken a similar lead through its talent practices and philanthropic investments that expand access to opportunity. If we get this right, skills will become the true currency of opportunity—opening pathways for millions more Americans to learn, work, and thrive. #TalentEconomy #SkillsBased #Innovation #LERs

Today’s top employers aren’t hiring for degrees — they’re hiring for skills. And the people shaping those skills inside the world’s most competitive companies are no longer waiting for academia to catch up. In this straight-talking session at QS Reimagine Education Awards & Conference 2025, Levent Yarar from MIT Sloan Executive Education will be joined by more of Europe’s leading Chief Learning Officers and talent strategists to reveal which skills they’re actively developing in their own people — and which they wish graduates already had. Think adaptive thinking, AI fluency, resilience, collaboration, and communication that actually works in the real world. For anyone in higher education or skills development, this is your unfiltered briefing on where the bar is going — and how to make sure your learners can clear it. Register now to join us in London this December: https://lnkd.in/e5RwYYvg #QSReimagineEducation

As the region’s tech labor market continues to evolve, strong collaboration between educators and employers is more critical than ever.  ICYMI, the Partnership’s College Leadership Council (CLC) convened last month at the Virginia Tech Institute for Advanced Computing for a powerful cross-sector dialogue with HR leaders from some of our region’s top employers including Capital One, Deloitte, DXC Technology, Inova Health and Northrop Grumman. Together, we explored how to better align education with industry needs, focusing on:  🔹 The impact of AI on in-demand roles and skillsets  🔹 Embedding work-based learning to build future-ready graduates  🔹 Supporting nontraditional learners, like veterans and adult students, through career transitions Read key workforce development insights from the convening: https://bit.ly/46K8kN5 

🎓 Breaking the Mold of Traditional Success: The Unexpected Path of an Oxford Graduate 🚴♂️ Imagine climbing the hallowed halls of Tsinghua, Peking, and Oxford, only to find fulfillment on the bustling streets as a food delivery worker. Ding Yuanzhao's journey from academic elite to e-commerce delivery in Beijing is a reality check for the many heralded paths to success. As professionals and lifelong learners, we must dissect the layers of his story: 1️⃣ **The Skills Gap Reality:** Ding's path underscores a glaring disconnect between high-level academic qualifications and the skills demanded in today's market. It's a reminder to seek constant alignment with evolving industry needs, prioritizing adaptability over credentials. 2️⃣ **Redefining Success:** In a landscape where graduate degrees don't guarantee jobs, Ding chooses stability and job satisfaction over traditional prestige. This is a powerful testament to the importance of redefining what success looks like. An appealing title doesn't always equate to fulfillment. 3️⃣ **Resilience vs. Rigidity:** Instead of despairing over employment setbacks, Ding pivots—we can all learn from his resilience. The key takeaway? Cultivate a mindset that embraces change and adapts swiftly to new realities. 4️⃣ **The Untapped Potential of EdTech:** As the demand for practical skills overrides theoretical knowledge, platforms revolutionizing learning and upskilling have a golden opportunity to bridge these gaps, guiding professionals like Ding to roles where they can thrive. 🔮 Whether you're a recent graduate or a seasoned professional, embrace the unexpected avenues that may open. Opportunities are often hiding in plain sight, waiting for those willing to stray from conventional paths. Let's start a conversation: How are you bridging your skills with market needs? What unconventional career turns have you embraced? #SkillGap #CareerTransition #EdTechRevolution #Resilience #RedefiningSuccess Read more here: https://lnkd.in/dZnRt26f

There’s a persistent complaint in academia about overwork - and it’s very real. Expectations are shifting, the nature of the work is changing, and the sector is constantly adapting to new and external pressures. But, in my view, the debate is often too simple. And there is no singular solution. It’s not just about time management or reducing workloads. It’s about understanding individual motivations and career trajectories - neither static nor uniform - and how institutions (and leaders) can respond with nuance and care. Some argue for stripping back responsibilities to create more time, freedom, and energy. That might help in the short term, but it can also create unintended ripple effects for others. And it doesn't address the root cause. A more sustainable approach looks at the skills, mindsets, and systems that help academics thrive - not necessarily by doing less, but by doing differently. How can university leaders better cultivate these capacities across their teams? #highered

“Why I Keep Interviewing the Next Generation of Massachusetts Institute of Technology Minds” Every year, I sit down—often virtually, sometimes across a conference table—with another bright young mind who dreams of entering #MIT. Over time, those conversations have blossomed into one of the most meaningful commitments I’ve made outside my work at Toll International LLC. I’ve now interviewed hundreds of applicants. These students come from every corner of the world, many of them carrying stories that echo the hopes and challenges of my own journey. Some arrive overflowing with passion for aerospace, civil engineering, AI, or energy; others are building nonprofits, inventing medical devices, or teaching themselves entire programming languages for fun. But behind every transcript and every résumé is a human being trying to shape their place in the world. Why do I keep doing it? Because talent alone doesn’t predict impact—character does. MIT students are brilliant, yes. But what matters more is curiosity, resilience, grit, humility, and the courage to dream beyond the conventional. In every interview, I look for the spark that says, “This person is not only capable—they are becoming someone who will matter.” Those conversations remind me what made MIT transformative for me. They reconnect me to the sense of possibility that brought me from Mexico to the United States in 1997, and eventually to leadership in major infrastructure programs serving millions. They remind me why investing in the next generation is not a task—it’s a privilege. Each interview is a reminder that innovation is a relay race. We don’t pass the baton when we retire—we pass it every time we mentor, every time we listen, every time we create space for someone younger to dream bigger. And I’m grateful to play a small role in that. If you’ve ever been interviewed by an MIT alum, you know—we root for you. We want you to succeed. We see who you are and who you could become. ___ If you’re preparing for your MIT interview, have a kid applying to MIT or mentoring someone who is—comment below. I’m always happy to share guidance on what truly matters beyond test scores and accolades. Nure Aiza-Bezares, PE, DBIA, PSP, ICBB Toll International LLC

The People Behind Higherin ⚡️ We spoke to our Product Manager, Darren Cox, to get all the inside scoop on the rebrand. From what we’re solving, to what employers might have missed, and the challenges we’re tackling head-on. 🚀 Highlights include: ⭐ Grad reviews ⭐ The rise of AI-powered job recommendations ⭐ Building a strong community of confident, career-ready students Look out for our next Team insights video with Tatiana, talking through everything content-related. 👀 #teaminsights #theteambehindhigherin #students #employers

Gen Z is quietly changing the rules of work, and they might be the most strategic generation yet. Amanda M. Main, Ph.D., Chief Innovation Officer at the University of Central Florida, College of Business, shared why so many young professionals are turning toward trades, technical careers, and hybrid paths that blend hands-on skills with business and tech. ✅ Proof matters more than polish ✅ Stability and real skills are the new status symbols ✅ “It is not rebellion. It is realism.” This shift is bigger than trends. It is becoming a blueprint for how people will learn, work, and get hired in the next decade. Read the full interview here: https://lnkd.in/gTytEe9x #VoicesOfWork #GenZCareers #FutureOfWork #HiringTrends #CareerDevelopment #SkilledTrades #WorkforceReady #CareerShift #TradesNotTrouble #Yotru #ResumeBuilder #InnovationInEducation #SkillsMatter #CareerPathways

How do universities balance external expertise with internal growth? Cheryl Oliver from WSU’s Carson College of Business shares lessons from their OPM journey, from launch success to the growing pains of scaling in-house. Today, institutions have more choices than ever. Beyond traditional OPMs or fully in-house models, we forge transparent partnerships that align with each institution's unique goals and capacities. #HigherEd #SustainableGrowth #EnrollmentManagement #StudentSuccess #OnlineEd