The global pandemic has drastically changed the way we work. Many companies have experienced skill gaps and have had to adapt employees’ capabilities to meet rapidly changing technologies. In addition, organizations are changing their recruiting priorities and looking for more practical, job-ready skills when hiring entry-level employees. While this strategy accounts for junior hires, often graduates of higher education institutions feel underprepared.

So, how can higher education adapt to meet both industry and education needs? The new generation of students need career skills to prepare for job opportunities. Prioritizing employability and integrating skills-based learning into your curricula can be crucial to attracting future students.

Hawai’i Pacific University (HPU) was one of the very first institutions to adopt Career Academy from Coursera, a solution designed to help universities and colleges prepare students for in-demand jobs. Get the perspective of an early adopter, Mark Rosenbaum, Dean of the College of Business at HPU as he joins Scott Shireman, Global Head of Coursera for Campus, to explore:

• How focusing initiatives on employability can help secure your institution’s future and attract more students
• How industry micro-credentials can prepare your students with the skills they need to be successful in a competitive job market
• How to leverage Career Academy to help efficiently prepare your students for future jobs

Mark Rosenbaum is the dean of the College of Business at Honolulu-based Hawai’i Pacific University. Prior to this role, he was dean of the Graham School of Management at St. Xavier, chair and professor of the Department of Retailing at the University of South Carolina, the Kohl’s Professor of Marketing at Northern Illinois University, and an assistant professor in the Department of Marketing at the University of Hawai‘i at Manoa.

Scott Shireman is the Global Head of Coursera for Campus. Scott has over twenty years of leadership experience in higher education, including at UC Berkeley and Kellogg School of Management, with deep expertise in global and online education. He currently leads Coursera for Campus globally and advises university leaders around the world on how they can build the universities of the future.