December 10, 2018

Council of Independent Colleges - 46th annual Institute for Chief Academic Officers

GreenFig
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GreenFig

November 3-6, 2018

Council of Independent Colleges -  46th annual Institute for Chief Academic Officers

GreenFig was a proud sponsor of The Council of Independent Colleges (CIC), 46th annual Institute for Chief Academic Officers (CAO) in November. This year the Institute focused on “Academics, Allocation, and Analytics: Collaborating for a Sustainable Future.”

Many colleges and universities strive to create a fulfilling college experience and education for their students while working to improve access, student success, and public confidence. The Institute provided ideas and tools for Chief Academic, Financial and Enrollment Management Officers to advance their institutions. GreenFig was able to share its passion with these leaders by introducing an innovative program that helps bridge the digital skills gap as graduates enter the workforce.

Key takeaways from the Institute include:

  • Shifts in the economy brought about by technology have disrupted how colleges think about preparing students and sparked renewed debate about what role, if any, colleges should play in preparing students for the “good jobs” many are seeking upon graduation.
  • For many, institutional missions provide a “north star” for what to do - one reason why educators are investing to help students discover their vocation via experiential learning and then helping students align vocation with occupation to lead purpose-filled lives.
  • Hands-on experience, the right digital credentials, and the universal skills from a liberal education are in high-demand – putting colleges that prepare students with these outcomes in a position to thrive.  

The last night of the Institute, GreenFig hosted an intimate dinner to explore these ideas and build relationships with select colleges that attended CIC CAO Institute. The night provided great company, amazing food, and intelligent conversation.  

To continue and expand the dialogue, GreenFig will be hosting a free webinar for academic officers titled “Why the Digital Economy Needs More Liberal Arts Majors” on Tuesday, December 11th and Thursday, December 13th at 10 a.m. PT / 1 p.m. ET.  We invite you to join us!

Sign up for the webinar today.

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We’ve all heard the joke: What’s the difference between a large pizza and a history degree? One can feed a family of four. For the purposes of the pun, history can be replaced with any liberal arts major. From English and art history to political science and philosophy — the notion has been that those who choose a humanities tract graduate from college with heaps of debt yet find themselves working as a barista or the checkout line at Whole Foods. But that doesn’t mean their liberal arts degree doesn’t have value — even as we transform to a digital age. Many assume that in our current (and future) tech-consumed and driven world, that math and science education — software engineering, programming, coding, and the like — is the exclusive golden ticket to career success. To be sure, we need these kinds of minds and this kind of training. But, it’s a mistake to believe that the liberal arts educated don’t have a critical role to play in the digital workforce. Because after all, who is going to do the selling, the marketing and the customer servicing of today’s technology services and products? Answer: Those who have honed critical thinking, writing and interpersonal skills, and who possess the nontechnical ability to connect with end users a la their liberal arts education. This notion is confirmed in “That ‘Useless” Liberal Arts Degree Has Become Tech’s Hottest Ticket,” a Forbes article that provides example after example of liberal arts degree holders achieving success in today’s tech world, along with stats to back up the claim that tech companies are increasingly recruiting more nontechnical talent. The article uses the analogy of the automobile industry in the 1920s, which “created enormous numbers of jobs for people who helped fit cars into everyday life: marketers, salesmen, driving instructors, road crews and so on.” A similar trend is unfolding today. The article goes on to reveal that “throughout the major U.S. tech hubs, whether Silicon Valley or Seattle, Boston or Austin, Texas, software companies are discovering that liberal arts thinking makes them stronger. Engineers may still command the biggest salaries, but at disruptive juggernauts such as Facebook and Uber, the war for talent has moved to nontechnical jobs, particularly sales and marketing. The more that audacious coders dream of changing the world, the more they need to fill their companies with social alchemists who can connect with customers — and make progress seem pleasant.” And the ability to connect is what liberal arts thinkers do best. But don’t pack your bags for Silicon Valley just yet, English majors. Yes, you’ve got great critical thinking, writing and communication skills. And yes, tech companies are hiring nontechnical people like you. But to land one of the aforementioned sales and marketing positions requires more than just a degree. While you have the right foundation, your university education did not prepare you with the up-to-date digital skills and experience required for a job-ready resume in the fast-moving, fast-changing digital age. That’s why a liberal arts degree crossed with a microdegree in applied business science from GreenFig is such a powerful combination for procuring a growth career in tech. GreenFig’s curriculum has been tailored by industry experts to help you gain these high-demand skills and master critical strategic concepts in a short period of time. And unlike traditional online courses, GreenFig’s hybrid training platform is laser-focused on experiential learning — combining live, interactive online and offline team-based instruction, all the while guaranteeing its students gain real-world, practical experience. So you can demand a higher salary in an evolving industry faster than it takes to perfect latte art. For more details on how you can transform your liberal arts resume into a tech-ready ticket in less than 10 hours a week, visit greenfig.net. Click here course schedule for September 13, 2017 term.

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