Move to provide access to digital content relevant to today’s workplace, up-to-date certifications of in-demand job skills
William Woods University(WWU) today officially announced an agreement with Coursera, a global online learning platform, that will significantly expand access to digital content that is relevant to today’s workplace, offering skills training and industry-recognized certifications of in-demand job skills to WWU students, staff, alumni and university partners.
The new partnership will allow William Woods to learn from over 325 top universities and companies on Coursera, with online courses and credentials in a variety of disciplines and thread it into the university’s curriculum, further enhancing the academic experience and employment marketability of every WWU student.
Find out more about this innovative new direction for the university during an upcoming webinar with William Woods and Coursera leadership scheduled for February 27 at 12 p.m. CST. Access the webinar by clicking on the following link: Social share link
“Our exciting partnership with Coursera, which will offer expanded digital content to William Woods students that is normally only available at much larger universities, will significantly enhance the value of attending The Woods,” said Dr. Jeremy Moreland, President of William Woods University. “It is a groundbreaking agreement for a small university that will make our graduates that much more in-demand to employers in the 21st century economy.”
“We are excited to partner with William Woods University to complement its liberal arts education with job-relevant industry micro-credentials,” said Dr. Quentin Story McAndrew, Global Academic Strategist at Coursera. “Together, we’re empowering William Woods students with role-specific skills, giving them a competitive edge as they launch their careers.”
Coursera offers more than 6,000 courses and 45 professional certificates. These industry micro-credentials are designed by some of the most recognizable brands in the world like Google, Microsoft and IBM. Through partnerships with Coursera, schools such as William Woods then embed these microcredentials into their existing curriculum; for example, a student pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Cybersecurity at WWU will now also earn an IBM Cybersecurity micro-credential as part of their studies. Or another student pursuing a masters degree in Data Analytics at William Woods will also earn a Google Data Analytics micro-credential. Hands-on projects and interactive assessments allow students to apply their skills in real-world scenarios and practice using workplace tools, helping to prepare students without prior work experience for in-demand entry-level jobs upon graduation.
“Google is thrilled that William Woods University is offering the Google Career Certificates program to students,” said Amanda Brophy, Director, Grow with Google. “This offering will enable students to pair their degree with in-demand tech skills in fields like cybersecurity and data analytics, helping advance their job opportunities for years to come.”
Microcredentials have been transforming the landscape of higher education, as reported on in numerous outlets across the country, including University World News: (https://www.universityworldnews.com/post.php?story=20220705223949571), LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/micro-credentials-courses-market-size-unveiling-potential/) Collegis Education (https://collegiseducation.com/news/programs-and-course-content/what-are-micro-credentials/) and Forbes Magazine (https://www.forbes.com/sites/markcperna/2021/10/05/small-but-mighty-why-micro-credentials-are-huge-for-the-future-of-work/?sh=740904d6302b).
Recent research from Coursera also finds that 86 percent of college students strongly agree that a professional certificate will help them get a job. The report also found that U.S. employers viewed job candidates with credentials more favorably. Specifically, 92 percent of employers believe micro-credentials help a candidate stand out, while 85 percent of employers are more likely to hire a graduate who has a degree and a professional certificate.
“This access to the digital content that our partnership with Coursera provides will significantly increase the employment marketability of our students,” said Dr. Ted Blashak, Chief Student Experience Officer at WWU. “It will help our students to bridge the gap between the classroom and the professional world.”
And while the primary focus of the partnership is to increase the engagement of William Woods students, other university stakeholders will greatly benefit as well. WWU alumni will have the opportunity to boost their career skills and earn advanced degrees through the new access to micro-credentials and certificates. William Woods faculty and staff will have the opportunity to access advanced personal and professional development through state-of-the-practice digital content. And university partners like local corporations and businesses will enjoy access to digital content on an as-needed basis to help their employees develop new career-enhancing skills.
