In August, a good friend and colleague sent me her latest white paper to read. I scanned it then (yes Elizabeth I did!) but it’s taken till now for me put time aside to really read it. I did. And now I want to compel you too. Do you want to believe in associations ability to change the world? Do you want to help be part of innovating education for all? Are you just a little curious about how a couple of associations’ are rewriting their approach to education?
In this white paper, four women share an eye-opening assessment of the current state of education from K-post-graduate. Then they share how associations have an advantage and calling.
“With an educational system that is being disrupted, college students graduating with degrees that fail to provide
them practical job skills, and more adult and nontraditional learners than ever, associations stand at a crossroads. There are enormous needs we can meet: creating high-quality, competency based education; fostering social learning; and providing clear pathways to employment for students, the long-term unemployed, returning veterans, or those individuals who are about to see their jobs significantly affected by the rise of automation and artificial intelligence. It’s a big opportunity—and a big challenge.”
The authors Elizabeth Weaver Engel, CAE, Spark Consulting and Shelly Alcorn, CAE, Alcorn Associates Management Consulting, with their contributors Polly Siobhan Karpowicz, CAE, and Tracy Petrillo, EdD, CAE, offer insight on the educational system, an update on an exciting ASAE Research Committee project on workforce development
(http://bit.ly/ASAE-workforcestudy) and a dose of practical advice about how to start meeting the challenges.
I found the case studies the best part of the read (of course that’s because I love to read about innovation in action). A few snippets:
- HR Certification Institute (HRCI) identified an opportunity as they saw the sphere of career preparation changing. HRCI’s solution was to create a new credential, the Associate Professional in Human Resources™ (aPHR) designed for people just starting out in HR – a steppingstone credential.
- Shifts in the profession drove Ohio Society of Certified Public Accountants to look at its educational offerings
that include a fresh approach to mentoring. Scott Wiley, CAE, President & CEO explained: “We’ve discovered that it’s lack of ‘soft skills,’ not lack of technical competency, that holds our members lack professionally.” - Ohio’s sister in Maryland, the MACPA, likewise looked beyond typical technical
training which led to the creation of the Business Learning Institute (BLI) as a for-profit subsidiary which offers training in technical, strategic, and leadership skills to CPAs nationwide. MACPA is working with its national association, AICPA, to create formal professional development training for young professionals in soft skills. This case study offers us a couple of lessons including how as national orgs we can look to our state groups as incubators and collaborators in meeting our profession’s needs. - The National Association of Licensed Practical Nurses (NALPN) responded to a shift in its profession’s trajectory
with an educational solution that also adds revenue and evolves the LPN career. Their approach is creating certification programs which demonstrate competency and advanced education in these specialty areas.
Get the white paper “The Association Role in the New Education Paradigm” and read and share … http://bit.ly/29CIquL While you are there, check out Elizabeth’s other white papers!
I found lots of ideas for 2017:
Idea #1: Active Orientation
Idea #2: Member Year In Review
Idea #3: Chapter
Mash-up for Young Pros
Idea #4: Shift the Board’s Conversation
Idea #5: Out:
Resolutions, In: Questolutions
Idea #6: List of Must Reads for New Ideas