Amy Wartham (University of North Carolina Charlotte) on Turning Institutions into Workforce Catalysts

On today’s episode of the Illumination by Modern Campus podcast, podcast host Shauna Cox was joined by Amy Wartham to discuss the evolving role of colleges and universities, and the barriers to effective employer partnerships. 

Transcript

Shauna Cox (00:02):Amy, welcome to the Illumination podcast. I'm so glad you could join me today.

Amy Wartham (00:07):Thank you. Thank you for having me.

Shauna Cox (00:09):So we are here to talk about building effective corporate partnerships to address and bridge that skills gap. So I kind of want to set the stage and kick off our conversation by first asking, how would you describe the evolving role of colleges and universities in preparing today's learners for tomorrow's workforce?

Amy Wartham (00:27):Yeah, I mean, the role of colleges and universities is evolving from being primarily knowledge providers to becoming more dynamic partners in workforce readiness. And of course, the way that the world is moving so quickly right now, and it's becoming sort of this tech driven world, it's no longer enough for institutions to simply focus on academic content. Instead, they're actually being called upon to equip lead learners with the agility, adaptability, and critical thinking skills that they really need to thrive in a workforce that's constantly changing. So that means blending traditional education with real world application, things like experiential learning and internships and project-based assignments and partnerships with industry. It also means focusing on lifelong learning and helping students and professionals alike re-skill and upskill as needed throughout their careers. And so we're also seeing a greater emphasis on competencies like emotional intelligence and communication and collaboration and digital literacy. And these are skills that are universally valued across all kinds of different organizations and sectors. So colleges and universities are really uniquely positioned to create sort of a holistic learning environment where those competencies can actually be developed alongside the technical piece as well, or technical knowledge as well. So ultimately our role is really shifting towards being lifelong learning hubs, places where education and workforce development meet and where learners are not just prepared for their first job, but for a lifetime of change and opportunity.

Shauna Cox (02:32):Absolutely. And I think there's a lot to unpack there and probably much easier said than done. So I want to talk about the hurdles that institutions face. What are some of the biggest obstacles institutions face when trying to build meaningful, mutually beneficial partnerships with those employers?

Amy Wartham (02:53):Yeah, sometimes there are a lot of obstacles. It depends on a lot of different variables, but probably what I would say is one of the biggest obstacles the institutions face is misalignment. And what I mean that by that is between what employers want and or need and what academic programs are designed to deliver. So employers are looking for job ready talent with specific skills, while higher ed has traditionally operated on longer timelines with curriculum changes that can take years to implement. So that pace mismatch can actually make it really hard to keep up with rapidly evolving workforce demands. And I mean, another challenge is communication. Institutions and employers often speak different languages. So academic academia tends to focus on learning outcomes and credit hours while industry is really thinking in terms of competencies and productivity. So finding that common ground takes time and intentional effort.

(04:11):And then there's also the issue of trust and relationship building. A lot of meaningful partnerships don't happen overnight. They require a genuine commitment for both sides, but institutions may not always have dedicated resources or the structures in place to main those partnerships. Over time, I've been very fortunate. I've actually been director of corporate training and exec ed for about 20 years, so time is on my side. So I've had a lot of time to build some of those relationships. And that I think in and of itself has helped me be really successful here in the school of professional studies because I've had that opportunity to build those long-term relationships. And then I would say the final hurdle really, or obstacle is data. Sometimes institutions may not have access to or may not be necessarily using labor market data effectively to inform their program designs. So with clear insights into what employers truly want and need, it's really tough to tailor programs in a way that's truly impactful. So when you're addressing these type of obstacles, there's an opportunity to create a pallet, a pipeline of talent that really benefits both learners and the workforce.

Shauna Cox (05:48):Absolutely. I know the topic of data is really emerging in higher ed. I recently attended EA and I had a panelist of two institutions, and that's all we talked about was data. Some institutions may have it, some may not. And if they do have it, they don't know the next step to get it. You may have all this data sitting with you, but how do you analyze it and where do you take it to get to that next level? So certainly an emerging topic. And I want to dovetail off of something that you mentioned, talked about structure. I think in this instance, especially with your division, CE really lends itself to partnerships with industry keeping pace with them, or at least trying to keep pace with them as best we can in such a rapidly evolving environment. How can continuing and workforce education teams lead the charge in addressing these urgent skills gaps, especially given the pace of change in today's labor market?

Amy Wartham (06:59):I laugh and say that I'm kind of a barometer because when things are changing in the workforce, usually that comes out with the type of training requests that I get from industry. So we're actually continuing added workforce education teams. We're actually really uniquely positioned to be the first responders to today's urgent skill gaps. So because we operate with a lot more flexibility than the traditional academic units, we can move quickly to design and launch and iterate on programs that meet immediate industry needs. And one of the most powerful ways that we can lead is by staying really laser focused on employer engagement. That means, again, building those strong ongoing relationships with industry partners, not just to understand the current gaps, but really to anticipate actually what's coming next. So when those conversations are happening consistently continuing ed teams can rapidly credentials or bootcamps, and there's non-degree credit programs that directly address those needs.

(08:24):And then another really huge, in my opinion, advantage is agility. I mean, like my team, we don't wait for lengthy curricular approval processes. We can go to market with a new program design pretty darn quickly. So that speed is critical when the labor market is shifting so fast and we see that day in and day out. So we play a crucial role in upskilling and reskilling the existing workforce. So we're helping adults adapt and stay competitive throughout their careers. And that lifelong learning lens is essential in today's environment. So in a lot of ways, continuing ed and workforce development teams we're really, I guess like a bridge where we're connecting learners and institutions and employers all in real time. And so when we're able to do that and do it well, we can actually drive real impact at scale.

Shauna Cox (09:39):Absolutely. And I think what's important here is the level of collaboration that's required internally and externally. So what does it take for academic and corporate stakeholders to align on the outcomes that serve both the learner needs and the business demands?

Amy Wartham (09:58):Yeah, I mean, it really takes intentionality and transparency and that shared commitment to partnership. So again, I'm really fortunate that I get the opportunity to work with a lot of different companies. And so what I'm learning is if I hear something at this company that's working well, then a lot of times I'll share that with a different company, could be a totally different industry, but it's about gauging what's going on in the workplace and being able to align outcomes that serve both the learner needs and the business demands. So we have to really get clear on the why are we doing this collaboration? What problems are we solving for the learners or for employers or even for the broader economy? And then it's about co-designing solutions. And that means bringing employers to the table early, not just to validate existing programs, but to actually shape them. What are the key competencies that they're looking for and what does success look like in the roles that they're hiring for? And so when academia and industry define those outcomes together, the learning becomes much more targeted and much more relevant. So to me that is, that's also be just really cool factor.

Shauna Cox (11:44):Yeah, absolutely.

Amy Wartham (11:47):And it also takes a lot of flexibility on both sides. Academia may need to rethink traditional structures or timelines, and employers need to recognize the value of broader foundational skills, like critical thinking and communication, and not necessarily just the technical training. And again, we've talked a lot about data, but sharing data and that ongoing dialogue alignment isn't a one-time event. It's a continuous process. Again, I can tell you in the time that I've been in this role, things have changed tremendously. The labor market changes, business needs evolve, and even learner expectations they shift as well. So academic and corporate partners have to keep that conversation going and talking about what's working and adjusting what's not. And then really, again, staying focused on outcomes that benefit everybody that's involved.

Shauna Cox (13:00):And I want to close this out here because you mentioned the changing needs and the alignment that was required and the amount of time that you have spent in this industry. I have to pick your brain here and ask, what's one piece of advice that you would offer institutions who are aiming to future proof their workforce development strategy?

Amy Wartham (13:24):If I had to offer just one piece of advice, it would be this stay relentlessly learner and employer centric. And what I mean by that is the institutions that are going to thrive in the future are the ones that build everything, the curriculum, the partnerships, the delivery models. All of that has to be built around the evolving needs of both the learners and the labor market. And that means listening deeply to what learners need to succeed today, whether it's flexibility, affordability, or stackable credentials. And it means engaging employers, not as end users, but as co-creators helping shape some of the programs that are truly aligned to in demand skills. And I love your word, future proof. So future proofing isn't about predicting the future perfectly, but it's really more about building the agility to adapt as it unfolds. Institutions that embed responsiveness and collaboration and commitment to continuous learning into their workforce development strategy will be the ones that are the best positioned to lead in the years ahead.

Shauna Cox (14:49):Amazing. Amy, those are all the questions I have for you. Thank you so much for your insights and your advice. I really do appreciate it.

Amy Wartham (14:57):Thank you. Thank you for having me. And let me give you my 2 cents worth.