AdvMeetingMaterials Summer 2021 FINAL

® Creating Solutions. Inspiring Action. SUMMER MEMBER MEETING June 11, 2021 2:00 – 3:15 p.m. e.t. Virtual Meeting © BHEF 2021 2 2:00 p.m. 2:05 p.m. 2:30 p.m. 2:50 p.m. 3:05 p.m. 3:10 p.m. 3:15 p.m. Welcoming Remarks Mike King, BHEF chair; vice president and general manager, Global Education Industry, IBM Corporation Facilitated Discussion on the PwC-BHEF Joint Report, Creating the Future Workforce Today Moderator: • Andrew Tein, vice president, Government Affairs, Wiley Discussants: • Mike Fenlon, chief people officer, PwC • Brian Fitzgerald, CEO, Business-Higher Education Forum • TraLiza King, director, PwC Facilitated Discussion with Report Exemplars Moderator: • Andrew Tein, vice president, Government Affairs, Wiley Discussants: • Julie Granger, executive vice president, Metro Milwaukee Association of Commerce • Phyllis King, vice provost, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Q&A and Member Discussion Next Steps Brian Fitzgerald, CEO, Business-Higher Education Forum Closing Remarks Mary Papazian, BHEF vice chair; president, San José State University Adjourn agenda June 11, 2021 2:00 – 3:15 p.m. All Times Eastern 3 W CEO WELCOME 2021 © BHEF 2021 elcome to the Business-Higher Education Forum’s Summer 2021 Member Meeting. I am excited about the caliber of our speakers, members, and special guests, as well as the ideas that will emerge as we examine influences disrupting our economy and society and their effect on the skills needed in the post-COVID-19 workforce. There is a fundamental mismatch at a spectrum of levels—new hires, working professionals, and vulnerable populations—around competencies. If we do not act, this misalignment has the potential of becoming a major obstacle in our nation’s recovery. BHEF and its members are i n the unique position to address this challenge. We will use the report, Creating the Future Workforce Today, as our guide, and long-time collaborator Andrew Tein, Wiley vice president, will moderate what I believe will be informative sessions. On a personal note, I am delighted that Mike Fenlon, Pw C’s chief people officer and fellow co-author, and TraLiza King, PwC director, will join me in the first session. Our conversation will build a framework from the report’s themes, which examine how business and higher education can create an adaptive, inclusive, and sustainable workforce. From there, we will hear from two people featured in the report. Phyllis King, vice provost, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee will be joined by her counterpart, Julie Granger, executive vice president, Metro Milwaukee Association of Commerce, to discuss how they collaborated to respond to the pandemic’s impact on the local economy. King and Granger understood that to recover, business and higher education needed to work together to attract diverse talent and provide opportunities for workers who need new skills. They w ill share how partnerships between businesses and higher education in the Milwaukee region are cre ating new pa thways, credentials, and tools for lifelong learning while promoting greater diversity, equity, and inclusion. After, members will participate in a Q&A session that will segue into a discussion surrounding what’s next a nd how BHEF can advance its work. My team and I look forward to your thoughts. The a ttached executive summary of Creating the Future Workforce Today will help us make the most of our time together. I look forward to seeing you virtually and, hopefully, in person again soon. Regards, Brian K. Fitzgerald, Ed.D. CEO, Business-Higher Education Forum 4 © BHEF 2021 BHEF SUMMER 2021 MEMBER MEETING ® NEW MEMBER BIOGRAPHY Madeline Pumariega is the first female president to lead Miami Dade College (MDC), the institution she attended decades earlier as a student-athlete. Her passion for innovation in higher education was born out of her own experiences, first as a student and then as a longtime administrator at MDC. Pumariega prioritizes working with business partners to identify the skills needed in critical industries and tailoring higher education programs to match those needs. Her transformative approach accelerates the ability of graduates to enter the workforce immediately upon the completion of their coursework. Before becoming MDC’s president, Pumariega was appointed the first female and Hispanic chancellor of the Florida College System (FCS). In that role, she designed and implemented strategies to keep college accessible and affordable for Floridians, especially in high-demand job fields. During her tenure, several of the FCS’s 28 colleges—which serve 800,000 students—rose in the rankings of US News & World Report as well as other national measures. Florida was also named number one in higher education by US News Report. In 2019, she became the executive vice president and provost of Tallahassee Community College, helping lead the school during the unprecedented response to the COVID-19. She views her new role as MDC’s president as the opportunity of a lifetime because it presents her with the most significant ability to serve students who were just like her—looking for a chance to realize their dreams and succeed in the community they love and call home, Miami. Madeline Pumariega President, Miami Dade College 5 © BHEF 2021 BHEF SUMMER 2021 MEMBER MEETING ® SPEAKER BIOGRAPHIES Mike Fenlon serves as the CHRO for PwC US, and his expertise is in developing and leading global people strategy for the digital, inclusive, and sustainable economy of the 21st century. Fenlon leads transformations to build modern, technology-enabled people functions that enable business strategy, innovation, and outcomes. He is passionate about a purpose-led and values-driven culture and creating an inspiring people experience. Fenlon applies human- centered design to drive accelerated development and inclusive talent management. As the global talent leader for the PwC network, with offices in 157 countries and more than 276,000 people, he drove technology-enabled talent processes to support growth at scale. PwC is consistently ranked among the “100 Best Companies to Work For. ” PwC is a founding member of the CEO Action for Diversity and Inclusion with nearly 2,000 CEOs and university presidents committed to actions that promote inclusion in the workplace. Fenlon served as global co-sponsor of PwC’s support of the UN HeForShe initiative on global gender equality. Fas t Company magazine has recognized him as one of the 100 most creative business leaders in the world, and HR Digest recognized him on their “Most Influential HR leaders Powerlist”. Prior to joining PwC, Mike was a faculty member of the Columbia Business School executive education team that was ranked by the Financial Times as #1 in the world. As associate dean at Columbia Business School, he led top-ranked executive MBA programs in New York, EMBA Global with the London Business School, and a partnership with Berkeley-Haas. He taught a popular course on Executive Leadership, and directed The Fundamentals of Management: Highlights of the MBA and the Columbia Senior Executive Program. He consulted in the non-profit sector and served in Executive Programs for Public Health leaders at the Kennedy School at Harvard University. Fenlon was educated at University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and Columbia University where he earned master’s degrees and a Ph.D. Mike Fenlon Chief people officer, PwC 6 © BHEF 2021 2021 Speaker Biographies Julie Granger is the executive vice president for the Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce (MMAC), the region’s chamber of commerce. She works with the president and leadership team to drive strategy and program development for business members and investors. She leads special board projects, including the diversity, equity, and inclusion initiative, “Make Milwaukee a Region of Choice.” Previously, she was the MMAC’s senior vice president and communications director. Before joining MMAC, Granger worked in communications and marketing for Anthem. She currently serves on the board of Imagine MKE, a diverse coalition united to advance a thriving arts and culture sector, and as a steering committee member of Milwaukee Women, inc., an organization advancing women on boards of directors. She was also recently elected to the board of TEMPO, an organization of 400 women leaders in the Milwaukee area. Granger earned her degree in journalism from John Carroll University in Cleveland and attended Marquette University for graduate school. Julie Granger Executive vice president, Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce 7 © BHEF 2021 2021 Speaker Biographies As vice provost for academic partnerships, Phyllis King provides leadership, vision, and strategic planning as it relates to partnerships between academic institutions and community organizations to develop the talent pipeline. She is the lead for initiatives such as M 3 , a Milwaukee public education network comprised of Milwaukee Public Schools, Milwaukee Area Technical College, and the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, designed to increase the retention, graduation, and career success of all students. King also provides leadership to the Higher Education Regional Alliance, a collaborative of 18 southeastern Wisconsin public and private two- and four-year colleges and universities, and a network of partner organizations, dedicated to closing achievement gaps and educating students to become an innovative and nimble workforce that meets the needs of the region’s industries. As institutional program owner of the Moon Shot for Equity initiative, a national initiative led by education firm EAB, King coordinates strategic planning and the implementation of best practices within the university and across several universities aimed at ending equity gaps in higher education by 2030. King served as the executive director of TechEd Frontiers, an innovative online talent development platform for upskilling in the workplace. She co-leads academic innovations and micro-credentialing strategies that provide on-ramps to education and off-ramps to employment. King holds a doctorate degree in urban education, with a specialization in industrial engineering from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. She is recognized as a fellow of the American Occupational Therapy Association, a fellow of the Association for Schools of Allied Health Professions, and a protégé of the Millennium Leadership Institute for higher education executives. Phyllis King Vice provost, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee 8 © BHEF 2021 2021 Speaker Biographies TraLiza King is a Tax Director specialized in leading teams to expand the digital future of tax and improving the efficiency of client tax departments and processes through the use of technology. She is an experienced tax professional highly proficient in applying data analytics, automated data manipulation techniques, and visualization tools, as well as change management to drive digital plans and technology strategies for Tax. Known for her approach as a scalable technology innovator, TraLiza’s professional experience includes design and management of intelligent tax automation solutions and facilitating data academies, digital skill building, and hands-on training sessions for citizen-led automation development managing tax sensitization projects for clients empowering employees to handle their own automations. She is a Certified Public Accountant licensed in Georgia and holds a Master of Science in Accounting with a concentration in Taxation from The University of Memphis. TraLiza King Director, PwC 9 © BHEF 2021 2021 Speaker Biographies As Wiley’s head of Global Government Affairs, Tein partners with innovators and change agents across government, higher education institutions, and employers to shape and implement policies and partnerships that enable equity and lifelong opportunity at scale for learners and workers worldwide. He has worked closely with BHEF for the past seven years, including as the co-chair of Project DARE (Data Analytics Raising Employment) and Closing the Digital Skills Gap forums, initiatives supported by the U.S. Department of Labor and U.S. Department of State focused on defining skill and competency pathways in high-demand careers across 21 countries. Previously, Tein was director at C&M International, a Washington, DC consultancy, and served in a range of international economic roles with the White House, U.S. International Trade Commission, Overseas Private Investment Corporation, and U.S. Department of State. Andrew received his B.S. in international economics from Georgetown University’s Walsh School of Foreign Service and his MBA from the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology. Andrew Tein Vice President, Global Government Affairs, Wiley 10 © BHEF 2021 BHEF SUMMER 2021 MEMBER MEETING ® Attendee List Ann Addison Northrop Grumman Corporation Suzanne Amoonarquah Business-Higher Education Forum Naguib Attia IBM Corporation Stephanie Blochinger Business-Higher Education Forum Stacey Brown Business-Higher Education Forum Brandon Busteed Kaplan Thomas Caulfield GlobalFoundries Janet Chen Business-Higher Education Forum Jack DeGioia Georgetown University Mike Fenlon PwC Brian Fitzgerald Business-Higher Education Forum Wayne Frederick Howard University Julie Granger Metro Milwaukee Association of Commerce Ursula Gross Business-Higher Education Forum James Hackney Northeastern University David Harris Union College Laura Ipsen Ellucian John Joaquin IBM Corporation Kelli Jordan IBM Corporation Alex Kaplan IBM Corporation To m K e n n e d y Raytheon Company Mike King IBM Corporation Phyllis King University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Cheryl Logue State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Companies Charlotte Lyoshir IBM Corporation Marty Martin Drake University 11 © BHEF 2021 Ned McCulloch IBM Corporation Steve McKnight Virginia Tech Tania McVeety IBM Corporation Brian Napack Wiley Dylan Naylon San Diego State University Judy Olian Quinnipiac University Mary Papazian San José State University Steven Pearson IBM Corporation Madeline Pumariega Miami Dade College Amanda Pumphrey Business-Higher Education Forum Brian Roach SAP NA Tom Sadowski University System of Maryland Christy Samarkos San Diego State University Rob Shook IBM Corporation Andrew Tein Wiley Jennifer Thornton Business-Higher Education Forum Danielle Troyan Business-Higher Education Forum K at hy Wa rden Northrop Grumman Corporation JoAnn Winson IBM Corporation 2021 Attendee list Creating the future workforce today By Michael J. Fenlon and Brian K. Fitzgerald Executive Summary PwC | Creating the future workforce today 1 The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated unfortunate and unsustainable societal trends, such as growing inequality, gaps in workforce skills for the digital economy, conflict over immigration, demands for greater racial and gender equality, the erosion of trust in institutions, and growing cultural and political polarization, including the recent unprecedented violent insurrection in the US Capitol. Achieving inclusive, ongoing economic growth is a continued challenge. This paper examines how leaders in business and higher education can collaboratively build an adaptive, inclusive and sustainable workforce for the 21st century innovation economy. Companies and academic institutions have a shared responsibility, as well as economic and social incentives, to help close the digital talent gap and build a workforce that is ready for the future. As a recent joint PwC-World Economic Forum report recognized, “[B]y giving all people opportunities to build the skills they will need to fully participate in the future workplace, we can start to create more inclusive and sustainable societies... This, in turn, will lead to a prosperity dividend.” 1 To get there, we need leadership with purpose. Addressing societal and economic disparities necessitates: ● Innovative, market-relevant approaches to education and upskilling, ● Commitment to workforce diversity, equity and inclusion, and ● Alignment with a broader definition of corporate and institutional purpose focused on stakeholders and society. The full whitepaper reviews the educational and workforce trends disrupting our economy and society. Fortunately, leaders in business and higher education—often working in tandem—are innovating to equip employees and students with Digital Age skills, while promoting greater diversity, equity and inclusion, and creating new pathways and tools for lifelong learning. We share select examples of these efforts in the hope that others will leverage these models to meet future workforce needs and continue to help build a more equitable future. (Download the full whitepaper for more examples.) ADAPT: A framework for understanding urgent issues driving change 2 As Blair Sheppard, PwC’s global leader for strategy and leadership, and members of his team created an acronym— ADAPT—that captures the complex and urgent issues of our time: asymmetry, disruption, age, polarization and trust. These trends are driving rapid change, and the pandemic has only accelerated their impact. Understanding these forces will be essential to overcoming the difficult challenges they present for the workforce of the future. A D A P T Asymmetry Increasing wealth disparity and the erosion of the middle class Disruption The speed, scale and pervasive nature of technological advances Age Demographic pressure on business, social institutions and economies Polarization Breakdown in global consensus and a fracturing world, with growing nationalism Trust Declining confidence in the institutions that underpin society 1 World Economic Forum in collaboration with PwC (Jan. 2021). Upskilling for Shared Prosperity, p.3. Available at http://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_Upskilling_for_Shared_Prosperity_2021.pdf 2 Sheppard, B.H. (2020). Ten Years to Midnight: Four urgent global crises and their strategic solutions, Berrett-Koehler Publishers, Inc. See also https://www.pwc.com/gx/en/issues/adapt.html PwC | Creating the future workforce today 2 Building the workforce of the future—today New technology is driving demand for new skills and the creation of new jobs. 3 At the same time, automation and outdated skills can threaten job security for both new job market entrants and experienced workers, creating complex challenges—but also opportunities—for businesses, educators and policy makers. Before COVID-19, an estimated 375 million workers globally needed to upskill and reskill to meet changing job demands from digitalization, automation, AI and globalization. 4 Scholars forecast these trends will continue accelerating post-pandemic, placing economic pressure on businesses to ameliorate the human-machine balance and raising the stakes for upskilling to help secure the future for our workforce and our society. This workforce of the future will need a mix of new digital skills and age-old human traits, such as creativity and interaction. BHEF has identified four foundational areas for 21st-century skills: 5 ● Workplace skills, including analytical reasoning, critical thinking, complex problem-solving, resilience, and cross- cultural perspective. ● Business skills, including business processes, decision-making, operations and project management, and visualization. Additionally, marketing, sales and content production, and other roles that require facility interacting with different types of people remain in demand. 6 ● Digital skills, including AI, robotics, data science and analytics, information security, programming, big data and data management, and software development. Emerging industry-specific digital skills include: e-commerce and social media specialists (consumer sector), fintech engineers (financial services) and materials engineers (automotive). 7 ● Domain knowledge in areas like biology, economics, sociology and physics. Beyond these more technical areas, marketing, sales and content production, and other roles that require facility interacting with different types of people remain in demand. Education, life-long learning and “up-skilling” are essential to fill in-demand jobs, while providing workers with the ability to secure their futures. New skills, new modes of learning: meeting the education challenge Businesses are struggling with a shortage of skilled talent: 74% of CEOs surveyed around the globe were concerned about the availability of key skills. 8 Businesses and governments need skills like analytical thinking, active learning and complex problem-solving, 9 and jobs are growing in new technology specializations, including AI and machine learning, data analysis, big data, and the Internet of things. 10 To gain these priority skills and jobs in growth areas, students and employees are increasingly turning to new modes of learning. The combination creates opportunities for both sectors— business, education, and government—to rethink how they train the workforce for the future. 3 Fenlon, M. and Fitzgerald, B. (2019). Reskilling—A solution for the digital skills gap. Available at https://www.bhef.com/sites/default/files/BHEF_PwC_2019_Reskilling_Whitepaper.pdf 4 BHEF (2020). Addressing the Nation’s Upskilling Imperative: Data-driven recommendations for business and higher education. Unpublished manuscript. 5 BHEF (2018). The New Foundational Skills of the Digital Economy: Developing the Professionals of the Future. Available at http://www.bhef.com/publications/newfoundational-skills-digital-economy-developing-professionals-future 6 Schwab, K. & Zahidi, S. (Oct. 20, 2020), The Future of Jobs Report 2020, p.31. Available at https://www.weforum.org/reports/the-future-of-jobs-report- 2020 7 The Future of Jobs Report 2020, p.30. 8 PwC. Talent trends 2020: Upskilling: Building confidence in an uncertain world. Available at https://www.pwc.com/talenttrends 9 The Future of Jobs Report 2020, p.36. 10 The Future of Jobs Report 2020, p.30. PwC | Creating the future workforce today 3 Significant change is already underway. Enrollment in short-term credential classes has increased 70%, compared to the prior year. 11 Competency-based and requiring less time and tuition than a conventional degree, these courses aim to match skills to evolving hiring needs. Credentials can also “stack” over time to earn degrees. This approach has the potential to be significantly more inclusive while broadening the talent pipeline. Recent research estimates that 71 million Americans have the right skills for higher-wage jobs, but are unable to enter those roles because they lack four-year degrees. 12 In the US, individuals without a college degree are disproportionately African-American and Hispanic. 13 These demographics are also more likely to experience job loss from automation because they are disproportionately concentrated in support roles. 14 Providing credentials courses online or on weekends and evenings can also broaden access to underrepresented students who are balancing family obligations, reskilling for a new career, or are veterans (please see the Washington University in St. Louis/Boeing case study for a program designed to create access for these groups). A necessary corollary to short-term, stackable credentials is hiring practices that recognize the benefits of looking beyond degrees. A recent Business Roundtable initiative shifts companies’ hiring and talent management focus to skills, rather than just degrees, while also improving diversity, equity, inclusion and workplace culture. 15 Looking beyond competencies, high-quality work-based learning experiences, including apprenticeships, accelerator cohorts, internships and mentoring, provide students greater access to job-ready skills and professional visibility. These opportunities help facilitate supportive relationships with experienced professionals, increased social capital and hands-on learning—catalysts for success and equity. Updating skills is equally critical for workers already in the workforce. The case for upskilling is compelling: ● Recent research from PwC shows that upskilling can create an extra 10–15% benefit to large-scale transformation initiatives and reduce individual workloads by up to 40%. 16 ● 93% of CEOs who created upskilling programs said they increased productivity. 17 ● Companies with the most advanced upskilling programs saw more than three times the improvement in innovation and accelerated digital transformation, as compared to those starting the journey. 18 ● Upskilling also helps recruitment and retention: PwC has found a 5% improvement in overall workforce retention due to upskilling, 19 and 77% of 22,000 employees surveyed globally said they would be willing to upskill in order to become more employable. 20 A recent joint study by PwC and the World Economic Forum charted a virtuous cycle based on upskilling, with benefits from closing the skills gap and a more highly skilled workforce with a greater sense of agency, to increased worker engagement and better, more inclusive training. 21 11 Belkin, D. (Nov. 12, 2020). Is This the End of College As We Know It? The Wall Street Journal. Available at https://www.wsj.com/articles/is-this-the- end-of-college-as-we-know-it -11605196909 12 Gallagher, S., and Palmer, J. (2020). The pandemic pushed universities online. The change was long overdue. Harvard Business Review. Available at https://hbr.org/2020/09/the-pandemic-pushed-universities-online-the-change-was-long-overdue 13 Fitzgerald, B.K. and Thornton, J. (July 2020). Skills-based hiring: Opportunity or illusion? After the Pandemic: Reimagining the Future of Education and Work, Vol. III. A Bookazine Education by Diplomatic Courier. 14 Addressing the Nation’s Upskilling Imperative. 15 Business Roundtable Launches Initiative to Place Greater Emphasis on Skills in Hiring and Advancement, Improve Equity and Diversity in Employment (Dec. 4, 2020). Available at https://www.businessroundtable.org/business-roundtable-launches-initiative-to-place-greater-emphasis-on- skills-in -hiring-and-advancement-improve-equity-and-diversity-in -employment 16 Upskilling for Shared Prosperity, p.32. 17 PwC, 23 rd Annual Global CEO Survey: Navigating the rising tide of uncertainty (2020). Available at https://www.pwc.com/gx/en/ceo- agenda/ceosurvey/2020.html 18 PwC. Talent trends 2020. 19 Upskilling for Shared Prosperity, p.32. 20 PwC. Talent trends 2020. 21 Upskilling for Shared Prosperity, p. 27. PwC | Creating the future workforce today 4 BHEF has identified several critical design attributes for employer programs seeking to upskill workers: 22 ● Defining the digital skills needed across functions ● Developing customized upskilling agendas ● Developing and implementing ROI measures for upskilling that capture employee diversity, growth, retention and promotion ● Creating a flexible, supportive and inclusive culture of continuous learning ● Recognizing and endorsing new digital learning pathways and leading-edge credentials for working adults These criteria support learning plus rapid conversion of classroom knowledge to applied skills, creating benefits for employers while building the value and relevance of employees’ “human capital.” By investing in programs that match training to skills needs and by signaling to employees that upskilling efforts will be rewarded, employers can realize the benefits of a digitally fit workforce. Case studies. Download the full whitepaper for case studies that include several ways that businesses and educators are collaborating to create these outcomes. Recommendations Our future should include pathways to the workforce that are accessible to all and that remain so, even as technology forces rapid adaptation. To that end, we offer recommendations for how the business and higher education communities can collaboratively build an adaptive, inclusive and sustainable workforce for the 21st century innovation economy. (Download the full whitepaper for full examples.) ● New pathways: Collaborations between businesses and educational institutions can create pathways and programs that diversify and grow the talent pool. Examples include: ‒ Washington University in St. Louis and Boeing’s Joint Engineering Leadership Development Program ‒ PwC and Northeastern University’s While You Work program ‒ University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee’s HERA program ● Stackable credentials: Increasing flexibility in when and how students earn credentials helps create new opportunities for students and businesses seeking new hires, particularly when businesses and higher education institutions work together to design curriculum to meet skills needs. Examples include: ‒ Miami Dade College and NextEra Energy ‒ PwC and Northeastern University’s While You Work program ‒ University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee’s TechEd Frontiers ‒ ECMC-BHEF Connecticut Digital Credential Ecosystem ● Skills focus and recognition: By focusing on skills or competencies—rather than degrees or prior work experience— needed for the job, employers broaden their applicant pool. For example, veterans may have acquired significant skills acquired during their service that may not be recognized. A skills focus also enables applicants to enter the job pool more quickly after acquiring specific competencies or micro-credentials without the obstacle of a lengthy degree program. Employers avoid immediate retraining due to a skills-credentials mismatch among new hires. Additionally, by recognizing and rewarding employees who acquire new skills, employers can demonstrate their commitment to upskilling and increase employee engagement. Providing clear pathways for advancement, allowing education during the workday, covering costs, creating transparent, transferable credentials, and recognizing and showcasing learning all signal that employers value employee upskilling efforts. Examples include: ‒ PwC’s ProEdge 22 Addressing the Nation’s Upskilling Imperative. PwC | Creating the future workforce today 5 ‒ PwC’s digital badges ‒ IBM’s digital credentials ‒ UWM’s TechEd Frontiers ‒ ECMC’s Connecticut Digital Credential Ecosystem Initiative ● Recruiting: Removing barriers that may not be essential to a position – e.g., degree requirements, criminal record – or biases in the hiring process, such as sourcing or screening algorithms that can disproportionately impact underrepresented populations. Seeking collaborations with minority-serving institutions (Historically Black College and Universities and Hispanic Serving Institutions) and community and technical colleges to help build a more diverse recruiting pipeline and provide advice on programs and credentials. Examples include: ‒ PwC ‒ Walmart ● Real-world learning: Mentors, apprenticeships, internships and accelerator cohorts provide diverse graduates and new and experienced hires guidance and opportunities to learn on the job while networking and building relationships. Examples include: ‒ PwC’s While You Work and Digital Accelerator programs ‒ Miami Dade College and NextEra Energy ‒ Washington University in St. Louis and Boeing’s Joint Engineering Leadership Development Program ● Making the case and measuring the benefits: Speaking up about the compelling benefits of upskilling and D&I for a sustainable economic future is important for both the business and education communities. By aligning D&I and upskilling with corporate purpose, tracking progress, and quantifying the value of human capital, companies can demonstrate the benefits to their stakeholder and to society more broadly. Examples include: ‒ PwC’s D&I Transparency Report ‒ ESG and human capital accounting ‒ Making Milwaukee a Region of Choice ● Sharing practices and learnings: Joining forums like CEO Action for Diversity and Inclusion™, BHEF, the Business Roundtable, the Silicon Valley Leadership Group, and One Columbus, among other organizations, will help business leaders and educators accelerate D&I and upskilling initiatives. ● Use BHEF’s 8-step Partnership Implementation Process 23 for business-h igher education collaboration to prepare graduates for diverse and inclusive workplaces and teams and create new digital upskilling solutions rapidly and at scale. This includes engaging companies through multiple touch points, such as high-impact practices, to prepare students with increased awareness and behavioral skills that will foster diversity and inclusion, and careful coordination to ensure that educators can map course work to the skills businesses seek. ● Increase transparency around digital skills, credentials and pathways to empower learners to advance in their careers. Call to action Now more than ever, we call on leaders in business and higher education to work together to equip employees and students with Digital Age skills, focus on diversity, equity and inclusion, and create new pathways and tools for lifelong learning. These are intersecting priorities, and each is essential for the future workforce. We all share a responsibility to reskill our workforce for the future, an investment that will help secure the future of individual employees, our businesses– and our society. We hope you will commit to joining us in building an adaptive, inclusive and sustainable workforce for the 21st century innovation economy. 23 Business-Higher Education Forum. (2019). Creating Purposeful Partnerships: Business and Higher Education Working Together to Build Regional Talent Ecosystems for the Digital Economy. Available at: https://www.bhef.com/sites/default/files/BHEF_2018_CEO_playbook_0.pdf