KUEC Partnerships Further Mission, Innovation and Local Business
AstrumU College & Career Pathways Summit
In February, the campus hosted two events discussing the future of Kansas City’s professional talent pool, and how higher education institutions can rise to meet local needs. The AstrumU College & Career Pathways Summit brought together technology innovators, Kansas City business leaders and educators to discuss the cultivation of local talent, including the practical and interpersonal skills that companies look for in new employees.
Leaders from KC Rising, the DeBruce Companies, Cerner and Black & Veatch joined KUEC Vice Chancellor David Cook, Ph.D., for a panel discussion on innovative ways to strengthen the partnership between industry and higher education.
JCERT Partnership Day
On Feb. 28, campus leaders, faculty and staff from KUEC, Kansas State University and the KU Clinical Research Center met for JCERT Partnership Day. This afternoon of events and discussions focused on the successes of and continuing collaboration between universities in the Johnson County Education Research Triangle (JCERT) and the Kansas City business community to meet the growing demand for skilled professionals.
Cook said these events provided exciting possibilities for Kansas City’s education landscape.
“Partnering with local businesses and K-State is important for us,” Cook said. “We’re pioneering a lot of different things, and with that come some fun, exciting challenges that we’re looking forward to meeting.”
KU Coding Boot Camp Graduation
On March 17, 45 participants graduated from the second cohort of the KU Coding Boot Camp. This 24-week program is a collaboration with Trilogy Education Services that teaches students coding skills they can apply towards a career. The graduation event brought in employers from several local companies, including Cerner, Children’s Mercy Hospital and Lockton Affinity to network with students and discuss their professional goals. The third Coding Boot Camp cohort begins this month.
Upcoming Events
KUEC also has events planned throughout coming months to further the campus’ relationships with Kansas City businesses and academic institutions. On April 10, the campus will host “Beyond Generational Stereotypes: How to Boost Employee Engagement and Innovation by Addressing Hidden Forms of Age-Related Exclusion and Conflict in Your Organization,” an event for HR professionals to help address and improve age diversity in the workplace. The presentation will also be given as a free webinar May 17.
On April 23, KUEC will announce a new partnership with Metropolitan Community College (MCC) that will ease the transition for MCC transfer students completing their degree at KUEC. The partnership will allow an MCC Associate of Arts to fulfill KU Core 1-3 requirements for students entering KUEC programs.
Finally, on April 27, KUEC students earning their Bachelor of Applied Science in Biotechnology will partner with local high school, community college and KU freshman and sophomore students to present their capstone projects. Students in the program recruited research apprentices from area schools to assist with their projects and promote awareness of biotechnology education and career options.
Carolyn McKnight, director of community relations and business development, said innovative partnerships with local businesses provide valuable opportunities for everyone involved. “We’re excited to offer programs and networking events that directly meet the needs of Kansas City businesses and open professional doors for our students,” McKnight said.
