KU’s new online professional skills certificate offers way to stand out from workforce competition
OVERLAND PARK (June 25, 2020) – With so many Americans out of work and the national unemployment rate close to 14.7% (PDF), standing out in a sea of resumes is key to finding or advancing your career. With fierce competition, having the right skills is paramount. Professional skills are important in the workplace and could be the deciding factor for landing a new job or earning a promotion. The new, specialized Undergraduate Certificate in Advanced Professional Skills from the University of Kansas offers courses focused on in-demand workplace skills.
Shannon Portillo, associate dean of the KU Edwards Campus in Overland Park and the KU School of Professional Studies and associate professor with the KU School of Public Affairs & Administration, says having the right professional skills can prepare students to enter the workforce with confidence.
"This certificate focuses on the career competencies and skills students need as they move from their academic programs into the workforce,” said Portillo. “Students will develop and hone the skills they need not only to get a job in their field, but to continue to move up throughout their career."
The new undergraduate certificate in advanced professional skills is offered through the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences with the support of the KU Edwards Campus and is 100% online. The certificate is designed for current KU and non-KU students wanting to further develop in-demand professional skills including employability, interpersonal management, workplace success and more.
Holly L. Storkel, associate dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences said she believes that the certificate, when added to an undergraduate degree, will help students launch their career in their chosen field.
“This certificate is an excellent complement to a KU degree because it helps students understand how to take what they’ve learned in their degree and use it to launch the career that they want,” says Storkel.
As the job market continues to shift due to unprecedented times, having the right education and professional skills may help people entering the workforce with confidence and a leg up on a competitive professional field.
For more information about the program’s curriculum, admission information and tuition, visit the online advanced professional skills undergraduate certificate program page.
About The University of Kansas
The University of Kansas is a major comprehensive research and teaching university. Its mission is to lift students and society by educating leaders, building healthy communities and making discoveries that change the world. The KU Edwards Campus at 127th Street and Quivira Road in Overland Park brings the high-quality academic, professional and continuing education programs as well as research and public-service benefits of KU to the Greater Kansas City community in order to serve the workforce, economic and community development needs of the region.
