>>>INDIANA WESLEYAN UNIVERSITY IS OFFERING A NEW EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITY THAT THE SCHOOL SAYS GIVES STUDENTS A REAL BANG FOR
THE BUCK. UPSKILL FORWARD PROVIDES ACCESS TO ONLINE TRAINING PROGRAMS DESIGNED FOR SPECIFIC IN-DEMAND
CAREERS IN AEROSPACE, AUTOMOTIVE AND COMMERCIAL INDUSTRIES. THE STARTING COST? $50. WE GET DETAILS ON HOW IT ALL
WORKS FROM INDIANA WESLEYAN NATIONAL AND GLOBAL CHANCELLOR, MATT LUCAS. AS ALWAYS, WELCOME TO THE
PROGRAM. >> THANK YOU GLAD TO BE BACK. >> LET'S TALK ABOUT THIS PROGRAM I KNOW UNIVERSITIES
ORGANIZATIONS AND ALL TYPES OF FOLKS REALLY FOCUSING ON THIS WHOLE UPSKILL ISSUES IN LIGHT OF THE PANDEMIC AND SO MANY PEOPLE
LAID OFF AND FURLOUGHS. THE INITIATIVE PART OF A BROADER INITIATIVE CALLED THE TALENT LETTER.
WHAT'S THAT ALL ABOUT? >> THE TALENT LETTER IS OUR RESPONSE TO THE FACT NOT EVERYONE NEEDS A DEGREE BUT
EVERYONE NEEDS AN EDUCATION. SO WE WANT TO SUPPORT HOOSIERS AND GIVE THEM THE BEST OPPORTUNITY FOR THEIR CAREER SO
WE DEVELOP THIS AS AN ALTERNATIVE PATHWAY SO IT DOES FOR THINGS IT BRIDGES THE GAP BETWEEN TRAINING AND EDUCATION.
-- TRAINING SOLUTIONS TO EMPLOYEES AND ORGANIZATIONS, IT SOLVES THE PERVASIVE POWER ATTRACTION -- IT OFFERS TRAINING
PROGRAMS THAT ATTRACT -- SO OUR PASSION -- TO CREATE A BROADER -- AND LEARN MORE ABOUT THAT -- AND RESONATES -- DEGREES AND
PROMOTIONS AND THAT'S THE WHOLE THOUGHTS AROUND WHAT WE ARE TRYING TO DO. >> AS YOU LOOK AT THE NEED FOR
THIS TALK ABOUT THE COST IN A MOMENT BECAUSE THAT'S A BIG ATTRACTOR BUT THE NEED FOR THIS. SO EVEN BEFORE THE PANDEMIC
THERE WAS A BIG TALENT NEED IN THE STATE OF INDIANA AND SOME DEMAND INDUSTRIES, BUT NOW WITH THE PANDEMIC WHAT'S THE NEED FOR
THE PROGRAM? >> AS I SAID A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T NEED A DEGREE -- SKILLS THEY CAN GET IN THE WORKFORCE
AND SOMETIMES AN ENTIRE DEGREE IS OVERWHELMING. SO WE BUILT A PROGRAM THAT IS STACKABLE AND GIVES YOU WHAT YOU
NEED IN TIME SO YOU CAN GET THE JOB AND THEN IF YOU DECIDE TO COME BACK FOR FURTHER EDUCATION BECAUSE IT'S HELPFUL TO YOU YOU
CAN DO THAT. SO WE'VE SEEN THAT RESPONSE WITH A LOT OF BUSINESSES IN THE AREA THEY ARE STRUGGLING TO ATTRACT
AND RETAIN QUALIFIED PEOPLE SO THIS IS A PROGRAM DEVELOPING AND PARTNERSHIP TO KIND OF COME ALONGSIDE THEM AND HELP THEM
WITH THAT TALENT ATTRACTION AND RETENTION STRATEGY. >> THERE ARE TWO BIG ATTRACTIVE PIECES OF THIS THE CALL STARTING
AT JUST $50 AND ADDITIONALLY THIS IS A PROGRAM AND THE CURRICULUM CAN BE COMPLETED IN A VERY SHORT PERIOD OF TIME.
>> YES, SO ONE OF THE THINGS WE HAVE YOU REFERRED TO AS UPSKILL FORWARD WHERE WE'VE DEVELOPED SOME CERTIFICATES FOR SPECIFIC
PROGRAMS AEROSPACE AUTOMOTIVE MANUFACTURING LOGISTICS COMPLETELY ONLINE. AND COMPLETELY SELF PACED.
AT THE END GOING THROUGH THE COURSEWORK YOU TAKE A NATIONALLY CERTIFIED TEST THAT GIVES YOU A CERTIFICATE THAT RECOGNIZES THE
COMPLETION. THE CERTIFICATES ARE CREATED WITH THE BEST IN CLASS EXPERTS AROUND THE COUNTRY AND ACTUALLY
WHAT IS NEEDED FOR TRAINING AND SKILLS AND DEVELOPING THE CONTENT SO INDUSTRY-BASED STANDARD CURRICULUM AND THAT ARE
COMPLETELY RELEVANT FOR THE MARKETPLACE AND WHAT WE ARE LEARNING THE MOST IS THAT BESIDES THE PRICE OF $50 WE ARE
RECOGNIZING UP TO SIX COLLEGE CREDITS AND WE ARE ABOUT TO LAUNCH TWO NEW ASSOCIATES DEGREES ONE IN MANUFACTURING THE
OTHER IN LOGISTICS SO THEY FIT INTO THOSE PROGRAMS SO A 1,700-DOLLAR VALUE FOR $50. >> VERY QUICKLY WE ARE RUNNING
OUT OF TIME BUT THIS IS OPEN TO ANYONE AROUND THE STATE OF INDIANA. >> YES.
WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT FOR THE PROCESS AND TRYING TO GET THIS OUT TO AS MANY PEOPLE AS POSSIBLE.
>> THE CHANCELLOR FOREIGN NATIONAL AND GLOBAL AT THE UNIVERSITY. CERTAINLY THE UNIVERSITY GETTING
CONNECTED IN THE WHOLE WORKFORCE ISSUE. THANKS AS ALWAYS.