Q: What are the standout initiatives and programs currently being developed at the Center for Professional Education that you believe are transforming professional learning?

GK: Earlier this year, the MSOE Center for Professional Education engaged an external research firm in helping us identify non-credit programs of greatest need and interest by professionals, including alumni, and business and industry partners. The information realized from that exercise has been invaluable in our efforts to significantly expand programs and services to these audiences through a variety of delivery approaches to include, but not limited to, workshops and seminars, webinars, conferences and special events, and worksite consulting and customized training. Some early programs resulting from this work include our AI Professional Certificates, an updated and significantly expanded Project Management Certificate series, Business Operations and Efficiency programs, and a variety of new offerings in the areas of leadership development, technical skills and professional skills. As part of this process and initiative, we are also significantly expanding programs delivered in alternative formats to include online offerings to position the programs and learning as more accessible, flexible and consumable by prospective students and corporate partners. In addition, we are developing and offering alternative digital credentials to include micro-credentials and digital badges that document and verify proof of skills and can be easily shared across different platforms, such as LinkedIn.

Q: How do you envision the Center for Professional Education impacting the career trajectories of our students or alumni in today’s evolving job market?

GK: One significant finding from our opportunity research and alumni survey is that our graduates are exceptionally well-prepared for the workforce and their chosen professions based on their experience at MSOE. We also learned that their preparation here positions them well for professional success and advancement. As a result, they find themselves needing to upskill as they assume advanced roles within their organizations and/or new responsibilities, most often in areas such as leadership, strategic planning, management, innovation/technology and communication. The CPE’s programs and credentialing opportunities are open to anyone with an interest in advancing their professional knowledge and skills, earning an industry-recognized credential, expanding their skills in rapidly changing fields or satisfying professional licensure requirements. This could include current MSOE students looking to further supplement their education and training outside of their existing coursework and/or working professionals (including MSOE alumni) seeking support as they advance in their professions and careers. 

Q: What unique challenges and opportunities have you encountered in establishing this new department, and how have you addressed them?

GK: Every challenge is an opportunity in professional education—a lesson to learn and a chance to grow. The introduction and expansion of the Center for Professional Education represents an exciting new initiative and opportunity for MSOE. The challenges are what you would expect in a business start-up. We recognize that we are, in many ways, building the Center from the ground up. We have dedicated significant time and resources to building an infrastructure to support growth and scaling to include systems, staff, processes, technology and partners – all of which require significant effort and planning. Related to systems, we are progressing in the onboarding and launch of a new non-credit registration management system and a unique learning management system to support CPE online programs and students with tremendous support from people and departments across the institution. Hiring is always a challenge in a competitive environment, but we are very pleased to have secured some exceptional professionals to serve in key initial roles within the Center, thanks—in large part—to our HR office and search committees. Working closely with our Marketing and Communications Department, we are making progress in increasing awareness of the CPE and audience-building as we reenter the non-credit professional education and training market. We are also excited to continue to introduce our expanded array of industry-informed program offerings with expectations of continued growth in enrollments and to fuel that expansion of programming through unique external partnerships.

Q: Can you share some success stories or examples of how the Center has helped individuals achieve their professional goals? 

GK: In the short time I have been at MSOE, I have heard and benefited from several stories of student success from our program participants. There are a number of reasons people pursue professional education and even more benefits resulting from their involvement and experience. Often, what brings people to the learning table is a recognized professional competency gap or deficit, a growing professional interest or a need to differentiate themselves professionally from others within or outside their organization. They could represent a professional seeking career advancement, investigating a career change, requiring foundational knowledge in a new technology area, or needing to reskill due to job displacement. It could also include a professional seeking last-minute continuing education units to maintain professional licensure or a job applicant securing a credential required by a prospective employer. I have heard similar success stories from our business partners where a well-designed and well-delivered CPE custom training program assisted them in addressing a business problem or taking advantage of or preparing for an opportunity.

Q: What do you find most fulfilling about your role at the Center for Professional Education, and what excites you about the future of this department? 

GK: A significant requirement for job fulfillment is a positive and supportive work environment. What I find most fulfilling in my role at the CPE is the exceptional level of support I have realized in my position and for the Center from across the institution since joining MSOE last year. Any and all successes we have realized to date have been the result of the efforts of people from across the institution working shoulder-to-shoulder to get things done—contributing time, sharing ideas and expertise, providing timely advice and direction, engaging in problem-solving and keeping the wheels turning as we advance. I am most excited about the future…. about the developing enterprise, its staff and exceptional and growing program and service offerings, expanded service audience and the potential for the CPE to become a viable enterprise within MSOE contributing to its continued and future growth and success.