EVOLVE Business and Professional Magazine February 2020 | Page 21

Health have enjoyed a long and successful partnership for many years, and we’re confident that this new scholarship will provide long-term benefits for everyone.” On Volusia’s westside, Stetson University this summer named Bud Hanson executive director of PACE. Hanson brings more than 25 years of strategic business and marketing experience to the university as it moves to realign PACE’s mission. Hanson envisions a two-prong approach to reaching PACE’s strategic goals, starting first with an expansion of what he calls tactical, executional-type skills course offerings in areas such as information technology, project management, Six Sigma, data analytics and financial technology. Many courses will be taught by Stetson’s own faculty and delivered in various modalities, including face-to-face and online. The idea, said Hanson, is to target working professionals who must fill certain skills gaps in order to meet job requirements. “What we have found in our polling of the area’s workforce is that graduates are coming into their jobs with a certain set of skills; however, what we are seeing, driven mostly by technology, is that those skills have a much shorter lifespan than they did, say, even 10 years ago,” he said. “So even if you are coming in totally trained, you’ll need to be up-skilled or you’ll end up with certain skills gaps. What we are finding is that because the technology is creeping up so fast, employers are not looking for new graduates with those skills, they are looking to take the good folks they already have and close the skills gap with some training.” Likewise, he added, learners coming out of the business community don’t want to come back for a complete degree, they just want what they need when they need it. “Many are not looking for credits or degrees, just that chunk of knowledge they need to progress in their careers.” A second tier of short-term PACE course offerings being developed will target middle- and senior-level managers and executives and focus on areas such as executive leadership, women in leadership, corporate culture and sustainability, negotiation tactics and leading virtual teams, to name just a few. “These are not exactly hard skills training programs like Project Management, where there is a rigorous and prescriptive curriculum that leads the student to earn a certificate or credential, he noted. “These courses are more about raising the strategic awareness and thinking of people currently in or seeking leadership positions.” Hanson said he hopes to have a signature series of six to eight executive leadership courses available to cohorts from throughout the area in the months to come. Harry Russo is a freelance writer with nearly 40 years experience as a reporter, editor and communications professional. He holds a Master’s in Educational Leadership and resides in Palm Coast, Fla. Contact him at [email protected]. We’ve moved! We have a new office, where (of course) you’ll get the same great service. We’re excited about serving you in our new space. Stop by and see us soon! Here to help life go right. ® Cindy Ferrara, Agent 2652 LPGA Blvd Daytona Beach, FL 32124 Business: 386-255-5321 [email protected] 1708168.1 State Farm Bloomington, IL FEBRUARY 2020 | 15 |