Savron joins Arizona education and industry experts to discuss education and workforce innovations, including skills-mapped curriculum, learning and employment records, and microcredentials for working adult learners

University of Phoenix Vice Provost of Colleges, Assessment and Curriculum Doris Savron joins the Greater Phoenix Chamber Foundation’s annual Workforce Summit on August 28, 2024, in Phoenix, for an event focused on workforce trends and solutions. Savron will share insights in a session, “Delivering the Most Direct Career Path Through Skills Mapping and Innovative Credentials,” at 12:50 p.m. MST, discussing how collaborative education innovations, including skills-mapped curriculum, learning, and employment record (LER), and microcredentials inform career paths of today’s working adult learners. Skills-mapping is becoming increasingly important in the labor market, as employers report a need for more skilled workers across industries, citing skills gaps as one of the main challenges in recruiting new talent. University of Phoenix is the platinum supporting sponsor of the Workforce Summit.

The University of Phoenix Career Institute® 2024 Career Optimism Index® study found that American workers and employers alike face a talent stagnation crisis, with 56 percent of employers struggling to find skilled external candidates to fill limited open roles, while 74 percent of workers yearn to learn new skills and stay ahead in their career.

“In today’s rapidly evolving workplace, working adults as well as employers want to see tangible benefits of their educational journey more than ever before,” shares Savron. “Capturing learner skills aligned to career outcomes through innovative methods such as skills tagging, authentic assessments in curriculum and microcredentials empowers individuals by giving them access to a learning record that has the potential to grow and evolve with them and can more effectively demonstrate their accumulating knowledge, learning, and skills even before achieving a degree.”

Savron’s session will explore the impact and potential of microcredentials and LERs in higher education and will help attendees understand how microcredentials and LERs can support workers and employers in the rapidly evolving, AI-driven, metamorphosing workplace of today. Earlier this year University of Phoenix announced the collaborative testing of a skills-based job search platform designed to match employer skill needs with a talent pool comprised of participating students and alumni. The platform, UOPX Talent Source, gives employers the ability to identify students who have reported skills that match those being sought by the employer for a particular job opening.

The annual Workforce Summit brings together employers and education leaders from across Arizona to discuss workforce trends affecting business and learn about tangible solutions and resources in workforce development. Attendees will benefit from insights offered by industry and education experts, participate in interactive breakout sessions, learn best practices for talent attraction and retention, and network with community leaders.

“It is important that the Greater Phoenix Chamber Foundation supports our business and workforce by identifying workforce trends and providing tangible solutions. This event will provide interactive breakout sessions to facilitate important conversations about childcare solutions, employee retention tools, building a diverse talent pipeline, and more. The Foundation is thrilled University of Phoenix is a valuable sponsor and presenter as they will provide key insights,” said Jennifer Mellor, chief innovation officer, Greater Phoenix Chamber Foundation.

Savron serves as Vice Provost of Colleges, Assessment and Curriculum, overseeing the strategy for the University’s academic programs and curriculum design, institutional assessment and faculty. Her role includes oversight of strategy for degree, certificate and course offerings, design of curriculum and student learning outcomes for the University. Savron works collaboratively with her team members to innovate academic solutions that enable the University to provide exceptional student experiences and learning environments to support student success. In her tenure with University of Phoenix she has served as associate faculty, campus vice president, regional Vice president of student services, and college operations. She was appointed to the advisory council for UPCEA and AACRAO’s inaugural 2023 Convergence Conference focused on the emerging field of alternative credentials in Higher Education, and in 2024 to the UPCEA Council for Credential Innovation leadership. Savron is often sought out as a speaker for her expertise on mapping relevant skills in programs and building an infrastructure to support career tools in curriculum design, micro credentialing and other innovations in curriculum, presenting most recently at Jobs for the Future Horizons Summit. She earned her MBA from Cleveland State University and is completing her doctorate in management in organizational leadership.

Learn more here about the Chamber Foundation’s Workforce Summit.

About University of Phoenix

University of Phoenix innovates to help working adults enhance their careers and develop skills in a rapidly changing world. Flexible schedules, relevant courses, interactive learning, skills-mapped curriculum for our bachelor’s and master’s degree programs and a Career Services for Life® commitment help students more effectively pursue career and personal aspirations while balancing their busy lives. For more information, visit phoenix.edu.

About the Greater Phoenix Chamber Foundation

The Greater Phoenix Chamber Foundation convenes and catalyzes business, education, and community to enhance college and career readiness, develop a more robust workforce, and build healthier communities throughout Arizona. The Foundation, a 501c3 nonprofit organization, leads the charitable and education initiatives of the Greater Phoenix Chamber under the four pillars of education, workforce development, wellness, and research. For more information, visit https://phoenixchamberfoundation.com.

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