University of Montana Partners with Kaplan to Strengthen Students’ Work Readiness and Employability With Kaplan Credegree™ Program

Rhea-AI Summary

The University of Montana has partnered with Kaplan to introduce Kaplan Credegree programs across over 30 technology fields. This initiative aims to enhance job readiness for students by combining traditional four-year degrees with industry-recognized credentials. Programs will focus on high-demand areas like cybersecurity and data science. A 2019 survey indicates that 70% of respondents value this blended education model. With Montana's tech sector growing significantly, these offerings are seen as vital for student success and employability.

Positive

• Introduction of Kaplan Credegree programs enhances student job readiness.
• Programs focus on high-demand tech fields like cybersecurity and data science.
• Partnership capitalizes on the growing tech sector in Montana, which expanded nine times faster than the overall economy.

Negative

• None.

The University of Montana, a flagship institution of the Montana University System, has partnered with Kaplan, the global educational services provider, to offer its students Kaplan Credegree programs in more than 30 technology areas. Kaplan Credegree is designed to enhance the job readiness and marketability of college students by partnering the traditional four-year degree program with Kaplan’s educational programs. This allows students to complete their four-year degree while earning industry-recognized credentials that are highly valued by employers. Credegree is also available to Montana alumni and former students who want to upskill.

Kaplan Credegrees will be offered to Montana students in a variety of tech fields with high in-demand skill sets, including cybersecurity, data science, data literacy, and digital marketing. According to a 2019 Quest Research Group survey, more than 70% of respondents agreed that an in-demand industry credential combined with a traditional degree would help college students have a more well-rounded education and overall skill set.

The University of Montana is one of a small, but growing number of institutions of higher learning that are making a major investment in alternative credentialing programs, although one survey finds that 74% are at least experimenting. And according to a Bureau of Business and Economic Research report done for the Montana High Tech Business Alliance, Montana’s high tech sector is growing faster than any other part of the state’s economy, signaling these skills are in high demand. The study concludes that the high tech sector grew nine times faster than Montana’s overall economy in 2018.

“The University of Montana is expanding the scale and scope of career-related experiential learning, and the new Kaplan offerings will enhance these efforts,” University of Montana President Seth Bodnar said. “They will help us expand the breadth of opportunity available at a flagship university with the intensely personal ways we engage with our students to ensure every graduate leaves our campus with robust work-based experience. We are creating a distinctive undergraduate experience that is academically rigorous and personally engaging—designed specifically to ensure every student is prepared to succeed in life and in their chosen career—all in the context of a vibrant experience on and off campus.”

“The notion of pairing an undergraduate degree with an industry-recognized credential is attractive to students, parents and employers. To graduate both broadly educated and specifically-skilled is the ultimate goal now. The University of Montana is taking a real leadership role in this effort,” said Brandon Busteed, president, University Partners and Global Head, Learn-Work Innovation at Kaplan. “The University of Montana is well-known for providing its students with a world-class liberal arts education. Coupled with Kaplan’s Credegree programs, students will be even better equipped to close the skills gap and thrive in the world of work.”

For more information about the Credegree programs at the University of Montana, students can visit https://www.umt.edu/umonline/programs/kaplan/default.php. For reporters interested in covering this growing trend, please contact Russell Schaffer at russell.schaffer@kaplan.com or 917.822.8190.

About the University of Montana

Nestled in the heart of western Montana’s stunning natural landscape, the University of Montana (www.umt.edu) is a place where top-tier students, educators and researchers from across the country and around the globe come and thrive. UM is located in Missoula, Montana’s second-largest city with a population of 80,000 residents. The University draws a diverse population to Missoula and helps cultivate an educated, engaged and vibrant community.

About Kaplan

Kaplan is a global educational services company that provides individuals, universities, and businesses with a diverse array of services, including higher and professional education, test preparation, language training, corporate and leadership training, and student recruitment, online enablement and other university support services. With operations in nearly 30 countries, Kaplan serves nearly 1.1 million students each year and has partnerships with 2,000-plus universities, colleges, and schools/school districts, and more than 4,000 businesses globally. Kaplan is a subsidiary of Graham Holdings Company (NYSE: GHC). For more information, please visit www.kaplan.com.

Note to editors: Kaplan is a subsidiary of The Graham Holdings Company (NYSE: GHC)

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