Innovative training developed for GenZ students seeking marketable skills and certifications to enhance employment opportunities
FT. LAUDERDALE, FL/LONDON, UK and CARMEL, IN — Dec. 14, 2020 — Forming a unique partnership, Kaplan, Inc., one of the world’s most diversified global education organizations, and Lambda Chi Alpha Fraternity, one of the largest fraternities in North America, have entered into an agreement to create workforce readiness programs to help members develop marketable skills.
The partnership aims to deliver professional development resources, training, and tools that will enable fraternity members to turn relevant aspects of their college and fraternity experience into practical, marketable skills that will appeal to prospective employers. Chapter treasurers, for example, would have access to financial training and credentialing programs, while other members and leaders would have access to marketing, operational, or other relevant development resources and credentialing programs.
The partnership highlights the evolving nature of both organizations. Long known on college campuses for its test prep offerings, Kaplan is a diversified global educational powerhouse that has recently begun offering a number of “work prep” solutions, from programs to help high school students explore potential careers to solutions enabling universities to combine degree programs with industry-recognized credentials. Lambda Chi Alpha, founded in 1909, is working to create the model modern fraternity, one that prioritizes leadership, membership, diversity and inclusion, physical and mental health, and public service. This includes placing greater emphasis on creating leadership opportunities for members that carry professional value, broadening its role from building relationships to building critical lifelong skills.
According to research by Business Insider, Gen Z is skeptical of the value proposition of attending traditional college and attaining a four-year degree. Approximately 75% of Generation Z say there are other ways of getting a good education than going to college, and 51% say they learn best by doing. Recent data also shows that only 35% of college graduates feel school prepared them for the workforce. On the employer side, only 13% of U.S. adults feel college graduates are prepared for the workforce.
Andrew Perkins, Global Director of Kaplan Performance Academy, said, “Lambda Chi Alpha understands that fraternities need to evolve in order to stay relevant in an environment where the value of a college experience is increasingly tied to graduates’ employability. Joining forces made a lot of sense as our state-of-the-art learning environment allows for a highly innovative delivery style and approach that matches with Lambda Chi Alpha’s practical learning ambition for its members. The entire Lambda Chi Alpha team has been a great partner in collaborating with us as we work to deliver very innovative training programs and credentials that will give their members a huge advantage in the job market.”
“Our partnership with Kaplan transforms the fundamental role of a fraternity into one that provides marketable skills and tangible value to members,” said Troy Medley, CEO of Lambda Chi Alpha, which has chapters at nearly 200 universities. “Kaplan has been a trusted resource for college students and professionals for generations, so we were delighted to leverage their expertise to help us with a unique opportunity to provide value as a strategic enabler for our members. This program will provide our members with real-world practical training and proof of work readiness that they can offer employers.”
Additional details about the training and specific credential programs offered will be announced when the program launches in late January.
