McGraw-Hill Higher Education Leader to Address Critical Need for Postsecondary Programs That Build Career Competencies

NEW YORK, April 9 /PRNewswire/ -- What do educational institutions around the world need to do to ensure that students are well prepared for careers following college?  That will be a key question addressed by Rik Kranenburg, president of the McGraw-Hill Higher Education, Professional and International Group, during his presentation at the Global Business and Education Conference, which is taking place in Washington D.C., this week.

As an expert on career oriented learning and the digital transformation of education, Mr. Kranenburg will focus on the importance of career training in higher education and the steps institutions can take to enhance students' ability to be successful in the workplace.

"Students all over the world are graduating from higher education institutions unprepared for the demands of the workforce," said Kranenburg. "In the current economic and employment environment, it is critically important for higher education institutions to evolve their programs and prepare students with skills they need to enhance their employability."

Career-oriented postsecondary schools have traditionally done a better job of preparing students with specific job skills than traditional diploma programs. Their success derives from two areas: a student-based focus on attaining job-related credentials and an administrative decision to structure programs around mastery of job competencies defined by industry. In the U.S., community colleges are being called upon to fill the gap for workforce training, and they are rising to the challenge. These institutions are partnering with labor unions – as well as Career One Stop Centers sponsored by the Department of Labor – to address retraining needs under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.

Successful workforce training programs have three attributes in common:

• They create educational programs that are oriented toward building career competencies
• The programs partner with businesses to ensure that offerings are aligned with industry needs
• They deliver authentic assessment and accountability systems to signal student employability to recruiters

"McGraw-Hill Education is committed to accelerating the development of 21st century skills," said Kranenburg. "We have positioned our business to lead the digital revolution in education globally to ensure students are achieving the skills that are necessary for success in college and beyond – a task that is vital to every nation's long-term economic strength and global competitiveness."

About McGraw-Hill Education

McGraw-Hill Education, a division of The McGraw-Hill Companies (NYSE: MHP), is a leading innovator in developing teaching and learning solutions for the 21st century. Through a comprehensive range of traditional and digital education content and tools, McGraw-Hill Education empowers and prepares professionals and students of all ages to connect, learn and succeed in the global economy. McGraw-Hill Education has offices in 33 countries and publishes in more than 65 languages. Additional information is available at http://www.mheducation.com.

SOURCE McGraw-Hill Education