SynED Launches Business Outreach for Santa Barbara City College to Help Bridge the Employability Skills Gap

SANTA BARBARA, Calif., Nov. 4, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- SynED, a higher education non-profit, has partnered with SBCC to provide targeted marketing and outreach to regional businesses to encourage them take advantage of courses ranging from customer relations to Adobe Creative Suite. Using innovative methodologies, such as the "flipped classroom", all students get access to Lynda.com to review course material before, during and after attending sessions. Class sessions are effectively lab time giving students the opportunity to use their learned skills and collaborate with others. Students create a portfolio piece demonstrating practical application of skills, gain access to Lynda.com and earn a Digital Badge (credential) to put on their professional profile.

"We have highly connected and motivated people on the ground in the Santa Barbara area talking to employee development managers and executives at targeted companies.  SynED will expand the base of employers using this impressive program so they can address the area's problematic skills gap by growing talent from within their organizations," said Guy Smith, Executive Director of SynED.

The skills gap is real. The large majority of employers believe that college graduates not only lack employability skills but also an ability to apply the skills. Employers are looking for job seekers with critical thinking skills, communication skills, and experience in the practical application of skills. (Association of American Colleges and Universities 2015 Employers Survey)

Providing business employees with critical career skills to advance their career is the goal of Santa Barbara City College's Career Skills Institute Digital Badge program.   Employees and businesses that have taken advantage of the Career Skills Institute report increased productivity, growth and opportunities.

Marlena Murdock Training Manager for the Towbes group, states "After participating in a Career Skills Certificate, we noticed an immediate and significant improvement in our employees internal communication and communication with our customers."

SynED brings over 50 years experience in higher education to supporting SBCC. "We are so excited to be working with SynEd. Their support during the initial launch of the Career Skills Institute Digital Badge Program in 2015 was critical to our success. Now, we are moving forward with a new initiative to drive greater industry interest in our collaborative approach to employee training programs in our business community." Dean Melissa Moreno, Santa Barbara City College.

ABOUT SynED

SynEd is a non-profit organization focusing on the gap between what business employers need and what education can offer. on Listening closely to employers, students, educators and government, SynEd identifies priorities, values and synergies of intention and technology that increase transparency and establish trusted communication between employers, jobseekers and education providers.

SynEd understands the business environment and is able to identify and gain access to key business leaders that can contribute valuable information and appreciate the scope and purpose of educational innovations.  SynED does not provide or intend to provide commercial solutions but seeks instead to assure that the complete needs of the workforce education ecosystem are recognized and addressed.

CAREER SKILLS INSTITUTE at SANTA BARBARA CITY COLLEGE offers a noncredit certificate program to provide students career training for employment or advancement. These career skills courses are packaged to allow students to earn a certificate and a digital badge demonstrating knowledge and skills. The INSTITUTE offers more than 25 certificates covering the areas of business, design and technology.  

DIGITAL BADGES are an assessment and credentialing mechanism that is housed and managed online. Badges are designed to make visible and validate learning in both formal and informal settings, and hold the potential to help transform where and how learning is valued. 

CONTACT:
Guy Smith, Executive Director   
866.420.4573 xt802 
[email protected]

SOURCE SynED