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You are the Vice President and General Manager for Workforce Credentialing and Community Impact at Mercy College. That’s a mouthful. Can you expand on your title and job description?

We use the phrase “workforce credentialing” in recognition that academic degrees are not always the appropriate measure of job-readiness, and that Mercy College can offer and certify competency in specific subject areas in addition to the many degree programs we offer. Additionally, I believe colleges need to be integrated into the fabric of the communities in which they are situated, so in addition to transforming individuals’ lives through higher education, Mercy can directly impact communities by providing educational programming to meet their needs.

The new division you are heading represents a whole new strategic direction for the College. How is it different from post-secondary education?

We believe that education is a never-ending endeavor —and that in our ever-changing economy colleges have an opportunity (I could argue an obligation) to offer continuous learning to our students and our communities throughout individuals’ lifetimes, through both non-credit skill-based training as well as learning for personal enrichment. In that respect we are extending and expanding the mission of conventional post-secondary education, but not replacing it.

Can you tell us more about the CERTIFi program?

CERTIFi by Mercy College is the new brand we are assigning to our workforce initiative. We want to clearly distinguish this project from the other great programs Mercy offers and to make clear to the key constituency of learners and employers that we are laser focused on the skill needs of the labor market. Our brand philosophy is the following: “CERTIFi by Mercy College is designed for students with or without college degrees to further their careers, advance their skills, and gain credentials vital in today’s workforce. Connecting to an ever-growing number of certificate programs and learning opportunities, CERTIFi offers a full spectrum of courses. From hard skills that solidify career needs to soft skills that help you navigate the business climate, CERTIFi will help upgrade your skills so you can stand apart in the workplace. Get moving. Get CERTIFied.”

Will the new certificate programs be offered solely online?

Over time we anticipate offering both in person and online programming. But we have an enormous amount of data demonstrating that self-paced learning and online accessibility create more opportunities for students representing the full spectrum of our population.

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