Arizona is considered a hub of creative innovation and disruption. Consider how companies in this state have changed business models in various industries. Not long ago, the only way to make a purchase was physically in a store. Today, Amazon fulfillment centers in Chandler and Phoenix are responsible for processing and fulfilling purchases made online. There was a time when the thought of a self-driving car was once a sci-fi movie trope. Now drivers are sharing the roads with Waymo self-driving cars being tested throughout the Valley.
A NEW LEARNING ECO-SYSTEM
It is within this environment that Woz U was launched in 2017 with the vision to disrupt traditional education and training models by creating a new learning eco-system to elevate human capital in technical careers.
The expectations of today’s learners are radically different than they were 10 years ago. As a result of the rapid and constant changes in the technology industry, it’s often no longer enough to obtain a degree or certification to succeed. In order to keep up, employees in the tech industry must continuously update their knowledge and skill set, or risk falling behind.
Because of this shift, Woz U’s vision of developing a unique business model, Education-as-a-Service (EaaS), was realized. This model creates new avenues to teach and train tech skills. We partner with organizations to develop tailored curricula that they can extend to their students, customers, and employees. The Powered by Woz U program conforms to the exacting standards of today’s savvy high-tech learners, helping them to acquire these skills rapidly, and at a lower cost to the end-user.
Through our proprietary learning experience platform (LXP), we are able to offer entirely customizable career-focused training curricula to meet the goals of businesses and institutions. This service enables our partner organizations to bypass the challenges and costs incurred of creating a new program, developing the curriculum and hiring the instructors. Instead, they can leverage our proprietary eco-system to enhance their education offerings and achieve their business objectives.
WHY WE DO WHAT WE DO
There is a significant technology talent gap crisis in this state and throughout the country. According to the National Skills Coalition, more than 50 percent of jobs in Arizona require middle skills. Middle-skills jobs account for 52 percent of Arizona’s labor market, however, only 47 percent of the state’s workers are trained at that level.
These systems are the catalyst to reduce the skills and talent gap. Through our partners, these systems can rapidly train, cultivate, and upgrade tech talent to meet the workforce needs of Arizona and beyond.
Solving the growing tech talent skills gap crisis is our driving force and we’ll continue to work passionately and diligently to assist our partners in closing that void. Woz U offers the platform and curriculum for organizations to upskill their employees. Universities and other educational institutions also benefit from our knowledge base to bridge students into successful career paths.
This world-class education and training eco-system is designed to elevate human capital for our partners and empower individuals in high demand technology careers. Education-as-a-Service business model provides quality tech-education for students and gives businesses and their employees an opportunity to stay on the cutting edge of new technology.
As we continue to educate and build the tech workforce for today and of tomorrow, the real beneficiaries are the individuals who transform their education into improved, higher-wage job opportunities, and the employers who can tap on a robust workforce in an economy that is poised for growth.
Jacob Mayhew is chief executive officer at Woz U. Woz U’s co-founder is Steve Wozniak.
