Many have criticized the post-secondary education system for not adequately preparing students for real-world employment. While community colleges do focus more on practical skills than the theory-based education at universities, neither adequately foster the "soft skills" that are needed to be an effective employee in today's work environment and (outside of co-operative education programs), neither give students real-world experience that demonstrates to employers that the individuals have proven past performance.
Over the past five years, CiviConnect Youth Engagement Organization has bridged this gap, creating opportunities for those looking to enter the workforce or switch career paths. The non-profit organization works with local businesses to create opportunities for students or new graduates to practice their new skills on real assignments that can make an impact on the community. Students come away from these assignments with a more nuanced understanding of how the knowledge and skills learned in school can be applied in the real world, increased confidence in their abilities, and an improved resume that shows potential employers what they have accomplished for other organizations.
In a strategy to expand its offerings and outreach into the local business community, CiviConnect has chosen Procept as its corporate training partner, in recognition of Procept's extensive catalogue of offerings, award-winning instructors, and extensive experience working with corporate, government, and non-profit clients around the world. Together, the two organizations will offer industry-recognized training and certification programs to CiviConnect's clients in high-demand areas such as project management, business analysis, change management and leadership.
"We are excited to welcome CiviConnect into our network of partners," says Kevin Aguanno, Procept's president. "This partnership will expand Procept's reach into early-career professionals and those aspiring to get there. We are also excited to explore synergies created by our overlapping networks."
Nour Hage, president of CiviConnect, is very excited about the partnership, saying "It's great. I'm a big fan."