| Status | Last Updated |
|---|---|
|
In Progress |
August 2026 |
Overview
Promote, facilitate, expand, and comprehensively report on non-degree programs, workshops, and other similar initiatives. Success will be achieved through increasing IUP’s programming and position as a leader in workforce-aligned partnerships. These engagements with new learners and industry partners will foster internal investment to deliver high-quality, in-demand credentials that support career advancement and meet evolving workforce needs.
Accomplishment Summary
The initial workgroup leading this strategic initiative has formed and met several times with plans to meet biweekly through the fall semester. The breadth of this priority has been compartmentalized into four sections:
- Noncredit Training: inclusive of all outward-facing programming offered without credit
- Credit-bearing Courses: inclusive of almost 55 undergraduate and graduate certificates
- Community Enrichment: inclusive of learning that is not routinely considered work-related, such as Community Music School, Passport to France, HS Summer Camps, etc.
- Industry-recognized Credentials: national certifications often embedded in program offerings such as OSHA-30 and ServSafe
Work has begun identifying programs within each of the four categories, including identification of barriers for their growth and success, calculating recent credentials awarded, and capturing past work in this area to bolster current efforts.
Meetings with internal and external stakeholders have also occurred or been scheduled in the near future to understand the needs of employers and how IUP can engineer educational pathways to meet those needs.
Finally, a meeting has been scheduled to learn how another SSHE university is building Slate and Banner into the registration gateway and recording system for noncredit programs.
Progress
Milestone Timelines
July 2026: Form workgroup and begin establishing the framework for a robust non-degree learning pathways operation at IUP
October 2026: Have held numerous meetings with employers and begun reverse engineering education programming designed to meet their expressed needs.
December 2026:
- Have overhauled the marketing and promotion of select UG and GR certificates to make them appealing to non-degree learners.
- Schedule, promote, and begin registrations for noncredit programming based upon expressed needs of employers.
- Have a transparent and thoroughly communicated process for launching noncredit initiatives.
May 2027: Have developed an organizational support structure and culture within IUP to foster non-degree learning pathways for future years.
Priority in Action
Professionals looking to strengthen their workplace effectiveness and advance their careers have a new opportunity to develop the skills employers value most. The Workplace Essentials Certificate program, a new noncredit training initiative, launched its first cohort in May 2026.
Designed for individuals working in any industry, the program focuses on the foundational professional skills that contribute to workplace success. Participants will gain practical strategies to improve communication, leadership, teamwork, time management, adaptability, and emotional intelligence while building the confidence needed to excel in today’s dynamic work environment.