Industry advisory cabinet established to serve College of Cooperative Education and Professional Studies

CCPS, founded in January 2023, is a key partner for corporations and nonprofits in developing their workforce and organizations. The Industry Advisory Cabinet (IAC) was established to help bridge industry with higher education. “We want to support students entering the workforce by establishing an ongoing dialogue with industry partners,” said Dean Michelle Clare of the College of Cooperative Education and Professional Studies. “Our advisory cabinet can provide insight into what’s needed to help students stand out as best in class in a competitive, ever-changing job market.”

Cabinet members will provide guidance and feedback on strategies to address growing workforce needs, new experiential learning opportunities, and innovative ways to help current professionals re-skill. Industry companies will benefit from direct, coordinated lines to talent and workforce development opportunities available through CCPS and its collegiate partners. The advisory cabinet will also serve as an advocate for the college, raising the stature and profile of UC’s distinguished co-op program by growing the number of partnerships within their own companies and networks.

Chosen because of their ardent support of UC cooperative education, founding members include leaders from: Amazon Web Services, BlueSky Creative, Boeing, DeMille Capital Management, Fifth Third, GE Aerospace, Honda Development & Manufacturing of America, LLC, IDEO, Kaleidoscope Innovation, Kinetic Vision, NKY Area Development District, Procter & Gamble, REDI Cincinnati, Sevan Multi-Site Solutions, Sigmatech, Stephanie Muir Consulting, Teague, Turner Construction, Tesla, Ulliman Schutte Construction, Valvoline Global, and Western Southern. Steve Kuhn, executive vice president/co-founder at Sevan Multi-Site Solutions and founder/executive director of ShareBuilt, has agreed to chair the Industry Advisory Cabinet. Greg Rossman, managing partner, Demille Capital Management, will serve as vice chair.

With support from the University of Cincinnati Foundation and Alumni Association, as well as UC’s 1819/Cincinnati Innovation District, prospective board members representing diverse sectors, business sizes, local and nationwide locations were identified. UC alums who participated in co-op while earning their degrees know firsthand the importance of gaining experience while earning a diploma, and they recognize the value UC co-op students bring to employers.

“I’ve been a huge advocate of cooperative education,” said Steve Kuhn, IAB board chair and UC alum '86. “When we started bringing in co-ops [at Sevan Multi-Site Solutions], a lot of operational leaders had no experience with UC co-op and they didn’t understand that students alternate semesters learning in the classroom with working in the field. It’s a powerful education model, and once our leaders learned how to manage the rotations, they realized they could staff a position year-round with skilled UC co-ops. This is something we hope to share with many more employers."

Featured top image: Industry advisory cabinet members meet for inaugural meeting. Photo/provided.