Kentuckiana Times

Ivy Tech Announces Partnership to Increase Access for Working Adults

Ivy Tech Community College has partnered with Guild, a Career Opportunity Platform, which enables employers in Indiana and across the nation to invest in their employees, unlocking opportunities for personal and professional growth.

Guild matches higher education needs of employers and employees, with pre-determined programs offered through Ivy Tech’s online platform, IvyOnline. Many employers pay all or a portion of their employees’ tuition and fees, as an employee benefit, while they skill up their workforce. This helps to ensure learners can access their education and learning programs without facing significant financial barriers that present a hurdle to degree enrollment and completion.

 “We are pleased to be able to offer a portfolio of in-demand programs to Hoosiers who work for exceptional companies through this Guild initiative. We are also serving those nationally who have the same needs as our Hoosiers,” said Ivy Tech President, Dr. Sue Ellspermann. “Ivy Tech is a perfect fit to offer programs to help individuals advance their knowledge and their careers and to meet the needs of employers.”

“We are proud to welcome Ivy Tech Community College to Guild’s learning marketplace,” said Marty Martinez, Senior Vice President, Learning Marketplace at Guild. “Ivy Tech is an innovator in workforce-aligned learning. Their programs are high-quality, affordable, and uniquely suited to support the needs of working adult learners.”

Companies offering Ivy Tech programs to their employees through Guild include: Kohl’s, Regions Bank, Sentara Healthcare, Target, and Walmart.

“With programs offered through Ivy Tech, we’re creating a path of opportunity for our associates to grow their careers at Walmart, so they can continue to build better lives for themselves and their families,” said Lorraine Stomski, senior vice president of associate learning and leadership at Walmart.

The Ivy Tech Evansville campus serves as the enrollment hub for the Guild initiative, and a similar program—Achieve Your Degree—working with employers to defer tuition payment until the end of the semester.  Ivy Tech Evansville Chancellor Daniela Vidal said the Evansville campus volunteered to take care of all enrollment, advising, and financial aspects of the Guild partnership, because of the success of the Achieve Your Degree program work.

“Our team has developed a plan, and employees from these companies are able to seamlessly reach our team members to get concierge service for all of their enrollment and advising needs,” Vidal said.  “I look forward to seeing both students and employers skill up with Ivy Tech.”

For employers to learn more about GUILD and Ivy Tech, call (812) 492-0175.

Original source can be found here.