Charles Koch Foundation

“We need to pay close attention to the identity, purpose, and potential of every worker, every employee, every learner.” Executive Director Ryan Stowers explains how individualized learning pathways bring #Success and fulfillment when work and learning intersect. 💼 Learn more: https://bit.ly/3BnTWL1

We asked Ryan Stowers, one of our speakers, who believed in his potential. Ryan shared an inspiring story about Kim Dennis, his first boss after graduate school. Despite being advised to decline his application, Kim saw something in Ryan that others overlooked. She recognized his natural ability to connect and network with people, a skill he had developed through mentorship and a less traditional path. Kim looked beyond degrees and internships to see Ryan’s work ethic and relationship-building skills. She took a chance on him, setting the course for the rest of his career. Ryan is incredibly grateful for her belief in his potential, even when he didn’t see it himself. Who has seen the potential in you? In the comments, please share your stories and celebrate those who have nurtured your growth! #HumanPotential #Mentorship

The SXSW PanelPicker® is LIVE! If you’re not familiar, this site is the official online platform where SXSW EDU participants can help shape the content that will be featured at this must-attend annual event. Team members from CKF have been included in multiple session ideas and need your votes to have these sessions as part of the final programming. We will feature each of the different ideas over the next two weeks, starting with: • Innovative Skills Training Financing to Unlock Potential. For millions of Americans stuck in low-wage jobs, sector-specific accelerated skills training is a proven path to economic mobility. Yet the opportunity costs can make even tuition-free training inaccessible. This panel will examine how creative partnerships can forge new solutions, with an in-depth look at one innovative approach: an optional, outcomes-based, interest-free loan to cover living expenses. Join us to explore how efforts like this can drive economic development and create enduring pathways to prosperity. This panel will feature CKF’s own Ryan Stowers , as well as Per Scholas , Social Finance , and Wells Fargo. Vote to make this panel idea a reality here: https://lnkd.in/eqWUUjrw

This October, the Human Potential Summit will bring together employers, investors, innovators, and education providers to catalyze a talent development movement that centers on the individual and unlocks potential through skills and strengths. The summit is the brainchild of Human Potential Capital Founder Taylor McLemore . CKF’s Executive Director Ryan Stowers sat down with McLemore for a Q&A on our website that discusses the summit and the principles that animate the human potential movement. As part of their discussion, Stowers asked McLemore to explain the mutual benefit of changing the culture around talent development, or what both employers and workers have to gain by emphasizing each person’s aptitudes and potential to contribute. “When employers think about talent differently, it makes their businesses stronger, which makes our economy stronger, and can make them an employer of choice,” McLemore said. Changing culture also expands opportunities for people who have traditionally been looked over. “If everyone has unique talents, but we’re using proxies that only measure pedigree or skills, that necessarily excludes someone, even entire groups,” McLemore said. “Evaluating based on potential gives employers the chance to build a talent pool where all lived experiences — where you grew up, income level, or who your ancestors were — are represented. If we really mean diverse experiences matter, evaluating talent based on potential is a way forward.” #HumanPotential Read the full post here: https://lnkd.in/e3-T99tV

The Charles Koch Foundation has joined as a founding sponsor of the Human Potential Summit! The Charles Koch Foundation works to ensure all people have the opportunity to live a life of meaning and contribution based on their unique gifts and aptitudes. The Charles Koch Foundation is a significant contributor to helping individuals achieve their potential by investing in social entrepreneurs who can transform the institutions most responsible for lifelong learning, post-secondary education, and empowering people to engage in meaningful work. Join us at the Human Potential Summit to be part of a movement that is shaping the future of work and learning! 🎟️ Register today to secure your spot https://lnkd.in/geq_Jgi9 #HumanPotential #LifelongLearning #PostSecondaryEducation #WorkforceDevelopment #SocialImpact 

Career-connected learning means helping individuals discover and develop their unique interests and aptitudes. When learners and workers self-actualize, they find creative ways to unleash their gifts to contribute value to the organization. Catalyze conducts open grant competitions to foster innovation in career-connected learning. These grants support programs to help learners access career educational opportunities that empower them to identify their purpose and pursue fulfilling work. #CatalyzeChallenge

The rise of a new way to package learning experiences: the microcredential. 💼 A response to the hiring trend of skills and abilities is taking center stage. Researchers Shannon Alpert, EdD, PMP® , Anne Nanovic Amanda Welsh , Jamie Warner from CPS’s Center for Higher Education and Talent Strategy published a comprehensive study on the growing interest in micro-credentialing compared to traditional degree programs. Eager to explore how microcredentials can revolutionize your hiring process? Click here to learn more 👉🏽 https://lnkd.in/gGxDJvqq

On June 1, Rebecca Stowers and I joined a group of amazing Stand Together partners to hike the 23+ mile, rim to rim of the Grand Canyon. It was a long, but rewarding day. To beat the desert heat, we started our trek at 4 am on the north rim where temps were approx 30 degrees. By the time we reached the bottom of the canyon and the Colorado river, the temperature had risen to 108!    Billy Sorenson's and Kelsey Sorensen’s passion for bringing people together got us there, and The Phoenix's coaching power got us to the finish. The views were spectacular, and the trek was grueling at times. This hike pushed and tested our limits, both physical and mental, but we all came out the other end stronger together for it. The Phoenix is an incredible organization that harnesses the power of sports and physical activity to create a community for individuals in addiction recovery. Their partnership with Stand Together and the work they do is a powerful testimony of what is possible when you believe in people and their unique and extraordinary potential. We are grateful for the opportunity to meet, hike, and grow with so many amazing individuals.

As one hiring manager told Northeastern University’s researchers, “I have come to the conclusion it doesn’t matter if you have a four-year degree or you just have a high school diploma. It’s all about the knowledge of the person.” New research out this week from Northeastern University’s Center for the Future of Higher Education and Talent Strategy found that 65% of companies that have removed degree requirements either show no significant difference in the number of non-degree holders they have hired or a decrease. However, there is reason for optimism because the research also demonstrates that hiring managers who have had personal experience with microcredentials are far more open to hiring candidates who do not have four-year degrees. The report, supported by the Charles Koch Foundation, outlines barriers to skills—and aptitude-based hiring and aims to help employers consider important tools like micro-credentials. Read more here: https://lnkd.in/e-Zmju9d

📣 ICYMI: You’re invited to our upcoming webinar TOMORROW! In the first six months of SkillsFWD, our grantees have solidified partnerships and engaged users in developing technology and processes that benefit employers and job seekers. We will: ⭐️ Discover pioneering solutions to help employers. ⭐️ Learn how SkillsFWD teams work alongside tech vendors to pilot LER ecosystems. ⭐️ Engage with leaders who are shaping more inclusive economies. There’s still time to register. Visit the link below and join us to gain insights into the future of work on Tuesday, July 30, at 4 pm ET/11 am PT. ⤵️ https://lnkd.in/dce8a_Wz #skillsfirst #skills #skillsbasedhiring #lers