COLUMBUS – State education and workforce leaders are celebrating the fifth anniversary of Western Governors University Ohio (WGU Ohio) this month and expressing the continued enthusiasm for positive impact the University has had in helping close the skills gap. Since its inception, nearly 10,000 Ohioans have earned a bachelor’s or master’s degree in WGU Ohio’s healthcare, nursing, business, teaching, and information technology programs.
Ohio’s top higher education leader says the university is helping an increasing number of adults upskill at an important time.
“As Ohio continues to diversify its economy and attract new cutting-edge jobs, WGU Ohio is helping address the growing need for highly skilled, credentialed workers required for today’s in-demand jobs,” said Randy Gardner, chancellor of the Ohio Department of Higher Education.
Established in June 2018, Ohio leaders saw WGU Ohio as a way to help busy, working adults upskill and pursue an advanced degree at their pace through the university’s competency-based model that rewards students for what they already know instead of how long they sit in a classroom. With an average student age of 33 years old, the university caters to adult learners with work and family obligations who are looking to upgrade their skills and make a better future for their families.
“One of the most critical issues facing Ohio’s business community is the lack of skilled talent to fill open positions,” said Pat Tiberi, president and CEO of the Ohio Business Roundtable. “Due to advances in technology and automation, Ohio’s economy and the skills it needs are changing at an unprecedented rate and WGU Ohio is playing an important role in helping employers find the talent they need.”
“As chancellor of WGU Ohio, I am constantly motivated by the countless success stories from our graduates who say they were able to complete their degree programs because they could to fit their learning into the spaces of their lives,” said WGU Ohio Chancellor Dr. K.L. Allen. “By offering education-to-career pathways in a model that meets the needs of busy adult learners, WGU Ohio is proud of the role we are playing in helping address the growing need for highly skilled, credentialed workers required for today’s in-demand jobs. That’s one important step toward closing Ohio’s skills gap and we are pleased to be part of the solution.”
Allen said the university is offering $10,000 scholarships in recognition of its anniversary and 10,000 graduates to help more Ohioans pursue an in-demand career with WGU Ohio. Applications can be submitted now and the application window will be open for the foreseeable future. More information is available at www.wgu.edu/lp/events/anniversary/ohio.html
House Bill 49 of the 132nd General Assembly paved the way for the WGU partnership with the state of Ohio. On June 18, 2018, Ohio became the eighth state to partner with Western Governors University (WGU). Today, WGU Ohio offers more than 60 accredited bachelor’s and master’s degrees that align to the in-demand careers in the state. With at a per-year, flat-rate tuition of roughly $7,500, WGU Ohio is about half the cost of other universities.
More than 5,000 Ohioans are enrolled in WGU Ohio programs, where they are working to earn degrees aligned to our state’s in-demand careers.