UC Irvine to highlight ''Closing the Skills Gap'' Program
April 23, 2019
UC Irvine Samueli School of Engineering to Highlight
VyneCo’s “Closing the Skills Gap” Program on UCI Giving Day 2019
Providing communication and essential-skills training to more than 1,000 engineering students
IRVINE, CA – UC Irvine’s Office of Access and Inclusion at the Samueli School of Engineering will collaborate with VyneCo, a career training resource, to provide in-depth workforce readiness communication and essential-skills training to more than 1,000 undergraduate engineering students through VyneCo’s “Closing the Skills Gap” program, set to launch in fall 2019.
UCI’s Giving Day will take place on Wednesday, April 24, 2019, and the Samueli School of Engineering is hoping to raise $40,000 for the VyneCo program. UCI Giving Day is a 24-hour online fundraising campaign that rallies the UCI community to celebrate the Anteater spirit and support academic programs. This spring will mark the university's third annual #Giving Day.
“Our goal is to enhance our students’ career skills by developing the much-needed essential skills today’s employers are seeking in our students. We want them stand to out as professionals who can exercise proactivity, leadership, professional communication and build meaningful relationships with employers at every level in their career,” says Sharnnia Artis, Ph.D., assistant dean of access and inclusion at the Samueli School of Engineering. “It is our responsibility to prepare students for the workforce beyond their technical skills—they need to be prepared for successful career longevity.”
VyneCo’s “Closing the Gap” program will provide comprehensive workshop training on workplace communication, personal branding, online reputation guidance, team building, critical thinking & problem solving, leadership enhancement and more.
Training will include customized career development plans and guidance follow-ups for select program participants, and 24-hour access to workforce readiness communication training videos for more than 1,000 engineering students. Executive-level engineering industry professionals will also participate as guest speakers for “Ask Me Anything” segments of the workshops, where students can present questions and engage in thoughtful discussions with potential industry mentors. Past guests have included a Blizzard Entertainment executive who provided insight into Blizzard’s work culture, what today’s employers seek in new graduates, how to communicate effectively on the job and much more.
“VyneCo was started with the idea to make college students stand out and excel in their field of study before they graduate, says Nhadira Johnson, M.P.A., VyneCo founder. “The concept is to develop leaders who can communicate effectively, exercise diplomacy in challenging situations, build a network of mentors and adopt leadership roles in and outside of the classroom—it’s about making college students great, not just keeping them in school to graduate. I want to change generational outcomes by creating leadership in the mindset.”
Over the past two years, VyneCo has already delivered workshops and career development plans to UCI’s engineering students through the Office of Access and Inclusion. One of their popular workshops, Personal Branding, has been a favorite for student participants.
“I still use the personal branding skills that I was taught to this day. The workshop and career advice has truly motivated me to constantly look forward in my career path,” says Cynthia Hernandez, a UCI engineering student. “Looking back to my first encounter with VyneCo, I went in as a shy undeclared engineering student, and VyneCo’s seasonal follow ups really helped shaped who I am now because I was encouraged to get more involved, hold multiple leadership positions and network with mentors. I would have never thought to pursue all the available opportunities and achieve what I have if I hadn’t attended their workshop.”
Watch VyneCo’s “Closing the Skills Gap” Program video to learn more about their essential skills development initiative at UCI.
About VyneCo
VyneCo is the one-stop career development communication and essential skills training resource, where college students can take advantage of comprehensive online and onsite training for career longevity success. VyneCo works to professionally develop college students so that they excel in their field of study before they graduate from college and/or move forward to their next career opportunity. Through communication and essential skills training, college students receive hands-on, real-world workplace readiness preparation they need to stand out in their industries and achieve career advancement.
VyneCo provides communication and essential skills training which include: Effective Communication, Emotional Intelligence Enhancement, Critical Thinking & Problem Solving, Professional Workplace Writing Etiquette, Time Management, Team Building, Personal Branding, Leadership Enhancement, Resume Building, Career Network Building, Biography Writing, and Self-Promotion.
For more information, visit VyneCo.org and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.
About The Office of Access and Inclusion
The Office of Access and Inclusion is a joint office between the Samueli School of Engineering and Donald Bren School of Information and Computer Sciences that supports the recruitment, retention and graduation of undergraduate and graduate students from historically excluded populations who are currently underrepresented in engineering and information and computer sciences. The Office of Access and Inclusion offers programs to equip talented students from different backgrounds with critical academic and career skills to be leading engineers and information and computer scientists.
For more information, visit The Office of Access and Inclusion.
VyneCo’s “Closing the Skills Gap” Program on UCI Giving Day 2019
Providing communication and essential-skills training to more than 1,000 engineering students
IRVINE, CA – UC Irvine’s Office of Access and Inclusion at the Samueli School of Engineering will collaborate with VyneCo, a career training resource, to provide in-depth workforce readiness communication and essential-skills training to more than 1,000 undergraduate engineering students through VyneCo’s “Closing the Skills Gap” program, set to launch in fall 2019.
UCI’s Giving Day will take place on Wednesday, April 24, 2019, and the Samueli School of Engineering is hoping to raise $40,000 for the VyneCo program. UCI Giving Day is a 24-hour online fundraising campaign that rallies the UCI community to celebrate the Anteater spirit and support academic programs. This spring will mark the university's third annual #Giving Day.
“Our goal is to enhance our students’ career skills by developing the much-needed essential skills today’s employers are seeking in our students. We want them stand to out as professionals who can exercise proactivity, leadership, professional communication and build meaningful relationships with employers at every level in their career,” says Sharnnia Artis, Ph.D., assistant dean of access and inclusion at the Samueli School of Engineering. “It is our responsibility to prepare students for the workforce beyond their technical skills—they need to be prepared for successful career longevity.”
VyneCo’s “Closing the Gap” program will provide comprehensive workshop training on workplace communication, personal branding, online reputation guidance, team building, critical thinking & problem solving, leadership enhancement and more.
Training will include customized career development plans and guidance follow-ups for select program participants, and 24-hour access to workforce readiness communication training videos for more than 1,000 engineering students. Executive-level engineering industry professionals will also participate as guest speakers for “Ask Me Anything” segments of the workshops, where students can present questions and engage in thoughtful discussions with potential industry mentors. Past guests have included a Blizzard Entertainment executive who provided insight into Blizzard’s work culture, what today’s employers seek in new graduates, how to communicate effectively on the job and much more.
“VyneCo was started with the idea to make college students stand out and excel in their field of study before they graduate, says Nhadira Johnson, M.P.A., VyneCo founder. “The concept is to develop leaders who can communicate effectively, exercise diplomacy in challenging situations, build a network of mentors and adopt leadership roles in and outside of the classroom—it’s about making college students great, not just keeping them in school to graduate. I want to change generational outcomes by creating leadership in the mindset.”
Over the past two years, VyneCo has already delivered workshops and career development plans to UCI’s engineering students through the Office of Access and Inclusion. One of their popular workshops, Personal Branding, has been a favorite for student participants.
“I still use the personal branding skills that I was taught to this day. The workshop and career advice has truly motivated me to constantly look forward in my career path,” says Cynthia Hernandez, a UCI engineering student. “Looking back to my first encounter with VyneCo, I went in as a shy undeclared engineering student, and VyneCo’s seasonal follow ups really helped shaped who I am now because I was encouraged to get more involved, hold multiple leadership positions and network with mentors. I would have never thought to pursue all the available opportunities and achieve what I have if I hadn’t attended their workshop.”
Watch VyneCo’s “Closing the Skills Gap” Program video to learn more about their essential skills development initiative at UCI.
About VyneCo
VyneCo is the one-stop career development communication and essential skills training resource, where college students can take advantage of comprehensive online and onsite training for career longevity success. VyneCo works to professionally develop college students so that they excel in their field of study before they graduate from college and/or move forward to their next career opportunity. Through communication and essential skills training, college students receive hands-on, real-world workplace readiness preparation they need to stand out in their industries and achieve career advancement.
VyneCo provides communication and essential skills training which include: Effective Communication, Emotional Intelligence Enhancement, Critical Thinking & Problem Solving, Professional Workplace Writing Etiquette, Time Management, Team Building, Personal Branding, Leadership Enhancement, Resume Building, Career Network Building, Biography Writing, and Self-Promotion.
For more information, visit VyneCo.org and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.
About The Office of Access and Inclusion
The Office of Access and Inclusion is a joint office between the Samueli School of Engineering and Donald Bren School of Information and Computer Sciences that supports the recruitment, retention and graduation of undergraduate and graduate students from historically excluded populations who are currently underrepresented in engineering and information and computer sciences. The Office of Access and Inclusion offers programs to equip talented students from different backgrounds with critical academic and career skills to be leading engineers and information and computer scientists.
For more information, visit The Office of Access and Inclusion.
