The Martin J. Whitman School of Management has launched the Whitman Industry Readiness and Excellence (WIRE) Initiative, an innovative new program that strengthens the school’s commitment to prepare its students for a world of accelerating change. The WIRE initiative helps to encourage students to pursue professional certifications from industry recognized organizations. These certifications offer tangible support and augment students’ skillsets and abilities—or in other words, industry readiness or evidence of excellence in a particular domain.
“Our development of this program aids to further reinforce our emphasis on the skills needed to be successful in the job market. Acquiring professional certifications from highly recognizable organizations and associations demonstrates students’ readiness for employment and closes the learning curve that they will face on the job,” says Alexander McKelvie, associate dean for undergraduate and master’s education and professor of entrepreneurship. “In turn, this should lead to higher job placement and improved career advancement for our students.”
One component of WIRE is to facilitate the information about the requirements and processes for successfully taking the certification exam. Another is Whitman’s financial support for students to complete the certification, oftentimes costing a few hundred dollars. “We are making it easier, more convenient and more accessible for students to complete these well-known certifications. Research shows that possessing these certifications helps with getting a job and getting promoted,” says McKelvie. “While we are starting with a limited set of certifications, such as Microsoft Excel Expert, Salesforce Administrator, Microsoft Data Associate (Power BI), Google Data Analytics and Tableau, this list will expand over time, in line with hiring trends and industry needs.”
All current Whitman students in good academic standing are eligible to apply to receive funding for completing the certifications, including undergraduates who have declared a major and residential and online MBA and M.S. students. Applications to the WIRE initiative will be considered based on merit and thoroughness of the application, and with a particular emphasis on the placement and advancement opportunities from having the certification.
The official kickoff of WIRE will take place on Friday, Feb. 11, from 2:30-3:30 p.m. in WSM 101 for residential students and Thursday, Feb. 17, at noon for online MBA and M.S. students. Students can register for either event on Handshake .
The WIRE Initiative is part of the IMPRESS 2.0 Program, funded by Kenneth Goodman ’70.
For more information, please contact WIRE@syr.edu.
