Innovation Conference Academic Track
Colleges and Employers: A Partnership as Sweet as Ben & Jerry’s – Building a Cooperative Education Program
Are you an employer looking for a way to bring fresh young talent into your workplace? Are you a student who would like to graduate with a diploma and a resumé with up to one full year of workplace experience? Penn State Schuylkill Co-Op is a win-win partnership with employers dedicated to bringing the classroom and workplace together in some of the most sought-after areas! In this session, we will discuss the benefits of cooperative education for students, employers, and the regional workforce.
Dr. Patrick M. Jones
Professor of Music and Chancellor of
Penn State Schuylkill
Dr. Patrick M. Jones is professor of music and chancellor of Penn State Schuylkill. During his tenure he has overseen the addition of degree programs in areas of great demand such as nursing, cybersecurity, and information technology, as well as upgrades to the campus’ physical plant— including new laboratories for chemistry, nursing, and radiological sciences, a learning center, technology and equipment upgrades to classrooms and student recreation facilities across campus, and an addition to the administration building that makes it fully accessible and ADA-compliant. And, of particular interest to this audience, under his leadership the campus developed and launched Penn State Schuylkill Co-op in Fall 2020.
Kate S. Zimmerman
Director of Cooperative Education
Penn State Schuylkill
Kate is responsible for the leadership, administration, and management of Penn State Schuylkill Co-Op. She works closely with other departments in the Career Development Center, university-wide Career Services, faculty, staff, and employers to strengthen relationships. Kate oversees the Career Services team as well as student workers. She represents the campus at many events for employers, chambers of commerce, professional employer associations, and government agencies. She is a co-leader of the Career Development Professionals Conference planning team at Penn State as well as a member of the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee. She presented at the Cooperative Education and Internship Association Annual Conference in April 2022 in Alexandria, VA. Prior to joining the team at Penn State Schuylkill, Kate was a music teacher in the Pottsville Area School District for nearly eight years. She holds a Bachelor of Music Education from Penn State University, Master’s in Music Education from the University of the Arts, and a K-12 Principal Certification through Penn State Harrisburg. She is currently pursuing her doctoral degree in Lifelong Learning and Adult Education through Penn State Harrisburg.
The Language of Water
Researchers from Misericordia University are translating the science of local water quality monitoring into practical steps to help land owners ”hear” what their wetlands are telling them. Through different programs, including remote real-time monitoring of a pristine wetlands area and monthly monitoring in a lake and stream ecosystem, researchers are working to educate community members about the importance of clean watersheds. And, as an added bonus, undergraduate students gain valuable experience working side-by-side with experienced faculty as part of the University’s Student Undergraduate Research Fellowship program, an excellent preparation for graduate school or to enter the workforce. Business leaders, educators and students can learn more about this practical research and progressive learning model to identify ways to partner with and participate in these educational experiences.
Cosima Wiese
Professor in Biology Department at Misericordia University
Cosima is a professor in the Biology Department, teaching courses in plant biology and environmental science and conducting research with students in the lab and in the field. Her research has focused on impacts of environmental pollutants on plants, and more recently she has focused on water quality studies. She is passionate about issues of the environment and engaging students in learning about those issues. She is a graduate of Bucknell University and earned a master’s degree and PhD in Plant Pathology at the Pennsylvania State University. She is a proud Master Watershed Steward through Penn State Extension and enjoys participating in the educational and outreach opportunities through that program.
The Struggle in the Hiring Process Is Real
Employers struggle to find the best candidate for a job because of friction in the hiring process. Hiring friction results from complexities with conveying information about skills. Conveying knowledge about a skill is difficult because of lacking standards for skillsets, variations in terminology, and understanding which skills should be communicated. Other factors not related to skills, such as resume length, grammar, and formatting issues, create additional friction in the process. If any aspects of the resume are perceived to be incorrect, then the hiring manager discards it. On average, a hiring manager makes this analysis in under ten seconds.
The use of Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS), automated systems commonly used to vet prospects, has further complicated the problem. ATS use specific parameters to identify ideal candidates. One study published in 2021 noted that 88% of employers indicated that qualified high-skill candidates were eliminated from contention because they did not meet the criteria noted in the ATS.
Ultimately, employers are not effective at advertising the skills they need, and job seekers are not good at communicating the skills they have. Digital credentials are a mechanism that can solve hiring friction. Digital credentials are sometimes referred to as digital certificates, digital badges, micro credentials, among other names. These terms are generally synonymous and used interchangeably. Digital credentials are electronic systems that verify the existence of skills. Credly, an organization that provides a digital credentialling platform, calls digital credentials a “common language of verified skills”. Current research is attempting to determine how effectively digital credentials can reduce hiring friction.
Frank M. Sorokach
Faculty Member at Penn State
Frank is a leadership and management expert with both practical and academic experience. His general focus is on organizational improvement through the development of systems and personnel. He has almost thirty years of applied management experience in varied disciplines and has been a faculty member at Penn State University since 2012. He has taught in resident instruction at the Scranton Campus, asynchronously at the World Campus, and delivers training to corporate clients. He has held leadership roles at the Penn State Scranton Campus and the Penn State World Campus.
Frank’s primary expertise includes economics, technology, project management, business strategy, risk management, marketing, and personal efficiency topics. His research is specifically focused on the application of new concepts and systems to improve efficiency. This includes the integration of not only technology, but also new management theory. Additionally, he has been a leading digital faculty consultant for McGraw-Hill Education since 2017.