WGU Joins National Workforce Readiness Campaign to Help Americans Upskill and Reskill

WGU joins Apple, IBM, the White House in national initiative to help Americans “Find Something New”

SALT LAKE CITY--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The nation’s largest nonprofit, competency-based university, Western Governors University (WGU), today announced the university is part of the coalition leading the Ad Council’s Find Something New campaign. The new national campaign will encourage Americans to “find something new” and offers resources to help them enhance their résumés through skills-based education and training, including online and virtual learning opportunities.

According to the latest jobs report, nearly 18 million Americans now find themselves out of work amid the uncertainty created by the COVID-19 pandemic. This campaign will help Americans of all ages, experiences, and backgrounds develop their skills for the rapidly changing job market by offering resources to help them explore a wide range of education and training options.

“At WGU, we believe in the transformative power of education,” said WGU President Scott Pulsipher. “We also believe that all learning is valuable, be it a four-year degree, a certificate, an apprenticeship, or other work-based programs. This new campaign is critical to helping connect Americans with high-quality education and training pathways they may not otherwise know are available; pathways that can help change the trajectory of their lives.”

The campaign will appear nationwide and will direct audiences to FindSomethingNew.org, a new website with resources to help students and adults across the U.S. identify and pursue the right path for their next career opportunity. The website offers an interactive tool that recommends education pathways for each user, information about rising careers to consider, and a directory of resources for life services like childcare, food assistance, and internet access. Education and training pathways featured include online learning, professional certification programs, associate’s degrees, and vocational, technical, and trades education.

WGU is among 20 organizations supporting the campaign. Each are committed to promoting workforce readiness for the American public:

• Apple
• AT&T Inc.
• Boys & Girls Clubs of America
• Business Roundtable
• Cisco Systems, Inc.
• Duke Energy Corporation
• General Motors Company
• The Home Depot
• IBM
• Johnson & Johnson
• JP Morgan Chase & Co.
• Lockheed Martin
• National Association of Manufacturers
• SAP America
• SHRM (Society for Human Resource Management)
• United Technologies Corporation
• U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation
• Visa
• Walmart
• Western Governors University

About WGU

Established in 1997 by 19 U.S. governors with a mission to expand access to high-quality, affordable higher education, online, nonprofit WGU now serves more than 123,000 students nationwide and has more than 190,000 graduates in all 50 states. Driving innovation as the nation’s leading competency-based university, WGU has been recognized by the White House, state leaders, employers, and students as a model that works in postsecondary education. In just 22 years, the university has become a leading influence in changing the lives of individuals and families, and preparing the workforce needed in today’s rapidly evolving economy. WGU is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities, has been named one of Fast Company’s Most Innovative Companies, and has been featured on NPR, NBC Nightly News, CNN, and in The New York Times. Learn more at www.wgu.edu.