When talking about University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo’s response to workforce development needs, the focus often goes toward the enhancement or creation of specific degrees currently or projected to be in high demand.
For example, in the past few years that need has been made abundantly clear in fields such as health care and teaching, and our nursing and education programs have responded swiftly and successfully, producing cohort after cohort of professionals now gainfully employed in our communities.
But even more important than identifying where specific workers are needed, is the recognition that every single student, no matter their major, needs to become highly proficient in what are called durable skills, meaning skills that are not only needed in their major but also transferable to any profession — reading comprehension and writing abilities, critical thinking, analytical skills, organizational skills, communication skills.
This focus on skillset development is a trend now found in colleges and universities across the nation. It’s interesting to note that UH Hilo has always taught these skills to our students through our general education requirements and so we approach this core value of ours with a renewed emphasis. In today’s marketplace, it makes our graduates highly valuable because the skills are transferable. Someone who graduates with a degree or certificate in one field can jump into a different field because those core skills can be put to use immediately.
A political science professor at UH Hilo, Sarah Marusek, developed our pre-law certificate program with just this sort of broad-based concept in mind. Because of its interdisciplinary range focused on the development of those durable skills, the program is popular with students completing baccalaureate degrees in communication, business, sociology, marine science, philosophy, political science, psychology and more; the certificate program simultaneously enhances any degree, makes the graduate highly valuable across many disciplines.
Another program where we see this broad based approach is in our business college and the launch of a new degree pathway and courses focusing on AI. This new direction is in response to workforce demand for AI and analytics skills, and UH Hilo’s broader commitment to interdisciplinary education and responsible AI development.
The new AI concentration in the bachelor of business administration program formally interfaces with the university’s data science program; the new AI certificate program will be offered to all majors; and new courses with focus on the technical skills needed for the use of AI in business, governance, and science fields, all begin this fall.
Sukhwa Hong, an associate professor of data science and business administration, says these changes are important because AI is no longer a niche or emerging technology, it’s already embedded in how work gets done across almost every field. He says higher education has a responsibility to respond to that reality. We’re not reacting to a trend; we’re adjusting how we prepare all students for the world they are already entering. AI skills are durable skills that are soon to be as fundamental as reading, writing, and math.
Our vision at UH Hilo is to develop successful students ready to create a better future for themselves, their families and communities through meeting Hawaiʻi’s workforce needs of today and tomorrow. Our new Kīpapa I Ke Ala Kaʻi Center for Career Advancement, now in its third semester, emphasizes students’ preparation for both professional and personal success.
As career agility is becoming even more important in todayʻs world, it is required that graduates have the ability to adapt quickly using their transferable skills to remain relevant, says Marcy Martinez who serves as career services director at the center. This should also include the ability to define and later redefine what success looks like to each graduate.
Charles Darwin said, “It is not the strongest of the species that survives, not the most intelligent that survives. It is the one that is the most adaptable to change.” We look to give our graduates a big boost in their quest for a rewarding career through the infusion of durable skills, a valuable addition to their employment tool box as they navigate a professional life that more than likely will require change. The future awaits.
With aloha,
Bonnie D. Irwin
Chancellor, UH Hilo
