FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Rung for Women Partners with Maryville University to Launch New Program to Reskill Women for Careers of the Future
In the wake of pandemic, program to create newly credentialed candidates to meet employer demand for diverse talent
[St. Louis, Mo.] – Rung for Women and Maryville University today announced an innovative partnership that will empower women to climb the economic ladder, meet employer demand, and support a thriving economy post-pandemic. Under this new collaboration, Rung and Maryville will launch their first Customer Service credential training program this March, enabling 100 local women to quickly acquire flexible, credential skills needed to pursue a career in customer service, banking or human resources.
Rung and Maryville have developed practice-based training credentials, based on input from local employers, to prepare students for high-demand, middle-skill careers that offer a family-sustaining wage. Commerce Bank, Bank of America, Enterprise Holdings and others served in an advisory role to ensure the new Customer Service credential curriculum meets the requirements of real-world positions.
“Rung is thrilled to have found a like-minded partner in Maryville University that shares our vision of ensuring that everyone has the opportunity to find their individualized pathway to a family-sustaining salary,” said Leslie Gill, President of Rung for Women. “Together, we are matching employer needs with women who can meet the demands of a growing economy.”
“Rung is thrilled to have found a like-minded partner in Maryville University that shares our vision of ensuring that everyone has the opportunity to find their individualized pathway to a family-sustaining salary.” — Leslie Gill, President of Rung for Women.
Nationwide, women are losing jobs at a rate higher than men due to COVID-19. The new program seeks to provide opportunities for women to advance into middle skill positions that offer better pay and job security than other service or unskilled positions.
Rung conducted a labor market analysis on post-secondary credentialing options to meet the demands of the region’s employers, identifying talent gaps in the following fields: customer service, technology and healthcare. With its robust online education and workforce development programs, Rung chose Maryville University as the partner best equipped build out this new employer-responsive model.
“This partnership will be a model for the region and nation,” said Dr. Mark Lombardi, president of Maryville University. “It is not only creating essential access and opportunity to hard-working women who simply need further training to secure living-wage positions, it is precisely the kind of training higher education should provide to fill workforce gaps. Maryville has always advocated for meeting students’ needs no matter where they are on the educational continuum.”
“It is not only creating essential access and opportunity to hard-working women who simply need further training to secure living-wage positions, it is precisely the kind of training higher education should provide to fill workforce gaps. — Dr. Mark Lombardi, President of Maryville University
Beginning in mid-March, the first 100-member cohort at Rung will have the opportunity to participate in the new Customer Service credential program to become day-one job-ready. The course, developed by Maryville University curriculum designers, provides training for both job-specific skills, as well as professional “soft skills.” This approach enables women to learn specfic in-demand technical skills while establishing strong foundation upon which they can build a career beyond an entry level job, ascending the rungs of the career and economic ladder.
To support participants as they learn, Rung will provide additional wrap-around programs to help women address the barriers beyond education and training that can hinder a career change or upgrade: from a lack of time to affordability to childcare to supportive professional and personal networks, among others. Rung’s model of co-locating and coordinating educational, professional and economic resources, creates efficiencies, provides holistic support and a one-stop space for career and personal growth to women at no cost.
About Maryville University
Founded in 1872, Maryville University is a comprehensive and nationally ranked private institution with an enrollment of 10,200 students. Maryville offers more than 90 programs at the undergraduate, master’s and doctoral levels to students from 50 states and 58 countries. Among recent graduates, 97 percent are employed or attending graduate school.