Today, the Greater Washington Partnership announced that it has added new university and business partners to the Capital CoLAB (Collaborative of Leaders in Academia and Business). Marymount University was officially welcomed into the group on the academic side, while Deloitte US joined on the business side.
The Capital CoLAB, Greater Washington Partnership’s talent and skills initiative, is an action-oriented partnership that brings together the leaders of the region’s top academic institutions and largest employers to shape the diverse digital tech talent ecosystem. CoLAB’s programs span K-12 school districts, community colleges, universities and large employers who are all working to ensure that the Capital Region – from Baltimore to Richmond – offers pathways to digital tech employment while expanding and diversifying the learners who pursue it.
Marymount, with its main campus in Arlington, Va., and an enrollment of about 3,300 students, is well-equipped to maximize its CoLAB partnership.
“Our Strategic Plan vision at Marymount is to achieve national recognition for our unmatched, innovative curriculum, and that is why Capital CoLAB is an ideal partner for us,” said Dr. Irma Becerra, President of Marymount University. “While analytics, cloud computing and artificial intelligence may usually be associated with areas like IT and computer science, we recognize these fields are changing all disciplines. We are integrating these fields into all of our programs, from health care to interior design. We’re also planning to launch an engineering program that will expand STEM opportunities for our students.”
“These initiatives will result in the development of uniquely qualified talent which will take the Capital Region to the next level, and we’re proud to team up with Capital CoLAB to create tomorrow’s leading global knowledge hub.”
In Spring 2021, Marymount will launch the Digital Tech Credential program through Capital CoLAB – an effort to integrate digital and tech skills into higher education curricula with real-world applications. The credential is earned by completing a series of courses selected by the University, and is available to every enrolled student at no extra cost. This provides in-demand skills that further qualify students’ career track eligibility beyond a traditional four-year degree.
“We are excited to welcome Marymount and Deloitte into the CoLAB,” added Dr. Jeanne Contardo, Vice President and Managing Director of the Capital CoLAB. “Marymount University, with its driven leadership and faculty, as well as its diverse student population and industry-aligned programs, will be a key player in our efforts to reach 45,000 students with digital tech credentials – at least 50 percent of whom will be from underrepresented backgrounds – by 2025.”
