Thriving in Times of Change

From personal enrichment to career advancement, lifelong learning is the vehicle of individual progress in today’s world. Advances in technology keep things evolving at a speed no generation has seen before. In fact, 87% of workers believe they will soon need additional training to keep up with their changing workplace, according to a Pew Research Study. While the rapid pace of change can be challenging, you've continued to persevere, knowing the investment will give you the competitive edge you need to thrive in your industry and career.

We know you have a choice when it comes to pursuing ongoing professional education, and we work hard to help you navigate long-term career success. In the 2019 fiscal year, we delivered professional development programs to more than 28,000 learners worldwide as well as online degree programs to more than 14,000 graduate and undergraduate students. You've been actively expanding your knowledge and skills, as well as building a larger professional network.

Knowing you seek programs that will prepare yourself and your organization for growth, we've also kept busy this year. As your trusted partner in innovative and alternative learning options, we spent 2019 launching new programs, setting record enrollments, and implementing countless process and platform improvements to help you keep pace with the accelerating workforce. Here's five of our favorite moments from the past year.

A Celebration of First Graduates

The first cohort of the Professional Master's in Occupational Safety and Health (PMOSH) graduated alongside the Applied Systems Engineering and Manufacturing Leadership programs and marked the largest graduation to date. The PMOSH program was the first of it's kind in the state of Georgia and delivers safety and health professionals that are equipped and ready to manage the challenges of an ever-demanding workforce.

Progress as an Education Innovation Leader

The American workforce is in flux like never before, from rapidly advancing technology to longer lives and careers. As a result, universities are tasked to supply learners with new skills and competencies to keep pace with career realities. From authoring articles about lifetime learning to releasing a report on the evolving higher education landscape and hosting our fourth Affordable Degrees-at-Scale Symposium, we supported a culture of educational innovation and shared it with our learners, campus partners, and peers in higher education.

An Expansion of Boot Camps

As the future needs of the workplace continue to evolve, the skill sets required to harness and leverage these advances is also expanding. To accommodate the growing need for these in-demand skills, we added two additional boot camp offerings in cybersecurity and user design. Offered nights and weekends in Atlanta, Savannah, and Peachtree Corners, our boot camps provide working professionals hands-on training to master specialized skills needed to switch careers, upskill, or even launch their own startups.

Lifetime Learner's Achieve Success

The need for lifelong learning has been reflected in the changing student demographics at Georgia Tech. Over the past two years, lifetime learner enrollments have grown 17% and embody nearly half of the university's total student population. While lifetime learners have many reasons to pursue professional education, one reason remains the same for all: return on investment. Here are some examples of the impact lifetime learning has had on GTPE learners over the last year.

The Launch of a New Degree

We launched our third at-scale online degree program and welcomed our first cohort of students. Designed to address a severe global workforce shortage in the field, the Online Master of Science in Cybersecurity program integrates disciples in information security, energy systems, and policy. This cross-disciplinary thinking not only allows for a holistic approach to complex problems, but also embraces the "hybrid" thinking that is necessary to thrive in the modern workforce.

As you can see, this was a big year both for GTPE and for those we serve and 2020 looks sure to deliver as well. Whether your career journey leads to a master's degree, boot camp, certificate, or course, we hope that you continue to choose Georgia Tech Professional Education. Interested in more of what we have been up to? The GTPE 2019 Impact Report spotlights the work we've done throughout the year and our ongoing commitment to learning for a lifetime.