How to Earn the Many Hats You Need in Today’s Workforce

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Today, a career is an evolution, a process. It’s just as important to make sure you’re getting an education at a high placement university as it is to know that you’re learning interdisciplinary skills that will help you succeed in a rapidly changing workforce. No matter where you are on your career path, there’s no reason to stay stagnant — you should learn how to forge a path above and beyond what is expected of you in your current job or career.

That next step mentality is what Villanova University’s College of Professional Studies embodies. Hinged on the philosophy of lifelong learning, Villanova’s curriculum is structured to help you develop skills in a variety of disciplines so you can become more marketable in the changing economy.

Deborah J. Tyksinski, PhD, Founding Dean of Villanova University College of Professional Studies (CPS) says, “At CPS, we prepare our learners to progress in their careers while scanning the horizon to align their skills with the changing employment landscape. It’s a constant reevaluation process. What can I do to build or expand my skills today to make me more marketable tomorrow? Your job isn’t the answer anymore — it’s your commitment to self-improvement and how your skills have evolved over time that’s the answer.”

Great candidates need to excel at interdisciplinary thinking. They need to possess skills that run the gamut, from computer programming and social media to interpersonal skills and business management. The linear career path is becoming extinct, but don’t worry: you can pivot and prepare.

Some of the future’s biggest jobs don’t exist yet, but at Villanova, you can prepare for them through multidisciplinary education, collaboration and critical thinking.

“One of the challenges that students are faced with today is preparing for jobs of the future that do not yet exist, and it’s really hard to craft an education and a career. That’s why we go back to the fundamental skills that need to be developed.” Through a curriculum driven by industry trends, Villanova helps students develop the breadth and depth of skills, applied and theoretical. The College’s new bachelor’s degree program for adults, the Bachelors in Administration and Management for Professionals (AMP), is an example of business driving technology based on industry demand and applied skills. The AMP degree was created due to the need for competent and skilled professionals at the management level. This degree equips students with, not only the business acumen, but also with the ability to strategically plan for the new technology landscape in collaboration with technology leaders in the organization. Other examples of new technology being built into programs are courses in automation and drones.

“You’re not going to come here, get a degree and be done. You’re coming here to learn multi-interdisciplinary skills and to have an exchange with the Villanova community, so that when you complete the degree, or earn the certificate, you’re still interacting with the community,” says Assistant Dean, Sandra Kearney. This is the value of lifelong learning, and in turn, an integral part of the education you receive at Villanova University College of Professional Studies.

For more information, visit villanova.edu.