In a recent article titled “College Ed Must Adapt or Die”, Jason Wingard, the President of Temple University in Pennsylvania wrote: “Consider this my burning platform memo for higher ed.” Wingard was referring to the now famous memo by the Nokia CEO in 2011 in which he referred to the company’s position as “standing on a burning platform.” The story was of an oil rig worker, trapped on a burning oil rig, who faced the choice to stay and face the flames or jump almost 100 feet into the icy North Sea and hope for rescue.
There is a crisis happening in higher education right now, and if it were any other type of business, there would be widespread panic. We see strong warning signs that indicate the house is on fire. We have options available to us now, but we must act before it is too late, and we end up trapped in a burning building.
Let’s look at the signs and potential solutions that shifting to a skills focus present.
