We Caught up with Dr. Ed Moore to Discuss the Future of Talent
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We recently caught up with Dr. Ed Moore, President of the Independent Colleges and Universities of Florida, to discuss the future of talent- and what Florida needs to do to become a global talent magnet in 2030 and beyond. View our three part interview with Dr. Ed Moore below.
The World of Tomorrow: Teachers, Technology and Talent
“The information highway is just as important as the interstate highway, moving forward.”
By 2030, approximately 60 percent of Floridians will have to have either a degree or a high quality certificate. While Florida continues to move in the right direction, there are unique challenges and opportunities we must consider. In the above video, Dr. Moore give his thoughts on connectivity, the need for teachers and provides his advice to business and policy leaders:
On connectivity:
Critical to the discussion on this is the broadband access we’ve mentioned before- no matter where you live in Florida, you ought to have an opportunity to get online and have large amounts of data- which is required in these online programs- and have it accessible to you… having people have access to the information they need to improve their skills, and build that toolbox they need to compete, is critical for us to grow as a state… You can’t attract business to a community if the people in that community aren’t online.
On preparing the next generation of teachers:
I think we are headed for a crisis… In 1975, 22 percent of the people going to college were majoring in education. Less than 1 in 10 are now… All the things we have to have happen start with that person in the classroom- and we’re producing fewer of them. And that trend line is down, not up.
His advice to business and policy leaders?
Get involved, get engaged. If you have a college in your community, whether it’s a private of public institution, know the people there. Make sure they know your needs and then you help them with their needs. Adopt a high school, adopt a middle school- the more we can have that informal connectivity that goes on, the better we will be… If we don’t know what you need, we don’t know where you want us to go.
Developing Skills Tomorrow’s Talent Needs
“It’s the whole package of higher education.”
The 30 members of the Independent Colleges and Universities of Florida graduate 40 percent of the master’s degrees and about 1/3 of the total degrees baccalaureate and above in Florida. The alumni are focused on innovation and how to develop the next generation of talent, which means an emphasis on both soft and hard skills.
What we try to do at our institutions is provide both [soft and hard skills]. We can’t lose sight of the value of liberal arts education because liberal arts education provides a lot of those soft skills…it’s the whole package of higher education and having all these opportunities available at one institution.
Success Pivots off of Talent
“Florida is the epicenter of growth for the hemisphere.”
Florida’s business community is telling us that success in the long-term for Florida has to pivot off of talent. Dr. Ed Moore shares his thoughts on the main issues we need to address to remain competitive:
On flexibility and communication:
Our institutions are learning to be flexible. Communication with business in their areas and statewide- a lot of our schools are regional, national or international. Having a vision within those institutions. Florida is the epicenter of growth for the hemisphere and our institutions have to be postured to meet the needs of that growth.