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Colleges Across NU System Partner to Provide Coursera Career Academy for Online Professional Development

Business colleges at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL), University of Nebraska at Kearney, the University of Nebraska at Omaha, and the UNL College of Engineering partnered to provide discounted access to the global online learning platform Coursera for select alumni. These alumni will receive access to bite-size opportunities to upskill and reskill with industry leaders like Google, IBM, Microsoft, and Salesforce.

  • published: 2024/12/16
  • contact: Melissa Lindell Kozak - Sr. Director of Communications & Marketing, UNO CBA
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Business colleges at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL), University of Nebraska at Kearney, the University of Nebraska at Omaha and the UNL College of Engineering partnered to provide discounted access to the global online learning platform Coursera for select alumni. These alumni will receive access to bite-size opportunities to upskill and reskill with industry leaders like Google, IBM, Microsoft, and Salesforce.

"As part of our commitment to lifelong learning, the College of Business is proud to offer Coursera Career Academy to our alumni," said Kathy Farrell, James Jr. and Susan Stuart Endowed Dean of the College of Business. “This initiative provides an invaluable opportunity for our graduates to continue developing their skills through online courses directly aligned with the evolving demands of today’s workforce. Our alumni can stay competitive and further their careers in the ever-changing world of business while enhancing their engagement with Nebraska in a new, creative way.”

Select NU alumni can access several branded microcredentials within the Coursera Career Academy library, allowing alumni to tackle incremental branded credentials at a low cost and their own pace - tackling career credentials in Data Analytics, Cybersecurity, UX Design, Application Developer, and Social Media Marketer. Hands-on projects and interactive assessments will help you apply your skills in real-world scenarios and earn credentials to strengthen your resume.

“The skills needed to be successful in the workforce are changing so rapidly that we must provide easily accessible opportunities for our graduates to continue to grow. With this new partnership, we are making it easier for our graduate student alumni to stretch and polish their NU credentials, so they not only keep pace but move ahead of the rest of the workforce,” said UNO College of Business Dean Michelle Trawick. “We’re committed to giving you affordable, flexible access to high-quality training to help our students and alumni navigate today’s competitive and fast-changing job market. Those with specialized knowledge, high-demand professional skills, and a willingness to learn will stand out.”

The agreement is part of a commitment of Nebraska’s leading universities providing high-quality training that prepares learners for the demands of today’s workforce. Students can access hundreds of educational online courses and earn professional certificates and specializations through Coursera Career Academy. The courses and workforce skill plans are entirely online.

“Students are already seeing the benefits of this incredible opportunity,” said the UNK Associate Dean of Business & Technology, Frank Tenkorang. “Over 270 students have gained skills in Excel, CRM, Power BI, Python, and Gen AI skills through Career Academy courses embedded in their NU fall 2024 classes. Career Academy offers more than 60 professional certificates across disciplines such as Accounting, Economics, Marketing, Management, Industrial Distribution, and Business Analytics, and the number continues to grow. For students unable to complete a certificate during their studies, alumni licenses provide the flexibility to finish after graduation.”

The Career Academy also offers career discovery resources, from learning about entry-level roles and skill requirements to building confidence and developing a portfolio of work, providing one more way the University of Nebraska is working to prepare students for the global workforce.

"The College of Engineering is excited to offer additional high-quality, affordable learning opportunities for our alumni to support their lifelong learning and advance their careers in the engineering, computing and construction professions," said Lance C. Pérez, Fred Hunzeker Dean of Engineering. "Adding new credentials through Coursera provides our alumni with a flexible and respected tool to enhance their skills and carry on the college's mission to solve problems of global importance."

Each college will reach out to select alumni to register for the Coursera Career Academy starting on January 1, 2025, with the opportunity to access the Coursera Career Academy Courses. To learn more about Coursera Career Academy, click here.