Associate VP Workforce Development

Temporary/Permanent: Permanent

Funding:
General Funds

The Associate Vice President (AVP) for Workforce Development oversees workforce education as a unified, agile, and industry-aligned ecosystem.

Reporting to the Vice President for Academic Strategy, the AVP will serve as the primary architect for a cohesive workforce strategy across UH’s 10 campuses (seven community colleges and three universities). This leader will bridge the gap between academia and industry, ensuring that UH meets the current labor needs of the State of Hawai‘i.

• Unify a workforce ecosystem related to credit and non-credit programs, and between 2-year and 4-year campuses, to enhance career pathways (e.g., stackable credentials) that allow learners to move fluidly from short-term training to advanced degrees.
• Advance system-wide policy and practices to support the expansion of Credit for Prior Learning (CPL) opportunities, which include awarding credit for college level learning acquired through degree- and non-degree granting institutions, university and college-based continuing education programs, professional and military training, work and life experiences, and other non-collegiate opportunities for learning.
• Lead the development and execution of a system-wide "Workforce Master Plan" that aligns with the State’s economic priorities and the University of Hawai’i Strategic Plan (Imperative II: Meet Hawai‘i Workforce Needs).
• Audit existing workforce programs across the University of Hawai‘i System to identify redundancies, scale successful pilot programs (e.g., Good Jobs Hawai'i), and centralize shared resources for efficiency.
• Collaborate with University of Hawai‘i faculty to develop resources to equip faculty to incorporate industry-relevant skills in courses.
• Cultivate entrepreneurial thinking across all campuses by integrating entrepreneurship education through collaboration with faculty into curricula, supporting student and faculty startups, and building partnerships with local businesses, incubators, and investors. Ensure resources, mentorship, and experiential learning opportunities to empower learners to innovate, launch ventures, and contribute to Hawai‘i’s economic diversification.

• Serve as the primary point of contact for major industry associations, the Chamber of Commerce, and the State Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism (DBEDT).
• Engage with Industry Sector Councils (e.g., IT/Cybersecurity, Healthcare, Creative Media) to co-design curriculum, ensuring that University of Hawai‘i graduates possess the specific skills employers demand.
• Expand opportunities for work-based learning internships, apprenticeships, co-ops, and applied research collaborations by formalizing agreements with private sector partners and large state employers.

• Partner with the Hawai‘i Data Science Institute and UH Economic Research Organization (UHERO) to utilize real-time labor market data (LMI) to predict future skills gaps and pivot curriculum rapidly.
• Advocate the adoption of micro-credentials, digital badges, and competency-based education models to serve non-traditional learners and working professionals seeking upskilling.
• Lead large-scale grant applications (federal EDA, DOL, NSF) to secure funding for workforce initiatives that span multiple campuses.
• Adhere to applicable laws, regulations, and policies and procedures of the University, raise awareness among staff, and direct them in such a way that University compliance requirements are met. Identify and mitigate through policy development/revision/enhancement and training, areas of risk and developing risk to the University, e.g., legal, financial, reputation, and compliance risk, and ensure team is aware and focused on addressing same.

• In recognition of the University of Hawai‘i as a Native Hawaiian Place of Learning, ensure all workforce initiatives are culturally responsive and grounded in Native Hawaiian values (‘ike Hawai‘i), advancing equity for underrepresented populations.
• Engage with…