Walmart, AT&T, Hilton, Strada Education Network, LinkedIn among participants at the Fifth Annual Close It Summit; participants will explore the role of emerging technologies in hiring, training, and talent strategies
CHICAGO, IL – Innovate+Educate (I+E), today, announced its lineup of speakers for the 5th Annual Close It Summit, which will be held at Chicago’s historic Palmer House Hilton from September 25 – 27, 2017. Each year, the Summit brings together a diverse, cross section of participants, including chief learning and HR officers, education providers, philanthropists, investors. On September 27, former U.S. Secretary of Education, Arne Duncan, will present high school diplomas to graduates of Chicago CRED, a unique program which exemplifies the potential for new educational models to create economic opportunity for job-seekers.
“Employer reliance on degrees and other proxies for pedigree in the hiring process is not only hampering economic growth – it is destroying the American Dream for too many job seekers,” said Ryan Craig, author of College Disrupted: The Great Unbundling of Higher Education and co-founder of University Ventures. “The shift toward competency-based hiring has massive potential to unlock economic opportunity; but it requires unprecedented cooperation among educators and employers. Close It is the only conference where educators and employers come together.”
"Employer reliance on degrees and other proxies for pedigree in the hiring process is not only hampering economic growth – it is destroying the American Dream for too many job seekers.”
— Ryan Craig, author of College Disrupted: The Great Unbundling of Higher Education and
Co-Founder, University Ventures
This year’s theme “Shift Happens: Revolution” elevates tools and strategies that are creating pathways to employment and expanding opportunity for millions of Americans. Key strategies include a framework for employer adoption around assessment, training, hiring, and advancement. “Technology is the critical foundation from which competency-based training, hiring, and education can thrive,” said Innovate+Educate CTO Stephen Yadzinski. “For four years running, The Close It Summit features state of the art tech that removes friction in the labor market, connects people to training, and supports pathways resulting in sustained economic security for millions of Americans.”
"...The Close It Summit features state of the art tech that removes friction in the labor market, connects people to training, and supports pathways resulting in sustained economic security for millions of Americans.”
— Stephen Yadzinsk, CTO, Innovate+Educate
The Summit dives deep into the latest innovations supporting The Shift and explores new companies, models, pathways and new players that are rapidly entering the market. Feature partners include Strada Education Network, AT&T, Walmart/Walmart Giving, Rockefeller Foundation, ACT and University of Maryland University College. More than 100 speakers, over 50 sessions and 30 Ed & Employment Tech showcase companies will participate in the Summit. Honorable Secretary Arne Duncan will graduate Chicago CRED students on the main stage.