Strategic Enterprise Education? & Baseball

Sometimes it’s difficult to explain what you and your company does when it’s never been done before. For me, that’s when I comfortably default to sports analogies -- the universal language that many of us love and understand. Sports fans have been experiencing a tremendous void since the CV-19 crisis closed our favorite stadiums around the world. So I decided to have some fun and “take a swing” at bringing back a little baseball into our complicated lives by drawing a comparison of America’s pastime with InStride’s Strategic Enterprise Education?.

Pre-Game Commercial: Strategic Enterprise Education?

So what’s this thing that my company InStride does that hasn't been done before? We are a public benefit company whose mission is to develop the workforce of the future by helping large organizations provide career-boosting, life-changing opportunities to their employees, while strengthening their competitive advantage. 

This is when many people say, “Oh, you mean a tuition reimbursement program, right? Yea, I think my company offers but I don't know anyone who takes advantage of it.” That’s exactly the problem! That’s why InStride was founded by TPG and ASU, and why baseball can help explain the revolutionary movement we are championing.  

We accomplish our mission by delivering what we call Strategic Enterprise Education? (SEE), a customized approach to using education as a strategic business growth driver. I want to focus on how SEE is incredibly powerful to companies that are more technology-oriented and staffed predominantly by “knowledge workers.” And what company nowadays does not have a major technology component, especially in this new work-from-home world?  

So let’s “step up to the plate” and explain how SEE works.

Introducing, Today’s Lineup....

Business and baseball are both team sports, so every manager, coach and player is critical. Undoubtedly, the folks who run these businesses and teams need to invest in their players, both to recruit them and to develop their talents throughout their careers. 

In baseball, the top of the lineup is the first four batters -- they require the biggest investments because they come to the plate the most often. Let’s assume that the top of the lineup is made up of knowledge workers in high demand of technical skills. Although they may already have a degree and/or technical certifications, investing in their skills is imperative. But what is the right skill/education investment for those players and for the team? This is where SEE connects the dots, optimizing productivity and maximizing chances for success. 

So here is an illustration, with a little help from my wonderful InStride colleagues and newfound actors, Tera Hudson, JT Kim, Amulia Nambiar and Jake Siegler, of the power of SEE for knowledge workers.

Hey Batter Batter… 

Batter #1: Tera

Athletic Persona: Like most leadoff hitters, Tera’s priority is to get on base. She has good speed to stretch a single into a double and can steal a base at any time. She’s young, fast and unpredictable. 

Business Persona: Much like her baseball personality, Tera is also a hard-working full-stack programmer with a ton of energy and ambition, but is known for having a short attention span. She’s not interested in going back to school, but knows she is a fast learner and is willing to invest in doing “snackable and stackable” technical trainings to move up the ladder quickly in her department. 

SEE Path: Thanks to the SEE program at her company, Tera is plowing her way through multiple short 2-4 month technical certificate programs offered by the University of Washington Career Accelerator. These are non-credit, skills-based certificate programs that offer in-depth asynchronous training in Data Analytics, Digital Marketing, Front End Development, Python, and Data Science. Her skill keep getting more and more valuable.

Batter #2: JT

Athletic Persona: JT is the prototypical #2 hitter -- a dependable and consistent team player who can be trusted to move the leadoff hitter into scoring position by any means. He rarely strikes out and gladly will sacrifice bunt to help the team score runs.  

Business Persona: JT is a seasoned digital marketer who has a thirst for knowledge and for helping his company be successful. Similar to how he plays baseball, he is willing to embark on any educational path that supports his and his team’s goals. 

SEE Path: JT is enrolled in a 9-12 month Graduate Certificate in Digital Audiences program which prepares learners to understand how to communicate with digital audiences across platforms. This for-credit program is offered by  the Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Arizona State University, widely regarded as one of the premier communications schools in the U.S.. Once completed, JT plans to enroll in the 12-15 month master’s degree program at Cronkite to gain additional background in digital analytics, management, and campaigns.

Batter #3: Amulia

Athletic Persona: The 3rd, 4th and 5th hitters in the lineup are considered "the heart of the order," and Amulia is the ideal player to be there. She has an uncanny ability to get on base, hit for power and drive in runs due to her hyperfocus, competitiveness and intense work ethic. 

Business Persona: Just like on the field, Amulia is very focused and passionate about her role at the company as a developer of financial software. Luckily for her, Amulia’s employer offers the perfect educational opportunity for her to propel her career and contribute to the company in very meaningful ways. 

SEE Path: Dublin City University offers the ideal program for Amulia, a new online Fin-Tech micro credential. This 12-week graduate level program prepares mid-career professionals with an understanding of new financial market dynamics influenced by emerging technologies and advances in information and communications. Amulia is fired up, ready to learn some new skills and build some new business relationships with peers. 

Batter #4: Jake

Athletic Persona: Jake hits dingers...often! He’s a veteran who has been in the league for almost twenty years and is seeking to pass Babe, Hank and Barry as the all-time home run king. Despite his success, he is still one of the humblest and hardest workers in the league. 

Business Persona: Jake has a similar outlook and personality in the office as on the baseball diamond. He is a highly accomplished and respected executive who is constantly seeking ways to improve himself as a leader, especially informed by data and technology. 

SEE Path: Throughout his illustrious career, Jake has taken multiple 8-week long classes at Harvard Business School Online. HBSO provides non-credit, cohort-based opportunities for learners to acquire business management training from world-class HBS faculty in blended-format online classes. After having completed Leadership Principles, Management Essentials and Negotiation Mastery last year, Jake is currently enrolled in Business Analytics and particularly enjoys interacting with learners from different industries and cultures from around the world.

Play Ball!

Just as the top athletes work with the best coaches and training practices to complement their personalities and goals, SEE employs these same concepts for businesses within any industry. SEE matches personas and skills needs with the best skill-building opportunities that exist, delivered by the highest quality online institutions in the world. 

Education for all means power and equality for all -- SEE gives smart and innovative companies the opportunity to make a meaningful and significant difference to the people who have chosen to play for their respective teams. SEE is also a common sense business decision that delivers astronomical goodwill and ROI.

In this sport, everybody wins!