The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Mercer University puts new emphasis on lifelong learning
As work life in the time of coronavirus has shifted, many employees have been re-evaluating and reconsidering their career options.
Helping people retrain and retool for new opportunities is precisely what Jeff Wolfe was hired to do a year ago, when he took the lead of
Mercer University’s Center for Executive Education.
Based on the Atlanta campus in northern DeKalb neurship, change manage- County, Wolfe became the ment, cybersecurity, music director of a center that has production, and leveraging offered continuing educa- technology and analytics for tion and lifelong learning financial innovation. Wolfe courses for years, but with- is working with experts to out the direction of a dedicreate and implement procated executive. grams for the public, as well
“In the past, the program as creating custom work- has been led by faculty mem- shops and seminars for corbers who were not only overporate clients. seeing Executive Education; Two new programs are they typically had a full load already on the fall sched- of teaching as well,” said ule. The first begins Sept. Wolfe. “One of the import12 and will educate particant aspects of this position ipants on the FAA regulais having someone attentive tions around commercial to it on a full-time basis who drone use. can run existing programs “Filmmakers, first-reand look at new ones. And sponders, construction comwe’ve had a number of peo- panies and agriculture, insur- ple reach out to us about ance and real estate induslearning new skills around tries are using drones now, starting their own business so there is a market for learnor getting back into the work- ing about them,” said Wolfe. force.” “If you’re a hobbyist, you
That feedback has inspired don’t need a certification, many of the courses being but if you’re using drones designed for early 2021. for commercial purposes, A mong them: entrepre- you do. We’ll teach the rules and regulations to sit for the FAA test.”
The second new offering, the Lean Six Sigma Yellow Belt certificate program, is a two-day, eight-hour session to explore the Lean Six management approach.
“It’s about eliminating waste, improving efficiency and working with process improvement,” said Wolfe.
“It started from the manufacturing industry, but it’s applied to the service industries as well as they look at reducing costs and increasing profitability. And there are a lot of other avenues it can apply to,” he added.
In October, the center is sponsoring workshops on women in leadership, led by Mercer faculty. Topics include effective negotiation skills, mindful leadership and leading teams.
But not all the programs are designed for working participants, Wolfe noted.
“Many of our programs are directed to individuals in the workforce or entering the workforce,” he said, “but my objective is to develop a variety of lifelong learning opportunities for individuals ranging in age from late teens to those in their 80s.”