University of Missouri–St. Louis Partners with Ziplines Education To Drive Workforce Development with Tech-Adjacent Skills Training

ST. LOUIS – (October 29, 2024) – To help career-driven professionals navigate and succeed in today's rapidly evolving landscape, the University of Missouri–St Louis (UMSL) today announced its launch of several new online programs being offered through the Advanced Workforce Center in partnership with Ziplines Education, a leading career accelerator focused on upskilling learners and earners at all levels. The partnership comes at a critical time as businesses increasingly seek talent with the digital and tech-adjacent skills necessary to thrive in a technology-driven world. 

The National Skills Coalition shows that while 92% of jobs now require digital skills, a significant portion of the workforce lacks them. UMSL will help equip learners with some of these skills by offering programs in Project Management, Product Management, AI Prompting, and Salesforce Administration.

“UMSL prides itself on offering accessible educational opportunities that meet workforce needs and increase the talent pool in the St. Louis region and beyond," said Reggie Hill, Vice Chancellor for Strategic Enrollment and Career Advancement at UMSL. “Our partnership with Ziplines Education enables us to offer high-impact, future-focused programs that equip our students with the digital and business skills necessary for success in today’s job market. By bridging the gap between education and industry, we empower individuals to take charge of their careers and thrive in a rapidly changing world."

Course highlights include: 

• Project Management learners can earn a Jira Software Essentials Associate Certification and 23 hours toward the Project Management Institute’s Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM) Certification.
• Product Management learners can earn Productboard’s Outcome-Driven Roadmaps Certification, Jira Software Essentials Certification, and Amplitude’s Getting Started with Amplitude Analytics Badge.
• Salesforce Administration learners will gain a comprehensive understanding of Salesforce fundamentals, ecosystem components, administration roles, and navigation interfaces. The course prepares learners for the Salesforce Administrator Certification by complementing the strategic skills needed on the job with the skills and topics covered on the exam.  
• AI Prompting learners complete the program, learning essential AI prompting skills using ChatGPT to develop and apply a professional AI toolkit, create custom GPTs, and learn to integrate AI strategies into business processes to enhance content creation, data analysis and visualization, and workflow optimization.

Students will complete the program with in-demand practical skills, a strategic playbook to showcase their new skills to employers, and a certificate of completion from the University of Missouri–St. Louis, in addition to industry-recognized certifications from platforms such as Salesforce and HubSpot. 

"In today’s fast-paced, technology-driven world, professionals across industries need more than just technical expertise—they need the skills to apply technology in ways that drive business outcomes,” said Sara Leoni, Founder and CEO of Ziplines Education. “Our partnership with UMSL gives learners opportunities for practical, industry-relevant training and unlocks new pathways for growth and innovation.”

For more information, and to enroll in programs, visit: https://www.umsl.edu/workforce/skills-lab/index.html

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About the University of Missouri - St Louis
The University of Missouri–St. Louis (UMSL) is the largest public research university in eastern Missouri, and the third largest in the state, priding itself on creating greater access to higher education and opportunity for its nearly 15,000 diverse students. UMSL confers nearly 3,000 degrees annually and offers a wide range of baccalaureate and master’s degrees, two education specialist degrees and 17 doctoral degrees, including the only professional doctor of optometry program in Missouri. Established in 1963 as the fourth campus of the University of Missouri System, UMSL boasts more than 117,000 alumni, 73 percent of whom live and work in the St. Louis region.

About Ziplines Education
‍Ziplines Education, an industry-leading education company, partners with universities to deliver industry-focused certificate courses that prepare professionals for today’s digital-first workforce. The award-winning industry innovator launched in 2017 as GreenFig and relaunched as Ziplines Education in early 2024. Today, dozens of leading U.S. colleges and universities, including the University of Virginia, University of South Florida, and UNC Charlotte, trust Ziplines Education as a continuing education partner, empowering individuals to confidently pursue the career they’ve always wanted. To learn more about the company, visit ziplines.com and follow them on @ZiplinesEducation on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube, and on @ZiplinesEdu on X.

Media Contacts:

University of Missouri–St. Louis
Steve Walentik
walentiks@umsl.edu
314-516-6690

Ziplines Education
Alyssa Miller
alyssa@ammediaworks.com
973-615-1292

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