About the Program
Purpose
The Workforce Education and Development program is one of the largest organizational training and development programs in the United States. A recent external evaluation team recognized the program as "among the top ten in the nation." The graduate programs were listed among the top ten in the nation three times by U.S. News & World Report. Offering an array of innovative and flexible undergraduate and graduate programs, the program has more than 20,000 alumni.
The focus on broad workforce education and development initiatives is the result of a collective decision by the faculty to align programs relative to changing economic, education, demographic, legislative, and technological environments.
Vision and Mission
The vision of the faculty of the Workforce Education and Development program is to establish a collective sense of creative and intellectual inquiry and commitment to excellence in the workforce and in workplace education, training, development, and reform.
The program's mission is to help create a world-class professional and technical workforce based on values and respect for occupational competence, the dignity of work, equal education opportunity, and life-long learning.
History
The current program was created in 1973 in the School of Education from the former departments and faculties of Agricultural Education, Business Education, Home Economics Education, and Occupational Education under the name of Vocational Education Studies. In 1993, the program's name was changed to Workforce Education and Development.