Education & Workforce Development

Experts agree that creativity is critical to success in the future. But can creativity be taught? If so, how? Middle school teachers are finding answers to these questions in a program that aims to put today’s students on the path to success in tomorrow’s jobs.

This program has changed me; I’m truly a different person now than I was at the start of the year.” That’s how CHIP – the Caterpillar Hiring Innovation Program – student Cole Measheaw described his five months of hands-on training at Caterpillar East Peoria during a recent graduation ceremony filled with the students’ family, Caterpillar top leadership and CHIP organizers, members of the Peoria Public Schools and even local media.

Strengthening its commitment to equipping future leaders with the skills, experiences and networks necessary to succeed, The Ohio State University Max M. Fisher College of Business has announced the establishment of the ScottsMiracle-Gro Hagedorn Legacy Endowment, a $1 million fund to help students pursue their dreams of attending college.

To address the critical need to increase pollinator habitat for beneficial insects, such as honey bees, monarch butterflies and others, The Scotts Miracle-Gro Foundation and the National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA) have teamed up on a new “Parks for Pollinators” campaign aimed at raising public awareness of pollinator health and encouraging local action through public parks and pollinator gardens.

Sodexo, a food services and facilities management company committed to improving Quality of Life and student nutrition to nearly 400 school districts throughout the U.S, recently hosted The Kitchen Wars Challenge for Lakewood High School students in Lakewood, New Jersey. Teams of seven submitted recipes to compete in the “At the Movies...” themed event. Chef G. Garvin joined Diane Piasentini, Kevin Campbell, and Laura Winters from the Lakewood Public School District (LPSD) to serve as guest judges to determine the best team based on taste, presentation from the students, plate appearance, recipe knowledge and decor of their station.

Emphasizing the importance of workforce development and science, technology, engineering and math (STEM), Duke Energy recently awarded more than $1.56 million in grants to 46 Florida-based programs. The grants are administered through the Duke Energy Foundation, which provides philanthropic support to communities served by Duke Energy, with a focus on "K to Career" educational and workforce development initiatives, the environment and community impact.

On Friday at the 2018 KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship, golf’s greatest champion and acclaimed course designer Jack Nicklaus and his wife Barbara returned to Harbor Shores, host site of the Championship, to help announce an exciting new college scholarship program being created in their honor.

Technologies like AI, blockchain, and cloud are enabling us to make significant progress on many thorny social challenges. But without thoughtful stewardship about how these powerful new technologies are designed, developed and brought into the world, they can also be disruptive in a negative way. Companies that are leading the way in developing new technologies must also lead the way in ensuring they are secure, trustworthy, fair, and benefit all people.

National Geographic has joined forces with the Breakthrough Junior Challenge, an annual global competition for students, designed to inspire creative thinking about science.

Eight years ago, we set a goal to help create 1,000 community gardens and greenspaces and connect more people to the life-enhancing benefits of gardens and greenspaces. This May, we’ll realize that goal with the dedication of the thousandth GRO1000 garden in Columbus, Ohio.