Firms partner with CU Denver Business School to develop talented workforce of future
DENVER—The CU Denver Business School is partnering with six leading financial services companies and the Metro Denver Economic Development Corporation (MDEDC) to develop talented workers for the fast-growing financial services sector.
The innovative class, an introduction to financial services, will launch this summer and is open to business students as well as non-business majors who are interested in learning more about the field. The course, developed by CU Denver Business School faculty along with professional financial advisors, will provide an overview of the dynamic financial services and investments industry and feature guest speakers who will share further insights into the profession.
The undergraduate, one-credit course was made possible through contributions from partners in the Colorado Investment Services Coalition (CISC). Additional funding is expected for the pilot, which includes class-specific scholarships available to students who enroll in either of the first two sessions; the second class is expected to be offered in spring 2016.
Consortium members include Charles Schwab & Co., Fidelity Investments, Janus Capital Group, OppenheimerFunds, T. Rowe Price, TIAA-CREF and MDEDC.
“The consortium partners are looking to solve the issue of future shortages in their talent pipeline,” said Associate Dean of Programs Dawn Gregg, PhD, MS, MBA. “This is a great opportunity for both Business School students as well as non-business students. It’s a good career path.”
Denver is fast becoming an employment hub for the industry. Charles Schwab & Co., for example, is developing a 47-acre Schwab campus in Lone Tree that will have a capacity for about 4,000 workers. The need for financial service professionals is steadily increasing as the baby boomer generation moves in greater numbers toward retirement.
“These companies hire students from a variety of disciplines, not just Business School students,” Gregg said. “They’re looking for students who are good at working with people.”
Given that the CU Denver Business School has partnerships with hundreds of local businesses, it’s easy to see why the CISC chose to partner with the Business School in an effort to strengthen the industry’s labor pool. The class is expected to accommodate 30 to 35 students in each session.
“We’re pleased that the consortium was interested in working with us on developing this class,” Gregg said. “Students will get a clear understanding of basic financial service skills, terminology and career paths. It’s a terrific opportunity for them.”
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