ASU, Tecmilenio University to advance workforce development training

With the goal of advancing professional development and career growth opportunities across North America, Arizona State University and Tecmilenio University, in Monterrey, Mexico, are strengthening their collaboration to close the gap between the talent currently available in Mexico and the skills most desired by employers, supported by innovative virtual education models and effective strategic alliances.

The collaboration incorporates learning offerings, including certificates and a course, from ASU’s Learning Enterprise portfolio into Tecmilenio’s Center for Competencies. 

Maria Anguiano, executive vice president of ASU Learning Enterprise, and Bruno Zepeda, rector of Tecmilenio, signed an agreement Friday, Sept. 30, in Mexico City, expanding the Mexican university’s academic portfolio.

The agreement expands Tecmilenio’s access to two certificate programs in project management as well as a course in managing processes available through ASU CareerCatalyst, the career education focus area within ASU’s Learning Enterprise, which collaborates with experts from across the university's schools and colleges in the development of career education programs. The enterprise has served more than 310,000 learners in the past year.  

“The U.S. and Mexico not only share a border and cultural ties, we also share a common goal to strengthen our ties through collaborations in education, research and innovation,” Anguiano said. “As innovative higher education institutions, ASU and Tecmilenio understand the importance of preparing a stronger workforce through cutting-edge learning opportunities as technology fuels rapid innovation and changes in workforce trends.”

The Mexico Institute of the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars reports that by 2030, up to 375 million workers globally might need to change occupations or acquire new skills, including up to 54 million U.S. workers and up to 7 million Mexican workers. Productivity and technology advances will eliminate some jobs, create new jobs and transform many others. In a recent ranking of who is ready for the coming wave of automation by the Economist Intelligence Unit, the U.S. was only ranked No. 9, with Canada at No. 5 and Mexico at No. 23, out of 25 countries. 

“Our vision at Tecmilenio is to improve the lives of millions of people. We are certain that this partnership, with the most innovative university in the United States, will allow us to continue offering high quality, accessible education and enabling our learners to acquire, grow and update the top skills required in today’s job market,” Zepeda said. 

The agreement strengthens ASU and Tecmilenio’s commitment to offer high quality, accessible and multicultural educational experiences that educate learners with technical skills for individual achievement and soft skills for collaboration. In addition, it will boost the program “Acceso ASU.” Its goal is to offer a multicultural experience to ASU students, by taking online courses at Tecmilenio, as part of their studies.

Bruno Zepeda, rector at Tecmilenio, and Maria Anguiano, executive vice president of the Learning Enterprise at ASU, spoke at an event to sign an agreement between the two institutions. Photo courtesy ASU Learning Enterprise