OrthoWorx's Board of Directors committed $475,000 to fund a series of major initiatives in northern Indiana focused on several important topics, including workforce development and student retention.
"The orthopedic industry and the northern Indiana region are in a worldwide competition for talent," said OrthoWorx President and CEO Sheryl Conley. "Indiana colleges and universities produce excellent graduates, but many leave the state to build their careers. Over the past year we've been developing a comprehensive program to link our industry and university members more closely together to build a deeper understanding of each others' needs and capabilities."
The company's OrthoWorx University | Industry Advisory Board approved the program. Future initiatives include:
1. Pursing an experimental learning initiative among industry and academic members to expand internship, co-op and project experiences.
2. Commissioning a study to identify unmet education needs and talents/skills based on current needs, expected retirement and projected medical field changes.
3. Creating a value chain model illustrating the complex scope of the orthopedic industry and highlights for students and faculty the academic disciplines required to participate at each stop in the value chain.
4. Building an online portal for students and faculty members the ability to augment their education with real-world knowledge and experience from OrthoWorx industry members.
5. Developing and launching initiatives for young professionals to designed to deepen their connection with the community.
6. Developing an initiative for greater awareness and impact among students and faculty academic member institutions regarding positive community attributes and career opportunities.
The Orthopedics Capital Foundation and OrthoWorx will provide resource to jump start the initiative.