Education report: new approaches to mid-career moves continuing education evolves to meet professional objectives.

• Author: Taylor, Mike
• Position: SPECIAL SECTION

Going back to school as a mid-career professional isn't what it used to be. Now, along with graduate programs in areas such as business administration, accounting and finance, there are certification tracks for computer programming and software coding that are designed--and often guaranteed--to yield high-paying jobs upon completion. Even the time-honored MBA, once viewed chiefly as a stepping stone to upper-management, is increasingly a chosen path for budding entrepreneurs as well.

Of course, the internet continues to influence how higher education is delivered and consumed. An early pioneer of online education, Colorado State University's College of Business was recognized as an outstanding provider of online graduate education programs by U.S. News and World Report for 2016. CSU's College of Business also offers six on-campus graduate business programs and an Executive MBA Program in Denver.

According to Sanjay Ramchander, associate dean for academic programs at CSU, more than 80 percent of students from the school's Online Professional MBA program report a pay increase of $10,000 or more after graduation.

The University of Colorado has long been known for fostering alliances between academic research and commercial enterprise. The school's Office of Industry Collaboration promotes and supports synergistic opportunities for engagement between CU Boulder and industry, whether it's helping a company identify an academic partner or prospective employees, develop employee education and training opportunities, cultivate new product ideas, or promote itself to future employees and customers.

Turning ideas and innovation into viable businesses is the essence of entrepreneurism. The University of Denver Daniels College of Business showed its commitment to that process as it hosted three events at Denver Startup Week in mid-September. The school even brought in entrepreneurs and venture capitalists from Israel to speak on subjects such as "Entrepreneurial Ecosystems Across Borders," "Energy, Clean Tech and a Secure Energy Future in the U.S. and Israel," and "Investment, Capital and International Economic Partnerships."

Among other area campuses with offerings catering to enterprise-minded students, the University of Colorado Denver Business School offers an MBA with specialization in entrepreneurship. UCD's Jake Jabs Center for Entrepreneurship is described by the school as a "new idea laboratory" geared to students looking to start their own businesses.

A highlight of the center is the Jake Jabs Business Plan Competition for collegiate startups based in Colorado, Wyoming, Montana, New Mexico and Arizona, as well as non-collegiate startups in Colorado. Dubbed THE CLIMB, the event is a five-stage competition that helps entrepreneurs transform concepts into viable businesses through mentorship, education, financial support and real-world business exchanges.

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