The pilot course, 鈥淗R Essentials: What You’re Expected to Know,鈥� will run April 1鈥�22 at the Reynolds Business Building. The program prepares entry-level HR professionals, career changers, business owners, and organizational leaders with practical training in compliance, documentation, employee relations, and workplace risk management.

鈥淭his is exactly the kind of program our new Workforce Development Center was created to deliver,鈥� said Nick Stevens, director of Corporate and Community Education. 鈥淲e work closely with industry leaders to identify real workforce gaps and respond with relevant, high-impact training. By piloting programs like this, we鈥檙e building scalable pathways for professional advancement and strengthening Arkansas鈥� workforce.鈥�

The university partnered with Gina Smith, PHR, MA, CEO of Rock Region Consulting, Inc., and a board member of the Central Arkansas Human Resources Association (CAHRA), the local affiliate of the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), to integrate direct industry insight into the course design.

Rock Region Consulting provides human resource consulting, compliance guidance, and workforce development training to organizations across Arkansas.

鈥淥rganizations need HR professionals who are prepared before they鈥檙e faced with high-stakes decisions,鈥� Smith said. 鈥淭his program blends core knowledge with applied learning so participants leave with practical skills they can immediately use. We鈥檙e proud to partner with 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock to strengthen the HR talent pipeline in our region.鈥�

糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock maintains long-standing partnerships with CAHRA and continues building relationships across the professional HR community to ensure programs remain responsive to workforce needs.

As part of Corporate and Community Education鈥檚 expanded professional development strategy, the pilot will inform the launch of additional HR continuing education and certification preparation opportunities for working professionals, alumni, and current students in the School of Business. Registration is now open for the April cohort.

Learn more about the program or register here:
/continuingeducation/professional-development/hr-professional-essentials/

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The course begins January 26 and will meet Monday evenings from 5鈥�7 p.m. in the Reynolds Business Building. It is open to nurses, doctors, pharmacists, administrative staff, and other professionals with little to no prior Spanish experience.

Participants will learn essential vocabulary, explore grammar fundamentals, and gain cultural insights to help build trust and overcome language barriers in clinical environments.

鈥淜nowing some Spanish in the medical field is no longer just a career advantage鈥攊t鈥檚 becoming essential,鈥� said Rex Wilkins, Ph.D., assistant professor of Spanish at 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock. 鈥淔rom physicians to front desk personnel, bilingual professionals can make a significant impact on patient outcomes and may even earn up to 20% more in salary than their monolingual peers.鈥�

The course will be taught by Mercedes Rodriguez, a Spanish instructor at 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock with extensive experience in both language education and medical interpretation. She emphasized the real-world impact of even basic language skills in healthcare, noting that when professionals speak to patients in their own language鈥攅ven just a little鈥攊t can change the interaction. 鈥淚t builds trust and helps deliver better care,鈥� she said.

Nick Stevens, director of Corporate and Community Education, emphasized that the course reflects the university鈥檚 commitment to regional workforce development.

鈥淥ur goal is to identify training needs across Arkansas and match them with the expertise of our faculty,鈥� Stevens said. 鈥淭he Medical Spanish Jumpstart course is a great example of how 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock is developing programs that serve both professionals and the community.鈥�

To learn more or register to take part, visit ualr.edu/extended.

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The University of Arkansas System Board of Trustees approved the new center during its Sept. 26 meeting. Housed within the Office of Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost Ann Bain, the Workforce Development Center brings together four existing units 鈥� Concurrent Enrollment, Corporate and Community Education, Study Abroad, and University Career Services 鈥� under one strategic umbrella. The goal is to enhance collaboration, optimize resources, and align the university鈥檚 efforts with state and regional workforce priorities.

鈥淭he Workforce Development Center gives us the unique opportunity to support learners from age 14 through retirement,鈥� said Dr. Aaron Duvall, executive director of workforce development, who leads the new center. 鈥淥ur mission is to equip students and professionals with the skills and credentials that employers are seeking while helping companies across Arkansas upskill their workforce. We want to start by actually listening to business and industry leaders in our community and design programs and certifications that they value and need. Workforce development cannot happen in silos.鈥�

The Workforce Development Center will serve as a central hub for aligning academic programs with non-credit courses and expanding opportunities for learners. Among its priorities are:

路   Expanding non-credit workforce pathways through Corporate and Community Education

路   Developing new certificates of proficiency that meet industry needs

路   Increasing internship opportunities through University Career Services

路 聽 Broadening career and technical education opportunities for high school students through Corporate and Community Education

路   Creating tools for workforce data collection and assessment

路   Evaluating prior learning assessment across the university

路   Expanding global workforce experiences, such as global internships, through Study Abroad

路   Supporting grant writing for workforce-related initiatives

Provost Bain said the creation of the center reflects 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock鈥檚 commitment to both student success and Arkansas鈥檚 economic vitality.

鈥淭his center is about more than connecting students with jobs,鈥� Bain said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 about strengthening Arkansas鈥檚 economy by preparing graduates to meet workforce demands, supporting employers in developing their talent pipelines, and creating opportunities that benefit entire communities.鈥�

The Workforce Development Center will build upon the success of 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock鈥檚 Corporate Partnerships Program, which offers employees of partner companies a 10 percent tuition scholarship, a $25-per-credit-hour book scholarship, and a waived application fee. This fall alone, the program has seen nearly 475 enrollments from 130 corporate partners. Since 2022, more than 1,500 students have participated, generating an estimated financial impact of nearly $5 million.

The Workforce Development Center will also house the newly formed Workforce Development Center Council, a group of faculty, staff, and administrators from across the university. The council will meet regularly to share insights on workforce trends in their fields, ensuring the center鈥檚 initiatives remain responsive to changing needs in the state and region.

By uniting these efforts under one umbrella, 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock is positioned to help students succeed in their careers while supporting businesses and industries with the talent and training they need to grow.

鈥淭his is a space for collaboration,鈥� Duvall said. 鈥淲hether you鈥檙e a student, alumni, or employer, we want to work together to make sure 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock is providing the right pathways for Arkansas鈥檚 workforce now and in the future.鈥�

糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock invites community members, alumni, employers, and industry leaders to partner in shaping the future of workforce development in Arkansas. Those interested in sharing ideas, identifying workforce needs, or exploring partnership opportunities are encouraged to contact Duvall at aduvall@ualr.edu.

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