Meet Beth Lory, CCAPS's new business development representative
You know that the College of Continuing and Professional Studies (CCAPS) helps learners find the education that fuels their career aspirations. But did you know that CCAPS also works directly with employers to help them reach their organizational goals through education for their workforce? In an effort to more proactively engage with Minnesota employers, CCAPS is developing a new role and recently welcomed its first ever business development representative, Beth Lory, to fill it. Beth’s job will be to connect directly with Minnesota employers seeking to grow their businesses and connect their employees to the skills and education needed to accomplish that goal.
“We anticipate that Beth will create strong connections between the college and employers, aligning educational programs with workforce needs, and ultimately contributing to the professional growth and success of CCAPS students,” says Greg Harmon, CCAPS’s associate director of enrollment management. “Beth's proven track record establishing employer relations programs and her expertise in building and fostering relationships made her the ideal candidate. Her unique combination of skills, dedication, and a strong history of working with students and employers at the College of Liberal Arts (CLA) made her the ideal choice to lead CCAPS in achieving its employer engagement goals.”
Lory is in the early stages of familiarizing herself with the College, but thinks she’ll start by focusing on connecting employers with CCAPS’s noncredit professional development offerings. “For example, an organization might have a need for a group of their employees to learn project management or another skill set. My role is to work with that employer to determine which program would fit their goals or help facilitate the delivery of a tailored offering to their employees,” says Lory, who previously worked as the assistant director for employer and alumni engagement in CLA for more than 20 years.
“Since joining the team, Beth has made a positive impact by building strong connections with her teammates and program stakeholders,” says Harmon about Lory’s first weeks at CCAPS. “Beth's infectious enthusiasm and curiosity will foster a lot of good collaboration between employers and CCAPS. I look forward to Beth's contributions in supporting the College's employer engagement goals.”
When asked about what characteristic she’ll rely on to be successful in the position, Lory didn’t hesitate. “What is important in someone doing my job is a lot of listening, asking questions, and working collaboratively with clients and colleagues to determine the best path forward. I’m thrilled to be working with the dedicated staff at CCAPS and look forward to helping learners and employers of all kinds achieve their goals.”
“I love to talk to people, I love the energy, ideas, and questions generated from conversation, and the opportunity to help learners of all ages solve problems, especially when it comes to their professional and personal development. That’s why I’m so excited about this role. The opportunity to contribute to a fantastic and supportive climate and work with others who are committed to the CCAPS values of access, learning, inclusivity, collaboration and excellence is such an honor, and I want to continue to build on my success by supporting the continued success of CCAPS.
Interested in finding classes that are good fit for your employees? Visit our Workforce Development page for more information.
