About Us
Who are Business Champions?
Business Champions are unique leaders who are creating lasting changes so that more people earn credentials after high school and gain workforce skills with genuine economic value.
What is Business Champions, Inc?
Business Champions, Inc. builds the skills of our workforce by mobilizing the influence of business leaders to stimulate new thinking, strengthen political will, shape new policies, and reform systems so that more Americans earn degrees and credentials after high school. A national network of exemplary organizations and leaders, Business Champions, Inc. leverages the power of business leadership to build a skilled and credentialed workforce, creating greater opportunities for workers, companies and communities in the United States.
Our Premise
Business Champions, Inc. brings a dedicated focus on mobilizing the influence of business leaders. Our premise is simple: Business leaders have a stake in the success of efforts that address the urgent need for more workers to earn degrees and credentials after high school that prepare them with competitive skills and produce genuine economic value. Yet, in far too many communities and states, leaders from the business community aren't at the table in a strategic way that unleashes their power to support effective practice, innovative leadership and necessary policy reforms.
Making significant gains that improve the quality of the U.S. workforce and increase the proportion of Americans with high-quality degrees and credentials cannot be done by educators or government working alone. Innovators on the inside require the support of Champions from the outside who have the influence, connections, and tenacity to stand up for the reforms, support the leaders on the inside, and raise the stakes. Business leaders, in partnership with other stakeholders, must become involved as engaged and effective stakeholders.
What is our Approach?
We have specialized capacity and proven experience in the process of engaging business leaders in policy discussions related to community colleges, workforce development, postsecondary education, public/private partnerships, and skill development. Areas of expertise include:
- Facilitating and planning meetings that bring business leaders, policy makers, and other stakeholders together to identify opportunities and advance workforce development solutions.
- Helping leaders from business, government, philanthropy, and education with practical strategies that engage business leaders for lasting change.
- Identifying and spotlighting the practices of exemplary business leaders who advance solutions and leadership that expand opportunities for people to earn degrees and credentials.
- Uniting the growing network of exemplary business, community and philanthropic organizations committed to mobilizing business leaders as influencers who can support significant reform.
- Highlighting what is working across the country, identifying new resources, and providing practical strategies that enable business leaders to leverage their power so people get ahead, companies can compete and communities thrive.