PRESS RELEASES
HootSuite and Syracuse University Deliver Courseware for New Generation of Social Media Professionals
HootSuite University, an educational program offered through the HootSuite social media management dashboard, launches their Higher Education Program with their first partner, S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University.
VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA – January 24, 2012 - Today, HootSuite University announces the launch of their Higher Education Program and their first partnership with S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University. This partnership addresses the growing demand for social media professionals in today’s evolving job market.
HootSuite University’s Higher Education Program provides professors and students free access to HootSuite Pro and HootSuite University’s online courseware in an effort to help increase student’s digital awareness and build their social media skills.
WANTED Analytics, an agency that provides real-time business intelligence for the talent marketplace, states, “Social media as a skill set, has reached new levels.” The agency claims that over the past year, the hiring demand for various social media skills has almost doubled. Although there is an increase of available jobs, a 2011 study from ManpowerGroup found that 52% of US employers had difficulties filling jobs because candidates lacked the ‘hard’ technical skills required of today’s jobs.
Ryan Holmes, HootSuite CEO, chalks this phenomena up to the rapid changes taking place in the job market. “Three years ago, the job titles of social media manager and community manager were nonexistent, today they are the hottest, high growth roles in business,” he notes. “In preparing for the massive demand by enterprise, HootSuite is excited to be working with Newhouse School at Syracuse University, allowing each student the opportunity to receive certification through HootSuite University.”Participation in HootSuite University’s Higher Education Program allows Newhouse students to complement the theory learned in their Newhouse social media classes with the hands-on experience of managing their own social media dashboard.”
“The value that HootSuite University courseware provides to students is the opportunity to engage with the material at their own pace combined with the hands-on experience and technical skills of integrating and managing multiple social media accounts in one place,” said Dr. William J. Ward, the social media professor at Newhouse responsible for integrating the courseware into his classes.
During the 90-day program, students will have access to HootSuite University’s online courseware, which will walk them through the fundamentals of creating and managing social profiles for businesses. After completion of the course, students will have the opportunity to earn their HootSuite Certification, which publicly highlights their proficiency and provides them with recognized credentials to carry beyond their graduation.
Courseware is made available to S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University through HootSuite University’s Higher Education Program, which is currently in closed beta. For professors interested in participating, please find more information on our website.
Release MaterialsBlog Post: http://blog.hootsuite.com/hootsuite-university-highered-syracuse
For more information about HootSuite, and to arrange an interview with CEO Ryan Holmes, email: media (at) hootsuite (dot) com and/or visit the media kit: http://blog.hootsuite.com/media/
