Riipen, 1200/555 West Hastings Street, Vancouver, BC (2026)

06/05/2026

Dr. Mara Woody, Riipen’s Director of Strategic Partnerships, explores why financial policy may be one of the most overlooked drivers of systems change in higher education and workforce development.

Drawing on examples from states like California, Colorado, Maryland, Georgia, and Virginia, Mara examines how funding can turn work-based learning from an isolated opportunity into a scalable infrastructure.

The takeaway is clear: where funding flows, systems follow.

This is not just about investment. It is about intentional design.

In the blog, Mara reflects on:
💡 How states are using funding to expand work-based learning
🤔 Why employer participation depends on reducing barriers
⭐ The difference between isolated programs and ecosystem investment
🤝 Why community and trust matter as much as policy
💰 How financial levers fit within the ADVE Framework

Read more and explore how financial policy can help systems move from intention to scale: https://hubs.li/Q04jy0Tq0

06/04/2026

Strada's recent research on entry-level hiring in the AI era is reshaping how a lot of academic leaders are thinking about experiential strategy.

The core finding is that employers are starting to view graduates with project-based learning experience as comparably valuable to candidates with internship experience. That equivalence is new, and it tells us something important about what employers are actually screening for.

Employers are increasingly looking for the durable human capabilities that AI cannot easily replace: communication, critical thinking, working through ambiguity, and the ability to deliver real professional work alongside real stakeholders. Those are exactly the capabilities authentic project-based work develops, which is why employers are reading PBL experience as a credible signal of professional readiness.

That changes what career-connected learning needs to deliver. The question employers ask is whether a graduate can do the work themselves, and project-based learning provides concrete evidence.

More on this signal and others in our upcoming research brief.

👉 Read Strada's full analysis: https://hubs.li/Q04k3M6F0

06/03/2026

Riipen is heading to the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) 2026 conference in Denver.

🍽️ On Wednesday, June 10, we’re sponsoring a luncheon session: “Scaling work-based learning: What it actually takes to reach every student”.

🎤 Moderated by Dr. Mara Woody, Riipen’s Director, Strategic Partnerships, the panel will feature Dr. Gabe Dunbar of Bowling Green State University, Christian Garcia of the University of Virginia, Melissa Martin of the Colorado Community College System, and Dr. Steve Russell of Bowling Green State University for a practical conversation on expanding access to meaningful, career-connected learning.

Are you headed to NACE 26? See you there!

05/29/2026

What does it actually take to scale systems change in higher education?

Dr. Mara Woody explores this question and more, highlighting what many institutions are asking: why do strong ideas, aligned partners, and promising pilots so often struggle to last? 🤔

Examining the role of convening as a powerful but often misunderstood lever for change, Mara argues that scaling work-based learning is not about creating more isolated programs. It is about building the infrastructure, trust, and community needed to sustain meaningful collaboration.

For academic leaders, policymakers, and institutions working to expand access to experiential learning, this perspective offers a thoughtful look at how ecosystems are built and sustained.

🔓 Unlock more now! https://hubs.li/Q04hS-Cp0

05/28/2026

Finding the right talent shouldn’t feel overwhelming.

💡 For Nicolas Frendo and the team at Acephalt Inc., FuturePath helped simplify the hiring process by connecting them with candidates aligned to the roles they actually needed to fill.

The result? Less time sorting through applications, less hiring stress, and more time focused on growing their engineering team.

🎥 Hear how FuturePath supported their hiring journey.

👉 Interested in connecting with skilled student talent? Learn more about FuturePath: https://hubs.li/Q04gpnrF0

This project is funded in part by the Government of Canada's Innovative Work-Integrated Learning Initiative.

The ideas, views and opinions in this publication belong to the author(s). They may not reflect those of the Government of Canada.

05/26/2026

From growing businesses to nonprofit organizations, employers are using Level UP to connect with talented students who can help bring fresh perspectives, valuable skills, and additional capacity to real projects and initiatives.

🌟 The experiences shared by organizations like Standout Boutique, Consider It Energy, and Life and Portraits highlight the impact students can have across a wide range of teams and industries.

Interested in participating in the next Level UP cohort? Employer applications for July 2026 are now open, and available spots are limited.

👉 Learn more and apply: https://hubs.li/Q04f-GY80

This project is funded in part by the Government of Canada's Innovative Work-Integrated Learning Initiative.

The ideas, views and opinions in this publication belong to the author(s). They may not reflect those of the Government of Canada.

05/25/2026

Riipen was on the ground across Canada in April, showing up to join in the conversations about entrepreneurship, talent, and the future of work while sharing how our Signature Programs — Labs, Level UP, and FuturePath — help organizations tap into skilled student talent and move real business projects forward.

Check out a few stops on our tour:

📌 Saskatchewan
Andrew Nguyen, Riipen's Employer Sales and Account Manager, attended Uniting the Prairies, a tech conference hosted by Co.Labs to connect leaders (like yours truly) across the Prairie startup ecosystem.

📌 Halifax
Kristin Spong, Riipen's Senior Manager, Employer Partnerships, and Solina Quinton, Riipen's Sales and Account Manager, joined the Startup Canada Tour, where entrepreneurs, support organizations, and community builders came together to share ideas, resources, and momentum.

And so much more to come!

Events like these matter because they bring people together, creating stronger pathways between learning and work.

🤝 Employers seeking emerging talent.
🎓 Educators preparing students for what comes next.
🛠️ Communities building stronger local economies.

👉 If you’d like to learn more about tapping into skilled student talent, book a call with our team today: https://hubs.li/Q04hhPNf0

These programs are funded in part by the Government of Canada's Innovative Work-Integrated Learning Initiative.

05/22/2026

📍 Stay informed on what’s shaping higher education, experiential learning, and the future of work with the new and improved Riipen Report.

🥑 From new initiatives and platform updates to insights from across our ecosystem, the newsletter highlights how real-world learning is evolving.

Read the latest edition here: https://hubs.li/Q04fPT-W0

👉 Subscribe now: https://hubs.li/Q04fQ6tk0

05/20/2026

What if systems change is less about launching new programs and more about redesigning how people work together?

In her latest blog, Dr. Mara Woody reflects on a question many institutions are grappling with: if higher education systems are not producing equitable outcomes, what does it actually take to rebuild them differently?

Drawing from work across Missouri’s Adult Learner Network, Student Journey Mapping, and the AI Readiness Consortium, Mara shares the pattern she has seen emerge again and again. Meaningful change does not happen in isolation. It happens when institutions, workforce leaders, and communities align around a shared purpose and stay connected long enough to build something lasting.

This piece introduces the ADVE Framework — Align, Design, Validate, Enable — not as theory, but as a practical approach shaped by real ecosystem-building work.

💡 A few ideas explored:
• Why community is infrastructure, not an outcome
• What learner-centered system design looks like in practice
• How collaboration creates pathways that scale
• Why trust is often the missing ingredient in transformation

For academic leaders rethinking access, workforce alignment, and institutional design, this perspective offers a thoughtful lens on what sustainable change can look like.

📘 Read more and explore what it means to build systems that move together: https://hubs.li/Q04h68tx0

05/19/2026

What does it mean to thrive in continuing education?

At the CAUCE 2026 National Conference, our session with McGill University School of Continuing Studies explored that question through employer and community partnerships.

💡 A few words from the room stood out: connection, employment, enrollments, innovation, reputation, and adaptability.

Together, Derek Tannis and Inna Popova-Roche from McGill University School of Continuing Studies, along with Riipen’s Partner Relationship Manager Amanda Boone, discussed how stronger partnerships can help institutions respond to change with more clarity and confidence.

👉 For institutions exploring how employer partnerships can support continuing education and career-connected learning, connect with Riipen to start the conversation: https://hubs.li/Q04gSTLZ0

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