CIBRE professional and community education: preparing critical programs

By Claudette Zolkowski, contributing writer 

Equipping businesses in multiple sectors with in-depth expertise and continuing education is a long-standing tradition at Oakland University’s School of Business Administration. CIBRE's professional and community education will continue enhancing the SBA’s outstanding professional programs in financial planning, paralegal and CPA certification, product management, advanced placement and the preparation of accounting, engineering and teaching professionals, while continuing to add new programs in project management, business analytics, entreprenuership and more.

“The SBA’s long and successful history in providing value for the financial and investment industries community – and particularly the high caliber of its long standing Certified Financial Planning (CFP) program – will ensure that a strong and successful curriculum continues in these programs and future ones,” said Mohan Tanniru, SBA dean.

CIBRE’s community programs expand the SBA’s existing activities and partnerships to address critical educational and economic issues – from the retraining and re-education of business professionals and displaced workers through special programs to advising businesses on key issues such as hiring and training, starting up or expanding in the marketplace and retooling to remain competitive.

Other professional and community education programs include conferences, lectures and workshops. Special programs in development focus on retraining and re-educating Michigan’s workforce.

“This type of education is critical in today’s environment to help Michigan talent remain in Michigan, preventing further brain drain,” said Tanniru. “It exemplifies the kind of real contribution CIBRE activities can make on the local economy.”

Still more programs support community-based youth education. A recent example of this is the partnership between SBA’s CIBRE and YMCA of Metropolitan Detroit to develop a financial literacy course that lays a solid financial foundation for children in kindergarten through eighth grade.

The CIBRE’s new Business Futures Councils (BFC) offer another way CIBRE is gathering valuable insight from business leaders to integrate into SBA programs. The BFC brings senior executives from various industries together to engage them in a dialog on future business trends and challenges. Bridging the gap between academic theory and real-world practice, the BFC participants collaborate to better educate and prepare future employees while shaping future research projects.

“This dialogue helps craft a relevant and meaningful educational and research agenda that will support economic growth and drive the SBA’s curriculum to enhance student education so our graduates succeed in the workplace,” said Tanniru.