Synchrony employees want Stamford Public School students to look forward to coming to their campus after school.

These employees even volunteer after work for the opportunity to inspire students to pursue careers they may not have known were an option.

The Synchrony Foundation officially opened the doors on April 25 to the new Synchrony Skills Academy, providing underserved communities in Connecticut with digital skills training and job placement support.

The 10,500 square foot, multi-million dollar center is designed to spark discovery and innovation with a makerspace that encourages hands-on learning, an open space for collaboration, a play zone and classrooms for interactive STEM activities like coding, robotics and virtual reality.

Located at Synchrony’s headquarters in Stamford, the academy will work closely with the Governor’s Workforce Council, local schools, skills certification organizations and non-profits to provide intensive software engineering education and training curriculum eight-month digital after-school.

The next generation

The academy honors the legacy of former Synchrony CEO Margaret Keane. Now executive chairman, Keane led the Fortune 200 company through its IPO and continued growth.

She is known for creating a diverse workforce, expanding opportunities for all, and advancing corporate responsibility.

“Our future depends on our ability to train and develop our workforce, staying ahead of the skills that will be required by businesses,” Keane said.

“This includes ensuring the next generation has opportunities to learn and develop the digital skills needed to succeed.”

Inclusive and skilled workforce

“There is an urgent need to develop a more inclusive and skilled workforce and to address economic inequalities,” said Brian Doubles, President and CEO of Synchrony.

“No company or sector can do it alone. We must work together to build a better future for all that includes innovative vocational training solutions.

In Connecticut, nearly 40% of employers cited a lack of necessary skills as the top challenge in finding qualified young workers.

The academy aims to change that by providing skills that can help participants secure roles in high-paying, fast-growing fields such as data analytics, UX design, and software development.

“The Synchrony Skills Academy will not only train the workforce of tomorrow, but it will show students the opportunities available to them in these industries right here in Connecticut,” said the President and CEO of the CBAA, Chris DiPentima.

Partnerships

Governor Ned Lamont said the academy “will help create new opportunities for our students, our workforce and our communities, while meeting the current and future needs of employers.”

“It’s a great example of what’s possible when the private and public sectors come together to solve some of our state’s biggest challenges,” he added.

Partnerships with the General Assembly, District Arts and Education, Future5, and University of Connecticut Engineering Ambassadors will make learning possible for high school, community college, and non-traditional adult students.

The academy is part of Synchrony’s five-year, $50 million initiative to increase access to higher education, skills training in high-growth fields, and financial empowerment for underserved communities and of its own workforce.