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www.HartfordBusiness.com • October 28, 2019 • Hartford Business Journal 7 Health plans that work for your employees and your budget. If your current health plan isn't the best fit, take a closer look at Oxford — the health plan provider of choice for 1 out of 3 Connecticut small businesses.* We're talking plans with a 35-year history of cost savings, robust local and national provider networks, results-oriented wellness programs and a simpler online experience. Small business health plans from Oxford. Now, we're talking. uhc.com/LetsTalkOxfordCT or talk to your broker. *Based on an analysis of 2018 MLR data of Connecticut insurers. Online doctor visits are not an insurance product, health care provider or a health plan. Unless otherwise required, benefits are available only when services are delivered through a designated online network provider. Online doctor visits are not intended to address emergency or life-threatening medical conditions and should not be used in those circumstances. Services may not be available at all times or in all locations. Oxford insurance products are underwritten by Oxford Health Insurance, Inc. Oxford HMO products are underwritten by Oxford Health Plans (CT), Inc. 9637730.0 9/19 ©2019 Oxford Health Plans LLC. All rights reserved. 19-12865-A Cost- control strategies. 35 years in CT. Industry leader. 45,328 small group members. * Digital enrollment. Network solutions. Online doctor visits. Now, we're talking. The new equipment will service areas of study that are poised for growth. "This is a little bit of catching up in some areas," Woodward said of building up resources for engineer- ing and health-science majors. "Especially our health professions, we're kind of going all-in on that." Meeting demand As Connecticut's population shrinks and colleges — including UHart — face the threat and reality of declining enrollments, it's crucial for schools to be able to offer pro- spective students majors in fields that are hiring, said Jennifer Widness, president of the Connecticut Confer- ence of Independent Colleges (CCIC). That's precisely why UHart, which has seen its overall student enroll- ment shrink by 2 percent since 2013, is investing in facilities to support its nursing and engineering majors. Both are expected to experience double-digit growth over the next five years. The school also plans to add new programs like occupation- al therapy and exercise science. A 2017 analysis by consulting firm McKinsey & Co. found Connecticut's ratio of open jobs in health care and people qualified to fill those positions is nearly 13:1. For engineering, the ra- tio is a little over 3:1, the study found. "I think in general higher education needs to pick where it's going to make critical investments right now," Wid- ness said. "As demographic changes are coming to Connecticut, competi- tion for students is going to increase." UHart isn't the only local univer- sity adding facilities and programs that cater to in-demand careers. Within the last year, the University of St. Joseph partnered with Sacred Heart to offer a pharmacy doctoral program; Central Connecticut State University opened a new nursing- program lab; and UConn announced creation of a cybersecurity lab. "Colleges understand that competi- tion is going to grow, so they have to make smart investments now so that they can attract students, and make sure that they're preparing them for the jobs that exist," Widness said. At UHart, the new nursing and engineering building is just the lat- est initiative to that end. Over the summer, the university opened its $5-million Barney School of Business expansion, which reno- vated 1,300 square feet and added 10,000 square feet in the school's Au- erbach Hall. It has high-tech features like an analytics lab that simulates the stock market, complete with 12 Bloomberg terminals. Woodward, the UHart president, said he wants to go beyond academ- ics in his effort to revamp the univer- sity's campus, though. The next proj- ect he has in mind is a $30-million student wellness center, which would include space for physical workouts, and also nutrition information and counseling, he said. He also plans to put in an additional $10 million to fix up residence halls — adding new kitchens, basements, laundry rooms and bathrooms, he said. But while Woodward has a lot of big ideas, he said the ultimate goal is to train students for jobs needed in today's workforce. "We looked very carefully at the Hartford area's and the Northeast's needs in the workforce," Woodward said. "We decided to respond to it, both because it's good business sense, and because it's the right thing to do." RENDERING | CONTRIBUTED FILE