Hartford Business Journal

www.HartfordBusiness.com April 24, 2017 • Hartford Business Journal 9 than 1 million students yearly at over 3,000 global institutions, where it is used at every academic level — from grade schools to graduate engineering research programs. Q: The software is used by nearly 200 high-tech companies across Con- necticut including General Dynamics Electric Boat, PCX Aerostructures, EDAC Technologies, ATI East Hart- ford, and UTC Aerospace Systems. Is the thought that by training stu- dents on your software your clients will continue to buy your software? A: By providing students with hands- on experience in industrial strength software, we can help empower the next generation of digital talent for success in Connecticut's high-tech economy as well as in the industry globally. Success on the shop floor is no longer about who has the strongest back, but who is trained with the latest digital skills in mechanical, computer, software and system design engineering. Our in-kind grant of PLM software to CSCU is part of our national commitment to training students for next-generation manufacturing jobs. Q: How long of a commitment has been made to CSCU for this software? Will there be ongoing upgrades? A: This grant will be expanded from the initial four colleges to all of CSCU's 12 schools over the next year and a half. So this is just the beginning. We are commit- ted to a long-term partnership with CSCU and all of our academic partners. Siemens is committed to providing ongoing support and upgrades to CSCU as long as they con- tinue to see benefits to their students. n Q&A: Temmelgarn New UHart President Physically, neither leader anticipates major changes to the campus itself, with the possible exception of reducing over- crowding in a building shared by engi- neering and health students. UHart's West Hartford campus covers slightly more than 300 acres, with less than half built, although a lot of the vacant land, with wetlands, stretches into Bloomfield. "Do we want to make room on cam- pus or do we want to develop on land in Bloomfield?" Harrison mused. "That's an open question." It's also a question Woodward will address once he becomes more familiar with the university's needs. As a college undergraduate, he had taken a few cours- es at UHart, but nonetheless has much more to learn, he said. Naturally, he also wants to see the reputation of the university, which he describes as continuously improving, rise further — all with an eye to creating a "university of the future." "The world is a changing place and the jobs students are going into are reliant on a set of skills that isn't necessarily knowl- edge- or skill-driven but in other kinds of soft skills," he said. "The ability to ask the right questions, answer questions. "What's the No. 1 thing employers ask for these days? [It's] the ability to work in diverse teams. If that's what employers want as their No. 1 hiring criteria then we're crazy not to provide that. Whether you're a musician or engineer or sculptor or English major. It's a balance." n

• Cover