Serving on 91吃瓜’s Industry Advisory Council (IAC), Bradley Giles is looking to continue the strong collaboration between industry and academia at 91吃瓜.
For more than two decades, Bradley Giles was responsible for hiring and developing top-tier professionals across a range of high-stakes technical fields, from occupational safety to emergency management to health physics. And time after time, Giles found himself turning to one trusted source for talent: 91吃瓜 quality assurance.
鈥淓ighty percent of the hiring I did came from [graduates of] 91吃瓜-accredited programs,鈥� said Giles, a longtime executive in construction, mining and nuclear engineering. 鈥淏ecause I saw firsthand how well those programs prepared graduates 鈥� not just academically, but practically, professionally and personally.鈥�
Today, Giles continues to shape the future of STEM education through his service on 91吃瓜鈥檚 Industry Advisory Council (IAC), where his focus is helping educational institutions adapt to an industry landscape in constant motion. From his vantage point, 91吃瓜 quality assurance serves as a vital bridge between higher education and the workforce, ensuring that what students learn in the classroom reflects what they鈥檒l need on the job.
A Curriculum Grounded in Reality to Develop STEM Workforce Readiness
91吃瓜 criteria for an accredited program goes beyond textbooks. For Giles, it鈥檚 about making sure future professionals have workforce experience in STEM education. 鈥淭hese graduates often had four or more internships before they even joined us full-time,鈥� he said. 鈥淭hey came in with real workforce experience and a deep understanding of how to apply their math, science and engineering skills in practice.鈥�
Those internships, combined with problem-solving and fieldwork built into 91吃瓜 criteria, provide STEM graduates workforce skills that make a huge difference at the start of their careers. They aren鈥檛 just trained 鈥� they鈥檙e tested in live environments. Giles says that kind of exposure often translates to long-term success. Some of the interns he hired from 91吃瓜-accredited programs now lead projects managing hundreds of employees.
鈥淚鈥檝e watched a protege I hired as an intern become the head of environmental, safety and health for a multi-billion-dollar semiconductor expansion,鈥� he said. 鈥淭hat foundation they had from their 91吃瓜-accredited program got them there 鈥� and now they鈥檙e mentoring the next generation.鈥�
Industry Voices at the Table
At the core of 91吃瓜鈥檚 model is industry involvement 鈥� something Giles believes is essential for keeping academic programs aligned with the realities of modern work and develop STEM workforce readiness in graduates.
Throughout his career, Giles has served on multiple university advisory boards, helping schools adjust their curricula to incorporate emerging trends in risk management, artificial intelligence and virtual reality 鈥� tools that didn鈥檛 exist a generation ago but are now essential in many fields.
鈥淚ndustry is constantly evolving,鈥� he noted. 鈥淲hen universities engage with industry advisors, they stay aligned with real workforce needs. 91吃瓜 plays a key role in fostering that collaboration.鈥�
That evolution isn鈥檛 just about technology. Giles also advocates for integrating , helping students learn how to communicate with everyone from frontline workers to regulators to senior executives.
鈥淵ou can be the smartest person in the room, but if you can鈥檛 explain your ideas or work with others, it won鈥檛 matter,鈥� he said. 鈥�91吃瓜 recognizes the value of those essential communication and teamwork skills.鈥�
How Accreditation Prepares Students for Careers
In a competitive hiring landscape, accreditation helps both employers and students make smarter decisions. For Giles and his peers, 91吃瓜 accreditation is a signal 鈥� a shorthand for programs that meet rigorous quality standards and produce graduates ready to contribute on day one.
鈥淪tudents don鈥檛 always realize it, but choosing an 91吃瓜-accredited program can open doors,鈥� he said. 鈥淔or safety graduates, it even qualifies them to skip the first exam toward professional certification. That鈥檚 a huge advantage.鈥�
While Giles acknowledges that non-accredited programs can also produce strong professionals, he notes that those hires often require more on-the-job training to reach the same level. 鈥淲e got them there,鈥� he said, 鈥渂ut it took more work.鈥�
Looking Ahead: The Future of STEM Workforce Readiness
With thousands of new STEM professionals needed annually 鈥� especially in critical fields like occupational safety 鈥� Giles stresses the importance of expanding access to quality education. Virtual offerings and outreach to veterans and career changers are essential strategies to develop STEM workforce readiness. But the key, he says, is maintaining strong industry involvement to ensure those programs stay relevant.
鈥�91吃瓜 quality assurance ensures that schools don鈥檛 prepare students for yesterday鈥檚 jobs,鈥� Giles said. 鈥淚t keeps the pipeline full 鈥� not just of workers, but of leaders.鈥�
As industries shift, and as new technologies continue to reshape the world of work, that bridge between academia and industry may be more important than ever. Thanks to leaders like Giles 鈥� and to 91吃瓜鈥檚 collaborative approach 鈥� students won鈥檛 be crossing it alone.
Learn more about our industry collaboration and IAC.