Head back to class with a new way to teach real-world skills

This blog is sponsored by Intuit.

After what was arguably one of the most challenging school years ever, the upcoming year will still have its share of pandemic-related obstacles. For starters, hybrid learning will likely still be a part of our lives; in fact, hybrid learning is probably here to stay. One recent study showed that 79% of college students prefer to continue having the option of online classes and recorded class sessions, in addition to in-person classes.  

Along with changing expectations of students, uncertainty in the job market has students feeling pessimistic about their future. 52% of students today don't feel confident that they will find a job in the next twelve months. 10% of graduates feel entirely unprepared to enter the workforce after completing their degree.  

To help bridge the skills gap and give students hope, colleges should ensure their classes offer in-demand skills relevant to employers. One way to do this is to leverage offers from organizations committed to partnering with academia. These companies make their products and services available to educators and students, enabling practical lessons and experiences in the classroom. Students benefit from the exposure and graduate with more of the real-world skills they need to be successful as employees and entrepreneurs. 

Intuit is committed to turning the big ambitions of students into prosperous realities in the future. So, we're providing our widely used accounting software, QuickBooks, to classrooms—free for educators and students. 

Learning in-demand skills 

With Intuit QuickBooks, students get exposure to one of the most widely used accounting software packages on the market. They get a boost in experience and gain valuable skills to add to their resume. Students feel more confident about their job prospects. Employers feel more confident that new graduates have the necessary skills to hit the ground running.  

The benefits were exactly what University of Texas at Dallas graduate Desarae Sifuentes experienced. Desarae obtained QuickBooks certification through one of her courses. Having the certification as proof of her new skills led to multiple employment opportunities and a job offer—received before she even graduated. 

Encourage an entrepreneurial mindset 

Learning with QuickBooks means students get the opportunity to simulate running a business or use it to run their own business. In the process, they learn fiscal responsibility, entrepreneurial thinking, and problem-solving.  

Recent Hillsborough College graduate Jason Hendricks can attest to the benefits. Jason was introduced to QuickBooks as an essential tool to run his business through a professor and mentor. "QuickBooks has helped me gain the discipline and form the habits I needed to manage my customers and company financials,” says Jason. “It gave me the foundation and the confidence to scale the business."  

Learning from anywhere 

QuickBooks Online allows learning to happen wherever students are—in the classroom or at home. Students and educators share access to QuickBooks projects, allowing assignments and other learning activities to be used as needed.   

Get started now 

Teaching with QuickBooks is easier than you think. We've made it that way with a variety of resources available to you on our Intuit Educator portal.  

1. Register to get QuickBooks Online, free for your classroom

Qualifying educational institutions can get free one-year licenses for use in your classroom.  

2. Plan your lessons 

Get downloadable lesson plans and activities for a variety of business scenarios. Access video tutorials and much more to help you teach fundamental business and accounting concepts using QuickBooks.  

3. Register students 

Share the registration form with your students so they can download their own free one-year license to QuickBooks Online. Students can invite educators into their accounts to facilitate monitoring and assessment.   

4. Incorporate certification into your class 

Take advantage of the access to QuickBooks to offer students the opportunity to complete certification as part of course programming.   

As you prepare for a school year that might not be back to normal, we want to help make it easier. Register for QuickBooks Online today and download all the resources you need to get started. You'll be teaching valuable skills that employers are looking for and supporting a new generation of future entrepreneurs with the skills they need to achieve their dreams.   

Intuit invests in communities in need to help create opportunities for economies to rebuild and thrive. Learn more about our program for empowering communities by creating new job opportunities, preparing students for jobs of the future and supporting small businesses.