The PA Chamber Foundation is proud to be the first statewide chamber in the nation to participate in the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation’s EPIC (Employer Sponsored Innovation Challenges) initiative – and we’re encouraging our broad-based membership throughout Pennsylvania to participate!
EPIC is a partnership between employers and educational institutions that provides high-quality experiential learning opportunities for students. These opportunities are essential in connecting students to careers, increasing career awareness, building employability skills, and creating a strong Pennsylvania workforce.
What are the rules?
Through EPIC, employers present real-world problems to teams of students who work to resolve them. In addition to building workplace skills, the goal is for every learner who completes a challenge to receive a digital badge or credential aligned with America Succeeds’ Durable Skills Framework.
Education entities must identify a framework for student participation. The goal is to have teams of 5-8 students working on a challenge. There is no cost for employers or educational entities to participate in EPIC.
Who can participate?
Every type of employer can participate in EPIC: businesses, non-profits, public or private entities, and government agencies. Employers are to design and deliver challenges for teams of students and engage with the students during the challenge – whether remotely or in person.
What types of challenges are eligible?
EPIC is designed to allow employers to crowdsource innovative solutions to their challenges from a wide array of students. All challenges that will provide a meaningful student learning experience are encouraged. Examples of previous challenges include developing a social media marketing strategy to attract talent from among high school graduates, streamlining a permitting process, website development, and retail store redesign.
What is the EPIC initiative timeline?
Employers are being recruited through August 2024 and will be matched in Fall 2024. The challenges, which are expected to be between 4-8 weeks in length, will be completed in Spring 2025.
How do I get involved?
Employers will be matched with student teams in Fall 2024. The challenges, which are expected to be between 4-8 weeks in length, will be completed in Spring 2025. Answers to the questions below should be submitted to ebolden@pachamber.org by August 21, 2024:
- Employer Name:
- Contact Person/Email/Phone:
- Describe the challenge/problem you would like a team of students to solve:
- Do you prefer this challenge to be addressed by students in a specific program of study (if so, please specify) or by an interdisciplinary team of students?
- What is the deliverable you are expecting from this challenge?
- Please describe any professional development learning opportunities that will be offered to the student team (e.g., a tour of the facility, a panel discussion with leadership).
Educational Institutions who want to participate should email ebolden@pachamber.org.
Who do I contact for more information?
The EPIC initiative is managed by PA Chamber Foundation Executive Director Elizabeth Bolden, who can be contacted at ebolden@pachamber.org or 717.802.2046 if you have any questions or want additional information about this exciting opportunity.