PASSIU™
An internationally focused enterprise designed to improve employability

Problems Solved: Crafting and Executing Strategy, Leadership, Developing Organizational Capacity, Employability and Talent Management		Strategic Focus: Crafting and Executing Strategy, Leadership, Developing Organizational Capacity, Employability and Talent Management
Project Team: Donald Norris, Paul Lefrere, Bassem Khafagy, Tapio Varis, Pam Tate, Nick Poulton, Phil Taylor

For twenty years, Strategic Initiatives has been working with professional societies, trade associations and universities to tailor basic and continuing professional education to the needs of the workforce. Over the past five years, our strategic planning and positioning projects with colleges and universities and state coordinating and governing agencies have focused more and more on employability. We have involved Drs. Paul Lefrere and Tapio Varis in projects to tap their vast experience and knowledge in employability efforts in European Union-funded projects and initiatives. And Dr. Bassem Khafagy and his connections in employment and talent management in Egypt and other parts of the Arab world.

Strategic Initiatives is participating in an exciting new enterprise called PASSIU™ which is an internationally focused enterprise designed to improve employability. Our prototype PASSIU™ cohort is being launched in the Arab World, with special experiences designed for male college graduates, female college graduates, and young entrepreneurs looking to launch start-up companies or become “free agents.” The first instance of PASSIU™ is a 20-day boot camp-like experience which provides soft skills, immersive team building and interviewing skill development, and competence-based certification of soft skills. While linked to international models and insights, PASSIU™ is strongly connected to local; labor markets and relationships with employers. Global vision, local context – glocal.

PASSIU™ is being rolled out in several Middle Eastern countries and will be scaled upward to serve large numbers of cohorts in collaboration with ministries and governments in a number of settings.