For years, Jim Womack and others have written and spoken about problems with our educational system. They have pointed to gaps in the system’s ability to produce the next generation workforce with skills needed by organizations looking to improve and succeed – problem-solving, critical thinking, fact-finding, experimentation, etc. Combining traditional learning processes with hands-on learning where the work happens is the goal of the JPW Fund learning experiences.
In addition, there is a need to support fundamentally sound, scientific, applied and basic research to document the benefits of lean thinking and practice. And develop next-generation teachers who will better understand lean thinking and practice through writing a thesis and obtaining graduate degrees.
The JPW Fund will support:
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Internships at schools that will combine classroom with Gemba learning
(2019-2020 school year), -
Grants for graduate students and teachers at schools to promote research, writing, course/curriculum development, etc. (2020-2021 school year),
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Financial assistance to support students at all types of schools to study lean thinking aligned with LEI point of view (2020-2021 school year), and
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Access to LEI educational products and services, such as,
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Seats at workshops and events,
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Online courses, and
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Books and other learning materials.
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JPW Fund welcomes first two students!
Monisha Vasudeva and Sagar Bajaj, from Oakland University Pawley Lean Institute, are the first two recipients of the JPW Fund scholarship.
During the 2019-2020 school year, the JPW Fund will be working with several schools and community-based, social good organizations to test our learning hypothesis and approach via experimentation. Based on what we learn, in school year 2020-2021, we expect to run more learning experiments, as well as fund tuition assistance, internships, and research.
If you would like to learn more or share your thoughts, please contact us at jpwfund.org/contact .