Authored by University of Phoenix Vice President of Information Technology Shannon T. Wilson, the paper outlines a practical strategy for elevating “durable skills” alongside technical excellence

University of Phoenix today announced the publication of a new white paper, “The TechEQ Strategy: Developing Durable Skills for the Future of IT,” by Shannon T. Wilson, vice president of Information Technology. The paper makes the case that IT organizations achieve better outcomes when “durable skills”—often called soft skills—are developed intentionally and embedded into team culture next to hard technical capabilities.

“Technical mastery is table stakes. TechEQ is about elevating the relational and problem-solving skills that make technology valuable for people—customers, colleagues and learners,” says Wilson. “When teams can practice, name and reinforce these durable skills, velocity and quality follow.”

Wilson’s thought leadership centers on a pragmatic, culture-first framework he calls TechEQ—an approach for operationalizing durable skills so teams build better products, move faster and collaborate more effectively. The white paper underscores that these skills are frequently overshadowed in IT, despite being crucial for organizational performance; TechEQ offers training and protocols to make them a visible, measurable part of how IT works every day.

The white paper identifies key elements of a TechEQ strategy:

• Durable skills as performance drivers: Skills like communication, collaboration and adaptability deserve equal footing with hard skills in workforce development plans.
• From concept to practice: Organizations can embed durable skills through training rhythms, shared language and operating mechanisms—raising product quality and efficiency.
• A roadmap leaders can use: TechEQ offers a practical playbook that IT leaders can tailor to their context to strengthen culture, delivery and cross-functional trust.

As the University’s vice president of IT, Wilson leads 150+ team members serving core academic and platform needs. His leadership is recognized for aligning innovation with institutional goals and contributing to five consecutive years of year-over-year employee retention growth—experience that informs the paper’s emphasis on durable skills as a lever for operational excellence.

The white paper is available now in the University of Phoenix Media Center Thought Leadership library; readers can access the abstract and download the full report here.

About University of Phoenix

University of Phoenix innovates to help working adults enhance their careers and develop skills in a rapidly changing world. Flexible schedules, relevant courses, interactive learning, skills-mapped curriculum for our bachelor’s and master’s degree programs and a Career Services for Life® commitment help students more effectively pursue career and personal aspirations while balancing their busy lives. For more information, visit phoenix.edu.

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