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UWork: Award for Most Innovative Workplaces for Learning … Is that U? Applications Now Open

February 26, 2020

ASU GSV Summit Update

As you may have heard, ASU GSV was rescheduled for September 29 to October 1 due to concerns about COVID 19. Given these new dates, we are recalibrating the timeline to select and announce winners. We appreciate your patience and will update you as soon as possible. We remain excited about this competition, and we are looking forward to publicly announcing the winners.


JFF and GSV Ventures to launch joint award at ASU GSV; nominations open until March 6.

BOSTON, Feb. 26, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — JFF and GSV Ventures today announced the launch of “U Work: Great Workplaces to Learn,” a new competition recognizing innovative companies that support lifelong learning and career mobility for their employees.

“Talent acquisition and employee retention have never been so complex. In today’s tightening labor market, companies are increasingly focused on lifelong learning for employees as a way to retain talent and maintain their competitive edge,” said Maria Flynn, president and CEO of JFF. “This award is about showcasing employers who understand how investing in employee learning and development supports business sustainability and growth.”

The new award will be presented to 10 companies that invest in employer-backed learning and whose workplace policies, practices, and benefits acknowledge that continuous learning is essential for both employee career satisfaction and organizational success. Companies will be evaluated based on their learning culture, education benefits, approach to upskilling and outskilling, and the application of technology to support learning opportunities for employees.

“Bending the arc of human potential requires innovation across the board, including in our workplaces. U Work: Great Workplaces to Learn will recognize employers who understand the future success of their business, and our society, depends on the intentional integration of learning and work,” said Deborah Quazzo, managing partner of GSV Ventures. “We’re excited to discover and amplify employers who are leveraging game-changing technologies and forward-thinking practices on behalf of today’s workers.”

The winning companies will be announced during the 11th annual ASU GSV Summit, held from March 30 to April 1 in San Diego. The 2019 Summit drew 5,000 attendees from over 45 countries, including hundreds of CHROs and CLOs, as well as more than 500 investors representing $5 trillion of capital.

To Apply

Interested companies can follow this link and fill out the application form. The application deadline is March 6.

About JFF

JFF is a national nonprofit that drives transformation in the American workforce and education systems. For 35 years, JFF has led the way in designing innovative and scalable solutions that create access to economic advancement for all. Join us as we build a future that works. www.jff.org.

About GSV Ventures

GSV Ventures is an early-stage venture capital firm that is focused on the $7+ trillion learning and talent technology sector. The fund is currently investing out of GSV Ventures Fund II, backing innovative entrepreneurs across the “Pre-K to Gray” Arc of Learning and Talent technology. Portfolio holdings include Andela, Pluralsight, TurnItIn, Coursera, Coursehero, Outlier, and Degreed, among others.