The University of Hawaiʻi has kicked off a national search for an associate vice president for workforce development, a new role charged with crafting a systemwide strategy across all 10 UH campuses. The job is designed to tighten the link between classrooms and local employers by unifying credit and noncredit programs, expanding apprenticeships, and ramping up applied research tied to industry needs. The university's continuous application review process begins June 15, 2026.
University of Hawaiʻi President Wendy Hensel has made the hire a top priority, saying the system must "build an integrated ecosystem with employers that brings them into our curriculum and into the classroom," per Kauai Now. The outlet reports that the new AVP will "own" development of a Workforce Master Plan that aligns UH programs with Hawaiʻi’s economic needs and formalizes partnerships with private-sector and state employers.
What the job will do
The University of Hawaiʻi careers posting lays out a hefty to-do list, including creating and executing a systemwide "Workforce Master Plan," pulling together credit and noncredit pathways into stackable credentials, and expanding work-based learning and apprenticeships across the system. The AVP will report to the vice president for academic strategy and coordinate across seven community colleges and three universities to turn labor-market data into curriculum and applied research priorities, according to the job listing on the University of Hawaiʻi.
Why UH is creating the role
Workforce alignment has been a recurring theme in Hensel’s early agenda. She urged the system to move at the "speed of business" in her January inaugural systemwide address, according to University of Hawaiʻi. The system has followed that rhetoric with concrete requests and programs, including a bid to add clinician and faculty positions aimed at strengthening Hawaiʻi’s healthcare workforce, as outlined in a separate UH news release.
Who they're looking for and timeline
Candidates must bring at least eight years of progressive leadership experience in workforce development, economic development or higher-education administration. A doctoral degree is listed as desirable. The posting cites an SM-3 salary band and notes the position opened on May 28. Applications are being accepted via the UH careers portal, with continuous review starting June 15, 2026, per the listing on the University of Hawaiʻi.
Why this could matter for Hawaiʻi
Hawaiʻi’s economy faces persistent shortages in healthcare, hospitality and skilled trades, and a systemwide AVP could help speed credential alignment so residents can move more quickly into family-sustaining jobs. State workforce entities and industry councils are expected to be partners in any rollout. The Workforce Development Council and other labor agencies already work with UH on talent pipelines, according to the state labor department's Workforce Development Council page.
The search sets an early marker for how seriously UH intends to lean into employer partnerships and applied learning. If the system lands an experienced leader with strong industry ties, Hawaiʻi could see a faster glide path from training to local employment across multiple islands.
