The Catholic University of America's Busch School of Business is enhancing sales education by integrating innovative technologies into its curriculum. Since its founding, the school has focused on preparing students for competitive sales careers through career coaching, recruiting programs, and corporate partnerships. Recognizing a gap in practical, entry-level sales training, lecturer Ryan Reilly introduced the Sales Practicum course, incorporating ZoomInfo’s go-to-market intelligence platform. This hands-on course teaches students key sales skills like prospecting and cold outreach, while also offering ZoomInfo certifications to boost employability. The program has improved student success, with a higher percentage of outreach-worthy leads and faster onboarding in internships. The initiative reflects a broader trend of integrating sales technology into academic programs to better prepare students for the workforce.
“A lot of sales education is conceptual and focused on skills that are needed several years down the line in leadership roles. I wanted to focus on those foundational skills students need to succeed when they first enter the field.” -Ryan Reilly