Labor Market Payoffs

THE BREAKING THROUGH PRACTICE GUIDE

Labor Market Payoffs

PREFACE V

INTRODUCTION 4.3

PROVIDECAREEREXPLORATIONOPPORTUNITIES 4.4

CareerAssessmentandExploration 4.5

Career-PathwaysRoadMaps 4.7

ESTABLISHCONNECTIONSWITHKEYLABORMARKETACTORS 4.7

EngagewithLaborMarketActorsinHigh-DemandFields 4.8

Vignette:LakeMichiganCommunityCollege 4.11

CHUNKTRAININGTOCREATECAREERPATHWAYS 4.12

“Stacking”TowardMoreComprehensiveCertificationsandDegrees 4.13

TheRoleofCertificatesandCredentials 4.14

PARTICIPATEINREGIONALEFFORTSTORETAINANDRECRUITBUSINESSESANDINDUSTRIES 4.15

ParticipationinRegionalEconomicDevelopment 4.15

SCALINGUPLABORMARKETPAYOFFS:CASESTUDYOFMOTTCOMMUNITYCOLLEGE 4.16

REFERENCES 4.18

TABLE OF CONTENTS

4.3BreakingThrough

LABOR MARKET PAYOFFSIntroductionAsignificantbarriertoimprovingthecareerprospectsoflow-skilledadults(botholderandyounger)revealed

duringthe2004Breaking Throughresearchisthelackof“labormarketpayoffs”forthoseseekingtoupgrade

theirmarketableskills.Toraisetheiracademicskillstothelevelneededtoqualifyforpostsecondaryoccupational

credentials,theymustinvestsignificanttimeandresources—butthereisnoeconomicrewardforskillimprovement

untiloneearnsafullcredential.Withfewincentivesandmanyobstaclesalongtheway,itisfartooeasyforadult

students,especiallythosejugglingwork,family,andschool,togetsidetracked.Nowondersofewadultsentering

remedialprogramseverearncollegecertificatesordegrees.

TheonlypotentialearlypayoffbuiltintotheU.S.educationsystemforlow-skilledadultscomeswithearningthe

GED,intendedforthosewhodidnotcompletehighschoolbuthavethemotivationtodeveloptheirbasicskillsto

ahigh-schoollevel.TheGEDwasintroducedin1942togiveWorldWarIIveteranswithoutahighschooldiploma

awaytotakeadvantageofGIBillbenefits(Tyler&NationalBureauofEconomicResearch2001).Today,theGED

ismostusefulasa“gatekeeper”:anumberofcommunitycollegesrequireadiplomaoraGEDformatriculation,

andresearchsuggeststhatthepayoffofpostsecondarytrainingforGEDholdersisjustashighasforregularhigh

schoolgraduates(Tyler&NationalBureauofEconomicResearch2001).

AGEDalone,though,isfarfromaguaranteethatitsholdercansucceedinpostsecondaryeducation,letalone

earnenoughtosupportafamily.TheGEDwasassociatedwithhigherwageswhenitwasfirstintroduced,but

currentresearchintothetruelabormarketvalueoftheGEDshowsnoclear-cutwageadvantage(Murnane,Willet

&Boudett1995;Heckman&LaFontaine2006;Tyler,Murnane&Willet,2000;Tyler&NationalBureauofEconomic

Research2001).

WhilesomeemployersmayrequireadiplomaoraGED,receivingthatcredentialwhileemployeddoesnotentitle

theworkertoapayraise.Inaddition,GEDprogramsfailtoaddresstheneedsofadultswhoalreadyhaveahigh

schooldiplomayetstillhavelowacademicskills.The2003NationalAssessmentofAdultLiteracyfoundthatforall

threetypesofliteracyitsurveys—prose,document,andquantitative—about10percentoftheadultssampledwith

aGEDorhighschooldiplomaastheirhighestcredentialtestedatbelowbasic,“nomorethanthemostsimpleand

concreteliteracyskills”(Kutneret.al.2007,Kaestleetal.2001).

Fourissuesconcerninglabormarketpayoffshaveemerged:

> Mostlow-skilledadultsalsohavelittleknowledgeofthemodernlabormarket—whatkindsofjobsareavailable,

whattheypay,whatacademicortechnicalskillsareneeded.Asaresult,theycanwastetimeintraining

programsforwhichtheylackaptitudeandinterest.

> Thedesignersandoperatorsofmanyremedialprogramslackknowledgeofthemodernlabormarket—aboutjob

availabilityandvalueandaboutemployersandtheirskillneeds.Asaresult,remedialprogramsarefrequently

taughtwithlittleornoreferencetoconcreteinformationaboutthelabormarket(e.g.,whatjobsareinthe

region,andwhatskillsandcredentialsemployersrequireforthesejobs).

> College-basedtechnicalprogramsoftentakemonthsoryearstocompleteandaredisconnectedfromone

another.Asaresult,manylow-skilledstudentsdropoutinresponsetolifechallenges,andtheydonotbuildon

entry-leveltrainingorcertificationtowardmoreadvancedcertifications.

TheBreakingThroughPracticeGuide/ LaborMarketPayoffs4.4

> Attemptstocreatecareerpathwaysforlow-skilledadultsdependonhavingindustriesintheregionthatoffer

decententry-leveljobsandaprogressionofjobstowardhigherpayandbetterworkingconditions—butmany

regionslackabaseofsuchindustries.

Consequently,theBreaking Throughreportproposedthissolution:createlabormarketpayoffsforlow-skilled

adults(Liebowitz&Taylor2004).Duringthedemonstrationphase,Breaking Throughcollegesinnovatedinfour

areas:

> Providingcareer-explorationopportunitiesthatenablelow-skilledadultstomakesoundcareerchoices.

> Establishingconnectionswithlocalemployersandotherkeylabormarketactorstodevelopandmaintainup-to-

dateinformationaboutjobsandadvancementopportunitiesintheregion.

> Creatingcareerpathwaysby“chunking”trainingprogramsintosectionsthatrespondtoidentifiedemployer

needs,awardingcredentialsthatarerecognizedintheregionallabormarketandarestackabletowardmore

comprehensivecertificationsanddegrees,andeliminatingskillgapsbetween“chunks.”

> Participatingactivelyinregionaleffortstoretainandrecruitbusinessesandindustriesthatmeetthe

advancementneedsoflow-skilledadults.

Provide Career Exploration OpportunitiesTraditionally,programsforlow-skilledadultsdidlittletohelpstudentslearnabouttheworldofemploymentor

abouthowtheiraptitudes,interests,andexperiencesalignwithlocaljobs,trainingactivities,andadvancement

opportunities.Programsthatprovideacademicremediation—adulteducationanddevelopmentaleducation—

generallyconsidertheseeconomicissuestobeoutsidetheirmandate.

Publiclyfundedtrainingprogramsalltoooftenfocusonafewtypesoftraining,andtheychannelthepeoplewho

presentthemselvesintothetrainingslotsavailableatthetime.Suchprogramshavepaidlittleattentiontohowwell

jobsmatchindividuals,whetheractualjobsareavailableforthosewhocompletetheprogram,orwhatpotential

theyofferforcareeradvancement.Institutionsthatoffertrainingforafee—usuallycolleges,whetherpublicor

private—relyontheirstudentstochooseprogramsthatmatchtheirskillsandinterestsbythetimetheywalk

throughthedoor.

Unfortunately,manytraineessubsequentlydiscoverthattheyeitherdonotlikeorcannotfunctioneffectivelyin

theoccupationorindustryforwhichtheyarepreparingthemselves.Examplesabound:nomatterhowwellpaid

theymaybe,peoplewhobecomeillatthesightofbloodbelatedlyacknowledgethatnursingisapoorcareer

choice;peoplewhodonotlikeworkingoutdoorsinbadweatherrealizethatconstructionisnotforthem;people

withchronicbacktroublediscoverthattheycannotstandalldaytooperatemachinery.

Opportunitiesforcareerexplorationearlyineducationprogramsarecritical:theygivepeoplethechanceto

experimentwithavarietyoffieldsandtolearnwhattheylikeanddonotlike,aswellaswhattheirabilitiesare.

Therootsofcareerexplorationgobacktothebeginningofthetwentiethcenturyandthemovementtoprovide

vocationalguidance,whichprimarilyfocusedonteensandyoungadultstransitioningfromschooltowork.Asthe

movementmatured,itfocusedmoreandmoreontheneedsoftheindividual,andonhelpingtheindividualmake

careerchoicesbasedonunderstandingboththelabormarketandoneself.Vocationalguidancehasembracedthe

useoftests(increasinglycomputerized)toidentifyindividualskillsandinterests,andithasbroadenedinresponse

tothecivilrights,women’s,anddisabilitiesmovements(Agnew2000;Shahnasarian&Herr2001).

4.5BreakingThrough

Federallawsandregulationshavereflected,andattimespromoted,theseadvancesinthevocationaleducation

movement.Asearlyas1917,theSmith-HughesActprovidedstateswithfundingforsecondary-levelprograms,

andthe1929George-ReedActincreasedthefundingforvocationalguidanceactivities.Today,theCarlD.Perkins

CareerandTechnicalEducationActfundscareerguidanceatthesecondaryandpostsecondarylevels(Moraru&

Neilsonn.d.;Pattersonn.d).

TheU.S.DepartmentofLaborhascontributedtothequestforbetterwaystomakecareerchoices.Itresearches

andanalyzesoccupations(publishingthefirstDictionary of Occupational Titlesin1939),supportsthedevelopment

ofaptitudetestsforuseinemploymentoffices(introducingthefirstGeneralAptitudeTestBatteryin1945),and

fundscareerguidanceforyouthsandadults(currentlythroughtheWorkforceInvestmentAct)(Shahnasarian

&Herr2001).Inrecentyears,thedepartmenthasmoveditsconsiderableportfolioofcareer-assessmentand

informationtoolstotheInternet.O*NETistheupdated,on-lineversionoftheDictionary of Occupational Titles.Itis

describedas“thenation’sprimarysourceofoccupationalinformation,providingcomprehensiveinformationonkey

attributesandcharacteristicsofworkersandoccupations.TheO*NETdatabasehousesthisdataandO*NETOnLine

provideseasyaccesstothatinformation.”(FormoreinformationonO*NET,see:http://online.onetcenter.org/;see

alsocareeronestop.org.)

Adulteducatorsarealsorethinkingtheirroleinhelpingstudentsunderstandtheworldofworkasitrelatestotheir

goals.Duringthe1980s,Congressbegantolookmorecloselyatthequestionwhetheradulteducation(underthe

AdultEducationAct,asitwasthencalled)wasimprovingoutcomesforstudentsinareassuchasemployment.

TheresultingNationalLiteracyActof1991includedstrongeraccountabilityprovisionsandalsoestablishedthe

NationalInstituteforLiteracy,withresponsibilityforidentifyingandmonitoringprogresstowardgoals.Inresponse,

NIFLimplementedEquippedfortheFuture,aninitiativethatidentifiedthreeessentialadultroles,oneofwhich

is“worker,”andresearched“rolemaps”(whatworkersdo)andcompetenciesassociatedwiththeroles.During

subsequentyears,severalstateshavefurtherimplementedtheEFFframework,butmaterialsassociatedwith

implementation,suchaslessonplansandcurricula,havenotemerged,andimplementationofthe2009Framework

isspotty.(Stein1999;CenterforLiteracyStudies,n.d.)

Duringthedemonstrationphase,Breaking Throughcollegesbuiltonexistingmodelsofvocationalguidanceto

developcareerexplorationandnavigationtools,resources,andsupports,withafocusontwopractices:

> Career assessment and exploration:Thisincludesinterestandskillassessments,college-andcareer-success

courses,shortcoursesoncareerexplorationandskillbuilding,andthedevelopmentofcareerandeducation

plans.Somecollegesbuildcareer-explorationactivitiesintobasicskillsandremedialtraining,offering

opportunitiesforadultstoinvestigatecareeroptionswhileimprovingreading,writing,andresearchskills.

> Career pathways road maps:Collegesprovideinformationonoccupations,relatededucationandtraining

opportunities,credentialsandcertificates,industryinformation,andemploymentopportunities,often

presentedgraphicallyasmapsillustratingthestepstofindingacertainjoborenteringacertaincareer.

CAREER ASSESSMENT AND EXPLORATION

CommunityCollegeofDenver’sFastStart@CCDprogramseestheidentificationofcareerandeducationalgoalsas

akeycomponentinstudentsuccess.Career-explorationactivitiesareinfusedintoclassactivitiesandassignments

inacademiccoursesandinaone-creditcollegeandcareer-successcourse.Participantsidentifyandinvestigate

theircareerintereststhroughresearch,interviewswiththoseinthefield,andvisitstoworksites.Theyalsowrite

an“ISearch”paperontheresultsoftheircareerexploration,includinganactionplanthatlaysoutthecourses

theyneedtotaketoachievetheirgoals.Throughtheseactivities,participantsalsobuildtheirreading,writing,and

researchskills.


Thecollegeandcareersuccesscoursegivesstudentsanopportunitytofurtherinvestigatetheircareerinterests

throughinformationalinterviews,jobshadowing,andlabormarketresearch,culminatinginanindividualeducation

plan.Inaddition,atcareer-majorsfairsstudentsmeetwithemployers,college-programadvisors,andformer

programgraduateswhoworkinthefield.

CuyahogaCommunityCollege,aspartofitshealthcarecareerpathway,helpslow-skilledadultsassessand

exploretheircareeroptions.Opportunitiesincludeassessmentsofcareerinterests,aswellasactivitiesdesigned

tohelpstudentsexplorecareers,relatedjobs,careerpathways,andthecollege’scareereducationandtraining

programs.Therearealsoone-hourworkshopsontopicssuchascareerplanning,academics,andfinancialaid;the

programincludesjobsearchandplacementassistanceaswell.

PortlandCommunityCollegeoffersseveralcareerexplorationandnavigationtools,resources,andsupports

tolow-skilledadultsinitscareerpathwaysprograms.Studentsparticipateininterestassessmentsandreceive

assistanceindevelopingcareerandeducationplansandselectingacareermajor.Studentsalsowritean“ISearch”

paper,whichrequiresthemtointerviewoneormorepeopleworkingincareersthatinterestthem.Inaddition,

studentsreceiveadviceandassistancewiththeirjobsearch.

SoutheastArkansasCollege,aspartofitsnursingandalliedhealthcareerpathway,provideslow-skilledadults

withinterestandskillinventoriestoensurethatthefieldisagoodfit.Acollege-successcourseincludestours,

jobshadowing,andinformationalinterviewswithworkersinthehealthcarefield,anditculminatesinacareer-

readinesscertificate.(For information on MECA, see “Definitions” in the Practice Guide Supplementary Materials.)

DavidsonCountyCommunityCollegeofferslow-skilledadultsathree-dayorientationthatcoversbasicskills,

thecollege,andcareerexploration.Careerexplorationincludesanassessmenttooltohelpstudentsidentifytheir

careerinterestsandaptitudes,plusatoolthatshowswhichcertificateanddegreeprogramsatthecollegealign

withtheirinterests.

Thecollegethenplacesstudentsinthebasicskillsclasstheyneed—ABE,GED,ESL,orcollegereview.Instructionis

contextualizedtotheircareerinterestsandaptitudesandselectedcareer-pathwaysareas.

Anothercareer-explorationtoolistheMicrocomputerEvaluationofCareersandAcademics—MECA.This“virtual

reality”programforcareerexplorationandplanningincludescomputer-guidedtrainingandinteractivekits

thatofferhands-onexperienceinafield.(For information on MECA, see “Definitions” in the Practice Guide

Supplementary Materials.)

MottCommunityCollege’scareer-pathwaysprogramsprovide

comprehensiveintakeandskillassessments,careerpathwayroadmaps,

andskillenhancement.ThisincludesOperationFastBreak,anintensive,

eight-week,thirty-hour-a-weekprogramtoprepareparticipantstoenter

careertracksorcollege.FastBreakhelpsparticipantsbuildtheirmath,

reading,writing,computer,andemployabilityskills.ItusesWorkKeys

toassessindividualabilitiesandKeyTraintohelpthemimprovetheir

skillstoWorkKeysLevel4,whichistheskilllevelemployersgenerally

requireforentry-leveljobs.FastBreakalsoincludescollegeandcareer

exploration.Participantsearnacertificateofcompletion,endorsedbythe

localworkforceboard.(For information on WorkKeys and KeyTrain, see the

Practice Guide Supplementary Materials.)

Tip:Make sure students

have opportunities to explore

career options before they

enroll in a career pathway.

4.7BreakingThrough

AtSouthPiedmontCommunityCollege,HumanResourceDevelopment—partofastatewideprogram—provides

arangeofshortcoursesoncareerexplorationandskillbuilding.Thesearefreeofchargetotheunemployed,

underemployed,andthosewithincomesbelowthefederalpovertylevel,withthestateprovidingtuitionwaivers,

althoughtheystillgeneratefundingforthecollege.Topicsincludecareerinterestandaptitudetests,career

planningandassessment,careerreadinessandexplorationofspecificoccupationalareas,computerskills,

workplacecommunicationskills,customerservice,andjobsearch.Theprogramservesasthefrontdoorforthe

college,wherestudentscancontinuetheireducationandtrainingintheoccupationalareastheyhaveexplored.

ParticipantsarerecruitedthroughcommunitypartnershipsandthelocalJobLinkCenter.

TacomaCommunityCollegeoffersathree-creditcollege-successcourseaspartofitsIntegratedBasicEducation

andSkillsTraining(I-BEST)program.Thecoursecoverssuchtopicsascareerexploration,academicplanning,goal

setting,studyskills,test-takingtechniques,timemanagement,communication,collegeandcommunityresources,

respectingdiversity,andmoneymanagement.Aspartofthecourse,studentsdevelopaneducationalandcareer

actionplan.ThecollegealsoprovidesI-BESTstudentswithasupportspecialist,whoservesasasinglepointof

contactandhelpsthemnavigatethecollegeandemploymentsystems.

CAREER-PATHWAYS ROAD MAPS

PortlandCommunityCollegeprovidesthelow-skilledadultsinitscareer-pathwaysprogramswith“roadmaps.”

Studentsreceiveguidanceontherequirementsforenteringtheprogram,industryinformation,employment

opportunities,andrelatededucationandtrainingopportunities(rangingfromprecollege“bridge”programsto

three-tosix-monthprograms,certificateandAssociate’sdegreeprograms,andfurthereducationopportunities).

ForanexampleofPCC’scareermaps,seepage4.12.

AtSoutheastArkansasCollege,thenursingandalliedhealthdepartmenthasdevelopedcareer-pathwaysroad

mapsthatincludeinformationonoccupations,credentialsrequired,andcertificatesthatcanbeearnedalongthe

way.

Thecareer-pathwaysprogramsatMottCommunityCollegeprovideroadmapsinfourhigh-demandindustries:

business,engineering/manufacturing,humanservices,andhealth.Studentscaneasilyseehowtheyprogressfrom

onestageofthepathwaytothenext,aswellasthecredentialsassociatedwitheachofthosestages.Anexampleof

Mott’sroadmapscanbeseenonPage14.

Establish Connections with Key Labor Market ActorsToooftencommunitycollegesandadulteducationprogramshave

weakornonexistentconnectionswithemployment-relatedinstitutions,

particularlyemployers,businessassociations,andworkforce-development

agencies.Thisisprimarilybecausethecollegesdonotviewsuch

connectionsaspartoftheirmission.Asaresult,attemptstodevelop

pathwaystocareersforadultscanbeabstractratherthangroundedin

therealitiesoftheregionallabormarket.Collegesmayteachtechnical

skillsnolongerneededintheworkplace,neglectcritical“work-readiness

skills,”orfailtoconnectstudentswithactualemployersandjobs.Low-

skilledadultssufferdisproportionatelyfromprogramsandpathwaysdisconnectedfromemployersandexistingjobs

becausetheytendtolacktheirownpersonalconnectionstoandknowledgeofthelabormarket.

Tip:Connect students’

academic learning with their

career paths and long-term

goals whenever possible.


Thischallengehasbeenclearforsometime,butlittlehasemergedtoaddressit.OneexceptionistheNIFL

EquippedfortheFutureFramework,andseveralstateshavebeguntoactontheirown.TexasLEARNS,theTexas

AdultEducationandFamilyLiteracyCollaboration,hasemergedasaprojectofthestateagencyadministering

adulteducationthatiscommittedtodevelopingworkplaceliteracyandlanguagedevelopment.Itdeveloped

theTexasIndustrySpecificEnglishasaSecondLanguageCurricula(TISESL)forthreesectors:healthcare,

manufacturing,andretail.

Nocomparableinitiativeshaveconnecteddevelopmentaleducationwithlabormarketgoals.Therefore,Breaking

Throughinnovationstoconnectcareer-pathwaysprogramswiththelabormarketwillbeofpotentialinteresttoa

widearrayofprogramsworkingwithlow-skilledadults.

Breaking Throughcommunitycollegeshavedevelopedavarietyofcareerpathwaysthatresultinhigh-demandjobs

andcareers.Keyfeaturesinclude:

> Afocusonhigh-demandoccupations:Pathwaysleadtojobsthatareindemandinthelocalorregionallabor

market,andtheyprovidefamily-supportingwagesandopportunitiesforadvancement.Thesejobsareusuallyin

constructionandbuildingtrades,manufacturing,healthcare,andearly-childhoodeducation.

> Activeengagementoflabormarketactors:Thecollegesmakeamajorefforttoinvolveemployersandunions

indevelopingandimplementingtheirprograms,invitingcollaborationinsuchareasascurriculumdevelopment

andprogramdelivery.Theyalsoarrangeforjobplacementforstudentswhocompleteprograms.

> Structuresthataccommodatestudentswhowork:Instructionisofferedatavarietyoftimesandlocationsthat

aremostlikelytobeconvenientforadultswhobothworkandattendschool.Somecoursesinvolvework-based

learning,whichtakesplaceatthestudents’workplaces.On-linecoursesarefrequentlyavailable.

ENGAGE WITH LABOR MARKET ACTORS IN HIGH-DEMAND FIELDS

CentralNewMexicoCommunityCollegeoffersanumberofcertificateanddegreeprogramsintheconstruction

andbuildingtrades,suchas:two-termcertificateprogramsincarpentry,plumbing,andwelding;three-term

certificateprogramsinairconditioning,heating,andrefrigerationandelectricaltrades;andatwo-yearAssociate’s

degreeinconstructiontechnology.

Unliketheworkforce-developmentdepartment,theAdultEducation/basicskillssideofthecollege(wherethe

Breaking Throughprogramwasdeveloped)hadweaktiestoindustry.TheBreaking Throughteamusedthe

workforcedepartment’smodel,whichincludesadvisorymeetingswithbusinessandindustryrepresentatives,to

developitsprogramandassessbothlocallaborneedsandtheassociatedskillsthatstudentsneededtodevelop.

CentralNewMexicoCommunityCollegetargetedtheconstructionandbuildingtradesforseveralreasons.First,

itknewfromacritical-needssurveyconductedthroughtheregion’sU.S.DepartmentofLaborWIREDgrantthat

theconstructionfieldwasgrowing.Second,CNMwascommittedtoworkingwithlow-skilledadults,especially

vulnerablepopulations.Forexample,theconstructionindustrywantedtoexpandrecruitmentandwasopento

hiringthosepreviouslyincarcerated.Therewasalsointerestinincreasingthenumberofparticipantsinregistered

apprenticeships—acommonelementinconstructionpathways.Manylow-incomeadultsneedtoearnwhilethey

learn,andthisisakeyfeatureofapprenticeshipprograms.Studentsalsocanearncollegecreditwhileinthe

apprenticeshipprogram.

4.9BreakingThrough

CNMworkswithindustrypartnerstohireinstructorsforclassesoffered

throughtheapprenticeshipprograms,andadvisorymeetingshelpensure

thatprogramsmeetlocallabormarketneeds.Industrypartnerswho

hireprogramgraduatesareasourceofvaluablefeedbackonstudents’

careerreadinessandjobskills,whichcanfurtherhelpwithprogram

development.Forexample,industrysuggestionsledtoanincreasedfocus

onsoftskills—communication,timeliness,andcriticalthinking—aswellas

anemphasisonreadingandmathdevelopmentthroughcontextualized

curricula.

NorthShoreCommunityCollege’searly-childhoodeducationcareer

pathwayisdesignedforchildcareworkerswhoareEnglishlanguage

learners.ItprovidesthemwithapathwaytoChildDevelopmentAssociate(CDA)trainingandtothecollege’s

Associate’sdegreeprograminearlychildhoodeducation.ContextualizedESLenablestheparticipantstostarton

theearly-childhoodeducationpathwaybytakingnoncreditworkshopsinEnglishasasecondlanguageandcourses

contextualizedforearly-childhoodeducation.

Aleadershipteam,withrepresentativesfromavarietyofcollegedepartmentsaswellascommunity-based

organizationsandthelocalWIB,helpedNorthShoredevelopitsfocusonchildcarepathways.Therewasalocal

needtoincreasetheskilllevelofchildcareworkers,andthecollegealreadyhadastrongCDAprogramthatcould

beadaptedfortheneedsofnon-nativeEnglishspeakers.

Thecollegecountsemployersascrucialpartnersinthiseffortaswell.Employerssendincumbentworkersfor

trainingandoffertheirchildcarecentersastrainingsites.Thosehostingonsitecoursesreceivevouchersthat

enabletheirincumbentworkerstotakeadditionalcoursesfreeofcharge.

TheCDAtrainingassistschildcareworkersintheprocessofobtainingtheirCDAcredential,whichisrequiredfor

certificationforchildcareteachersinMassachusetts,andisthefirststeptowardearninghigherwagesforchild

carework.Massachusettsencouragesmoreeducationandtrainingforthoseworkinginearlychildhoodeducation

andhasplanstoraiserequirementsinthefuture.Suchrequirementsprovideemployersandcommunitycolleges

withanincentivetodevelopeducationandtrainingprogramsforincumbentchildcareworkers.

Aspartofthetraining,participantstakecoursesinearly-childhood

education,coveringsuchtopicsaschildgrowthanddevelopmentand

developmentallyappropriateearly-childhoodeducationpractices.They

alsodofieldworkwithchildrenanddevelopportfoliosdemonstratingwhat

theylearn.

NorthShoreCommunityCollegealsooffersatwo-yearAssociate’sdegree

programinearly-childhoodeducation.ThosewhoobtainaCDAcredential

canapplyforsixadditionalcredits—asemester’sworthofcredittoward

theAssociate’sdegree.

Tip:Identify and stay in

touch with employers in

targeted industries and

occupations. This is key to

ensuring that the technical

aspects of the curriculum

meet employers’ needs and

help students prepare for

jobs.

Tip:Develop students’

general employability skills.

These can carry over to new

industries when local labor

markets change.


CuyahogaCommunityCollege’shealthcarecareerpathwayoffersapipelineintocareersforlow-skilledadultsand

increasestheskillsandcredentialsofthosealreadyinthefieldtohelpthemadvance.OnekeyfeatureisPre-State

TestedNursingAssistant(Pre-STNA)training,whichprovidesanonrampintohealthcaretrainingforstudentswith

verylowskilllevels.Forthosewhoneedit,thecollegealsooffersapathtocompletingtheGED,whichisnecessary

foradvancingintohigher-leveltrainingprograms.Thiscontextualizedbasicskillstrainingisdesignedtoprepare

participantsforthenextlevel,STNAtraining.STNAtrainingprovidesover100hoursofinstruction,including

clinicalexperiences,andusuallytakesfourtonineweekstocomplete.

Cuyahoga’sWorkforceandEconomicDevelopmentdivisioncollaborateswithemployerstocreateincentivesfor

enrollingandpersistingintrainingprograms,suchaspaidworkreleasetimeorflexiblescheduling.Thecollegealso

reliesonindustryadvisorycommitteessothatstudentsgaintheskillstheyneedtosucceedintheworkplace.

Ofthesixty-sixstudentsenrolledinthefirsteightcohorts,79percentcompletedtheSTNAtraining,and75percent

ofthecompleterspassedtheSTNAexam.Thesenumbersincludetheverylowskilledstudentswhoenrolledinthe

Pre-STNAprogrambeforebeginningtheSTNAtraining.Ofthestudentswhostartedtheprogram,whetheratthe

STNAorPre-STNAlevel,24percentwereattendingcollegeasoflate2009.

SoutheastArkansasCollegehasconductedlabormarketstudiestoidentifyhigh-growthfieldsintheirservice

area,oneofwhichisnursingandalliedhealth.Thecollegeoffersanumberofcertificateanddegreeprograms

inthisfield,includingone-semestercertificateprograms(e.g.,emergencymedicaltechnology,nursingassistant,

andphlebotomy);one-yearcertificateprograms(e.g.,practicalnursingandsurgicaltechnology);andtwo-year

Associate’sdegreeprograms(e.g.,LPN-to-RNnursingtransition,radiologictechnology,andrespiratorycare).Low-

skilledadultsstartnursingandalliedhealthcareerpathwaysbytakingFastTrackdevelopmentaleducation,which

offersbasicskillstraininginreading,writing,andmath,allcontextualizedfornursingandalliedhealthoccupations.

Employersarekeyandactivepartnersinthenursingandalliedhealthcarecareerpathway.Forexample,health

careemployersprovidesitesforclinicalexperiencesinthepractical-nursingtrainingprogram.Theyhave

alsocollaboratedwiththecollegetocreatecareer-pathwaysroadmapstoinformincumbentworkersabout

advancementopportunitiesandrelatededucationandtrainingprograms.

Asofspring2008,SEARKhadenrolledthreecohortsofstudentsinto

FastTrackdevelopmentaleducationandacceleratedalliedhealth.Ofthe

studentsenrolledinFastTrack,93percentcompletedthesequence.By

comparison,thetraditionaldevelopmentaleducationcompletionratesat

SEARKrangedfrom50to60percent.Two-thirds(66percent)ofstudents

enrolledintheacceleratedalliedhealthpathwayshavecompletedtheir

programs.

Tip:Stay informed about

state and local job markets.

This is critical to helping

students make informed

choices and to guiding the

college’s decisions about

program offerings.

4.11BreakingThrough

Avarietyoffactorsledthecollegetowarddevelopmentof

theirBreaking Throughinitiative:

> Localemployershadidentifiedtheneedforliteracy

trainingfortheirincumbentworkers.

> MichiganWorks(thestateWorkforceInvestmentBoard)

hadfoundthatmanyadultsinthecollege’scommunity

wereineligiblefortheNoWorkerLeftBehindprogram

becausetheywerenotcollegeready.

> Thechairoftransitionalstudieswasconcerned

thatLMCC’sdevelopmentaleducationprogramwas

discouragingforstudentsandfeltthatadultstudents

neededflexibleprogrammingoptions.

Arequestfromthedeanofbusinessservices(whohassince

becomethepresidentofthecollege)todevelopcoursesfor

alocalhealthcarefacilitywasthestartofLMCC’sefforts

todevelopnew, Breaking Through-orientedprogramming.

LMCCfoundthatcross-collegecollaborationwaskeyto

gettingtheprojectstarted.

55 Developaleadershipteamwithinthecollege:At

LMCC,theBreaking Throughteamincludeshigh-

leveladministratorsfromdevelopmentaleducation,

workforcedevelopment,businessservices,career

education,andWorkKeys.

55 StrengthenconnectionstothelocalWorkforce

InvestmentBoard:LMCCisplanningcombinedtraining

foradvisorsfromthecollegeandtheWIBsothat

twostakeholdersinthelabormarket—educationand

employment—cangettoknoweachother.Thetraining

willbefollowedbyongoingmeetings.

55 Workwithcredit-sideinstructionalfaculty:LMCCstaff

areexaminingthecontentandtextbooksofcourseson

thefor-creditandnoncreditsidestocreateladdersfor

studentadvancement.

LMCCstartedbyaddingBreaking Throughcomponents

tothreenoncreditworkforcetrainingcourses(welding,

hospitality,andpharmacytech).TheBreaking Through

componentsincludedremediationthroughKeyTrainaswell

astheCareerandCollegeEssentialscourse,whichcoversa

varietyoftopicsaimedatadvancingstudents’educationand

careers:

> Howtoefficientlyandseamlesslytransitionfrom

noncredittocreditcourses;

> Opportunitiesforcareer-interestexploration;

> Anintroductiontoavailabletrainingcoursesandtheir

requirements;

> Advicetostudentsoncollegeexpectationsandthe

resourcesavailabletothem;and

> Discussionsoftheadvantagesofpostsecondary

education.AtLMCC,thisdiscussionisledbyTRIO

supportstaff.

LMCCisusingdatafromthefirstBreaking Throughcohort

toevaluatethesuccessofthesecourses,butitisalready

movingtoincorporatetheinitiative’scomponentsintomore

courses.Itsadviceforpractitionersseekingtoimprovetheir

workforcedevelopmentofferingsisto:

55 WorkwiththeWIBandlocalemployers.

55 Startbyadaptingexistingprogramsandaddnew

programsasneeded.

55 Usedatatolookathowstudentstransitiontocollege-

levelprograms.

55 Workcloselywithfor-creditinstructionalfacultyand

administrators.

Lake Michigan Community College, Michigan

ENHANCING WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS

LakeMichiganCommunityCollege’sBreaking Throughprojectfocusedonenhancingthecollege’sexistingworkforce-

developmentprograms.LMCCaddedseveralelementsthatenhanceditsBreaking Throughportfolio,including

remediationthroughKeyTrain,theopportunitytoearnaNationalCareerReadinessCertificate,andaCareerandCollege

Essentialscourse.


Chunk Training to Create Career PathwaysBreaking Throughcollegeslearnedaboutvariousapproachestocreatingcareerpathwaysintheseriesofnational

meetingsheldbetween2005and2008.MostinfluentialtothevisionofseamlesspathwayswasPortland

CommunityCollege’sCareerPathwaysprogram,which“chunks”two-yearoccupationalandtechnicaldegree

programsintounitsthat:

> Areoneyearorshorter(12to44credits);

> Representthemasteryofskillsindemandbylocalemployers,and;

> Buildonpriorcourseworkandcredentialstowardtwo-yearandfour-yeardegrees.

Figure1showsPCC’saccounting/bookkeepingpathway.

Figure 1. Portland Community College’s Pathway Map for Accounting/Bookkeeping

In2004-05,PCC’spathwayswereonlyopentocollege-readystudents;low-skilledadultswerenoteligible,so

thecollegehassinceadded“bridges”toseveralpathwaysforstudentswithloweracademicskills.Thesebridge

programsincludecoinstruction,withbasic-skillsinstructorsjoiningcontentinstructorsintheclassroom.

(For more information on Portland Community College’s fourteen career pathways and six vocational English as a

second language pathways, see www.pcc.edu/pavtec/pathways.)

AnumberofBreaking ThroughcollegeshavegraspedPCC’sessentialnotionof“chunking”andadaptedittocreate

acontinuumofprogramsforstudentsstartingatlowskilllevels.Forexample,MottCommunityCollegehascreated

pathwaysconnectingnoncreditworkforcestudentstofor-credittechnicalprogramsinfourindustrysectors.Figure

2showshowthepathwaylooksinhealthsciences.

Career Path

ways Train

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: http

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cc.edu

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Offered

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Option to continue education in pursuit of a Bachelors degree at a 4-year institution

Entrance Considerations

Accounting ClerkEntry-Level

Accounting Clerk

Accounting Clerk

• Account Collector

• Billing Clerk

• Credit Authorizer

• Information Clerk

• Loan Interviewer

• Office Worker

• Office Clerk

• Payroll Clerk

• Teller

• Location: PCC Cascade • Location: PCC Rock Creek• Admission to the College

• Placement into: - Math 60• Placemen - Writing 121• Placement into: - Reading 115

Employment

• Executive Assistant

• Bookkeeping Clerk

• Brokerage Clerk

• Business Operations Specialist

• Mgr of Admin Support Workers

• New Accounts Clerk

• Tax Preparer

14 credits - Certificate• Course Information• Costs

51 credits 1 - year Certificate• Course Information• Costs

92 - 93 credits Associate of Applied Science• Course Information• Costs

Por

tland

Com

mun

ity C

olle

ge Accounting ClerkEntry-Level 27 credits• Course Information• Costs

Career Pathways Training

Career Pathways Training

Employment

Employment

Acco

un

ting

- Bo

okkeep

ing

Tip:Divide technical

curriculum into shorter

“chunked” modules that

yield credentials, enabling

students to get jobs (or

promotions) more quickly.

This also makes it easier for

students to “stop out” for

life emergencies without

losing credit for work they’ve

accomplished.

4.13BreakingThrough

Figure 2. Mott Community College’s Pathway Map for Health Science

“STACKING” TOWARD MORE COMPREHENSIVE CERTIFICATIONS AND DEGREES

Themapsofchunkedprogramspresentedherealsoillustrate“stacking”—thatis,sequentialbuildingtowardhigher

credentialslinkedtobetterjobs.Moreover,chunkingandstackingcreatespathwaysthatare“seamless”—thatis,

withoutskillgaps.ManyBreaking Throughcollegeshavetakentheirunderstandingofseamlesspathwaysfroma

metaphorusedbyDavidPrinceoftheWashingtonStateBoardforCommunityandTechnicalColleges.Hesuggests

thinkingaboutcareerpathwaysasbeinglikesubwaysystems,wheretheexitpointfromthesystemistheentry

pointforthenextsegmentofthesystem.ThemapfromNorthShoreCommunityCollegetakesthismetaphorto

heart(seeFigure3).Attheentrylevel,thepathwayaccommodatesstudents—mostlywomen—workingforlowwages

indaycarecentersandadvancestheirEnglishandtechnicalskillsintoandthroughatwo-yeardegreeprogramthat

articulatestoafour-yearprogram.

Figure 3. North Shore Community College’s map for Early Childhood Education


AsomewhatdifferentapproachtoseamlessstackingcomesfromOwensboroCommunity&TechnicalCollegeand

theKentuckyCommunity&TechnicalCollegeSystem.Unliketheprecedingexamples,createdinsideasingle

college,andlimitedpotentialforexpansionbeyondthatcollege,OCTCfunctionsinastatewidesystemwiththe

potentialtobuildcareerpathwaysacrossthesystem.Thispotentialwasbuiltintoastatewidecoursecatalogue

developedbyKCTCSexplicitlytosupportthedevelopmentofcareerpathways.

TheKCTCScoursecataloguepresentscareerpathwaysin108technicalareas,fromAdvancedImaginginRadiology

toZooAnimalTechnology,withnotesindicatingwhichofKentucky’s16communityandtechnicalcollegesoffer

whichcoursesineachprogram.Thecataloguewasdevelopedusingan“embeddedcredentials”approachthat

makesexplicitthecompetenciestaughtineachcourseandalignsthemacrosscourses.Thus,studentscanmapout

asequenceofcoursesthatadduptocredentialsanddegrees.(To access the KCTCS catalogue, go to http://stage.

kctcs.edu/catalog/curric/index.cfm?action=s.)

Aninnovativefeatureofthecatalogueistopresentcoursesandcertificationsavailableattheprecollegelevelfora

numberoftheprograms.“Welderhelper,”forexample,isopentopeoplewhotestattheninth-gradelevel.Various

coursesareofferedatthenextlevelup,andastudentcanbuildonthewelderhelpercertificatetowhatKCTCS

callsa“diploma”(lessthanatwo-yeardegree),andthentoacollegedegree.

OCTCstartedoffbyofferingdislocatedworkersandothersaccesstopathwaysinseveralindustryareasthatbegin

withprecollegecertificatesandbuildtowardcollege-levelcoursesanddegrees.OCTCisworkingtoincorporate

anotherinnovationbasedoncrucialobservationsmadebyprogramstaff:theacademic(KCTCSusestheterm

“foundational”)skillsofmanystudentsintheseprecollegecertificateprogramsarewellbelowcollegelevel,

andthecertificateprogramsdonotincludeinstructioninfoundational

skills.Asaresult,studentscancompletetherequirementsofprecollege

technicalcertificatesbutbeunabletoadvancefurtherbecausethey

cannotpasscollege-entranceexamsorfunctionatthereadingand

mathlevelsrequiredforthecollege-leveltechnicalcourses.OCTC

willexperimentwithseveralapproachestobuildingtheseskills,using

contextualizedmaterials.Thegoalistoadvancestudents’foundational

skilllevelsalongsidetechnical-skilldevelopment,seekingtoensurethat

thosewhowantcollege-levelcertificationscanmatriculateintocollege

andenrollinthecoursestheyneed.

THE ROLE OF CERTIFICATES AND CREDENTIALS

Onethemecuttingacrossdiscussionsofchunkedpathwaysistheessentialroleofcertificatesandother

credentials.Thesearefundamentaltotheabilityoflow-skilledadultstoadvanceinthelabormarket.Ifcredentials

aredevelopedcorrectly,theymatchasetofskillsthatemployersidentifyasneeded,andtheyattestthatthe

holderofthecredentialhasmasteredthoseskills.Breaking Throughcollegeshaveusedthisprincipletoconstruct

andstrengthencareerpathwaysinseveralways:

> Incorporatingnationallyorstate-recognizedcertificatesintotheearlystagesofacareerpathway,giving

participantsalabormarketadvantageevenbeforemasteringtechnicalmaterial;

> Usingthedesignprocesstoensurethatcertificatesforaparticularoccupationorindustrystack,withthe

competenciestobemasteredinahigher-levelcertificatebuildingoncompetencieslearnedatthepreceding

level;and

> Designingcertificatesthatensureaseamlesssequence—thatis,allthecompetenciesneededforthenexthigher

levelofcertificationarepresentedintheprecedingone.

Tip:Stack “chunked”

curriculum modules so

students can advance toward

further credentials and

degrees.

4.15BreakingThrough

ThePractice Guide Supplemental Materialsincludeataxonomyof

certificates,whichfallintofourtypes:careerreadiness,short-term,

occupationspecific,andcommunitycollegebased.Theyalsodescribe

eachtypeofcertificate,illustratedwithexamplesofhowBreaking

Throughcollegeshaveusedthem.

Participate in Regional Efforts to Retain and Recruit Businesses and IndustriesForsometimenationalorganizations,andalsostateandmunicipal

governments,havepromotedthegoalofintegratingeconomic

developmentwithworkforcedevelopment.Inpractice,integrationfocusesonthehighendofthelabormarket

andneglectsthelow-skilledadultstargetedbyBreaking Through.Forexample,statesoftenseektoattract

biotechnologyfirms,whilepromotingtrainingthatoffersemployersasupplyofhighlyskilledlabor.Nevertheless,

publicagenciescanincludeworkersatthelower-skilledendofthespectrumineconomic-developmentefforts,

especiallytoattractandretainindustriesandfirmsthatofferbothfamily-supportingjobsattheentryleveland

formalopportunitiestoincreaseskillsandadvancetojobswithhigherpayandresponsibilities.

Breaking Throughhasnurturedseveraleffortstopromoteregionaleconomicdevelopmentintendedtobenefitlow-

skilledadults.Participatingcommunitycollegesareexpandingopportunitiesforlow-skilledadultsbyinfluencing

thedirectionofregionaleconomicdevelopmentinseveralways,including:

> Targetingindustrysectorsthatprovidelow-income,low-skilledadultsgoodjobsattheentrylevelandoffer

opportunitiesforskillbuildingandadvancement,andinwhichthereishighdemand;

> Partneringwiththepublicandprivatesectorsonregionaleconomicandworkforce-developmentefforts;

> Addressingtheeducationandtrainingneedsoffirms’incumbentworkerstohelpthemadvance;and

> Makingtargeted,short-termtrainingpartoflonger-termcertificatesanddegreestopromoteadvancementand

furthereduationandtraining.

PARTICIPATION IN REGIONAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

PortlandCommunityCollegeisakeypartnerinitsregion’seconomicandworkforcedevelopmentefforts.One

wayitdoesthisisbyjoiningineffortstorecruitbiotech,microelectronics,solar,andothernewindustries.By

collaboratingwithnewindustriesandfirms,thecollegeisinvolvedwiththemfromtheoutset.Forexample,after

helpingrecruitbiotechfirms,PCCthenengagedthesefirmsindevelopinga13-creditbiosciencetechniciancareer-

pathwayscertificateprogram.Thegoalwastomeetemployers’workforceneedswhileprovidinglow-income,low-

skilledadultswithemploymentopportunities.

PCC’scareer-pathwayscertificateprogramsarealignedwiththeregionaleconomyandhigh-demandindustry

areas,andthecollegecollaborateswithexistingindustriestohelpthemgrow.Whenfirmsexperiencelaborandskill

shortages,theyaremoreopentoworkingwiththecommunitycollegeandprovidingemploymentopportunitiesto

jobcandidatestheymighthavepreviouslyoverlooked.

Tip:Work with local

and regional employers

to connect training for

incumbent workers with

related certificates and/

or degrees at the college.

Then, develop pathways that

enable students to build on

employer-sponsored training

to earn college certificates

and degrees.


PCCensuresthattrainingnotonlymeetstheneedsofspecificfirmsbutalsoalignswithcertificateanddegree

programs:trainingispartofacareerpathway.Forexample,PCCcollaboratedwithasolarenergyemployer

todevelopashort-termtrainingpackagedesignedtoprovidetheskillsrequiredforentry-leveljobs.Students

completingthetrainingearncredits—andastackablecredential—thatcanbeappliedtoPCC’sone-yearcertificate

andtwo-yeardegreeprograms.

Bothexternalandinternalpartnershipsarecritical.Externalpartners

includeeconomicdevelopers,employers,andindustry;internalpartners

includeacollege’screditandnoncreditsides.

OwensboroCommunity&TechnicalCollegecollaboratesextensively

withitsregion’seconomic-developmentstakeholders—includinglocal

government,theeconomic-developmentcorporation,andunionsand

employerorganizations—toimprovethevitalityofkeysectorsinthe

regionaleconomyandprovidelow-income,low-skilledadultsgoodjobs

andadvancementopportunities.OCTCistheworkforcearmofregional

economicdevelopment.

OCTC’stargetedsectorsincludemanufacturingandhealthcare.Inmanufacturing,thefocusisonhelpingthe

regionretainitslocalmanufacturingbaseandattractnewfirms.Sucheffortshaveincludedprovidingincumbent

workerswiththetrainingrequiredtomaintainnewindustrialmachinery,and,morerecently,providingdislocated

workerswithretraining.Inhealthcare,thefocusisonhelpingthelocalhospitalsystemmeetitsneedforhundreds

ofadditionalnurses.OCTCprovidesthehospital’sentry-levelworkerswiththeeducationandtrainingrequiredto

moveintothesejobs.

OCTCstructurestrainingaspartofapathway,withshort-termtrainingandcredentialsembeddedinlonger-

termcertificatesanddegrees.Thecollege’sactivitiesrelatedtoeconomicdevelopmenthavehelpeditpromote

institutionalchange,bringinganewfocusonwhoisserved,andonhowandwheretrainingisprovided.

Scaling Up Labor Market Payoffs: Case Study of Mott Community CollegeInscalingupsuccessfulpracticesMottCommunityCollegeprovidesmultipleopportunitiesforstudentstogain

labormarketpayoffsfromtheireducationintheformofbothnoncreditoccupationalcertificatesandcollege

credits.Mottdoesthisbyconnectingitsnoncreditworkforce-trainingprogramswithitsfor-creditside.

Forstudents,theconnectionmakesthebestofbothworldsavailable:studentsgetopportunitiestoquicklyearn

employmentcredentialsvaluedbyemployers,whilealsoaccumulatingcollegecreditsthattheycanlaterapply

towardmoreadvancedcertificatesanddegrees.Motthasinstituteditsinnovativelinkageprocessinallfourofits

high-demandindustry/occupationalprogramareas:healthsciences,humanservicesandpublicadministration;

business,management,marketingandtechnology;andengineering/manufacturing.Motthasrestructureditself

toprovidefullpathwaysintothecollegeforlow-skilledadults,withsequentialcertificatesanddegreesinallfour

industryareas.

Tip:To improve job

opportunities for low-

skilled adults, community

colleges must partner with

state or regional economic-

development organizations

to attract or retain firms

and industries with entry-

level positions and genuine

advancement opportunities.

4.17BreakingThrough

MottCommunityCollegeislocatedinFlint,Michigan,wheretheautoindustrydominatedtheeconomyformostof

thetwentiethcentury.Thedeclineoftheindustryhasmeanthugejoblosses;by2006,thenumberofemployees

atGeneralMotorshaddecreasedby90percentfromitspeak.Withhighnumbersofunemployedworkers,many

ofwhomlackpostsecondarycredentials,thecommunitycollegehasanimportantroletoplayinFlint’seconomic

revitalization.

BeforeMottjoinedBreaking Through,career-advancementopportunitiesforstudentsatitsWorkforceEducation

Centerwerelimited,astheyareatthenoncreditcentersofmostcommunitycolleges.Theconnectionsbetween

academicremediationandworkforcetrainingwereweak,andstudentswhoenteredwithlowacademicskillshad

fewopportunitiestoadvanceintechnicaltraining.Evenmoreimportant,studentshadnowaytobuildontechnical

trainingtheyhadreceivedandtoearncollege-levelcertificatesanddegrees.Whilenoncreditstudentswithpoor

basicskillscouldenrollinthecollege,theyhadtostartindevelopmentaleducation.Then,oncetheyformally

matriculated,theywouldhavetostarttechnicaltrainingbackattheentrylevel.

WhileanumberofBreaking Throughcollegesdeveloped“demonstrationprograms”thattheynowseektoscale

up,MottCommunityCollegetookadifferentapproach:movingfromhavingnoconnectionsbetweennoncreditand

creditprogramstosystematicallydevelopingpathwaysinfourmajorindustry/occupationalareasthattogether

accommodatetheneedsofmoststudents.Torolloutthesepathways,Mottdevelopedseveralprocessesthatcreate

opportunitiesforstudentstoearnseamlesssequencesofnoncreditandcredit-levellabormarketcredentials:

> Articulation:Traditionally,“articulation”hasreferredtotheprocessofformalizingagreementsaboutsuch

mattersasthetransferabilityofcoursecreditsacrossseparateinstitutions.Mottadaptedarticulationtoalign

contentbetweenitsownnoncreditandcreditsides.SeethePractice Guide Supplemental Materialsfortheitems

Mottdevelopedtosupportthisprocess.

> Industry/occupationalprogramareas:Facultyandotherstaffcametogethertorestructurethecurriculum.

Now,bothnoncreditandcreditfacultyteachsegmentsofsomecertificateprograms,andstudentscanreceive

collegecreditalongwithanindustrycertificate.

> Writtenprogramsofstudy:Foreachstudent,awrittenprogramofstudydetailsthesequenceofcourses

requiredtoearnatwo-yeardegreeinthechosenfield.Ittookseveralyearstohammeroutthisprocess:many

collegestaffandadministratorshadtobeconvincedthatnoncreditstudentswerecapableofcollege-levelwork.

Nowstudentscanadvancethroughaclearsequenceofcertifications,eachdevelopedwithregionalemployerinput,

andeachconnectingtoajobinthechosenindustry.Forexample,astudentcanacquireaCorrectionsPreparation

Certificate,preparinghimorherforajobearning$12.98to$14.23perhour,followedbyaone-yearCriminalJustice

Certificate,forajobearning$12to$16.23perhour.Thiscareerpathwaythenleadstotwo-yearCriminalJustice

Associate’sdegree,whichprovidesaccesstojobspayingupto$24perhour.


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Labor Market Payoffs

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