Minnesota FastTRAC Adult Career Pathways

Presenters: Barry Shaffer

MN Department of Education – Adult Basic Education

Anne Marie Leland Faribault Community Education Director

Nola Speiser MN Department of Employment & Economic

Development

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Our Goals:Provide an overview of Minnesota FastTRAC, focusing on:

• Demographics of FastTRAC participants• FastTRAC state and local partners• FastTRAC participant eligibility and

assessment• Importance of data collection and reporting• FastTRAC outcome measures

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Question!• Who in the room has a FastTRAC

program at their ABE consortium?

• What is your involvement?

(we will be asking for your input throughout the presentation)

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FastTRAC ParticipantsWho is a FastTRAC participant? • ABE and ESL students who are ready to be

successful in postsecondaryOther possible characteristics• MFIP enrolled• WIA Adult, Dislocated worker• Incumbent worker• Unemployed or Underemployed individuals• Multiple minimum-wage, part-time jobs

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Why FastTRAC?Minnesota’s Growing Skills Gap

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The Need Is Great:Working Learners in Minnesota

FastTRAC VisionMeeting state and employer demands

for a skilled workforce and providing opportunities for low-wage, low-skilled adults to access high quality education and training leading to career pathway employment

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FastTRAC PartnersFastTRAC participants are often common clients of

education, public assistance and workforce development. FastTRAC requires a highly collaborative approach to serving participants.

Local FastTRAC partnership example –• ABE provider• Mn State College and University (MnSCU) campus• Workforce Center• Community Based Organization (CBO)• Human services

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How Does MN FastTRAC Help?Through building career pathways.

Career pathways are a proven, innovative educational design for streamlined ABE that leads to good jobs. They are:

• Worker-friendly, cost-effective, short-term training that allows students to earn a certificate or credential.

• Credit-bearing credential attainment in occupations in demand allowing immediate job placement while opening the door to continue postsecondary education toward additional certificates, diplomas and degrees.

• Allow students get the skills necessary for family-sustaining jobs.

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A Sample Career Pathway

City of Duluth Workforce Investment Board Manufacturing Initiative• Designed in “6 Key Elements” framework – DOL Career

Pathways Institute • Enhanced employer engagement• Collaborative project design and delivery: workforce

investment board, workforce development, community college, adult basic education, community based organizations

• Integrating basic education and skills training: Adult Basic Education integration in entry level coursework in all certifications; Development Education integration in higher level coursework; General Education integration in AAS degree

• Work/life skills infusion into career & technical education curriculum

• Blended wraparound support services• FastTRAC Navigator• FastTRAC Grants

Core “Gate Keeper” Courses for Integrated Instruction Model:Into to College 1 Credit Solid Works 1 3 Credits Intro to Manufacturing Tech 4 Credits Mechanical Blueprint Reading 3 Credits Design Application Concepts 1 3 Credits

Gas Metal Arc Welding 1 3 Credits

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FastTRAC Participant EligibilityFastTRAC programs are designed for adults, sixteen (16)

years old or older, who are not enrolled in secondary school and who qualify under one or more of the following conditions:

• Lack a recognized high school credential; • Have a limited ability to speak, read, or write the English

language; • Lack sufficient mastery of core basic educational skills

(math, reading, writing, listening, speaking below a 12th grade level) to function effectively in the workplace as measured by the National Reporting System (NRS) list of adult appropriate standardized assessments.

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AssessmentAll FastTRAC program providers use assessments

consistent with program requirements to place participants into the appropriate courses and to measure progress

• ABE – TABE, CASAS• MnSCU – Accuplacer• Workforce – NCRC, TABE, CASAS• CBOs – TABE, CASAS, other• Human services – assessing for grade levelOther assessments?

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FastTRAC Data PlanWhy is it so important to collect accurate data on

FastTRAC participants?• Individual agencies need to show success to meet

their performance measures• All partners/funders have committed to a common

set of performance measures to promote and sustain FastTRAC

• To visualize the participant success, we need to look at activities through the duration of FastTRAC programming. This requires querying multiple data sources, e.g., MnSCU, ABE, Workforce and Human Services

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Data Collection & Reporting

FastTRAC participants are ABE students and need to be screened, measured and reported according to ABE/FastTRAC eligibility criteria.

FastTRAC Outcome Measures• Basic skills acquisition (NRS EFL gain)• Completion of Bridge and/or Integrated Courses• Retention in program• Credential attainment• Job placement in career field• Job retention• Wage progression• Continuation of career pathway training

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Where We Are Today:Since January 2010, preliminary results have shown –• 34 FastTRAC programs became operational on 20 of

the 47 college campuses. • 26 of 47 (approx. 90% of service delivery) ABE

consortia have created bridge and integrated programming with FastTRAC funding.

• 540 participants of 807 (67%) have completed FastTRAC ABE bridge courses and moved into an integrated MnSCU/ABE course.

• 364 participants of 415 (88%) have completed an integrated instruction course.

  "This program changed my life. I actually got the experience I need in the workforce. Now I have everything I need to be successful."  "This program changed my life. I actually got the experience I need in the workforce. Now I have everything I need to be successful."

"THIS PROGRAM CHANGED MY LIFE. I ACTUALLY GOT THE EXPERIENCE I NEED IN THE WORKFORCE. NOW I HAVE EVERYTHING I NEED TO BE SUCCESSFUL.“ ANTOINETTE MCCARTHY

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ResourcesFor more information:

• www.MNFastTRAC.org• Anne Marie Leland, anne.leland@state.mn.us • Nola Speiser, nola.speiser@state.mn.us

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Questions?