United States Department of LaborEmployment & Training Administration

TAACCCT Technical Assistance RoundtableJuly 2014

Creating Career Pathways:

PluggedInVA is a career pathways bridge program that prepares adult learners with the knowledge, skills, and credentials they need to succeed in postsecondary education, training, and high-demand, high-wage careers in the 21st century.

A Very Brief History of PluggedInVA

• 2008: PluggedInVA development at VCU’s Literacy Institute

• 2009: First PluggedInVA pilot began in Feb. in Southwest Virginia in Information Technology

• 2011-12: Expansion to 2 additional sites• 2014: Line item in the VA Governor’s budget – 12 locations across VA

• 2013: Development of models to expand to lower skill levels:– PluggedInVA Workforce (5th – 8th grade)– PluggedInVA Pathways (literacy – 4th grade)

Key Elements

1. Industry-specific contextualized curriculum

2. Co-enrollment at a postsecondary institution

3. Industry-recognized credentials or certificates

4. Career Coaching 5. Active Business Participation6. Capstone project

College & Career Readines

s Outcome

s

GED

Basic Skills

Transferrable

Postsecondary Credits

Digital Literacy

Certification

Career Readiness Certificate

Industry Certification

s

Partnerships Make it Work!

• Adult Education• Postsecondary Institutions• Employers• Workforce Development

Adult Education• Local and state level support• Contextualized basic skills• Curriculum frameworks• Teacher training• Technical assistance• Resources

Postsecondary• Co-enrollment• Instructor collaboration • Career coaches• Financial aid• Customized courses and

certificate programs

Workforce partners– Workforce Investment Boards, One-Stops, VEC• Referrals• Eligibility• Wrap around services• Funding

Employers• Curriculum design• Job experience opportunities• Employment

Overall Framework

PluggedInVA Curriculum

Aligns with–Secondary completion–College readiness–Workplace readiness–Assessments

PluggedInVA Curriculum, cont’d

Assessments–VPT (Virginia Placement Test)–CRC (Career Readiness Certificate)–GED2014–Microsoft Digital Literacy Certificate–Industry-recognized credentials

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CERTIFICATES

CAREER STUDIES

IC3 NCCER HIPAACEHRS OSHA Safety CPR & First AidCNA Medication Administration Pharmacy

TechnologyRefrigeration Recovery OSHA 10 WeldingPhlebotomy HVAC MachiningElectronic Medical Records Electricity Dental

Assisting/X-ray

Information Technology Manufacturing TechnicianConstruction/Weatherization EntrepreneurshipElectrician Helper Customer CareSoftware Quality Assurance Electronic Medical RecordsPhlebotomy HVACCNC (machining) WeldingCustomer Care PhlebotomyIndustrial Maintenance

Outcomes

Number 2009-12 2012-13 2013-14 YTD

Cohorts Completed 16 13 11

Students Completing Cohorts 211 144 103

Percentage 2009-12 2012-13 2013-14 YTD

GED Attainment 90% 90% 82%

Industry-recognized credentials/career studies certificates

100% 100% 100%

Career Readiness Certificates 88% 96% 90%

Digital Literacy Certificates 100% 100% 98%

Outcomes• Through FY2012-13, 70% of completers

continued with at least one additional semester at the community college level—4 times the rate of general adult education students.

• 47% of students enrolled in 2012-13 gained or retained employment by September 1, 2013.

• State funding in 2012-13 more than doubled enrollment from the previous year.

• PluggedInVA cohorts are operating in all eight superintendents regions.

Expanding the Pipeline from Literacy to Careers

Pathways

Workforce

Careers

PluggedInVA Pathways

• Goals and outcomes– Increased

Educational Functioning Levels (EFL)

– Digital Literacy Certificate (North Star)

– Badges for Professional Soft Skills & Workplace Skills

– Employment or entrance into job training

• Targeted to literacy through 4th grade

• Focus on basic skills in workplace contexts

• Computer literacy instruction

• Job search techniques• Professional soft skills• Critical skills instruction

(i.e., ethics, teamwork, critical thinking and problem solving, and communication)

• One-on-one tutoring

PluggedInVa Workforce

• Goals and outcomes– Pre-GED©

Preparation– CRC Preparation– Microsoft Digital

Literacy Certificate – Completion of

Professional Soft Skills training

– Industry-recognized credential (s)

– Job experience

• Targeted to the 5th to 8th grade basic skill level

• Focus on basic skills in workplace contexts, job readiness, and career exploration– May be adapted to be

industry-specific with employer partners

• Intensive instruction (12+ hours/week + occupational)

PluggedInVA Careers

• Targeted to 9th through 12th grade basic skill levels

• Industry-specific contextualized instruction

• Co-enrollment at the adult education center and the postsecondary institution

• Explicit professional soft skills training

• ~20 hours / week instruction

• Goals and outcomes– GED© credential– Career Readiness

Certificate (CRC)– Microsoft Digital

Literacy certificate– Industry-recognized

credential (s)– Job experience– Transferable college

credits

TAA/NRCC Project

Managing multiple levels and cohorts

o Assessments and Placemento Building cohortso Participant training scheduleso Staff preparation and managemento Curriculumo Outcomes o Lessons Learned

TAA/NRCC Project

Outcomes after one semester…PIVA

PathwaysPIVA

WorkforcePIVA

Careers

Enrolled 9 34 15

Post-tested 4 19 8

Educational Gains 4 14 7

Enrolled in Postsecondar

y8 33 12

Retained 4 31 15

Left: Gained Employment 4 3 0

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THANK YOU