Transcript Testing & Talent Assessment Center

Growing Your Testing Center’s
Business and Revenue
Jim Kalna, Supervisor, Testing & Talent
Assessment Center – Columbus State
Community College, Columbus, OH
Kay Alford, Director of Academic Testing,
Coastal Carolina University, Conway, SC
The Journey
Testing & Talent Assessment Center
Columbus State Community College
September 2010 – June 2012
The Landscape
• Charged to grow the business and be
profitable in 2-3 years
• Test Center already had 10 Test Vendor
Agreements and 1,474 exams in place
• Very professional and experienced staff
• Wonderful setting and expansive testing
environment
Building Volume
• National College Testing Association (NCTA)
List-Serve
• Becoming an Authorized Test Center for every
Test Vendor
• Rely on Test Vendors’ national marketing to
bring test candidates to our Test Center
Obtaining Vendor Service Agreements
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List-Serve Opportunities
Test Vendor or Exam Websites
Overcoming Territory Competition Challenge
Center Profile – Resume – Photos
Follow up E-mails, Phone Calls, Building
Relationship (Sales)
• Building Relationship with CSCC In-House
Counsel
Building Campus Links – Fire Science
Technology Program
• Program Coordinator was internally providing
graduates with State Fire Certification Exam
• We took this over and built cost of exam and
proctor fee into “Lab Fee” of program
• Important Certification Credential to augment
education and increase employability
transition to professional workplace
Building Campus Links – Aviation
Maintenance Technology Program
• I learned CSCC has a degree program while
obtaining PSI/LaserGrade Vendor Agreement
• Graduates need 3 FAA Maintenance Certifications
to gain entry to career and workplace
• Provided a favorable group discount for program
graduates to take these exams with us
• Other connections: AOPA, Industry Companies,
Internship opportunity
Building Campus Links – Pharmacy
Technician Training Program
• Non-credit Pharm Tech program at CWD
• I lobbied hard with NHA and PSI to give me
their ExCPT Exam leading to Certified
Pharmacy Technician certification
• Greatly augments program graduate’s training
and strengthens ability to enter the workplace
• Program Coordinator and Instructors pleased
we can support the success of their students
Building Campus Links – GED Prep
Program
• Program Coordinator wanted the TABE online
version in our Center so they can forego the
paper/pencil version
• Secured Vendor Service Agreement
• Developed pricing, procedures, etc., with
Program Coordinator
• Strengthens Program’s ability to determine
academic skills placement of students
entering the program and prepping for GED
Building Campus Links – CSCC
Healthcare Programs
• Existing pathway with Nursing and Allied
Health Professions programs for Admissions
Exams
• Professional Testing Support – research, white
papers, detail test construction, improved test
results discussion for candidate, etc.
• EMS/Paramedic Program comes on board
• Candidate Application Packet – Document and
Process for Applicant testing
Building Campus Links – CSCC
Logistics/ART and Bioscience Technician
• Non-Credit and Credit Certificate Programs
• Consultation on Assessments for Candidate
screening into programs
• Occupational Personality Questionnaire
(OPQ), Manufacturers Toolbox (MTB),
Background Checks and Drug Screening tools
as part of the programs’ Candidate Application
Process
Building Campus Links – CSCC
Heating and A/C Degree Program
• Partnered with Credit Program Coordinator to
obtain Air Conditioning, Heating and
Refrigeration Institute’s (AHRI) and North
American Technician Excellence (NATE)
Certifications critical for graduates entry into
the workforce.
• Cost of these Certifications and our Proctor
Fee are built into the Lab Fee of the final
course in Program Curriculum
Building Community Links
• Have service contracts with three companies
(Bioscience and Manufacturing) to provide
various Assessments as part of their Talent
Acquisition Candidate Screening Process
• Use the WorkKeys Technical Assessments and
the Manufacturing Toolbox (Technical and
Workstyle Preference)
Metric Results
Test Vendor/Exam Portfolio (2000 – Aug., 2010)
Total Vendor Agreements – 10
Total Exam Portfolio – 1,474
Test Vendor/Exam Portfolio (as of May 2012)
Total Vendor Agreements – 35
Total Exam Portfolio – 3,216
Revenue/Tests
FY 10 - $111,891 Revenue – 6,137 Tests Given
FY 11 - $148,882 Revenue – 6,459 Tests Given
33% Revenue Increase from FY10
FY 12 - $218,166 Revenue – 12,589 Tests Given
47% Revenue Increase from FY11
95% Tests Given Increase from FY11
95% Revenue Increase from FY10
105% Tests Given Increase from FY10
Next Steps
• Update Website – Done June, 2012
• Organize all Certification Exams by Profession
and Industry
• More Partnerships with CSCC Academic Depts
• Partnerships with Community Professional
Organizations
• Market to Community Private Companies’ HR
Depts on Talent Management Assessments
Other
NCTA Test Center Certification
• One of Four schools in 1st Certification cohort
to meet the rigorous Certification Standards,
Guidelines, and Process and become the First
Ohio Post-Secondary Institution Certified
• Adds perceived Value/Trust to secure
additional Test Vendors and Confidence of
Testing Candidates to choose us
Other
• Member of NCTA States and Regional
Organizations Committee
• Member of Steering Committee that formed
Ohio College Testing Association and held its
inaugural Conference in June, 2012
Jim Kalna – Ph: 614-287-5425
E-mail: [email protected]
www.cscc.edu/workforce/test
Build It & They Will Come
• 2006 – 3 ETS Stations, 1 room
• 2012 – 18 Stations, 4 rooms for 15 different
testing companies and over 600 various tests
• Small testing rooms (6-8 stations)
• Distraction Free
• Fast Internet
• Up-to-date equipment
• In-house monitoring cameras
Market Your Facility
• Is your website easy to locate or is it buried under
layers of others?
• How up to date &/or informative is your website?
• Do you have a brochure? Put it in locations such
as flight schools, schools of cosmetology
• Participate in local job fairs-network with the
participating employers
• Build relationships with your faculty & staff;
network and share information
• Exit Exams
• Join the Consortium of College Testing Centers
The College Level Examination Program (CLEP)
• Educate those who advise or benefit from the
exam
– Advisors in your school (in all areas, athletic
advisement, placement testing, freshman
advisors)
– Guidance counselors at area high schools
– Participate in orientation and let parents know
how this option can save them $$$
– Home-schooled students
Stay Tuned In!
• Be aware of career trends and what testing
opportunities they might require
• Keep up with new programs or degrees which
your institute or others in your area may be
considering
• What’s happening in your state regarding
education issues?
• Keep up with companies/tests changes
• Ask for feedback – survey, assess, keep track
of missed appointments & no shows
Last But Not Least
• Keep your expenses in mind when making
decisions on which tests to offer
– Does the company provide all or any of the necessary
equipment or do you?
– Can the test(s) be administered in the same room
w/others?
– Is the volume of testing for a particular company so
small that you are not receiving payment?
– Is it causing an unnecessary expense for you to have
staff on hand?
– How far away is your closest competitor?