Transcript Local and State Context - Office of Community College

The work reported herein was supported
under the National Research Center for Career
and Technical Education Program, PR/Award
No. VO51A990006 administered by the Office
of Vocational and Adult Education, U.S.
Department of Education.
However, the contents do not necessarily
represent the positions or policies of OVAE or
ED, and you should not assume endorsement
by the federal government.
Adult Career Pathway
Programs:
Preparing Low-Skilled
Adults for Self-Sustaining
Careers
Marisa Castellano
Debra D. Bragg
Christine D. Bremer
Catherine Kirby
Ann Mavis
Today’s Presentation Focus
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1. Program Organization
2. Partnerships
3. Curriculum and Instruction
The report also discusses:
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Program evaluation and outcomes
Implementation barriers
Success factors
Scalability, sustainability and transferability
Purpose of Study
• Descriptive design including case studies to answer the
research question:
• What programs, policies, and practices are currently
being implemented to support the transition of lowskilled adults into and through career pathways that
align with postsecondary CTE?
– Curricular
– Institutional
– Support strategies
• Initiate a baseline of information on career pathways
for adults for future practice and research
Multi-Phased Methods
• Review of literature
• Convened national panel to advise on
framework and potential sites
• Over 100 sites contacted; 27 interviewed in
depth by phone
• 3 sites selected for case study
– Scaleable, sustainable, transferable
– Various program areas and community types
Data Collection and Analysis
• Three day site visits
– Stakeholder interviews
– Classroom observations
– Collected outcomes data as available
• Data content analyzed for patterns and themes
• Case studies verified by stakeholders
• Cross-case analysis of commonalities and
differences across sites
Case Study Sites
• Carreras en Salud–Instituto del
Progreso Latino (IPL), Chicago IL
• General Service Technician (GST)–
Shoreline Community College,
Shoreline WA
• Career Pathways Initiative (CPI)–
Ouachita Technical College,
Ouachita AR
Program Organization
• Partners: CC, CBO, government agencies, and
industry
• Model #1: program housed at CBO, bridging to
existing CC programs
• Model #2: program housed at CC, expanding
opportunity to enter CC programs
• Model #3: program housed at CC, providing
preparatory skills to enter various CC programs
Partnerships
• Community colleges offering occupational programs
– Usually AA programs, in health, automotive, and others
• CBOs to provide support services
– case management, transportation and child care assistance,
mental health services, addiction counseling, and in at least
one site, support for students with disabilities
• Other support service providers (e.g., WIA)
– financial aid, academic and career guidance, counseling
services, and job placement
• Industry and employers
– Advisory councils, internships, jobs
Curriculum and Instruction
• Classes accommodate schedules/learning needs
of adults
• ESL ranged from peripheral to centrally located
in a career pathway
• In some places, ABE is a central part of the
pathway; in others GED instruction is the focus
• All three cases provided “stop-out” points along
the way for working adults
– Many included certificates at those points
Instituto del Progreso Latino- IPL
• IPL is a CBO in Chicago since 1977, working
for the economic advancement of Latinos
• IPL created “bridge” courses to help ESL and
incumbent Latino healthcare workers enter
existing allied health programs at community
colleges
Curriculum – Carreras En Salud
• Called a bridge program because students
require certain courses to “bridge” their current
skill levels to the level required to enter the
existing healthcare programs at community
colleges
• 16-week health topics-based ESL course to
prepare for CNA credential
• 16-week pre-LPN course for higher-level
students who already have the CNA
Curriculum – Allied Health
• Healthcare sector was identified as a growth
industry
• Allied health programs trying to respond to
worker shortage
• CBO creates a pipeline of students into their
allied health programs
• Students can “stop out,” earning a certificates
and getting a higher-paying job as they continue
along the pathway to a nursing position
IPL ladder
General Service Technician - GST
(automotive)
• GST is a new NATEF-sanctioned program
• ABE and ESL curriculum content are integrated
into the GST program at Shoreline CC
• Program completion puts students into existing
career ladder/lattice structure
– Designed to be gateway certificate with many
options available in the auto sales & service industry
GST Misc. Features
• Shoreline CC aggressively seeks funding
– They monitor and apply for state and federal grant
opportunities
– Positive state environment for workforce
development
• Shoreline CC houses the regional auto dealers
association
– Readymade, longtime industry partner
Curriculum – ABE and ESL
• Syllabus as contract, portfolios, journals,
homework, online assignments, internet research
and presentations
• Problem-solving scenarios and hands-on
activities always included writing work orders or
problem solutions
• Used new vocabulary often, esp. with ESL
students
Curriculum – Career Pathways
• Basic automotive diagnosis and repair written by
and for industry
• ESL and ABE teachers each adapted the GST
curriculum for their students
• They also embedded employability (SCANS)
skills
– Speaking and listening skills emphasized
Other Instructional Strategies
• All classes team taught by ABE or ESL teacher
and automotive teacher
• Accelerated Learning
– Mastering basic skills while being prepared for work
• Last quarter of program = paid internship
GST ladder
Career Pathways Initiative- CPI
• Ouachita is a growing 2-year college in rural
Arkansas
– Local unemployment rate = 6.2%
• Skilled worker shortages in manufacturing,
health care, and corrections
• Goal of CPI is to improve access, credential
completion, and employment success for
TANF-eligible individuals
CPI Misc. Features
• State-level initiative implemented at 11 colleges
• Funded with federal TANF money
• Not tied to particular areas of study, certificates,
or degrees
• Stackable short-term credentials
• Strong “wrap-around” support services
Delegation of Education Tasks
• The Workforce Center
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Develops job training and employability programs
Provides adult education services (ABE, GED)
Tests and places students in proper level classes
Determines eligibility for CPI
• The College
– Provides adult education services (ABE, GED)
– Administers ESL programs at community and
workplace sites
– Offers traditional developmental ed courses
Curriculum - ABE
• ABE and GED curriculum available at both
college and Workforce Center
• Developmental ed programs are CAI-- I Can
Learn Math (web-based) and PACE Learning
Systems
• Labs are open when the college is open and
personal onsite help from a math instructor is
always available
Curriculum – Career Pathways
• First-year students participate in a learning community:
– Take the same classes
– Meet regularly as a study and support group
• After all the preparatory curricula, participants then
move into one of a number of occupational programs:
– Truck driver, CNA, LPN, office administration, and industrial
maintenance
– The majority are enrolled in healthcare-related programs
CPI ladder
Cross-case Similarities
• Strong case management and support services
considered essential
• Partnerships based on respective strengths
• Good relations among partners
• Recognition of academic and employability skills
as well as technical skills
• Pathways are created to fill local labor market
needs
For Full Report:
• Keep checking at:
http://www.nccte.org/publications/projectRep
orts.html
• Report now available at:
http://occrl.ed.uiuc.edu/Projects/GED/Career
_Pathways.pdf
• Contact me:
– [email protected]