Transcript Plus 50 Initiative

It’s All about the “L”
Word
American Association of Community
Colleges
Funded with a grant from Atlantic Philanthropies
Northwest Region Plus 50 Conference
February 10, 2010
Society’s Stereotypes About Aging
Have Not Kept Up With Reality
Not one of these people is over the
age of 39!
Colleges' Plus 50 Program Focus Areas
Colleges' Plus 50 Program Focus Areas
Academic / Enrichment /
86%
Personal Interest
Training / Re-Training
58%
Service and
30%
Volunteering
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
The Loss of Experienced Workers:
The Impact
- Shortages in skilled worker
and managerial positions.
- A loss of institutional
knowledge to the business
or company.
- The loss of expertise and
experience.
- A leadership void in the
workplace.
For Many:
Not Working Is Not an Option
Many people will stay in
the workforce well into
retirement age so they
can maximize their
Social Security benefits.
Plus 50 Adults:
Work on Their Terms
Most people ages 55
to 70 continue to
work, either full or
part time, for money
or for personal
fulfillment.
BUT…
The last time they looked for work
was… and times have surely changed!
– Resumes
• I have a resume; why do I need more than one?
• From where did I work to what did I do
– Where to look for the jobs
• From print to digital
– Interviewing
• Can they ask me that?
• How do I answer this question?
• I’ll just wing it
– Technology
• Sure, I can use a computer (some)
Training and Retraining
@ CCS
Training: Making It Work
The Program Concept
–Provide just enough just in time
–Be accessible
–Be exceptionally flexible
–Be highly responsive to Boomers’
needs
–Supportive environment
–Non-credit
HOW?
Internal Partners
– Engage awesome faculty!
– Counseling and Enrollment Services
– Executive support
– SCC Career Center
In the Classroom
– Create a multigenerational environment
–Expand the program offerings
–Modularize programming
–Utilize multi-modal delivery
Career Builder…
Anyone, Anytime, Anywhere
Office/Professional Foundation
• Computer Apps
• Tech Toy Room
NEW
• Keyboarding
• Business English
• Business Math
• Customer Service
• Lean Office
• Job Search (online)
• Using the Internet for Job
Search
NEW
Medical Office Application Strand
• Medical Terminology (hybrid)
• Office Scheduling w/ MediSoft
• Office Procedures – 1 month
• Customer Service – 1 month
• Social Networking –1 month
NEW
Accounting/Bookkeeping Strand
• Quicken for Personal Money
Management
• QuickBooks for the Workplace
(hybrid)
Manufacturing
• Blueprint Reading
• Amatrol
• Safety (online)
Greening Your Future 40-hour class
NEW
Features of Career Builder
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Flexible design
New content each month
Multigenerational student population
Open entry/Open Exit
Extraordinary faculty
Non-credit, FTE generating
Accommodation: dual monitors,
transportation
• If you need it, we will get it
Making Accommodation
•Visual – multiple monitors allows students to enlarge text copy.
•Auditory – online lessons enable students to modify volume and repeat
lessons until they are comfortable with the material.
•Sensory – faculty and DSS staff work with students on these issues.
Cool Stuff: How Did We Do It?
Strategic Partnerships
– Internal
• Community Colleges of Spokane
– SCC/SFCC/IEL/District
– External
•
•
•
•
•
•
WorkSource Spokane
Employers
Chambers of Commerce
Educational Institutions
National, state and local aging organizations
Community and faith-based organizations
It’s All About the “L” Word
Leveraging Students… Y’all come!
– Plus 50, TANF, WIA Adult Low Income and
Dislocated Workers, Worker Retraining, Voc
Rehab, Self-pay
Leveraging the Instructional Program
– Modify the program to suit multiple audiences
•
•
•
•
Individual Intake and
Orientation by group
Common goals
Work together; help each other
Leveraging Dollars
Leveraging Instructional Funding
– A little bit of this; a little bit of that
• General funds, Worker Retraining, WorkFirst
– Each fund is charged according to the
percentage of students enrolled.
Leveraging Fees
– Multiple funders
• Senior Waiver, AARP, ALTCEW, WIA, Worker
Retraining (may also include +50), TANF, DVR
• Students not in the +50 category pay standard
fees.
So, what Can We Do Without Bucks?
• Conduct a needs assessment
– Know what your Boomers want and need
– Think about what YOU can do right now
• Identify your internal and external
stakeholders
– Who are they?
– How can they help?
– What can they do?
No Bucks?
continued
• Use what you have in a new way.
– Wrap a Boomer blanket around it.
• Check out courses or programs you have
that can be modified for Plus 50.
– Short-term courses… sounds like Worker
Retraining. What do you have?
• Integrate Plus 50 into existing activity.
– Identify Boomers as a population for
programming
– Bring the Boomers into the fold… not stand
alone. Institutional commitment
No Bucks?
continued
• Look for other funding streams
– Always keep your eye out for ways to include
them in other funding opportunities.
• Develop a strategic/action plan
– When you’re looking for $$, it helps to know
what you want to spend it on.
• Search out no cost/low cost options
• Partner with other areas in your
Organization: Counseling, Career
Center…build a team
A real “for instance”…
CEO Center
under construction
• What do we want?
– A career center specifically for +50 folks
• What do we have?
– A need
– Interested faculty and administrators
– No money
• What do we do?
– Determine activity based on need
– Identify faculty
– Work with manager to incorporate in “time”
CEO Center
continued
• Seek out space and ask
– Answer “no” but other, better space identified
and committed
• Gather materials and information
– Tons available on Internet.
– Intern will review, gather and organize
• What will we have?
– A multi-purpose career center that serves all
students in the building with a section and
skilled counselors for +50.
– A start
WHY? This is why!
If you build it,
They WILL come.
Contact Information:
Joanne Murcar, Ph.D.
Dean of Instruction, Business and Community Training
Community Colleges of Spokane
email: [email protected]
Sharon Niblock
Program Associate
Community Colleges of Spokan
Email: [email protected]
Thank you!!