Transcript Job Relevance: Education that Prepares Students for the Workforce Teri Donat Las Positas College.

Job Relevance: Education that
Prepares Students for the
Workforce
Teri Donat
Las Positas College
Introduction
Who’s Teri Donat?
• Consultant – Ez 4 U Computer
– Develop custom training programs for
businesses
– Corporate trainer
• Community College Instructor
– Computer Information Systems and Retail
Management
• M.S. Education – Instructional Technology
• Project Director – Job Development
Incentive Training Fund Grant
Overview
• Where does your class fit into
industry needs
• Industry issues and opportunities
• Career pathways
• Workplace skills
• Student retention and success
• Campus and industry resources
Where does your class fit
into industry needs?
Do you teach:
• Basic skills
• Entry level
• Upgrade training and education
Basic Skills Training
Course work for those with little in the
way of skills and/or work experience,
i.e. career and educational
opportunities, basic literacy,
numeracy and computer skills.
Entry-level Training
Course work for those ready to enter
into high-wage, high-demand career
pathways.
Upgrade Training and Education
Course work targeted to workers
(students) with demonstrated skills
and work experience, provides
additional skills and education
needed to advance on a career
pathway.
Industry Issues and Opportunities
• Individuals need some form of postsecondary education and training in
order to become financially selfsufficient for the long-term
• The nation’s community colleges are in
a position to help provide disadvantaged
individuals with the skills and education
they need to get out of poverty.
Industry Issues and Opportunities
• A workforce development system can
help individuals move from
unemployment by becoming the skilled
workers that employers demand
David Gruber and Brandon Roberts. Workforce
Development: Issues and Opportunities. James Irvine
Foundation. San Francisco, CA July 2001.
9
11/6/2015
Career Pathways
To successfully advance individuals, a
pathway should include:
• An introduction to career opportunities in
a region’s high-wage, high-demand
employment sectors
• The basic skills needed to succeed in
postsecondary education and training
• A transition to entry-level skills training
• Internships and employment
• Continuing upgrade training
• Social supports throughout as necessary
Career Pathways
• Does your class fit into a career
pathway?
• Does your class/program fit into
more than one industry sector?
• Where along the pathway is your
class?
overview
specific job skills
Workplace Skills
Employers report that close to 50%
of their entry level worker lack basic
communication and critical thinking
skills. Also they do not have the work
ethic skills needed to be successful.
Workplace Skills
Research has identified specific
competencies necessary for a
person to become a valued and
skilled employee.
• Social Competence
• Cognitive Development
• Psychological Development
Social Competence
Skill set needed to interact with
others successfully
• Crafting effective written
communication
• Work with diverse groups
• Resolve conflicts
• Working together on a team
Cognitive Development
Employers administer their own jobspecific skills and competencies to
identify dependable workers
• Specific trade certificates
• Previous internship or work
experience
• Quality of internship and work
experience
• Ability to use technology
• Critical thinking/problem solving skills
Psychological Development
Personal qualities related to psychological
development
• Positive self-esteem
• Optimism and planfulness
• Coping skills, resilience and flexibility
• Good judgment
• Self-management (motivation, autonomy,
initiative, responsibility, time
management)
• Moral development (strong work ethic,
reliability, honesty, integrity and
professionalism)
Teaching Workplace Skills
• Social Competence
– Group activities
– Effective email communication
• Cognitive Development
– Critical thinking/problem solving
assignments
• Psychological Development
– Self-management
– Ethical academic behavior
– Coping with classroom changes
Student Retention and Success
Incorporate a
variety of activities
– students can
practices skills
through discussion
groups, practice by
doing, teaching
others
Factors that Impact Retention
Good Practice
• Encourages Student-Instructor
Contact
• Encourages Cooperation Among
Students
• Encourages Active Learning
• Gives Prompt Feedback
• Emphasizes Time on Task
• Communicates High Expectations
• Respects Diverse Talents and Ways of
Learning
Factors that Impact Success
• Financial need – are they working,
do they have money for basic
needs?
• Family influences – do they support
the students academic goals?
• Demographic influences – is
education a priority for their race,
age, gender?
• Ethics – do they feel entitled? Are
the over or under achievers?
What Builds or Breaks Student
Interest, Interaction and Enthusiasm
in the Classroom?
Interest
Builders
• Current, real-world examples
• Teaching to all learning styles & modalities
• Ability to track grade/progress in class at any
time
• Students participating in teaching activities
Breakers
• Class structure is unknown or chaotic
• Too much information
• Broken, dead and outdated links
• Class materials not challenging enough
Interaction
Builders
• Graded discussions (set expectations)
• Group activities
• Help discussions (student mentoring)
• Timely responses and frequent
communication from teacher
Breakers
• Fear of asking dumb questions
• Confusion about technology
• Student can’t find class materials
Enthusiasm
Builders
• Positive Feedback
• Some control over assignments
(choice, scope of difficulty)
• Appropriate time, real-world deadlines
• Building Blocks/Reviews of learning
materials
Breakers
• No response from students or instructor
• Tasks are unclear (over communicate!)
Classroom Resources
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Real world examples
Applying knowledge
Assess fluency (accuracy and speed)
Go out and do it assignments
Virtual mentoring
Service learning – Reality, Reflection,
Reciprocity, and Responsibility
• Online Videos – coursework out of the
classroom
Campus Resources
For Students
• Assessments Center
• Tutoring
• Library/Resource
Center
• Math, Writing and
Computer Labs
• Support Classes
• Financial Aid
• Counseling
• Health Center
Campus Resources
For Teachers
• Work with Teachers from Other
Disciplines
–
Contextual materials
• Work with Tutoring Center Staff
• Distance Learning Staff
Industry Resources
• Community Partnerships and Regional
Partnerships are critical to moving
students into and through a career
pathway.
• Community-based organization – recruit
individuals isolated from postsecondary education and career
opportunities. Provide social support
services needed for student success
Industry Resources
• Adult Basic Education provides can
offer preparatory services and a bridge
to community college programs
• Workforce and Social Service agencies
– direct resources toward community
colleges to provide financial and
operational, support in a city or region
• Local employers – help define needed
worker skills and provide internships
and work sites to develop upgrade
training
Summary
• Incorporate learning activities that
help students learn important work
skills
• Evaluate curriculum and programs
– how they fit into a career
pathway
• Work with community to build
partnerships and resources