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3.A PARTNERSHIPS: Increase partnerships with local businesses, industry, and employers to enhance educational
opportunities, align training programs with workforce needs, and increase employment
prospects for students.
- METRICS:
- Establish partnerships with 5 local organizations to increase from 68 to 73
- Cohost 3 community events or workshops
- STRATEGIES:
- Align Education with Workforce Needs: Tailor programs to meet current workforce demands to ensure that students graduate
with skills that are directly relevant to available jobs, increasing their employability
and closing skills gaps in the local economy.
- Expand Student Opportunities: Provide students with hands-on learning experiences such as internships, apprenticeships,
and mentorships in industry specific occupations such as allied health and manufacturing.
These experiences are invaluable for career preparation to build professional networks
that can lead to employment.
- Strengthen Relationships with Recovery and Re-entry centers: Create a referral network to increase access to training for the recovery and re-entry
populations. Enhance and incorporate the CLIMB career pathway initiative into the
Adult Peer Support Specialist program.
- Boost Economic Development: Preparing a skilled workforce will play a significant role in attracting and retaining
businesses in the region.
- Enhance Access to Education: Broaden access to education for nontraditional, low-income, or underserved students
who might otherwise face barriers to attending college.
- Support Community Needs: Coordinate with partners on initiatives such as community health, cultural events,
or literacy programs to make a meaningful difference beyond just education, supporting
community well-being and cohesion.
3.B PROGRAM/CREDENTIAL RELEVANCY REVIEW & REALIGNMENT: Create a workforce pipeline
that benefits both students--by making them career-ready--and employers--by providing
them with skilled, job ready candidates tailored to their specific needs.
- METRIC: Increase from 107 to 117 companies served
- STRATEGIES:
- Curriculum development: Employers provide input to shape courses and programs that reflect current industry
standards and skill requirements.
- Work-based learning opportunities: Employers offer internships, apprenticeships, and job-shadowing experiences, giving
students hands-on training in their fields.
- Guest lectures and mentorship: Industry professionals participate as guest speakers or mentors, sharing insights
and guidance with students.
- Job placement and recruitment: Employers collaborate with the college to recruit graduates, participate in job fairs,
and support job placement initiatives.
- Joint research and innovation projects: Employers partner with faculty and students on research and development projects relevant
to the industry.
3.C COMPETENCY-BASED EDUCATION: Gain buy-in from two technical program faculty to
design and implement a curriculum that focuses on students' acquisition and demonstration
of specific skills and competencies essential to technical fields.
- METRIC: Increase from 0 to 2
- STRATEGIES:
- Emphasize the Alignment with Industry Needs: Show how CBE directly meets employer demands by producing graduates with specific,
measurable skills that are valuable in the job market.
- Highlight Student Success and Job Placement Rates: Present data from CBE programs at other institutions that show improved job placement,
faster time to employment, or higher employer satisfaction.
- Address Flexibility and Personalization for Students: Explain that CBE allows students to progress at their own pace, making it ideal for
nontraditional or returning students who have prior experience and want to advance
quickly.
- Promote Faculty as Key Designers of Competency Frameworks: Involve faculty in the competency development process, giving them ownership and the
chance to use their expertise to design relevant competencies and assessments.
- Provide Support for Developing CBE Materials: Offer resources, professional development, and time for faculty to transition to a
CBE model, reducing the workload burden.
- Encourage Incremental Implementation: Suggest piloting CBE in a single course or a specific competency area to allow faculty
to test the approach before a full rollout.
3.D WORKFORCE TRAINING & SKILLED TALENT: Expand workforce training to increase the
number of skilled talent to meet employer and economic development needs.
- METRICS:
- Increase enrollment in existing training programs by 1% from 3068 to 3099
- Develop 3 new training programs
- Increase employer participation in Handshake by 10 employers
- Increase marketing for Education First Employers to recruit 3 new businesses
- STRATEGIES:
- Awareness of Business and Industry Needs: Collaborate with business and industry groups to align training programs with real-world
skills in demand. Create a platform for employers to share their workforce needs and
collaborate on training solutions. Conduct needs assessments to identify skills gaps.
Implement surveys/interviews with businesses post-training to evaluate satisfaction
and skill applicability. Customized programs or industry certifications can attract
more participants by ensuring that the training leads directly to career opportunities
and employee development.
- New Programming: Develop in collaboration with academics, CDL, Lineman, and a pathway in Renewable
Energy. Work with re-entry and recovery populations to define career pathways toward
certifications and credentials. Continue researching grant opportunities for new programs
and training opportunities.
- Flexible Training Options: Provide diverse training formats, such as online courses, evening classes, and hybrid
models. Flexibility in scheduling and delivery mode makes it easier for working professionals
to participate, which can lead to higher enrollment.
- Financial Assistance to Companies for Incumbent Workers: Enhance awareness of the KCTCS TRAINS program to aid companies in upskilling their
employees. Look for scholarships, grants, or employer-sponsored financial assistance
to reduce the cost barrier for students.
- Strengthen Employer Engagement: Develop a structured employer engagement and student career services programs that
includes regular check-ins and feedback sessions. Develop awareness campaign of the
career services platform Handshake. Enhance marketing campaign of Education First
Employers.
- Emphasize Career Advancement and ROI: Incorporate ROI into the training plan for companies after the needs assessment is
complete.
- Strengthen Marketing and Outreach Efforts: Develop a comprehensive marketing strategy that increases awareness of workforce
programs and training. Increase use of social media, local media, and community events
to promote workforce training and success stories. Collaborate with local businesses
and community organizations for possible joint marketing campaigns. Overhaul of SKCTC
Workforce Solutions webpage.
- Enhance Career Services:
- Collaborate with student services and academics to offer more robust career advising.
- Offer one-on-one career advising and counseling sessions.
- Plan regular workshops on resume writing, interviewing skills, soft skills, applying
for internships, and job search strategies.
- Organize job fairs and networking events that connect students with potential employers.
- Build partnerships and industry connections with local businesses and organizations
to create internship and job placement opportunities.
- Implement a career services digital platform for job postings, resumes, and virtual
advising.
- Provide access to online resources for resumes building, interview preparation, and
career assessment.
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