Community Colleges: The Economic Developer’s Workforce Partner (cont.)

Responding to English language and workplace skill needs

Words for Work is a multimedia-based instructional program designed to provide “quick-start” English language and workplace skills to limited-English-proficient Latino youth and adults.Words for Work, first offered in 2004 in the Baltimore/Annapolis area, leads to job placement and career ladder opportunities in healthcare and construction. Close working relationships with Latino and faith-based centers (plus other advocates and partners) undergird the process for recruiting and retaining students in Words for Work classes. Classes are offered at convenient times and in community settings where the Latino population resides, providing a high level of access to participants.

A highly interactive,Web-based curriculum was developed by Anne Arundel Community College in Maryland in collaboration with employers, Latino community leaders, faith-based groups and the Digital Learning Group, a company that develops technology-enhanced educational products. The program is delivered to learners under the direction of bilingual instructors.

The curriculum includes general workplace and job-specific skills, in addition to English language skills, safety practices and procedures, basic computer knowledge, and crosscultural barrier issues. All of this is offered in a dynamic classroom environment that incorporates a myriad of both online and offline activities and simulations.

Words for Work is currently addressing the needs of the healthcare and construction sectors, but the instructional model is scalable to incorporate additional occupations and to serve speakers of languages other than Spanish.

Since the initial Words for Work class, six more classes have been delivered. The program has become a national model, with additional pilots in California (Los Angeles Unified School District), Iowa (Western Iowa Community College),Mississippi (Gulf Coast Community College) and Pennsylvania (Lancaster County Workforce Investment Board).

Responding to retail industry needs

Community and technical colleges are collaborating with the National Retail Federation Foundation (NRFF) to build academic and work experience pathways for careers in which customer service and sales skills are key. As a national effort, 14 colleges have partnered with NRFF to deliver training and national certifications based on industry standards, and to open Customer Service and Sales Skills Centers. In addition, 35 community and technical colleges serve as certification sites for the national exam.

Best practices for economic development and community college partnerships

• Use community colleges as an important piece of your ‘economic development toolkit.’ Colleges have the ability to develop customized training and degrees that are critically important in local and regional economic development initiatives. Industry-driven program design is a hallmark of these collaborative efforts.

• Be sure to include scholarships, internships, and onsite clinical practice that will assist industry in preparing future workers while monitoring their progress in college training and degrees programs. Colleges see these partnerships as in their interest as well as that of the students.

• Use industry as a co-recruiter of program students, as well as a committed partner to evaluate curricula, skill sets and knowledge needed for continuous progress. Working together in this manner generates high credibility and attracts quality students who can become valued employees, while also providing an avenue for current employees to gain new skills.

• Use the example of investment in training by existing industry – and its return on investment – to attract additional industry. Invite your community college to be an integral part of all new business recruitment and enhancement teams.

• Benchmark against the best. Search for solutions among sources that already have a record of success. Your community college can convene a network of local expertise – and use national connections to other programs with proven track records – to help meet training needs. Whether the college, industry and workforce development partnerships are hands-on, one-on-one, or involve the latest in high-technology training, community colleges can be the glue that binds the effort in place.

For more information on the Community College Leadership Consortium & Futures Assembly at the University of Florida, visit www.coe.ufl.edu/futures, or contact Dale Campbell at dfc@coe.ufl.edu. The National Council for Continuing Education and Training (NCCET), an affiliate council of the American Association of Community Colleges, advances the goals of member colleges and professionals in workforce development, continuing education, community services and learning technologies. For additional information, consult www.nccet.org, or contact Ellen Long at ellenlong@starband.net.

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