Workforce Conference, State of the Region, and Lucheon

This week started with attending the Mississippi Corridor Consortium Workforce Summit, hosted at the Mayhew, MS campus of East Mississippi Community College.  The summit spanned two days (Tuesday, May 24 to Wednesday, May 25th) and was focused on the discussion of current practices, issues, and relationships with other outreach organizations.

The initial meeting of the summit outlined some of the issues being faced by workforce training organizations, a fixture of the community outreach operations of the community colleges within the state and the Consortium. Special emphasis was placed on the need to tranisition from the traditional model of workforce development, where workers are taught basic skills and released into the workforce without follow-up, to a high-performance training model that involves a competency-based approach to education where skillsets are verified through the attainment of nationally recognized credentials.  Through this appraoch the workforce training activities produce skilled production workers with multiple competencies in key areas desired by manufacturers.

The sessions that I attended covered issues ranging from adult basic education to assessment of programs to products offered through the NIST-Department of Commerce sponsored program known as the Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP).   The wide variety of issues and missions highlighted the ever-changing environment faced by personnel in providing post-secondary education to workers while simultaneously fulfilling the economic development goals required by communities and corporate clients.

Thursday of this week I traveled to the Bancorp South Conference Center in Tupelo, MS to attend the annual State of the Region meeting.  The purpose of this meeting was to disseminate information regarding the demographic changes, educational challenges, and economic development trends occurring in the northeastern section of Mississippi.  The data was presented for the general public, but the information was of potential value for institutions of higher education for the design of curricula as well as the focus of community outreach.

The final event of the week was an existing business appreciation luncheon for manufacturers in Alcorn county.  The businesses represented at the luncheon ranged from small businesses to the Fortune 500 giant Kiumberly-Clark.  The affair was relatively informal and gave attendees an opportunity to network.  The presence of the NEMCC Workforce personnel at this event was to maintain visibility with local politicians and business owners in order to maintain relationships for future interaction. 

A snapshot of what Workforce Training and Economic Development does for the district

As a member of the academic faculty, I have to admit to a great deal of ignorance about the role of institutional outreach at institutions of higher learning.  This lack of understanding, unfortunately, is probably shared by many of my ilk as well as many administrators at other institutions.

The role of community outreach and economic development programs extends far beyond the realm of enrichment courses, like cake decorating or yoga.  The division serves as a resource for community agencies, i.e. law enforcement, public schools, etc., to conduct continuing education to meet certification standards.

The demands of private-sector partners, namely manufacturing companies, are also central to the role of economic development.  For example, the Diviosn of Workforce Training develops and implements tests for manual dexterity, training for management, and training for non-management personnel.

This type of training lies outside the realm of traditional academic units where the focus falls on long-term training.  Rather, the goal of the outreach organizations on a college or university campus is to provide targeted, on-demand training to address the changing demands of the American employer.

(Pictures provided courtesy of the Division of Workforce Training and Economic Development, Northeast MS Community College, http://www2.nemcc.edu/Workforce/)

Continuing Education, a Different World

I have been working furiously this week to develop outlines for professional development courses to be marketed to K-12 educators.  The target number of six to seven courses (one to be delivered each week during June and July) are intended to provide local educators with continuing education credit as proof of ongoing professional development.

During this process I have been struck by the rapid pace required to design, market, and develop materials for continuing ed. courses as opposed to my work in teaching traditional college-credit courses.  This increased speed seems more akin to the private sector with prolific development of course offerings being the desired outcome.  Course content is not decided in committee.  Specific learning objectives are not needed to justify pedagogy.  Instead, the viability of a course is decided on what the content of the course delivers directly to the client, i.e. a new skill, a new lifestyle, or even something fun.

High heels, flip flops, work boots, and hope...GED graduation

As part of my experience with Workforce, I was asked to help with GED graduation last night.  I arrived, not in my doctoral regalia, but in a suit and tie to help graduates in need of assistance in walking down the ramp from the stage that was constructed on the NEMCC gym floor.

As far as graduations go, the ceremony was, to say the least, informal.  Students, 200 out of 397 receiving their GED, filed in wearing caps and gowns over clothes ranging from Sunday best to shorts and blue jeans.  The audience was quite boisterous, the murmur of the crowd punctuated with cheers and whoops from families in the bleachers.  However, the lack of formality seemed to fit the situation, since the overarching theme of this gathering was to emphasize the second chance seized by the graduates to lift themselves a little higher along the path of education.

For the entirety of my duty I reflected on the true mission of the community college as well as the aim of post-secondary education as a whole.  The goal of higher education at this moment was neither to push the boundaries of science, art, or technology, nor produce students to transfer to universities to join the educated elite.  The goal last night was to acknowledge the sacred task of providing our fellow citizens access to opportunity and hope for better times.

First Official Meeting with Workforce and Economic Development

Today marked my first official meeting with the members of Workforce and Economic Development. During this time my responsibilities and goals for the practicum were given to the other members of the division. The goals for my time with this division are as follows:

1. Develop curricula for and implement non-credit professional development courses designed to
help educators implement web 2.0 technologies in the classroom

2. Plan and deliver a workshop designed to help students adapt to online course environments

3. Take part in assisting individuals in developing skills in applying for jobs online as well
as job search strategies

4. Learn about the different aspects of the division through working with the other project
managers/staff

Also in the meeting I was included in the attendees of the upcoming Workforce Summit given by the Mississippi Corridor Consortium (a partnership between 4 different community colleges) to be held May 24-25 in Mayhew, MS. This annual summit explores the current issues faced by workforce personnel in the consortium and will also include visits to local industries.

All in all, this practicum promises to be a busy, productive experience.