The Role of Community Colleges in Regional Economic Prosperity
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The Role of Community Colleges in Regional Economic Prosperity Anne M. Kress and Gerardo E. de los Santos, Editors League for Innovation in the Community College
The League for Innovation in the Community College is an international organization dedicated to catalyzing the community college movement. The League hosts conferences and institutes, develops Web resources, conducts research, produces publications, provides services, and leads projects and initiatives with more than 800 member colleges, 160 corporate partners, and a host of other government and nonprofit agencies in a continuing effort to make a positive difference for students and communities. Information about the League and its activities is available at www.league.org. The opinions expressed in this book are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the League for Innovation in the Community College. ©2014 League for Innovation in the Community College All rights reserved. No part of this project may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including, without limitation, photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without written permission. Requests for permission should be sent to Publications League for Innovation in the Community College 1333 S. Spectrum Blvd., Suite 210 Chandler, AZ 85286 Email: publications@league.org Fax: (480) 705-8201 Published in the United States of America
Contents Preface ............................................................................................................................. 1 Anne M. Kress and Gerardo E. de los Santos Anne Arundel Community College: At the Epicenter of CyberSecurity .................................... 2 Kelly A. Koermer Economic Development in a Struggling Economy ................................................................. 6 Mary Vickers-Koch and Tony Zeiss The Power of Partnership: Achieving Regional Economic Impact Through the Joint Apprenticeship Training Committee (JATC) ........................................................................ 10 Jerry Sue Thornton Johnson County Community College: Economic Engine for the County ................................. 13 Terry Calaway Ongoing Dialogue and a Focus on the Workforce: Kirkwood Community College and the Eastern Iowa Skills Reports ............................................................................................... 18 Mick Starcevich and Kim W. Johnson Innovative Career Pathway Model Reaches Out to Arizona’s Underserved Populations ........... 22 Jo Jorgenson, Randy Kimmens, Karen Poole, Mary Briden, Michael Pattarozzi, and Mike Lesiecki Miami Dade College’s Bachelor of Science in Biological Sciences: Evolution of a Workforce Partnership ...................................................................................................................... 27 Eduardo J. Padrón Changing to Meet the Needs of Regional Economic Development ........................................ 31 Anne M. Kress Building Economic Prosperity in San Diego ......................................................................... 36 Constance M. Carroll Internationalism With a Local Flair: Santa Fe College, the International Initiative and Innovation Gainesville ...................................................................................................... 40 Jackson Sasser The Pathways to Career Initiative ...................................................................................... 44 Jill Wakefield
Preface
Regional Economic Prosperity is often broadly characterized by economic growth, partnerships
that cross several jurisdictional boundaries of cities, counties, and states, and expanding
economic and educational opportunities and career pathways for low- and moderate-income
workers.
In a recent report from Education Testing Service (ETS), Poverty and Education: Finding the
Way Forward, Irwin Kirsch, Director, Center for Global Assessment, describes a growing
concern in our society and draws connections among poverty, education, and economic
prosperity: “Poverty is a significant and growing problem for America—one that costs our
economy hundreds of billions of dollars each year, and leaves poor families and individuals with
a greatly reduced chance of achieving the American Dream” (p. 2).
As many research studies have well documented, educational attainment is directly correlated
to income earning potential and is one of the keys to increasing economic prosperity
opportunities in our communities. In many regions in North America, community and technical
colleges serve a critical role in supporting, and often lead, regional economic prosperity
planning and collaboration.
In this monograph, leaders from League for Innovation in the Community College member
institutions share creative examples of how they are helping to advance economic prosperity in
their regions.
We thank each author and college, as well as their regional partners, for their contributions to
this important work and growing challenge.
Anne M. Kress, President
Monroe Community College
Gerardo E. de los Santos, President
League for Innovation in the Community College
1Anne Arundel Community College: At the Epicenter of CyberSecurity
By Kelly A. Koermer
Anne Arundel Community College (AACC) warriors—Maryland plays a strategic
plays a significant role in regional economic role in discovery, detection, and
development by preparing a highly skilled, defense in this emerging field.
highly qualified cybersecurity workforce to (O’Malley, 2011)
support the missions of several government
agencies. The National Security Agency AACC is one of the top-rated public
(NSA), established in 1952, is colleges training the cyber warriors. AACC
headquartered at Ft. George G. Meade, was the first community college in the
located in Anne Arundel County, Maryland. nation to map its courseware to the
In 2010, the Department of Committee on National Security Systems
Defense established the 4011 standards. The
United States Cyber college additionally
Anne Arundel Community College
Command at Ft. Meade mapped to the 4013
serves over 53,000 students annually
and, in 2011, relocated the at its Arnold, Maryland, campus and standards. The NSA and
Defense Information two degree centers, and at multiple DHS designated AACC
Systems Agency to the other locations. The college helps as a Center of Academic
garrison. Additionally, the develop the workforce supporting the Excellence in
U.S. Department of U.S. Cyber Command, the Defense Information Assurance
Homeland Security (DHS) Information Systems Agency, and the 2-Year Education
leads its cyber activities National Security Agency, which are (CAE2Y). AACC’s
from Ft. Meade. The co- expected to add 40,000 jobs regionally. technical curriculum
location of these agencies focuses on providing
concentrates the nation’s students with theoretical
cyber offensive and defensive activities just foundations and, importantly, imparts
miles from AACC. Further, in February 2012, hands-on applied and critical thinking skills.
the National Institute of Standards Additionally, many of AACC’s courses
established the National Cybersecurity prepare students for industry certification
Center of Excellence in Maryland. Governor exams required by the Department of
Martin O’Malley has called Maryland “the Defense Directive 8570.1.
nation’s epicenter of cybersecurity.”
With a nationally recognized curriculum,
With an abundance of cybersecurity AACC established a CyberCenter to more
assets—the U.S. Cyber Command, fully support regional public and private
the National Security Agency, and sector employers who are expected to hire
other federal agencies engaged in over 40,000 new employees over the next
cybersecurity activities; major several years. The CyberCenter synthesizes
cybersecurity companies and AACC’s credit and noncredit offerings that
entrepreneurs offering the full support cybersecurity workforce
spectrum of cyber-related products development, as cybersecurity jobs
and services; and the nation’s top- transcend multiple disciplines ranging from
rated public schools and renowned technical to legal to physical security
colleges and universities training (National Initiative for Cybersecurity
future generations of cyber Education, 2012). The CyberCenter works to
2enhance the college’s capacity to expand training demands. Against this background,
the pipeline of new workers and train the AACC determined that entrepreneurial
incumbent workforce. The CyberCenter activities were also necessary.
strives to constantly update and grow
technical curricula and professionally In 2011, the college reorganized its
develop faculty in order to expand the fledgling CyberCenter to equip it to become
college’s capacity. As enrollment numbers entrepreneurial. AACC charged the
have exploded, growing from 40 cyber CyberCenter to undertake enterprise activity
technical majors to nearly 400, and 800 and appointed a CyberCenter director who
enrollments to over 3,500 in just six years, had more than 20 years of experience in
the CyberCenter also focuses on growing its workforce development, with 12 of those
laboratory capacity. Additionally, the years in higher education workforce
CyberCenter works with employer and development. The CyberCenter has
community partners to build solutions to provided customized training to the United
this expanding workforce demand. States Cyber Command and numerous
defense contractors. To date, the enterprise
Cybersecurity program establishment and activity has been successful and has
capacity building costs are significant and enabled the college to enter into a 10-year
include expenditures for professional lease on a property within a few miles of Ft.
development, faculty and trainer salaries, Meade that will headquarter AACC’s Center
virtual laboratory equipment, and physical for Cyber and Professional Training (CCPT).
laboratory space and equipment. This facility will house 13 labs and an
Professional development for a faculty industry testing center. The labs are being
member for a single cybersecurity course built with state-of-the-art equipment used in
averages $5,000. Trainers can command up industry. One lab being built for digital
to $12,000 to teach high-level cybersecurity forensics classes is designed to meet
courses. A bare-bones virtual laboratory specifications of the Defense Cyber Crime
environment costs approximately $350,000, Center (DC3), which is also headquartered
and the cost to equip a single networking or in Anne Arundel County, and will enable
penetration testing (hacking) and defense students to work on real-world DC3 cases
lab runs about $200,000. To help cover and learn through engaged scholarship. By
costs, the college has employed multiple bringing these new labs online, the college
funding solutions. The CyberCenter hopes to serve the employers who are in
administers resources from various grants, need of training but are having to wait
including Perkins and the Department of because laboratory space has been filled to
Labor Pathways to Cybersecurity Careers capacity. The CCPT lease costs will be paid
grants to help build virtual and physical through enterprise funds.
labs. It also has relied upon these grants—
along with National Science Foundation Customized, high-level cybersecurity
funding to the CyberWatch Center, for training that delivers a strong return on
which AACC is a co-principal investigator— investment is a signature CyberCenter
to fund significant portions of faculty offering. Unlike for-profit vendors, which
professional development. For physical primarily offer theory and test preparation,
space expansion, the college has leveraged AACC’s CyberCenter’s educational offerings
public funding to pay for a portion of a provide new and incumbent workers with
physical laboratory expansion project. foundational knowledge, critical thinking
However, these external resources are still skills, and the ability to apply knowledge
insufficient to enable AACC to fully meet using industry-vetted equipment.
3Additionally, workers equipped with AACC’s Regional STEM Center, spotlights local
well rounded education can earn college employers, secures internship placements,
credit and are prepared to sit for DOD and hosts recruitment events on campus. It
8570.1 industry certification exams, also supports students by securing industry
including A+, Network+, Security+, mentorship and coaching of cyber defense
Certified Cisco Network Administrator competition teams. The CyberCenter is
(CCNA), Certified Ethical Hacking (CEH), currently working with a federal agency to
and Certified Information System Security define its labor categories and qualifications
Professional (CISSP). The CyberCenter for cybersecurity employment.
works with industry to design delivery times
and formats conducive to worker needs. A key community partner is the Anne
AACC students have earned over 445 DOD Arundel Workforce Development
8570.1 compliant certifications. Additionally, Corporation (AAWDC). The CyberCenter
when employers require training not already collaborated on an application to the U.S.
in AACC’s inventory, the CyberCenter Department of Labor (USDOL) for a
collaborates with industry professionals to Community Based Job Training Grant, and
develop specialized training. For instance, in 2010, the USDOL awarded a three-year,
the CyberCenter worked with the U.S. Cyber $4.9 million grant to AAWDC and its three
Command and a defense contractor to educational partners to train 1,000 new and
develop a Windows Security course to incumbent cybersecurity workers. Under the
prepare soldiers for cyber battle, a course grant, Pathways to Cybersecurity Careers,
unlike any offered anywhere in the world. education leader AACC has trained more
This unique courseware is cutting edge and than 550 new and incumbent workers, and
responds directly to employer needs. AACC grant students have earned over 250
industry certifications.
Industry relations are critical to the
CyberCenter’s mission. The CyberCenter The CyberCenter has also supported the
builds relationships to improve its capacity, TechAmerica Foundation in its successful
ensure instruction on cutting-edge bid for a USDOL H1B grant and will be the
technology and topics, support the public in cybersecurity training vendor under the
cybersecurity awareness, and assist grant. In this role, AACC will provide cohort
employers in hiring highly qualified workers. training to earn an AACC Cyber and
The CyberCenter reaches out to industry Information Security Certificate and prepare
subject matter experts to expand its bench students to sit for industry certification
of well qualified adjunct instructors. Subject exams.
matter experts mentor full-time faculty on
rapidly changing technology topics and Most notably, AACC recently received a
industry applications. Industry experts $19.7 million award from the USDOL under
participate in curriculum development on a the Trade Adjustment Assistance
project basis and through advisory boards. Community College and Career Training
Industry also collaborates with AACC in grant program funding the National STEM
delivering public forums on topics such as Consortium (NSC). Under this grant, ten
security awareness, cyber entrepreneurship, partner colleges in nine states will design
and obtaining security clearances, and in one-year STEM certificates in five different
offering continuing legal education for legal disciplines, one of which is cybersecurity.
professionals on topics such as cyber law, These certificates are designed to prepare
e-discovery, and federal procurement. The displaced workers for immediate
CyberCenter, in collaboration with AACC’s employment in high-demand career fields.
4AACC’s CyberCenter is the Cyber Team lead development by training the cyber warriors
for the development of the cybersecurity of today and tomorrow. The CyberCenter
one-year certificate. constantly evolves to respond to rapidly
changing technology and growing employer
The CyberCenter not only collaborates with needs. It stays closely connected with
its NSC educational partners, it also works national initiatives, contributing comments
with state and regional educational to the NIST NICE Framework and
institutions. The CyberCenter has assisted in maintaining strong connections with the
facilitating four cybersecurity articulation NSA, U. S. Cyber Command, DISA, DHS,
agreements with four-year institutions. It DC3, and other federal agencies. The
serves to foster a relationship with CyberCenter is connected to the state by
University of Maryland University College serving on the Governor’s Workforce
(UMUC), whereby AACC cybersecurity Investment Board Cyber Subcommittee and
graduates can earn their bachelor’s degree supporting the state’s CyberMaryland
at AACC’s Arundel Mills Regional Higher initiative. It works daily with the AAWDC
Education Center, which hosts UMUC’s and the local Workforce Investment Board.
cybersecurity bachelor’s program. The CyberCenter leverages resources to
Additionally, as the curriculum lead for the maximize both capacity and quality in all
CyberWatch ATE center, AACC’s curriculum cyber education initiatives at AACC with the
has been adopted in whole or in part by goal of preparing the most highly
many CyberWatch member community knowledgeable and highly skilled workers to
colleges in Maryland and throughout the keep Maryland as the epicenter of
nation. Furthermore, the CyberCenter cybersecurity.
mentors other community colleges in
designing curricula, preparing for CAE2Y References
eligibility, and assisting in the application
National Initiative for Cybersecurity Education.
process for the CAE2Y designation. AACC’s (2012). NICE Cybersecurity Workforce Framework.
curriculum is being adopted by Carroll Retrieved from http://csrc.nist.gov/nice/framework
Community College with the long-term goal
of qualifying for CAE2Y designation. O’Malley, M. (2011, May 12). Statement From
Because Carroll Community College does Governor Martin O'Malley on President Obama's
Cybersecurity Legislative Proposal. Office of Governor
not have laboratory capacity to support the Martin O’Malley. Retrieved from
complete cyber courseware, the http://www.gov.state.md.us/pressreleases/110512b.a
CyberCenter is discussing a partnership sp
through which Carroll students could access
AACC’s CCPT physical and virtual labs and Kelly Koermer is Dean of the School of
articulate necessary courses for degree Business, Computing, and Technical Studies
completion. at Anne Arundel Community College in
Maryland.
AACC’s CyberCenter initiative plays a key
role in supporting state and local economic
5The Role of the Community College in Economic Development
By Mary Vickers-Koch and Tony Zeiss
Economic Development in a Struggling economic development forum hosted by the
Economy Charlotte Chamber of Commerce, Rogers
suggested that the Charlotte region should
Economic and workforce development is explore the option of being an energy
most effectively achieved on a regional cluster, a tactic introduced by the leading
level. The Charlotte-Mecklenburg region of strategist, Michael Porter. Mr. Rogers
North Carolina has intentionally designed challenged the region with the question, “Is
and implemented a regional economic the Charlotte region recognizing and
development and workforce development tapping the full potential of its energy
system that proved to be flexible and assets for economic development?”
responsive during the (Swenson, 2011). This
economic downturn of became a rallying cry for
2009. The collaborative Central Piedmont Community College leaders of economic
response of Charlotte- is the largest community college in
development, including
area leaders and the North Carolina, offering close to 300
degree and certification programs, those at CPCC.
integral role of Central
customized corporate training, and
Piedmont Community What emerged from
market-focused continuing education.
College (CPCC) in the With a vision to be the national leader Rogers’ challenge was the
process of economic in workforce development, CPCC building of the New
development is the focus serves approximately 70,000 students Energy Capital, with local
of this chapter. annually at six campuses located economic development
throughout Mecklenburg County. In leaders building a strong,
As one of the top 25 2002, the National Alliance of Business integrated energy
metropolitan economies named CPCC the Community College industry. The results were
in the United States, the of the Year for its innovative response impressive, as more than
Charlotte region was to the workforce and technology needs 4,000 new energy-
known for the past two of local employers and job seekers.
oriented jobs have been
decades as a financial announced since 2007
services hub, with two of across diverse energy
the largest banks in the nation, Bank of subsets (Swenson, 2011).
America and Wachovia, headquartered
there. During the recession of 2009, San Mark Pringle, vice president of the Siemens
Francisco-based Wells Fargo bought Charlotte Energy Hub, noted the growing
Wachovia, and Bank of America experienced success of the New Energy Capital. He said,
financial and leadership upheaval. “We have 250 businesses here that have to
do with energy, which is near the top for
Charlotte regional leaders did not wring
U.S. cities. And the education infrastructure
their hands, but stepped up to diversify
is here. We have a kind of fraternity of folks
area industries based on existing regional
in this city that are in the energy business,
assets. Energy was a targeted growth
and we get to know each other and see
industry, an opportunity that was initially
where we can help each other” (Head,
pointed out by Jim Rogers, chairman,
2012).
president, and CEO of Duke Energy. At an
6Though there is still work to be done to In 1998, Zeiss saw the opportunity to
continue to build the New Energy Capital, replicate the CRP model with the ten
particularly with the transportation colleges serving that sixteen-county region.
infrastructure, it is worth outlining how the He assembled the college presidents and
stage was set over the past couple of senior workforce development officers to
decades to capitalize on the new energy engage in innovative regional initiatives.
economic development initiative. Then, we Named the Charlotte Region Workforce
will explore the emerging vision that will Development Partnership (CRWDP), and
help build the transportation infrastructure. considered a partner of the CRP, the
CRWDP has worked together to apply for
Leadership Is Key national grants, develop allied health
partnerships, and most recently, compile an
In The Coming Jobs War, author Jim Clifton,
inventory of energy programs at each
the chairman of Gallup, stated that the next
college for the benefit of regional energy
economic breakthrough will be due to the
companies. David Hollars, the executive
combination of the forces within cities and
director of the Centralina Workforce
powerful local leaders. He said, “The feat
Development Board, said that it is
these leaders have to pull off is doubling
remarkable that ten diverse community
their entrepreneurial energy by aligning all
colleges have been meeting together for
their local forces.”
over a decade to address issues that affect
There was a time when economic the entire region.
developers debated whether their role was
When Rogers issued his challenge to the
to help create jobs. In the Charlotte area,
Charlotte region to recognize and tap the
the economic developers have moved past
full potential of its energy assets for
debate and are solidly behind the unified
economic development, Ronnie Bryant,
leadership of bringing jobs to the region.
President and CEO of the CRP, initiated an
One of the fundamentals of attracting new
energy task force to capitalize on economic
jobs is a well-prepared workforce, requiring
and workforce development opportunities.
an even tighter partnership of economic
The excitement surrounding the idea of
development and workforce development.
creating an energy hub was so intense that
For the past twenty years, the vision of
people were calling the CRP asking to be on
CPCC has been to be the national leader in
the task force. Richard Zollinger, Vice
workforce development.
President of Learning at CPCC, heads the
CPCC President Tony Zeiss was an early workforce development subcommittee that
supporter and board member of the held two events to help link employers with
Charlotte Regional Partnership (CRP), potential employees that were attended by
created to represent twelve North Carolina 1,200 people.
and four South Carolina counties in and
In addition, CPCC was proactive in the
around Charlotte. The idea of regional
effort to build a regional energy hub by
economic development was an innovative
instituting three significant programs:
approach in the region when the CRP was
established in 1991. The CRP is a public- The first mechatronics degree program
private partnership with the purposes of in North Carolina that integrates
positioning the Charlotte region as a mechanical and electronic engineering
business destination and helping diversify with computer controllers,
and deepen economic occupational clusters The highly sophisticated and self-paced
in the region. Integrated Systems Technology training
7labs for new and existing energy sector project from September 2010 through
workers, and February 2012 and expects to provide a
The Charlotte Center for Energy higher level of training over the next two
Training that is comprised of CEOs and years. Thus far, CPCC has provided more
COOs of area energy companies. This than 600 classes to 2,700 pre-employment
high-powered body advises the college candidates and employees.
on the local energy industry training and
curriculum needs and financially The customized training program has
supports the equipment requirements of enabled Siemens and CPCC to build
the college. partnerships in other ways as well.
Apprenticeships are an important part of the
Partnership With an International workforce development at Siemens, and
Energy Company with the Charlotte expansion, the company
has started an apprenticeship program the
President Obama acknowledged the company expects to double in size each
nationally recognized partnership between year for several years to come. Additionally,
CPCC and Siemens during his State of the CPCC is providing the Associate Degree in
Union Address in February 2012. the Mechatronics program for the Siemens
apprenticeship employees.
Siemens just completed a $350 million
project, adding 450,000 square feet to its CPCC is the first North Carolina community
plant. The Siemens Charlotte Energy Hub, college to offer the Siemens Mechatronic
now a total of one million square feet of Systems Certification Program. The college
manufacturing capacity, produces sent four instructors to the Siemens Technik
generators and steam and gas turbines for Akademie in Berlin to become Level I and
U.S. and worldwide customers. Building on Level II certified so they were qualified to
a base of 700 employees in 2010, Siemens offer the Siemens Mechatronic Systems
has hired an additional 430 hourly workers, Certification to local companies, students,
as well as engineers and other salaried and and apprentices.
administrative positions for a headcount of
more than 1,400. Management expects to The partnership with Siemens and CPCC
hire 400 additional employees by 2014. strengthens the workforce at Siemens as
well as the workforce pipeline with other
CPCC has collaborated with Siemens for local high tech companies, and enables the
more than a decade to provide training for Charlotte region to reap the benefits of new
employees. With the Siemens expansion capital investments and job creation.
and the commitment of senior management
to provide world-class training, the Bob Morgan, CEO of the Charlotte Chamber
partnership between the company and the of Commerce said,
college has expanded. CPCC is now helping
to assess the skills of potential new hires Charlotte is recognized as an
and provide post-hire training. emerging energy capital in large part
because of its skilled workforce. It
The training has been funded primarily by matters greatly that institutions of
the state of North Carolina through a higher learning have rallied around
customized training grant from the North the energy sector and deployed
Carolina Community College System. CPCC resources toward the goal of
administered $1.2 million in the training matching worker skills with employer
8needs. No institution is more “on the area. The Charlotte region can create,
front lines” in this effort than Central import, manufacture, assemble, handle,
Piedmont Community College. They ship, and provide just-in-time delivery. The
are constantly in touch with foundation for this extraordinary economic
employers, looking to provide the capacity is the knowledge base and skill
skills that are needed both for today level of its workers.
and into the future. That is their
mission and they do it exceptionally The area is blessed with an abundance of
well. fine colleges and universities that care
about jobs and quality of life in this region,
Looking Toward the Future and chief among them is CPCC. Without this
college’s Institute for Entrepreneurship,
Charlotte leaders are describing a new and which serves 2,000 entrepreneurs each
developing economic development idea as a year, the ability to create things would be
broader area vision to recognize the severely impacted. Without CPCC’s
convergence of a number of factors that programs to respond rapidly to new and
may lead to significant economic existing training needs for manufacturing
opportunities for our region. skills, the ability to make things might not
be realized in significant ways. Moreover,
Three visionary community leaders, Chase without the college’s training programs for
Saunders, Michael Galles, and Tony Zeiss, transportation professionals, the capacity
have been systematically sharing and for moving things would also be diminished.
refining this vision over the past year. The
Charlotte region is poised to become the The economic future for the Charlotte
next global hub of commerce if it adopts the region is bright and bold, and CPCC is at the
broad vision to be the best in the nation for core of its economic development initiatives.
creating things, making things, and moving
things” (Saunders, Zeiss, and Gallis, 2011). References
By embracing and supporting Charlotte’s Head, Heather (2012 February). Energizing the
entrepreneurial spirit, by its remarkable Workforce. Greater Charlotte Biz, 23-27.
ability to recruit and train skilled workers in
advanced manufacturing, and by promoting Saunders, C., Zeiss, T., & Gallis, M. (2011). Create It,
Make It, Move It, Charlotte 2030: A Global
its soon-to-be-finished multi-modal Intersection of Commerce. Unpublished manuscript.
transportation center at the Charlotte
Douglas International Airport, this region Swenson, D. (2011 Spring). Charlotte USA Energizes
will seize its economic advantage. Economic Development. International Economic
Development Council Journal, 18-22.
Charlotte is located at a pivotal intersection
where goods can economically be moved to Mary Vickers-Koch is Harris Campus Dean
half the United States within 24 hours or and Dean, Business and Industry Learning
less. Its new intermodal center would be Services, and Tony Zeiss is President of
able to concentrate shipping containers Central Piedmont Community College, North
from trucks, trains, and airplanes in one Carolina.
9The Power of Partnership: Achieving Regional Economic Impact
Through the Joint Apprenticeship Training Committee
By Jerry Sue Thornton
Economic conditions are gradually workforce. Demand for skilled workers in all
improving in the Northeast Ohio region, construction occupations has placed
although real economic progress remains pressure on the construction training
slow. The beginning of the area’s recovery, system to quickly prepare new construction
however, is partially due to growth of the employees. Future employment in the
local construction industry. Construction is a construction industry will require some kind
large part of the Cleveland area economy, of education past high school, including
employing nearly 28,400 formal training.
workers. More
specifically, a multimillion Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C) Tri-C’s Response
dollar building boom, is Ohio’s largest community college
including a downtown and one of the largest institutions of To address this important
casino, the Cleveland higher education in the state. Students regional business need,
can choose from 1,000 credit courses
Medical Mart, and Cuyahoga Community
in more than 140 career and technical,
Convention Center, science, and liberal arts programs.
College’s (Tri-C)
renovated riverfront Tri-C also offers more than 500 Workforce and Economic
mixed-use buildings, and unique, noncredit workforce and Development Division and
substantial construction professional development programs to local building trades
by local colleges and 32,000 credit and 20,000 noncredit unions worked together
universities, hospitals, students each year. Classes are held at to create the Joint
and cultural institutions is four traditional campuses, two Apprenticeship Training
®
creating new, high-skilled Corporate College locations, the Committee (JATC). This
construction jobs. The Brunswick University Center, the comprehensive
Unified Technologies Center, the
strength of the partnership helps entry
Advanced Technology Training Center,
construction industry in the Hospitality Management Center on
level and incumbent
the region is reflected in Public Square, and over 50 off-campus workers enhance their
the number of local ads sites. skills by participating in
for construction workers, college-sponsored
which has jumped 21 apprenticeship training as
percent since June 2010. part of a credit degree program to achieve
educational credentials that are vital for
One of the challenges facing this otherwise ongoing worker career success. Registered
thriving construction industry is a apprenticeships and training are offered for
sufficiently trained workforce, with both the following trades: asbestos worker,
entry level and incumbent workers needing boilermaker, bricklayer, carpenter, cement
higher level skill sets. Construction workers mason, drywall/finisher, electrician, floor
need advanced skills to use the increasingly layer, glazier, ironworker, laborer,
complex technology in the construction millwright, operating engineer, painter and
industry. Additionally, construction workers taper, pipefitter, piledriver, plasterer,
must have sufficient math and language plumber, roofer/waterproofer, sheet metal
skills for comprehension and problem worker, telecommunications installer, and
solving, which leads to a more productive tile layer.
10The JATC program also strengthens the employ teaching techniques and student
community by providing education and engagement strategies specific to each
higher incomes to its residents. Research trade in order to retain apprentices through
shows that for each year of community the entire program. Furthermore,
college credit received, an individual’s participation in the program is available free
annual earnings increases by 5 percent to 8 of charge to members of the 17 local union
percent over that of a high school graduate. affiliates.
Additionally, higher levels of education are
linked not only to higher incomes, but also Courses are taught by adjunct faculty who
to faster rates of income growth. Tri-C and are journey-level trade instructors. These
its JATC partners know that delivering a instructors bring specialization and focused
comprehensive credit degree program to expertise to their teaching role, allowing
participants will not only ensure the success them to give student participants a
of the local construction industry, but can connection between education and the work
provide for increased socioeconomic world. A student in the program must be
benefits in the region through increased tax accepted as an apprentice and be given
revenues and consumption, and a work through the union affiliate partner.
decreased reliance on government financial
support. Apprentice student participants receive their
related technical instruction and academic
The program creates uniform standards for core classes in cohort groups that have
training qualified men and women for been tailored and contextualized to align
successful employment within the with the occupational area of focus. Hands-
construction industry. Apprentices develop on training, job instruction, and work
along a structured career path specific to a experience are necessary to become a
construction trade, and ultimately acquire qualified journey-level worker versed in the
the competence consistent with the theory and practice of a construction trade.
knowledge, skill, and ability standard of the The construction trades apprentice program
trade, while concurrently earning college offers student participants an opportunity to
credits towards an Associate of Applied earn as they learn; while obtaining between
Science/Applied Industrial Technology 144 and 250 hours of trade-related
(AAS/AIT) degree. classroom instruction during a three-to-five
year period, students perform between
The program consists of a strong 6,000 and 8,000 hours of paid on-the-job
partnership between the college and 17 training. Students also earn 30 credit hours
JATC building trade union affiliates in 11 in technical coursework and 32 to 36 hours
trades and 18 specific disciplines. A of academic preparation.
leadership council comprised of
journeyperson representatives from each Student participants work directly with Tri-C
union affiliate and college instructional coordinators throughout their program.
experts meets at least twice per year. More Although classes are held at off-site union
than merely an advisory committee, this facilities, apprentices have direct access to
dedicated leadership council makes college counseling, admissions, and
curriculum changes and program updates registrar services through onsite and
as needed by closely monitoring workplace distance options. Participating JATC
requirements and technological partners receive financial support from the
advancements. This leadership group college in the form of student tuition
ensures that adjunct faculty members
11support, classroom rent, computer While more than 200 types of jobs are
allowance, and instructor compensation. offered via apprenticeship training programs
in Northeast Ohio, this program is one of
In order to provide practical application of the few that allows participants to earn
newly learned skills, apprentices earn degree credentials affiliated with an
competitive wages and draw benefits while institution of higher learning while providing
working through the program toward their on-the-job training for some of today’s most
journey-level certificate. During training, the in-demand, high-wage jobs. Results of a
more an apprentice learns the more pay he study examining construction craft training
or she receives. By climbing the skill and conducted by the National Center for
education ladder, wages increase at regular Construction Education and Research
intervals until the end of the apprenticeship (NCCER) found that investing 1 percent of a
when students become journeypersons and project's labor budget in training could have
draw full pay for their skills. In addition, double digit returns in productivity, reduced
AAS/AIT degrees are transferable and absenteeism, and the need for rework,
recognized through articulation partnership among other things. Workforce training is
agreements to baccalaureate studies in the best investment against the hidden cost
technology management or construction of low productivity.
management from both Kent State
University and the University of Akron. By developing and delivering apprenticeship
programs tied to education credentials,
Model Apprenticeship Program Tri-C provides the region with basic-skill
instruction for new workers, upgrade
This model educational partnership training for incumbent workers, and
produces the highly trained and highly opportunities for continued learning. This is
skilled workforce the local construction important as research has shown that U.S.
industry needs while effectively helping cities with better educated populations not
workers qualify for stable jobs with good only have significantly higher per capita
wages and promising career pathways. The incomes, but also enjoy faster rates of
program has seen a steady rise in income growth. This creative partnership
enrollment year after year, and over 14,000 between Cleveland area building trade
workers have participated in the program to unions and Tri-C helps to promote the
date. economic development of the region by
providing workers with postsecondary
Evaluation data is used to ensure that the knowledge and skills, and by ensuring the
desired outcomes are achieved, specifically continuation of skilled trade crafts men and
job placement and degree attainment. women, critical to building a solid
Program effectiveness is measured through infrastructure that promotes regional
student evaluation of instruction, growth.
demonstration of skill attainment, number
of one-year certificates of proficiency Jerry Sue Thornton is former President of
awarded, completion rate of those finishing Cuyahoga Community College in Ohio.
the apprenticeship program, number of
those earning the journey-level credential,
and number of those attaining an AAS/AIT
degree.
12Johnson County Community College: Economic Engine for the County
By Terry Calaway
Johnson County Community College (JCCC) freight by rail coupled with the number of
in Overland Park, Kansas, serves as an current rail workers who will be retiring
economic engine for the county. This is means that freight railroads will hire more
accomplished through a number of than 15,000 employees this year alone.
partnerships and activities that reflect the
diversity of the county’s economy and the JCCC is prepared for these changes, thanks
agility of the college to meet a variety of to a long and beneficial relationship with
economic needs. BNSF Railway. The college first entered into
partnership discussions with BNSF in 1986.
Johnson County is a suburb of Kansas City, The result is the largest railroad training
Missouri, with a growing population of over facility in the country, founded on the
544,000. The county, one of the most college campus. Originally intended to train
prosperous in the only BNSF employees, the
country, has the highest training center over the
median household income With more than 40,000 credit and years has come to serve
and the highest per capita continuing education students, other railroads as well. As
Johnson County Community College,
income in Kansas. The many as 14,000 railroad
Overland Park, Kansas, is the state’s
county’s workforce is largest institution of undergraduate employees from the U.S.
among the most highly higher education. JCCC offers more and Mexico come to JCCC
educated in the nation than 50 career and certificate each year for training.
and its economy is well programs that prepare students to
diversified, albeit enter the job market. Its noncredit As part of its agreement
concentrated in the high- workforce development program is the with BNSF and the city of
growth service-providing most comprehensive in the Kansas City Overland Park, JCCC built
sectors. This diversity area. the Industrial Technical
affords JCCC a number of Center (ITC) on campus
opportunities to affect (dedicated in 1988) to
economic development in a number of house the railway's national training
sectors, including transportation, health programs and provide additional office and
care, information technology, and classroom space for the college. The $2.9
entrepreneurship. million building was financed through city
revenue bonds, with the college assuming
Transportation one-third of the cost of construction and
receiving ownership of the building after 10
Kansas City has developed into one of the years. BNSF exercises its option to lease the
most important freight transportation hubs facilities on a five-year basis. The college
in the Midwest. To take advantage of that, initially received nine classrooms,
BNSF Railway is building a 443-acre warehouse space, and laboratory access, in
intermodal facility in the southern part of addition to the responsibility for building
Johnson County. The facility will help the maintenance. An expansion to the ITC that
region’s economy grow by shifting more opened in 1993 increased space for both
freight traffic from the highway to the rails. BNSF and JCCC, and in 2001 the warehouse
The increasing demand to move more moved to a separate structure so the entire
13building could be used for educational needs of an aging population and growth in
purposes. The college was awarded a home health care services.
presidential citation by Vice President
George Bush in 1987, recognizing the Anticipating this need, JCCC built an allied
partnership as a successful model of health education center, the Olathe Health
cooperation between education and Education Center (OHEC). The process
industry. began in 2008, when Olathe Medical Center
donated 5.8 acres of land to JCCC. The
In 1993-1994, the college and BNSF building, which opened in August 2011,
established the National Academy of offers classes in practical nursing, certified
Railroad Science (NARS) at JCCC, leading to nurse assistant; certified medication aide;
the first associate degree programs in rehabilitation aide; home health aide; IV
railroad operations in the nation. More than therapy for LPNs; medical office,
500 students are enrolled each year in transcription, and coding; dietary manager;
credit programs leading to associate of phlebotomy; and ECG technician. First
applied science degrees and vocational responder, anatomy, physiology, and
certificates in railroad electronics, railroad general education courses are also offered
industrial technology, and railroad at OHEC.
operations.
Many of the OHEC classrooms have a
A railroad welders program began in hospital atmosphere and are equipped with
January 2004 at JCCC. NARS and JCCC offer the same equipment—beds, privacy
the welder training program to meet the curtains, nurse call buttons, and medical
need for qualified and technically trained headwalls—that furnish hospital rooms.
welders in the railroad industry. The Four simulation bays with one-way glass
program consists of eight weeks of allow instructors to watch students perform
classroom and laboratory training, followed procedures.
by 120 days of paid on-the-job training.
Major railroads recruit on campus; railroad The up-to-date equipment and extra space
welders are among the highest paid entry- have helped the medical billing and coding
level workers in any industry, with salaries and the medical transcription programs
ranging from $40,000 to $60,000 a year. grow and enabled the college to introduce
the dietary manager program this year.
The economic impact on the community
and the city of Overland Park as a result of In response to requests from local hospitals,
the partnership between JCCC and BNSF is JCCC has developed a new course, Patient
about $60 million, created by the thousands Care Assistant - Acute Care, offered for the
of students who come to campus for first time in summer 2012. This course
training and who need to book hotel rooms, provides classroom, lab, simulation-based,
take their meals in restaurants, and shop at and clinical instruction for basic care of
local stores. patients in acute-care hospitals. During the
clinical portion of the course, students will
Health Care have a closely supervised opportunity to
care for hospitalized patients. The course is
In Johnson County, employment of licensed designed to prepare entry-level workers for
practical nurses is expected to grow faster hospital nursing departments to prepare
than the average for other occupations pre-nursing students for the nursing
through 2020, thanks to the long-term care curriculum.
14HITECH at JCCC New to JCCC’s HITECH program will be the
implementation support specialist and the
The health information systems field is training certificate programs. These new
expected to grow significantly as healthcare certificate programs teach students how to
providers such as hospitals, care centers, implement electronic records systems and
doctors’ offices, and health clinics how to train others to support and
implement the Health Information transition to electronic medical records
Technology for Economic and Clinical Health systems.
(HITECH) Act of 2009. This act mandates
that every United States citizen have an The grant also creates internship
electronic health record. The transition from opportunities for program participants in
paper records to electronic records is also various health care settings, strengthens
tied to Medicaid reimbursements, with the partnership with HCC to recruit and
Medicaid providers needing to meet the train students from across Kansas, and
October 2013 deadline for meaningful use. creates an alliance with the Workforce
Partnership Center to work with industry
In 2010, JCCC became one of 17 employers and capitalize on internship and
community colleges in the Region C job opportunities. Partnerships with
Midwest Health Information Technology employers are growing, and students are
Consortium to deliver HITECH training and receiving job offers before completing the
the only Kansas community college selected program.
to participate. Hutchinson Community
College (HCC) joined JCCC in reaching out External institutional collaborative efforts
to deliver the training statewide. At this have proven effective to truly address
writing, JCCC’s HITECH program has industry workforce needs and deliver timely
enrolled 116 students and demonstrated training solutions that affect local, regional,
less than 3 percent attrition with more than and statewide economic development, from
80 percent of students employed. start-up companies to companies with
global industry footprints.
The college received $292,247 as part of
the American Recovery and Reinvestment Information Technology
Act of 2009 to implement two health
information technology workforce training In Johnson County, 9.2 percent of the
roles that will be needed in physicians’ workforce is involved in the information
offices and related businesses. Certificate industry, far above the national average of
program training is offered for two career 2.8 percent. Network security is a top
roles, technical/software support staff and priority for nearly every business and
workflow and information management organization that uses computers.
redesign specialists.
To facilitate the learning process at JCCC,
In 2011, the HITECH program expanded the college’s Computing Sciences and
and strengthened, thanks to a $2.9 million Information Technology (IT) division
grant from the U.S. Department of Labor. worked with the Information Services
The grant allows HITECH to advance branch to set up a virtual learning system
curriculum development, offer new career whereby faculty manage large numbers of
pathway options, provide internship complex and diverse student server
opportunities with leading industry networks.
employers, and develop a statewide
Faculty found that complex student network
workforce network.
projects were causing unacceptably long
15system boot times on the individual student one day own their own business, regardless
servers installed in the classrooms. The long of what their majors might have been.
cycle times made the learning process
difficult for students, and replacement With that in mind, Entrepreneurial Mindset
server options offered little improvement. is a new course at JCCC, based on a best-
selling book that is now part of the
Because a cloud environment offered associate’s degree in entrepreneurship and
students faster response with the ability to a component of an entrepreneurship
leave systems running but idle, thereby certificate. While the entrepreneurship
providing more usable instruction time, associate’s degree and certificate are not
JCCC deployed a VMware vSphere private new, the addition of this course and its
cloud infrastructure, leveraging the latest in groundbreaking curriculum is a major shift
IT computer, data, and networking in classroom focus.
resources from a joint vendor solution
known as a flex pod. Cisco, NetApp, and The class curriculum is based on Who Owns
VMware provide this solution; more than the Ice House? Eight Life Lessons From An
3,200 virtual machines are deployed and Unlikely Entrepreneur, by Clifton Taulbert .
supported to create a collaborative systems Taulbert grew up in the deep South in the
lab that forms into a true working network. 1950s, fully prepared to follow in the
generational footsteps of fieldhands all over
Using the private cloud, faculty have the the Mississippi Delta—descendants of slaves
flexibility to teach a range of IT classes who were without means or opportunity.
using a shared infrastructure that students The exception was Taulbert’s uncle Cleve,
can access anytime, anywhere, and from who ran the ice house in town. Uncle Cleve
any platform, including mobile devices. As taught his nephew the life lessons needed
an added benefit, the environment can be to succeed as an entrepreneur.
used to expand course offerings to teach
virtualization for public and private cloud As Taulbert matured, he realized those
resource management that will help same lessons remain true more than 50
students negotiate the real world of work. years later. With the help of co-author Gary
Schoeniger, Taulbert identified eight lessons
Entrepreneurship of successful entrepreneurship from his
uncle Cleve and backed it up with present-
According to the County Economic Research day examples.
Institute (CERI), in 1998 Johnson County’s
economy consisted of 14,971 private sector JCCC is an academic partner with the
firms with payrolls—the state’s largest Kauffman Foundation, which has supported
concentration of business establishments. efforts for the Ice House project, offering
By 2008, the county had expanded to training for teachers and facilitators at its
17,352 firms. Over that 10-year period, the Kansas City, Missouri, headquarters. On its
county economy added an average of 20 website, it describes the Ice House project
new business establishments per month, this way: “From young adults to higher
many of them small businesses. That figure education and workforce training, this
is not likely to change. A Kauffman highly interactive and engaging program is
Foundation study of recent college designed to inspire and engage participants
graduates, as reported at the National in the fundamental concepts of an
Association of Community College entrepreneurial mindset and the unlimited
Entrepreneurship Conference in October opportunities it can provide.”
2010, found that 70 percent would like to
16JCCC’s total tangible economic impact on to meet current workforce needs and
the community is more than $182 million prepare for a prosperous future.
each year. Through the range of its
offerings, the college serves as an economic Terry Calaway is former President of
engine that helps the county, and the state, Johnson County Community College in
Kansas.
17Ongoing Dialogue and a Focus on the Workforce: Kirkwood Community
College and the Eastern Iowa Skills Reports
By Mick Starcevich and Kim W. Johnson
For more than 40 years, east central Iowa study, the Skills 2014 Report, was released
employers and Kirkwood Community in the spring of 2011.
College have engaged in many collaborative
efforts to train generations of people to find Each iteration of the survey asked a series
their best fit in the state’s economy. Over of questions that have to be front and
the past two decades, one crucial process center in the mind of any college leader:
has produced tangible What are regional
results that address the employers forecasting for
Kirkwood Community College has future employment? Are
basic conundrum of such grown as the Eastern Iowa region
work: staying focused on Kirkwood’s programs
evolved from a predominantly
the core abilities of producing the kinds of
agricultural and manufacturing
workers to address the economy into one that serves a more skilled graduates the
evolving needs of major broad and diverse collection of community needs?
employers and emerging industries, from insurance and Beyond a degree or
new businesses. communications to national and certificate title, are
international hubs for customer graduates prepared for
The result of this process contact, biotechnology, and green the roles employers have
has been the energy production. The college has a available? From the other
development of a series local presence in seven service perspective, does the
of skills reports—an counties and serves more than 26,000 college understand what
credit students and about 60,000
evolving set of surveys partner employers need
lifelong learners in its Continuing
and assessments of the Education and Training programs. today? How have those
industry sectors, Kirkwood is the main transfer college needs changed in the
occupational categories, to the University of Iowa, with past several years? What
and projected hundreds more students taking their is the best course of
employment needs within Kirkwood credits and degrees to a host action to meet those
the Eastern Iowa service of colleges and universities in Iowa needs and anticipate
area. The first report, and beyond. emerging and developing
Skills 2000, studied the demands in the local and
immediate employment regional economies?
needs of a representative cross section of
large and small employers in both the public The Kirkwood-led Skills 2000 survey was
and private sectors. Subsequent studies conducted by a commission of officials from
provided a reassessment of the original Iowa’s 15 community colleges and top
study and expanded the scope and size of executives from 33 large employers,
the process, while noting progress or lack of predominately located in the Cedar Rapids
it in the areas of employee knowledge, end of the Cedar Rapids-Iowa City Corridor.
needed skills, and recruitment needs across The strength of this new process was that
the region. Each study was titled to focus participants recognized the local focus and
on the near future (e.g., the Skills 2000 autonomy of Iowa’s community colleges
Report was released in 1998). The newest and their personal awareness of direct
community needs.
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