ERIC ED479041: Documented Characteristics of Labor Market-Responsive Community Colleges and a Review of Supporting Literature.

27 Pages·2003·0.34 MB·English

by  ERIC

DOCUMENT RESUME
ED 479 041
JC 030 384
AUTHOR
Harmon, Robert; MacAllum, Keith
Documented Characteristics of Labor Market-Responsive
TITLE
Community Colleges and a Review of Supporting Literature.
Westat, Inc., Rockville, MD.; Academy for Educational
INSTITUTION
Development, Washington, DC.
Office of Vocational and Adult Education (ED), Washington,
SPONS AGENCY
DC
PUB DATE 2003-00-00
NOTE
26p.
PUB TYPE Information Analyses (070)
Reports
Research (143)
EDRS PRICE EDRS Price MF01/PCO2 Plus Postage.
DESCRIPTORS
*College Programs; *Community Colleges; Curriculum; Economic
Development; *Job Training; Labor Economics; Labor Force;
*Labor Force Development; Labor Market; Labor Supply; Two
Year Colleges; *Vocational Education
ABSTRACT
This paper discusses the mission of the market-responsive
community college. These colleges include mid- and high-level workforce
training in their curriculum. Some of the characteristics of a market-
responsive community college detailed here include:
(1) allocating resources
to develop training programs;
(2) reaching out to businesses and other
organizations;
(3) responding rapidly to changes in local economic conditions
and training needs;
(4) recruiting faculty from among local experts in the
field; and (5) partnering with other local educational institutions to
deliver comprehensive training. Over 200 publications were reviewed for this
report, and the 25 articles that contained the most relevant information,
including descriptions of labor-market responsive behavior, were selected.
The four methodologies used in preparing the articles that were selected
(1) statistical analysis;
were:
(2) less formal data analysis;
(3) literature
reviews; and (4) anecdotal evidence. The conclusions of this review will be
used as hypotheses to be thoroughly tested in the next phase of this
initiative. A reading of the literature found that outsourced training
expenditures for U.S. companies nearly doubled, from $9.9 billion to $19.3
billion annually, between 1994 and 2000. Includes brief outlines of specific
community college programs and 25 annotated references to literature analyzed
for the study.
(NB)
Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made
from the original document.
Documented Characteristics of Labor
Market-Responsive Community Colleges
and a Review of Supporting Literature
2003
Prepared for:
U.S. Department of Education
Office of Adult and Vocational Education
Washington, D.C.
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Office of Educational Research and Improvement
EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION
Prepared by:
CENTER (ERIC)
This document has been reproduced as
received from the person or organization
originating it.
Westat
Minor changes have been made to
improve reproduction quality.
Rockville, MID
and
Points of view or opinions stated in this
document do not necessarily represent
The Academy for Educational Development
official OERI position or policy.
Washington, DC
U.S. Department of Education - Office of Vocational and Adult
Education
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2
U.S. Department of Education, Office of Vocational and Adult Education
Documented Characteristics of Labor Market-Responsive Community Colleges and a
Review of Supporting Literature
Robert Harmon, Westat, Rockville, MD
Keith MacAllum, Ph.D., Academy for Educational Development, Washington, DC
Executive Summary
The mission of community colleges has evolved beyond their traditional roles of open
access, vocational education and as an entrée into 4-year colleges, to include mid- and high-level
According to the literature, those colleges that embrace this new mission
workforce training.
seek to meet rapidly changing local workforce development needs. The literature also notes that
these market-responsive community colleges share many characteristics. These characteristics
are interconnected and mutually supporting. Market-responsive community colleges:
Have leadership committed to the market-responsive mission of the college. Elements
include:
Allocating resources to develop training programs.
Reaching out to local businesses and other organizations.
-
Identifying market-responsiveness as part of the college's mission.
Have internal response mechanisms that allow for rapid development of training curriculum
to meet changing workforce demands, which include:
Responding rapidly to changes in local economic conditions and training needs.
Creating a division to address local employment demands.
Developing for-credit programs based on local workforce needs.
Partner with local businesses and local workforce and educational organizations to develop
which includes:
appropriate training and academic curricula
,
Collaborating with local businesses on curriculum development and seeking employer
input on curriculum development.
Recruiting faculty from among local experts in field.
Partnering with other local educational institutions to deliver comprehensive training.
Have close ties to their local communities, including:
Understanding local workforce needs.
Being able to detect shifts in local labor market needs.
Offering targeted and contract training.
Over 200 publications were reviewed for this report and the 25 articles that contained the
most relevant information were selected. Articles were selected based on their relevance to this
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project and on how well they illustrated or described some aspect of labor-market responsive
behavior. Four methodologies were used in preparing the articles that were selected for this
review; statistical analysis, less formal data analysis, literature reviews, and anecdotal evidence,
including surveys and interviews of colleges, businesses and other stakeholders.
Among these works there was general consensus as to what constituted a market-
responsive community college, as well as which colleges have exemplary market-responsive
programs. Though articles addressed different aspects of market-responsiveness, the works
complemented each other to provide a comprehensive definition of a market-responsive college,
and the attributes that make community colleges highly responsive.
However, the analyses were not sufficiently rigorous for the conclusions to be accepted
In particular, colleges that lack some of the key attributes cited in the literature,
as definitive.
nevertheless, may be highly responsive, and the difference in market-responsiveness between the
colleges cited in the literature and other colleges could be small. Thus, the conclusions of this
review will be used as hypotheses to be thoroughly tested in the next phase of this initiative.
Specifically, this initiative will assess market-responsiveness and the attributes that make
programs highly effective by: (1) collecting and analyzing transcript and wage-record data from
selected states to determine which programs most closely addressed local employment needs,
and (2) conducting on-site interviews with local stakeholders to learn more about the attributes
that make college programs highly market-responsive.
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1.0 Introduction
These include
Historically community colleges have pursued multiple missions.
providing opportunities for students to earn an associate's degree or transfer to four-year
colleges, for adult members of the community to obtain continuing education, and for new and
incumbent workers to get vocational training in the form of certification and specialized
programs. While community colleges continue to serve these three functions, there is increased
As local
interest in the role that they can play in workforce and economic development.
economies and employment needs change, some community colleges appear better able to
respond than others. Some even anticipate these changes.
For a college to be labor market responsive, it must actively consider the local and
national economic environment and be able to deliver educational and training programs that
directly address labor market needs, often in a very short time. Community colleges are well
suited to assume this role, as they generally are nimble at curricula development, particularly
Community college administrators are beginning to
with respect to non-credit programs.
transform the processes of delivering educational and training programs, allowing colleges to
Partnerships with employers and community
respond more quickly to labor market changes.
organizations, a mission statement giving a high priority to workforce development, and
specialized contract training are all examples of community college responses to workforce
development needs. The literature discusses the similarities that exist among those community
colleges that have been most successful in responding to the economic and employment needs in
their areas.
The literature cited in this review reached a general consensus as to what constituted a
market-responsive community college, as well as which colleges have exemplary market-
responsive programs. Though articles addressed different aspects of market-responsiveness, the
works complemented each other to provide a comprehensive definition of a market-responsive
college, and the attributes that make community colleges highly responsive.
However, the analyses were not sufficiently rigorous for the conclusions to be accepted
In particular, colleges that lack some of the key attributes cited in the literature,
as definitive.
nevertheless, may be highly responsive, and the difference in market-responsiveness between the
colleges cited in the literature and other colleges could be small. Thus, the conclusions of this
review will be used as hypotheses to be thoroughly tested in the next phase of this initiative.
The hypothesis that the characteristics cited in the literature do in fact increase the level
of market-responsiveness of a college will be tested through use of transcript and wage record
data, and on-site observations of college operations. The objective is to demonstrate to what
extent, if any, colleges that have most or all of the documented market-responsive characteristics
outperform those that have fewer or none of these elements. Interviews with stakeholders in each
college presidents, local business leaders, local officials and other organizations,
community
and graduates will support the statistical analyses by identifying which characteristics they
consider key to the college's success.
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2.0 Findings from the Literature
A close reading of the literature reveals that over the past decade the training needs of
employers have expanded. More dollars are being spent on training every year by high tech and
Indeed, outsourced training
other companies to upgrade the skills of their workforce.
expenditures for U.S. companies nearly doubled between 1994 and 2000, growing from $9.9
billion to $19.3 billion annually (National Alliance of Business, 2001). This demand has created
a market for contract training and curriculum development that community colleges are highly
However, competition for this market has expanded with the increase in
qualified to meet.
training budgets, both from private vendors and from within the companies themselves. While
many community colleges have been market responsive and thus able to secure such training,
others have been less successful.
How community colleges respond to the growing demand for training determines how
effective they will be at securing training dollars from employers and students. A particularly
relevant example is the development of internal divisions, often called "entrepreneurial"
An entrepreneurial college, or what is
colleges, to address these external training needs.
sometimes referred to as a "shadow" college, is an entity within the college itself that is tasked
with developing and delivering programs targeted at a specific population. In an entrepreneurial
college, the employer is considered the primary customer rather than the student. These colleges
deliver non-traditional training, mostly contract training for employers. (Grubb, 2001). For
instance, in the North Carolina Community College System, several programs conducted through
Other functions of these entities
entrepreneurial colleges have trained over 25,000 workers.
include small business development and attracting new employers and industries to their region.
Similarly, some community colleges like Bellevue in Washington State and Montgomery
their approaches to curriculum
College in Maryland are becoming more aggressive in
development and delivery. They have designed a marketing plan targeted at employers with the
In order to do this, these colleges gather detailed
intent of securing contract-training dollars.
information about the needs of the local labor force based on the types of industries that
dominate the area, then develop programs that address the skill demands of those industries and
present them to local employers.
The characteristics of market responsive community colleges are not identical.
They
vary according to the local economy, the size of the business community being served, the types
of industries that dominate a given area, and the level of demand for highly coveted skill sets.
Still, the literature on market responsive community colleges indicates that they share several
key elements:
A leadership committed to the goal of making the college market-responsive,
Internal response mechanisms;
Business and other partnerships; and
Connection to the local economy.
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4
The literature suggests that these are the characteristics that community colleges should
be focusing on if they are serious about becoming market responsive. Though each community
college has some unique features in its approach to and relationship with its local market, many
or all of the underlying characteristics of each element are common across institutions. These
elements are usually well integrated in an institution's approach and so there is some overlap in
our discussion of their characteristics.
Most of the publications selected for this review highlight key elements of a market
describe the changing environments in which
responsive community college
detail,
in
community colleges find themselves, and the colleges' efforts to adapt to those environments.
Each article selected either described some aspect of market-responsiveness or presented
evidence of colleges that had employed market-responsive practices with some degree of
From these publications it is possible to derive the market-responsive
documented success.
elements that populate the list of characteristics. Other publications that were reviewed referred
to the evolution of worker training at community colleges, but were more general in their
discussion of market responsiveness and did not identify specific characteristics associated with
Though some of this information was helpful in understanding the
market-responsiveness.
circumstances that community colleges face with respect to changing economic and workforce
demands, detailed findings of these publications were not reported.
While the identification and classification of these characteristics are based on the
supporting literature that describes how a characteristic relates to market responsiveness, in some
cases the literature does not discuss the specific elements of market responsiveness. Rather, it
This is
describes the overall results that came about because these elements were in place.
especially true of effective leadership. Few articles address the subject of leadership directly, yet
many imply that strong leadership is necessary in order for the programs to exist, expand, and
have continued support. By examining how programs evolve and operate, it is possible to gain
an understanding of the role of the college leadership in shaping the policies that led to a
successful market responsive program.
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5
3.0 Characteristics
This section deals with each of the four market-responsive characteristics identified from
the literature. Because the market-responsive initiative is a coordinated effort by the college to
respond to training, education and employment needs of the local workforce, many of the goals
However, each element will be discussed
of these four overarching characteristics overlap.
separately in the context of the characteristic it supports.
3.1 Leadership:
According to the literature, for a market responsive community college to be successful,
the leadership of the college needs to be committed to the development and growth of a market-
The president must have a clear plan for developing and maintaining
responsive approach.
Additionally, he or she must have the full
market-responsive initiatives within the college.
support of the board of trustees or the governing body of the college.
Presidents need to
recognize the role that a community college can play in the local economic area and develop a
plan to fill that role. He or she must also have an appreciation of the national labor market and
understand how his or her college can address the needs of that market as well. Tony Zeiss,
President of Central Piedmont in North Carolina epitomizes this role when he states, "in my
view, the community colleges... are the economic engines that will keep our state moving
forward." Whether a college president takes an active or supportive role in the development or
oversight of the market-responsive programs, their commitment to the idea of market-
responsiveness is essential for the success of the initiative. Leadership goals include:
Allocating resources to develop and deliver training programs for employers. This can
include both financial resources (revenue from tuition, state and local support, contract
training and auxiliary income, as well as state, federal and private grants), materials (such as
computers, text books, and other related equipment), personnel (faculty and administrators)
and facilities. (Roberts 2002, National Alliance of Business 2001, Dougherty 2000, Brand
1997, Grubb 1997).
Improving recruitment and retention of students, particularly in programs key to the
local and national economy. Those colleges that are able to demonstrate that they can
successfully recruit and train students in highly sought-after skills will become more
attractive as training resources to local businesses. Measuring success in this area is key.
Colleges will be able to demonstrate increased efficiency through a reduction in the attrition
rate of students in key programs and to identify which programs under-perform and/or may
no longer be relevant to the workforce. (Salter 1999, Seppanen 1991).
Instituting aggressive outreach programs targeted at bringing in contract training from
local businesses. As the demand for worker training expands, college presidents need to
pursue training opportunities among local employers, either personally or through an internal
division dedicated to pursuing and securing training. In order to be successful, the leadership
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must have an understanding of the evolving needs of employers to be able to anticipate and
prepare for upcoming changes in workforce demand. (Drury 2000, Gruber 2000, Ohio Board
of Regents 2000, Kisner 1997, Grubb et al 1997).
Encouraging the expansion of curricula to include more employer-focused programs.
The leadership must move the college towards a more demand-oriented strategy of program
development, and have programs in place to meet present demands and rapidly respond to
This often involves hiring faculty willing to develop
future demands when they arise.
curriculum in collaboration with local employers, or bringing in local experts as adjunct
faculty to teach. (Lebowitz et al 2001, Carnevale 2000, Bailey and Averianova 1998).
Remaining current on effective practices of other market-responsive community
colleges. Gleaning information about what makes other community colleges successful in
serving their local economic areas, and
those
practices, or
integrating
then
Montgomery County, MD
Montgomery College
portions of them that would apply to the
local economic area, are a key part of the
The president of Montgomery College is credited with
the vision for implementing the "institute model" on
role of the college leadership.
Sharing
One such example is The
the college's campus.
and integrating effective practices enables
Homer S. Gude lsky Institute for Technical Education
colleges across the country to upgrade
GITE is a
(GITE) which opened in the fall 1992.
their programs through proven methods.
public-private joint venture providing state-of-the-art
It also enables colleges in urban or rural
technical education and training opportunities for the
what
programs and
learn
areas
to
community.
relationships succeeded
around
the
The programs
of
result
ongoing
direct
are
a
economic
respective
country their
in
business and
industry
local
with
to
partnerships
environments, since practices that succeed
identify and respond to the technical training needs of
in a heavily populated area may not be as
The college
the community.
president
set
the
successful in rural areas with a much less
necessary tone for outreach and collaboration with
diverse local economy. (Salter 1999).
Gudelsky Institute
The
offers
business.
local
instructional programs in four primary areas using
Identifying market responsiveness
delivery
options promoted
instructional
by
the
as
part of the
college's
administrators,
executive
including:
college's
mission.
By
Training; On-Site
Contract
Training;
Customized
college's
expanding
the
the mission
Certificate
Programs;
Education;
Distance
committing itself
leadership
to
is
Apprenticeship-Related Instruction; and Credit and
providing support to the local and national
Continuing Courses.
It also signals its willingness
workforce.
to commit resources
develop and
Dr. Patrick Valentine, Dean, Economic and
to
Source:
Workforce Development, Montgomery College
deliver training to local employers and
example,
For
vision
employees.
statements like those of Central Piedmont
Community College which reads: "CPCC intends to become the national leader in workforce
development," stand in contrast to more traditional statements of mission focused on quality
(Warford & Flynn 2002, Carnevale 2000,
of instruction and student-centered services.
Bailey and Averianova 1998).
9
7
3.2 Internal Response Mechanisms:
Another key factor highlighted in the literature is the need for community colleges to
have internal response mechanisms that develop and deliver training based on the needs of the
local economy. Since jobs and the skills needed to perform them change quickly, these response
mechanisms must be able to evolve rapidly to accommodate the demands generated by such
changes. To do this effectively, community colleges need to be connected to the local labor
market; to know what sorts of jobs employers need and what skills they look to upgrade. Often
training divisions operate independently of the college's other departments or divisions, and
utilize both internal and external guidance in determining how best to develop and/or update
curriculum. Characteristics of internal response mechanisms include:
Responding rapidly to changes in local
Portland, OR
Portland Community College
economic conditions and training needs.
Because jobs are ever evolving, training
Portland Community College has partnered with
providers need to be able to quickly
Mount Hood Community
the
College
local
and
develop and deliver training that addresses
Workforce Investment Board to provide short-term
the needs of employers for both new and
training to dislocated workers with limited English
existing workers. In addition, economic
Existing curricula at
proficiency and low basic skills.
the colleges were reorganized into shorter modules in the
uneven,
growth and
can be
is
fields of Accounting/Bookkeeping, Criminal Justice,
Employers often need a
unpredictable.
Metals Manufacturing, and Phlebotomy. After full-time
of workers
quick infusion
trained
in
preliminary
for students
one term,
gain
training
certain skills or possessing a particular
certificates and can enter jobs in those fields. As these
combination of knowledge and
skills.
of
existing college
part
short-term modules
are
What's more, economic growth often
programs, students are eligible for federal financial aid
putting
extreme
very rapidly,
occurs
and WIA funding.
pressure on local educational institutions
to train sufficient numbers of qualified
Julian L. Alssid, et al. Building a Career Pathways
Source:
System: Promising Practices in Community-College Centered
applicants fast enough to satisfy demand.
Workforce Development. Workforce Strategy Center, pg, 17,
community
colleges
have
Many
August 2002.
developed the capacity to modify or create
curriculum in line with, or in some cases,
in preparation for, employer needs. This is possible because the non-credit programs do not
always fall under the regular for-credit governance of the college and are therefore not
subject to the traditional curriculum approval process, which can take months or years to
approve a new program. And while non-credit courses provide the most rapid response,
community colleges taking the longer view will also begin to expand and evolve for-credit
courses in key areas, focusing on longer-term economic trends. (Carnevale & Desroches
2001, Drury 2001, Gruber 2000, Thompson 1997, Payne & Williams-Foster 1997).
Being adept at curricula development and modification.
Community colleges are
generally more nimble at creating and modifying curricula to address employer needs than
Those colleges that develop courses quickly are better able to
are four-year institutions.
This is particularly true of areas
respond to the needs of local workers and employers.