James Jacobs

The Landscape of Noncredit Workforce Education: State Policies and Community College Practices

Postsecondary noncredit education has become increasingly common in recent years, and at many community colleges, noncredit programs enroll more students than do credit programs (Bailey et al., 2003). Courses connected with workforce instruction and contract training account for much of this growth (Dougherty & Bakia, 1999), and such courses are noted for their important role in responding flexibly to shifting workforce demands. Still, the growth in community college noncredit workforce education raises questions about whether the colleges are keeping pace with student and industry needs, using resources efficiently, and providing adequate access to all students. The answers to these questions may challenge current state policies and college practices. The leadership of two major community college organizations — the National Council for Workforce Education (NCWE) and the National Council for Continuing Education and Training (NCCET) — sought to collaborate with the Community College Research Center (CCRC) to conduct a study that would illuminate the implications of recent changes in noncredit workforce education. These councils represent senior community college administrators nationwide who are responsible for workforce development and who have been grappling with their stances on noncredit workforce education when considering which policies to advocate. CCRC’s one-year study, summarized in this Brief, included the examination of state policies in all 50 states and case studies at 20 community colleges. Findings from the study document the empirical landscape of noncredit workforce education and identify issues that warrant attention from state policymakers, community college leaders, and policy advocates.

Institutionalization and Sustainability of the National Science Foundation's Advanced Technological Education Program

This document reports on a study conducted by the National Science Foundation (NSF) that examines the Advanced Technological Education (ATE) program. ATE aims to promote systemic reform of the nations science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education. The study analyzed the influence of the ATE program on the nature of STEM programs in community colleges, the partnerships they formed, and the characteristics of the colleges in which they are located. Six ATE projects and four national centers were examined between October 2000 and January 2002. Information was gathered through site visits and ATE project and center websites. The study aimed to answer questions regarding how the ATE centers influence STEM pedagogy, how inquiry-based teaching infuses underlying academic knowledge into the training of technicians, what role ATE programs play in developing and improving articulation between community colleges and four-year institutions, and a number of other questions. A central goal of the study was to analyze the ATE projects and centers with respect to the institutionalization and sustainability of ATE-initiated or funded activities once funding ceases. The study found that output strategies have been more prevalent in the programs than process-oriented approaches, in spite of the fact that process-oriented strategies are more sustainable. The NSF would like to see the innovations and reforms that it funds institutionalized and sustained once ATE funding ends. (Contains 36 references.) (NB) Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the ori inal document.

An Anatomy of Change and Transition: The Automobile Industry of Southeast Michigan

At one time Southeastern Michigan was characterized by a rapid decline in manufacturing jobs and was labeled a typical rust-belt region over-dependent upon one sector of industrial production. By the end of this century in almost twenty years the region has become a center of high-tech activity, an area of increasing employment in manufacturing, and an example of a revitalized and restructured industry. The root of this transformation is found in the way the industry was restructured in order to confront its problems and, among other things, in the way it increasingly relied on a more flexible structure of engineering and production led in part by smaller and independent businesses. But this transformation has also meant a significant change in the kinds of work performed and the skill sets needed, and the need to revise how workers are to receive education and training to ensure a workforce able to address the workplace of the future.

The Federal Role in Vocational-Technical Education

The federal government first began to support vocational education with the Smith-Hughes Act of 1917. Its passage was controversial since there was considerable opposition to a federal role in education, which was a state responsibility. Since that time, the federal government has had constant involvement with vocational education through Smith-Hughes and its successor acts, including the Carl D. Perkins Vocational and Technical Education Act, which is currently in effect. As recent legislation has primarily focused on supporting academic achievement, it is as yet unclear what the federal government’s approach toward vocational education will be. Federal legislation must be reauthorized every five years, with an associated national study, the series of National Assessments of Vocational Education (NAVE). This pattern of constant re-examination has made federal support for vocational education somewhat unstable, and has resulted in multiple redefinitions of the purpose and nature of vocational education. Such reviews can have positive effects, because they enable adjustments to keep up with changing conditions and priorities. For example, the future orientation of federal involvement in vocational education will need to take account of the emergence of what we call the “education consensus.” This consensus recognizes that there is a need for a better-prepared labor force with a large complement of competencies for a knowledge-based society; that education is a continuous, lifelong process; and that economic rewards increasingly accrue to those who earn degrees or other forms of credentials demonstrating educational achievement. The result of the consensus has been an “institutional transformation” of vocational education, with significant changes in how high schools provide it, and a new dominant role for community colleges and other postsecondary institutions. While the states will likely continue to direct the course of their vocational education policies and programs, federal resources can be used to fund what states cannot do on their own. This Brief first discusses what the current vocational education needs are, and then outlines why the states are unable to meet them completely and why assistance by the federal government is justified. It concludes with recommendations about what federal policy might do, especially given limited funding and the desire not to intrude on the prerogatives of the states.

Establishing an Operational Definition for Customized Training

Over the past two decades, customized training has emerged as an important component of the nations two-year postsecondary education curriculum. Often given little attention, customized training is taking an increasingly prominent position in the array of offerings by community colleges, due primarily to their expanding involvement in economic development. Recent estimates of the prevalence of customized training in two-year institutions indicate the activity is widespread. A national survey by Lynch, Palmer, and Grubb (1991) found that 93% of community colleges were involved in customized training by the late 1980s. Because it is so pervasive, customized training merits attention to improve our understanding of its role in postsecondary education and to assess its potential contributions to economic development. Although business and industry generally seem satisfied with customized training, questions remain unanswered about its relationship to local and state economic development. To fully understand this relationship, educators must clarify what constitutes customized training programs, how they are linked to economic development strategies, and what effect they have on economic growth. This article describes how customized training has evolved in the United States and discusses how customized training can be linked to three specific economic development strategies. Finally, an operational definition for customized training is presented to provide a basis for further development and evaluation of customized training.

Employer Perceptions of Associate Degrees in Local Labor Markets: A Case Study of the Employment of Information Technology Technicians in Detroit and Seattle

While promoting postsecondary credential completion is a national priority intended to help graduates secure good jobs, the value of credentials in the labor market from the perspective of employers is not well understood. Specifically, more attention is needed to understand how credentials align with employer needs. Through in-depth interviews with managers responsible for hiring information technology technicians, we examined their perceptions of associate and bachelor’s degree holders in two contrasting labor markets: Detroit and Seattle. The study led to several key findings. First, across the two labor markets, employers expected some common qualities in both associate and bachelor’s degree holders, including technical skills and knowledge, thinking skills, communication skills, and discipline. Second, while they expected some positive qualities in associate degree holders that were distinctive to this credential, many hiring managers also expected negative characteristics, such as a lack of academic ability, initiative, or skill. However, while both associate and bachelor’s degrees provided relevant information about potential workers, employers did not expect the credentials to provide information about certain key qualities they sought in workers, including competency in customer service and teamwork, and personal interest in technology. Some of the qualities that employers expected in associate degree holders were linked to their local labor markets and their perceptions of the local community colleges. This study provides suggestions on how an understanding of the specific qualities employers expect in credential holders and of the role of the local labor market can help colleges better engage with employers and fine-tune their programs to more effectively meet students’ and employer’s needs.

Demographic and Academic Characteristics of Pell Grant Recipients at Community Colleges

Using data on more than 50,000 community college students who first enrolled during the 2005–06 academic year at one of nine community colleges in three large states, this paper presents demographic and academic characteristics of students who did and did not receive a Pell Grant. The descriptive findings suggest that, despite lower levels of initial college readiness, Pell recipients had a stronger academic focus than non-Pell recipients. Yet, while Pell recipients had higher credit completion ratios and were more likely to complete an award, they were also more likely to be enrolled in the same college with more than 30 credits after five years. This suggests that Pell recipients at community colleges may be taking a longer period of time to complete an academic credential than is prudent.

Outsourcing of Instruction at Community Colleges

Thomas Bailey Director, Community College Research Center Teachers College, Columbia University James Jacobs Associate Director, Community College Research Center Teachers College, Columbia University Director, Center for Workforce Development and Policy Macomb Community College Davis Jenkins Senior Research Associate, Community College Research Center Teachers College, Columbia University Senior Fellow, Great Cities Institute University of Illinois at Chicago