creating meaningful credentials

Tom HadlickDirector, WorkKeys CenterSyracuse University

Amy HeitzmanExecutive Director, Continuing and Professional Education Southern Methodist University

January 14, 2011

• 41 Levels of WorkKeys Instruction

• 12 Levels of pre-WorkKeys

• Server based or on-line formats

• Skill Mastery

For Every 100 9th Graders

68 Graduate on time

Of those, 40 enroll directly in college

Of those, 27 are still enrolled the following year

Of those, 18 earn a Associates Degree within 3 years or a BA within 6 years

82 Don’t make it!Tough Choices or Tough Times – National Center on Education and the Economy

If someone had done to us what we have done to our education system it would have been considered an act of war.

Nation at Risk 1983

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U.S. Manufacturing Is Strong

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Response of Business and Industry

Our Education and Workforce Development agenda focuses on implementing quality education reform for the entire continuum:

NIMSAWS

SME’S TECHNOLOGIST AND ENGINEER

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Benefits of the National Career Readiness Certificate

Based on objective, standardized results

Nationwide portability

An internationally recognized assessment organization

Available for immediate use

Career Readiness Certificates IssuedState Number Certificates Issued

Arkansas 25,731

Alabama 29,551

Florida 100,446

Georgia 100,452

Indiana 66,023

Minnesota 39,378

Michigan 74,982

New York 2,000

North Carolina

57,944

South Carolina

113,688

Steps to Deployment1. Regional Economic Validation: Using real-time data

on occupational, employment, and industry outlooks, complete a validation of the job availability and growth patterns within the regional economy.

2. Define Education Pathways: Design and/or validate career and educational pathways aligned to the available jobs and growth sectors in the regional economy.

3. Map Current Education Assets: This alignment will begin with the educational programs in Advanced Manufacturing of the community colleges and colleges/universities in the region and include articulation from high schools to postsecondary programs of study.

Press Release 3-17-2010

University of Phoenix Teams with The Manufacturing Institute to Educate Workforce to Meet the Challenges of the 21st Century Alliance will Bridge Manufacturing Talent Gap While Addressing Needs of the Working Learner

The American Workforce: Our Hopes, Our Voice, Our Future

Philadelphia April 27th – 30th, 2010

Background

NYS DOL Funding (1M)Westcott Community Center and

Manufacturers Association of CNY12 month program Started 1/1/2010Collaboration!

Eligibility Requirements

Unemployed70% of lower living standardOnondaga County residentWilling and able to look for workRegistered for selective service

Training Leading to Certification

ManufacturingConstructionOffice TechnologyAsbestos HandlingHealth Care

Q & AQuestions?

Tom HadlickWorkKeys CenterSyracuse Universitythhadlic@uc.syr.edu315-443-5241

Amy Claire HeitzmanSouthern Methodist University

January 14, 2011

How do you…?Assign value to a skill set that isn’t yet

quantitatively measured?

How do you communicate the capacities of a leader in the sector and in the community?

Need well documented; not yet so for how this development is communicate

AgendaBackground

About the SMU programRole of university in nonprofit leadership education Nonprofit leader development w/in workforce

development Challenges

Skill set measurement (internal and external needs)Creation of benchmarks/standards, i.e. a credential

Avenues for credentializationNext steps Q&A

SMU Nonprofit Leadership Certificate Program Graduate certificate

Executive Directors, CEOs, C-level staff

Academic and fully rooted in the sector

Deep community need; study

Based in leadership competency model

Successes and Realizations 100% participant recommendation rate

Large/prominent organizations sent leadersMore than one leader per organization

Alumni recruitment via word of mouth

“We love it, but…” Doing this to prove to my board [future board]

that I know what I’m doing…

Sector’s Changing Landscape Role of university in nonprofit

leadership educationInterdisciplinary nature Capacity-building education = survival

Nonprofit leadership education as workforce development Sector is 10% of national workforce Demands on nonprofit services increasingSuccession planning needs

SMU’s Challenges Skill set measurement

Internal and external needCreation of benchmarks/standards

I.e. a credential; recognition in community

Assessment Tools Immediate evaluation of learning goals

Example

Focus groups of program graduates and nonprofit leaders (potential students)

Longitudinal study of program graduatesSurvey example

Immediate Evaluation a lot some a little none

specific highlights and/or suggested improvements?

Enjoyment: Did I enjoy the course?

New knowledge and ideas: Did I learn what I needed to, and did I get some new ideas?

Applying the learning: Will I use the information and ideas?

Effect on results: Do I think that the ideas and information will improve my effectiveness and my results?

Courtesy of Kirkpatrick's Evaluation Model

Focus Group Question Examples Tell us about your experience in the SMU

program?

What did you like the most about the program?

What are the biggest problems facing the nonprofit sector in Dallas?

How have the skills honed in the program affected your work?

What’s missing from the program that could help you as a nonprofit leader?

Longitudinal Study Similar to focus group but over time

Impressions of program + perceptions about efficacy in current context

Reflections of past experiences in terms of what they know now

Three Options for Recognition Increase skill/capacity recognition through

programmatic changes

Partner/align with external entity, e.g.American Fundraising CouncilNational Council Nonprofit Associations (TANO)Alliance for Nonprofit Management American Humanics’ Nonprofit Academic Center

Council

New credential; Certified Nonprofit Leader (CNL)

Certified Nonprofit Leader What the CNL would represent

Recognizable mark Skill set quantified

Opportunities for recertification

Alum network; deeper affiliation with SMU

Next Steps Gather data

evaluations, focus groups, longitudinal study, survey other programs

Craft benchmarks/standards

Align content to benchmarks

Sustainable process for credentialization

Discussion What is higher education’s role in the credentialization process?

At what point in post-secondary education pipeline does workforce development training need to be? (Where do we put our bucket?)

What impact do workforce development programs have on the eventual trajectory of the adult learner? Do these programs pave the way toward degree completion or

continued schooling such as graduate degrees?

How can higher education act as hinge between employers and potential employees?

What does the University of Phoenix, or other for-profit institutions have that non-profit higher education doesn’t? (And why should we care?)