The Plus 50 Encore Completion Program:A Gateway to Success

American Association of Community Colleges

Funded by Deerbrook Charitable Trust

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Presentation Overview

I. Baby Boomers: Redefining Life Amid Recession Fallout

II. The Plus 50 Initiative

III. What Our Community College Is Doing

IV. Reaching Out to Plus 50 Adults

V. Connecting with Employers

I. Baby Boomers: Redefining Life Amid Recession Fallout

“The future ain’t what it used to be.”-Yogi Berra

Who are the Baby Boomers?

• The largest generation in U.S. history

• One of the most influential generations

• 78 million (About 24% of the 324 million people in the U.S.)

• People born between 1946 and 1964

• They bring a wealth of experience, skills, and leadership to the nation

The United States can choose to leverage the enormous capacity of this population and help them continue to lead engaged and purposeful lives through employment, volunteer service, and leisure activities.

Baby Boomers are Needed

• The health of our economy depends on them to stay in the workforce and keep their skills current.

• If baby boomers continue to retire at current rates, the U.S. could see a labor shortage by 2018.

The Recession’s Fallout: Unemployment & Economic Woes

Job loss in the Great Recession was the most severe of any recession since World War II.

Retirement accounts lost $2.7 trillion (31%) of their overall value.

Unemployment: The Waiting GameThe average jobless person between the ages of 55 and 64 will spend 44.6 weeks, or nearly a year, looking for a new job.

Plus 50 workers are playing an increasing role in the workplace

The Recession’s Net Result for Baby Boomers

They plan to continue working well into traditional retirement years. Often because they believe they have to.

•Four out of five people over age 50 say they will work in retirement.

•Most are planning on retiring later in life than their parents did.

1. Stay in their current positions

2. Re-skill for

changing career demands

3. Pursue new

employment opportunities

Options

Most people ages 55 to 70 continue to work, either full or part time, for money or for personal fulfillment.

They are ready to explore new options and open new doors.

Plus 50 Adults: Want to Stay in the Workplace

The baby boomers still want to impact the world – even though they suffered during the recession. They want to do work that improves lives and communities, as 50% of them said they wanted to do before the recession hit.

Plus 50 Adults: Want to Do Work That Matters

What else do we know?Conversation Time

• List some other characteristics of boomers

• How do you think of them as learners?

• How do you think of them as employees?

+50 Students Need Customized Support

• Nervousness about returning to school• Less computer experience• Financial challenges• Age discrimination experiences• Concern about reinventing their careers

II. The Plus 50 Initiative

It’s an innovative program at community colleges nationwide that is reaching out to adult learners who are age 50 and up.

What is the Plus 50 Initiative?

• Flexible scheduling.

• Shorter term courses.

• Non-degree workforce training programs.

Community Colleges: Ideal for Plus 50 Adults

Goals of the Plus 50 Encore Completion Program

• Support colleges in the implementation of their programs

• Increase the number of colleges with programs ready and able to effectively serve students over the age of 50

• Increase the number of plus 50 student completions

How Community Colleges Are Adapting to Plus 50 Students

72% of plus 50 students agreed that college workforce training helped them get hired for a job.

About 90% of plus 50 students in workforce training programs agree that their plus 50 courses have helped them acquire new skills or improve upon their current job skills.

Colleges Help Baby Boomers Get Back on the Job

Comment from a Student

• “If you are thinking about changing your career direction, this is a great opportunity to do that. I think this is probably one of the best things I have done for myself in a long, long time, and would encourage anyone and everyone that is considering it to step up to the plate and accept the challenge. It’s actually a lot more fun than you might expect.”

• Thomas Trego, +50 nursing student at Cape Cod Community College in Massachusetts

The Encore Completion Program

Past and Present Funders

• The Atlantic Philanthropies

• The Lumina Foundation

• Deerbrook Charitable Trust

• Leading advocate for the nation’s community colleges for more then 90 years.

• Represents nearly 1,100 community colleges serving more than 13 million students annually.

• AACC is the voice for the largest and fastest growing sector of U.S. higher education.

Who is participating - AACC

Generation I 2008-2011

• 15 grantee colleges: 5 mentor and 10 menteecolleges

• Focus was on: o Lifelong learning and enrichmento Volunteering and civic engagemento Workforce training

Generation II2010-2014

The Plus 50 Completion Strategy

• Began with 20 colleges• Emphasized earning a marketable credential• Had an explicit focus on completion

Generation III2012-2015

Plus 50 Encore Completion Program

• Retained the focus on workforce training and completion

• Narrowed the set of programs to concentrate on fields that “give back”

• Health care, education and social services• Includes 100 colleges

Who is participating – Community Colleges

High-Demand Fields That Give Back

• Education

• Social Services

• Health care

Accomplishments Of the Completion Phase

• The original goal was to reach 9000 people

• That goal was reached 2 years early in the 4 year program

• + 50 Programs have reached more than 20,500 people

• 2135 degrees and 5458 certificates have been awarded

Program Director Observations

• “This is a population for colleges to consider and they aren’t going away”

• “They have to believe they can do it. If they can get over the doubt, they’ll complete.”

Mary Sue VickersCommunity College JournalOctober/November 2014

III. What Our Community College Is Doing

What Our Community College Has Done

1. Conducted a needs assessment of the local plus 50 population

2. Avoided using words like "senior", "old", and "elder"

3. Prepared counselors to deal with plus 50 student needs4. Offered short-term courses in condensed blocks of time5. Coached faculty about teaching plus 50

6. Develop a targeted marketing plan, including specialized publications and websites.7. Partner with organizations that serve and reach out to plus 50 adults8. Cultivate support from the CEO and across academic divisions

EICC Workforce Training Programs

Noncredit Programs in Health• Certified Nurse Aide• Emergency Medical Technician/Paramedic• Dietary Manager/Food Service Supervisor• Homemaker Home Health Aide• Personal Trainer• Pharmacy Technician• Phlebotomy• Rehabilitation Aide (for CNAs)• Medication Aide (for CNAs)• Renal/Dialysis Technician 

EICC Workforce Training Programs

Noncredit Programs in Education

• Child Development Associate• Coaching

EICC Workforce Training Programs

Credit Programs in Health• Health, Safety and Environmental Technology• Nursing• Emergency Medical Services• Radiologic Technology• Electroneurodiagnostic Technology• Dental Hygiene• Dental Assistant• Health Information Technology• Surgical Technology

EICC Workforce Training Programs

Credit Programs in Education and Social Services

• Education • Early Childhood Education• Criminal Justice• Sign Language Interpreter• Fire Service• Pre-Law 

A Local Example

“It’s a wonderful experience, and I don’t think anyone should be afraid of it because there’s so much help out there. The college has people to help.”

Nancy Rudnick

What can I do to help?Conversation Time

• Share with others your experiences with +50 students in your job at EICC.

• What might you need to know to improve our service to them?

IV. Reaching Out to Plus 50 Adults

The Message to our Potential Students

• Completing a degree or certificate is the key to opening new doors

• It is a great time to come back. • You have support.• Distinguish yourself from the competition. • You’re not alone. • Give back to your community• Put your passion to work.

+50 Advising

• Needed single point of contact

• System navigator

• Gateway to additional services

• Cheerleader

• 57% of +50 Colleges have an exclusive advisor for this group

Instructional Delivery

• Accelerated courses for training and re-training

• Flexible scheduling

• On-line/distance learning courses

Making Basics Fresh Again

• Remedial education is associated with lack of completion and taking longer to complete

So• 80% of +50 colleges offer programs or

services that help students pass remedial courses in English and math

• 67% of +50 colleges offer programs or services that help students avoid the needs for remedial coursework

Qualities Appreciated by +50 Students in the Classroom

• Instructors who welcome questions

• Much student/instructor interaction

• Self-paced learning options

• Instructors who understand the students may expect more than traditional age students

• Opportunities to connect their life experiences

V. Connecting With Employers

The Message to Area Employers

• Invest in your workers• Plus 50 adults are eager to work and can be

fiercely loyal to their employers• Science tells us that the plus 50 brain is more

adapted for creativity and problem-solving.• Plus 50 adults are easier to retain on the job• They serve as role models for younger

employees

So . . .

• Stand out from your competition• Make your workplace environment appeal to

plus 50 employees

Community colleges can help employers find workers they

need now

http://plus50.aacc.nche.edu

For More Information

Hear it straight from plus 50 students

http://www.youtube.com/AACCPlus50Initiative

EICC Ongoing Goals for +50

As an institution of High Aspirations and High Expectations we will continue to find ways to effectively serve this component of the American public.

We all can play a role in welcoming and assisting +50 adults to complete programs that will help them succeed in the workforce and live more meaningful lives.