B1006 Workforce Training

Policy Statement

As identified in the College purpose statement, workforce training, consulting, and technical assistance programs and services are essential services that support public and private sector development.

When employees complete customized workforce training, employers receive value from an agile and skilled workforce that brings new ideas and creativity to a rapidly changing market and work environment; the alignment of employee skills with business goals and objectives; and improved employee loyalty, morale, job satisfaction, and retention. This leads to a culture of continuity and consistency; improved productivity and revenue growth; and the opportunity to develop future organizational leaders.  Employers also receive value when College-provided consulting or technical assistance services lead to improved productivity and profitability.

Employees receive value by engaging in the College’s workforce development programs designed to help them upgrade their skills or retrain for a new job assignment.  By completing these activities, employees increase their productivity, employability, mobility, and earning potential.  Employees receive greater value when they can document their participation in workforce training that meets nationally recognized criteria. 

Employees also receive value by maintaining their current (or obtaining a new) professional license or certification.  Employees receive the greatest value when their workforce training can be connected to the College’s professional certificate and degree programs.

Employees receive greater benefits when they can transfer their workforce training course or program between various other systems of professional development (e.g., Continuing Education Units, Continuing Professional Development Units, Professional Development Hours, Professional Learning Units, etc.). 

To achieve these benefits, the Board directs the President to establish, deliver, and continuously improve a program of workforce training.

Key Monitoring Activities:

As it relates to the key performance areas noted in the Monitoring College Effectiveness policy, the Board is interested in community need, student interest, enrollment, employment readiness, fiscal stewardship, and deployment.

The measures and indicators suggested below are advisory in nature and are intended to provide the President with a broad range of ideas as to what the Board might find helpful as it monitors the College’s progress on the key performance areas for this Strategic Outcome.  The President, at his/her discretion, can modify the measures and indicators as needed.

Specific measures for community need may include data that illustrates how workforce development and economic development needs are being met.  Potential indicators might include: the number and amount of workforce training contracts with employers located within the College’s service area; the number and amount of consulting contracts with the district employers; the number and amount of contracts and/or alliances from trade associations; the number and amount of technical assistance contracts with district employers; the number of College service area and regional employees participating in workforce training; the percentages of courses and programs that align with in-demand jobs within the College’s service area and region; employer satisfaction with workforce training; the number of employers who engage in repeat business; and the number of employers who convert from an agency-funded source to employer-paid contracts.

Specific measures for student interest may include data that demonstrates increased program relevance.  A potential indicator might identify the percentages of courses and programs having professional recognition and/or nationally recognized credentials.

Specific measures for enrollment may include data that reflects CEU’s, FTE, and headcount of students and employers taking workforce training courses.  Data aggregated by student demographic profiles is appropriate.  Potential indicators might identify: the number of employers and students who participate in workforce training courses and programs; the number of professional CEU’s earned in a fiscal year; and/or the percentage of employees within the district in private and public sectors taking workforce training courses in a fiscal year.

Specific measures for employment readiness may include data that demonstrates licensure pass rates and pass rates for certification exams.  Potential indicators might describe the percentage of students who passed licensure exams within six (6) months of completion of a workforce-training course or program and/or the number of students who passed nationally recognized certification exams while enrolled at SCC or within six (6) months of completion.

Specific measures for fiscal stewardship may provide data that demonstrates sustainability of workforce training programs.  Potential indicators might reflect the revenue generated, costs incurred, and margins realized by workforce training programs.

Specific measures for deployment may include data in the measures of curriculum management and scheduling effectiveness, including breadth of courses, percentage of courses offered in multiple timeframes/formats, number of students who access courses from off-campus locations, the average number of sections per course, average enrollment per course, and average enrollment per section.