1 Employer Engagement and CHAMP January 2014 January 27, 2014

CAEL Quick Facts Council for Adult and Experiential Learning A 501(c)(3) non-profit national leader in adult learning for 40 years Headquartered in Chicago; Colorado and Philadelphia offices since years working with employers to create learning strategies for the entry and mid-level workforce Membership of more than 3,000 colleges, organizations, and individuals 2 Meaningful learning, credentials, and work for every adult

Employer Engagement: What does it mean? 3 The Goal Employers and colleges view EACH OTHER as strategic partners  It’s organization-wide  It’s mutual  It’s ongoing

Employer Engagement: Why? 4 External reasons  With an eye to jobs, employment, workforce boards, and economic development, funders require this collaborative approach.  Increasing pressure on all fronts for college-prepared students to be ready to work Internal reason  It’s the mission of the community college AND it doesn’t make sense to work in a vacuum.

Let’s Check Perceptions 5 72% of educational leaders think newly educated workers are ready for work BUT 42% of employers think these same workers are ready for work Source: A Bersin study reported in CLO Magazine

The Employer Engagement Pie 6 What does it look like at your school?

Continuum of Curriculum Engagement 7 Access to employees Targeted curriculum Customized curriculum Co- developed curriculum Tuition discount Tuition revenue share Joint ownership of curriculum  No single “right’ way  Many models = lots of opportunity and flexibility

Employer Advisors – Employer Partners 8 Employers as AdvisorsEmployers as Partners Attend business advisory meetingDeep involvement in: Identifying critical competencies Curriculum assessment and design Work-based learning Internships Providing adjunct faculty, equipment, teaching materials Respond to surveys and placement data Help design and implement surveys & interpret data Work individually with units in the school to get customized training needs met Work with colleges OVER TIME to address workforce needs

Employer Advisors – Employer Partners 9 Employers as AdvisorsEmployers as Partners Discuss the importance of higher skills and advise on curriculum Work with colleges and their partners to provide detailed direction about requisite competencies, both current and future Participate on “as needed” when asked by college or program staff Continual involvement in program design and refinement

Success Factors 10 Remember  It’s organization-wide, for both employers and schools And  It’s ongoing

Let’s Take a Moment 11 This isn’t easy! College side We bring employers to our campus and they’re polite, but that’s about it. We don’t have time, dedicated personnel, and What colleges don’t say Employer side Colleges take too long to decide It’s all “academic speak” and What employers don’t say

1. Is your school a strategic source in your employers’ pipeline? 12 Here’s what the Corporation for a Skilled Workforce reported:

More Success Factors Is your partnership employer driven?  How can you find out? 3.Is there diverse and regular college-employer contact?  Where is it happening?  At what levels of both organizations?  How often?  What are the outcomes? 4.Are college curriculum goals set by the industry? 5.Measure!  Form a framework of co-defined metrics

Wrap Up 14 1.Examples of CAEL’s work with other colleges 2.Comments? 3.What’s next?

15 Susan Kannel Associate VP for Employer Services Council for Adult and Experiential Learning Contact Information

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