1. Prior Learning Assessment: The Next Disruption
Dr. Ian R. Roark,
Vice President of Workforce Development
and
Julian Easter, Assistant Vice Chancellor of Curriculum and Academic Services
AZTransfer Summit 4/13/17

2. The Vision and Mission
“It is not enough to be busy. So are the ants. The question is: what are we busy about?”
-Henry David Thoreau
To create opportunity for students’ college and career success where none existed before.
Workforce Development Mission: Ensure that Pima Community College’s programs and processes to meet the workforce and economic development needs of the community.

4. I can’t find the people I need!
The Talent gap is Real

5. Demonstrated competencies
The Talent Gap
Employability Skills
Critical thinking
Integrity
Works in teams
Dependability
Initiative
Technical Skills
Industry standards
Demonstrated competencies
Technology
Math in context
Technical writing
Talent Supply
Experience
Quantity
Reliable pool
Fit

8. Is this a strong labor market?
Where are the jobs?

9. Source: Produced by the Arizona Office of Employment and Population Statistics using CES data in cooperation with the U.S. Dept. of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics

10. Rate of Job Increase in Key Sectors, Dec. 2015 to Dec. 2016
Manufacturing %
Construction %
Retail %
Health %
Hospitality %
Nat’l Resource/Mining %
Transport, Warehouse
and Utilities %
Source: Pima County Workforce Investment Board

11. They're Out There…
Where is the Talent?

12. Pima County population
Enrollment Potential
Age
Pima County population
% PCC students
18-24
116,000
58%
25+
654,000
41%
Percentage of students enrolling in CCs one year after HS graduation
Pima CC
Arizona
United States
43%
37%
Less than 30%
Percentage of students attending online, nights, or weekends
Pima CC
Arizona
61%
63%
Source: Arizona 2020 Vision 2015 reports; U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey five-year estimates

13. Pima County Census 2010 Total Population 980,263 Hispanic 338,802
34.6%
Male
165,575
16.9%
Female
173,227
17.7%
Non-Hispanic
641,461
65.4%
315,862
32.2%
325,599
33.2%
Under 17
211,872
21.6%
Age 17-24
121,235
12.4%
Age 25-34
126,176
12.9%
Age 35-44
115,795
11.8%
Age 45-54
131,528
13.4%
Age 55-64
122,367
12.5%
Over 64
151,293
15.4%

14. Pima County Population Projections

15. Source: Produced by the Arizona Office of Employment and Population Statistics using LAUS data in cooperation with the U.S. Dept. of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics

16. The Declining Labor Participation Rate
CRISIS!
The Declining Labor Participation Rate
Today’s unemployment rate of 4.8% shows the United States near “full employment.”
However the labor force participation rate has declined to 62.9% from 67.3% in the 1990s.
Source: Pima County Workforce Investment Board

18. Arizonans 35-to-44 not in the Labor Force

20. Strategic Direction 4.3 Strategic Direction 4.4
Utilize multiple delivery formats, including non-traditional, non-term based and accelerated courses instructional modes as needed based on industry input
Strategic Direction 4.4
Establish internal processes that enable the College to respond to current and emerging workforce/industry needs in an accelerated manner

21. PLA: The Next Disruption
Traditional Higher Ed.
Classroom/Online
Seat time/Carnegie Units
Instructor-centric qualifications
Instructor-determined standards
Grades
Semesters
Debt
Prior Learning Assessment
Industry certifications
Work experience
Life experience
Student-centered qualifications
Competency-based
Not time-bound
Not location bound

22. “… there are infinite industries to be created, infinite businesses to be started, and infinite jobs to be done, and the only limiting factor is human imagination. “ from the World Is Flat
Setting The Stage

23. Task Force – Oct, 2015 Membership - Internal
Provost Office
Faculty
Technical/Workforce Areas
Business/Finance
Student Development
Marketing
External – Business &Industry

24. Task Force Policy vs Practice Breakout Groups – Best Practices
HLC Policy & Operations
Marketing Communications

25. Task Force Recommendations
Approval of PLA Administrative Procedure
Benchmark – Houston Community College
Create Procedures Manuals for PLA
PLA Training for Faculty & Staff
Utilize PLA Advising Tools
Develop and Implement Portfolio Assessment

26. Task Force Recommendations
Establish an “Office of Prior Learning”
Establish a “One Stop Shop”
Develop and Implement a PLA Marketing Campaign
Transition the Task Force to an Implementation Team
Implement PLA in Selected Programs

27. Prior Learning Assessment at PCC
Task Force
Implementation Team
Administrative Procedure
Pilots
Fire/EMS
Building Construction Technology and NCCER
Full scale by Fall 2018

28. Implications for Transfer
AP/IB generally accepted
Challenge exams
AAS degrees and 2+2 or block transferability
Industry recognized credentials
Work—based learning
BAAS/BIT
Fine Arts
STEM
And…?
Is assessment driving us to PLA?

29. Questions?