1. Dean of Enterprise & Economic Development
Successful Strategies for Developing Innovative Programs that Respond to Community Needs
By Dr. Lisa Edwards,
Dean of Enterprise & Economic Development
COMBASE September 14, 2008

2. Tacoma, Washington Urban and rural service area Population of 701,000
4 community colleges within 5-10 miles
5 for-profit higher education providers
1 public university
2 private universities

3. Corporate & Continuing Education
Purpose of Department:
To offer classes, products and services to the community that generate revenue and contribute the operating budget of the college.

4. Creating a Culture of Innovation
Get the right people in the right seats on the bus
(Jim Collins, Good to Great):
- Targeted Outreach to Identified Sectors
- Sales Team
- Project Management
Identify and share examples of innovation with staff
-Books: “Blue Ocean Strategy”
-The Web:
-Aspen Institute:

5. Creating a Culture of Innovation
3. Create flat hierarchy to support staff innovation
Identify and recruit innovative business leaders and form a executive advisory on Innovation
Recognize and celebrate innovation among staff

6. Innovation Strategy #1: Corporate University
Created a 14 college credit Tribal Enterprise & Gaming Management Certificate uniquely tailored to the culture and values of native tribes and their enterprise operations. Each course is offered on site for supervisors and managers within the casino.

7. Innovation Strategy #2: Fill Unique Gaps
Focus on sectors that are growing in spite of the economy:
Healthcare: Spanish for Healthcare, Customer Service, Lean, Career Ladder Classes for Entry Level Workers
Law Enforcement: Performance Coaching, Polygraph, Succession Planning
Government Agencies: Customer Service, IT help desk, Lean
Mortgage and Loan: Compliance Classes for New Regulations
Offer college credit, tailored delivery models, bundled classes, prior learning assessments for adult workers to transition back to higher education

8. Innovation Strategy #3: Go Green
Solar Panel Technician, Wind Turbine Technician
Assessments for reducing corporate waste and increasing sustainability
Green building classes
Consulting for federal regulatory compliance
Host “Green” industry associations on campus

9. How does your college support innovation?
Discussion
How does your college support innovation?
What emerging trend(s) are you tracking?

10. Corporate & Continuing Education
Thank you!
Lisa Edwards
Tacoma Community College /