1. Discussion: Forming a Statewide IT Business & Industry Leadership Team
Elizabeth Halweg
Fox Valley Technical College

2. Agenda Elizabeth Group
I’ve been Involved with the Converged Technology Center for the last 4 years
One of the things the CTC does very well is run a regional business and industry leadership team
I would like to share with you CTCs best practices for forming a statewide IT Business and Industry Leadership Team (BILT).
Group
Discussion,
Is there interest from the group to proceed
See if there is someone from the group who would like to champion the effort
Plan for the next step (Next CTC BILT meeting May 8th 8:30)
1/1/2019

3. What is the Convergence Technology Center?
CTC is an Advanced Technological Center (ATC)
originally funded in 2004 by a $2.5 million grant from the National Science Foundation; renewed September 1, 2009 with a $1.5+ million 3-year grant
One of the Original Goals of the CTC
Build and scale a regional Business and Industry Leadership Team
Over the years the CTC has refined this successful building process
CTC wants to share this successful process with other regions
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4. What is Convergence in CTC?
The blending or integration of voice, video, data and image into one flexible network
The bringing together of products and capabilities of multiple vendors so that they provide services the customer want
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5. 21 Convergence Colleges 1/1/2019 Orange Coast College
Santa Ana College
Guilford Technical College
City College of San Francisco
Ohlone College
Fox Valley Technical College
Clark State Comm. College
Lansing Community College
Tarrant County College
Northwest Vista College
Porterville College
Louisiana Technical College
San Jacinto College
Diablo Valley Community College
John A. Logan College
Florida State College, Jacksonville
Seminole State College
Anne Arundel College
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6. Business Demand and Engagement
The MOST important element to the
future success of our students
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7. Role of the Engaged Business & Industry Leadership Team
Trends identified before need for skills to support the trend (allows time to develop curricula)
Solid process, business-driven, to determine Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities needed from graduates (faculty determine how to address KSAs)
Forecast need for future employees
Involvement in recruitment events
Involvement in professional development for faculty
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8. The Typical Business Advisory Council
Meets 1 or 2 times per year, sometimes the only time the reps are on campus
Mixed level of knowledge in membership
Advises regarding a program, sometimes just reviewing rather than leading
BAC members often find their time split between regional colleges because each college has its own council
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9. Suggested Engaged BILT Model
Regional Council (or even national) advising multiple colleges
Meets quarterly online, not 1-2 times per year
Right people on the leadership team
High-level technical executives
First line managers
Technicians
Champion from Industry
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10. Engaged BILT Support for internships Support for externships
Support for events
Support for capstone projects
JOBS for students
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11. Engaged BILT Quite simply they want to be involved........
Owns your technical program
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12. Benefits from a Regional BILT Approach
Business ownership of your curriculum and your program in general
High interest in hiring your students above other applicants because they know what your students know
Faculty recognize and understand business requirements first-hand
Trends from leadership teams shared among many colleges
Bring Rapid curricula response to IT industry trends
Validate skills
Meet Industry employment needs
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13. Building or Reinvigorating an Engaged Business Council
Education is a business, and there are consumers for our product, our graduates.
Businesses
Industries
Governments agencies
Non-profits
Universities
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14. Target Membership
Determine which businesses, industries, agencies, non-profits, should be represented
Distribution of size and type
Do not limit to just large companies; medium and small companies provide perspective and are likely to hire as well
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15. Determine Your Expectations
What do you want to get from a BILT?
Develop “sales” script for recruitment
Establish expected time commitment per quarter (typically 2-hr call plus optional other events)
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16. Establish expectations of optional involvement activities
Job skills validation – detail the process
Course and curriculum validation/modification
Job forecasting- anecdotally and through surveys
Internships
Job shadowing/externships
Providing expertise in set-up and operation of labs
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17. Expectations (continued)
Donating equipment or other resources
Providing speakers at student, public and education events
Helping with recruitment
Involvement in Case Study courses
Consulting with students
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18. Engaged BILT Require High-Touch
Requires a champion
Requires personal contact, not mass mailings or mass s.
Target businesses and industries, universities and agencies that hire people with the job descriptions representing your curriculum
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19. Other aspects of the BILT meeting
Explain how important they are to the program and what their companies will get from their involvement
Clarify roles and responsibilities between BILT and educators (educators are there to listen, not to present or run the show)
Explain need for quarterly meetings and establish dates for the year
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20. Emphasize Win-Win for the Business
Not just an opportunity to contribute
Opportunity to
Share trends in a non-proprietary environment
Build pipeline of “right-skilled” future employees
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21. Other aspects of the BILT meeting
Acknowledge the importance of their time by starting and stopping on time regardless of whether or not your agenda is complete.
End early if you have what you need. You can always complete your work on .
Take minutes; publish them
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22. BILT Recognition News releases/articles
Photos and bios on your web site
Thank you s (personal, not mass s)
Thank you letters to the President and their bosses
Certificates
Plaques
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23. Keeping the BILT fresh
Aim to have at least one new member each quarter and introduce them
Talk with each member individually at least yearly to ask them what they think you could do differently to obtain more from them or the entire team
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24. Business Advisory Councils
What have been your experiences?
Is there interest from the group to proceed with a statewide BILT?
See if there is someone from the group who would like to champion the effort?
Next step
(Next CTC BILT meeting May 8th 8:30)
1/1/2019