Serving Adults in Transition: Creating Environments that Support Working Learners

1. Serving Adults in Transition: Creating Environments that Support Working Learners May 6, 2010

2. Workforce Development Best Practices Initiative: Serving Dislocated WorkersOffice of the Chancellor Shari OlsonSystem Director A collaborative funded by the Department of Employment and Economic Development

3. Innovative Practices ASAP and Adults in Transition - Martha Kudak & Susan Jarosak, Inver Hills Community College Center for Lifelong Learning - Steve Wagner, Lake Superior College eFolio Minnesota™ - Roxanne Richards, Mesabi Range Community and Technical College Certificate Program Development - Sherry Wickstrom, Anoka Ramsey Community College 360 Online Certificate Programs – Jim Retka, Northland Community and Technical College AACC – Prime Time Plus 50 Initiative - Bridgett Backman, Century College College Learning Center - Peggy Kennedy, St. Paul College

4. 3,281,066 Minnesota’s Adult Learners – Ages 18-64 Currently Without an Associate Degree 1,976,325

5. Minnesota’s Adult Learners Age 18-64Without an Associate Degree = 1,976,325

6. 2010 – Research and Thinkers Hyperlinks: • Peter Smith. Harnessing America’s Wasted Talent: A New Ecology for Learning. (2010). • Louis Soares. Working Learners. (June, 2009). The Center for American Progress • Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation • Lumina Foundation • Joyce Foundation

7. Minnesota Profile of Adult Learners 2008 Handout: • http://www.cael.org/pdf/state_profiles/MINNESOTA.pdf More Research from CAEL (Adult Learning in Focus, full report) • http://www.cael.org/adultlearninginfocus.htm

8. ASAP(Adult Success through Accelerated Programs) Inver Hills Community College Martha Kudak, Director/faculty - Adult Success through Accelerated Programs (ASAP) ASAP provides adult learners with accelerated options for getting their 2/4 year degree through: • EDUCATIONAL PLANNING • ACCELERATED COURSES • CREDIT FOR PRIOR LEARNING

9. ASAP(Adult Success through Accelerated Programs) ASAP Profile • Program initiated at IHCC in 1997 • Average student age is 41 • 69% female • Currently 800+ active student base • 100+ new students per semester • Over 5000 adult learners served • Largest accelerated degree program in MNSCU • Designated an ALFI (Adult Learner Focused Institution) • Recognized as a top community college nationally in adult student satisfaction (Adult Learner Inventory 2006, 2009)

10. ASAP(Adult Success through Accelerated Programs) EDUCATIONAL/CAREER PLANNING written two and/or four year degree plan ACCELERATED COURSES 6-8 week classes that meet once per week CREDIT FOR PRIOR LEARNING CLEP, ACE, DSST, Excelsior Prior Learning Assessments through ASAP

11. ADULTS IN TRANSITION Inver Hills Community College Susan Jarosak, Director of Adult Learning Designed for adults: • who are unemployed • considering a new career direction • thinking about coming to college. • Initiated in 2008 as a result of US recession • New IHCC taskforce to address learner needs • Department collaborations to ensure success • Work with external partners

12. ADULTS IN TRANSITION NEW INTIATIVES: • Direct collaboration with workforce centers • Help with personal, career and educational individualized needs • Seminars focused on career and education (collaboration of Career Center and ASAP) • Career Center referral for individual advising • Workforce Center Education Fairs • Member Workforce Center Education Board • Collaborate with SHIFT and Academy for Lifelong Learning

13. Center for Lifelong Learning Lake Superior College Steve Wagner, Vice President Designed to serve the “working learner” or dislocated worker • Created in 2008-09 • Merged College in the Schools, Upward Bound and Perkins with Center programs • Collectively provide “Transition” services

14. Center for Lifelong Learning • Dislocated Workers and Transitioning Adults services include: • Prior Learning Assessment • Credit by Exam • CLEP and DSST Exams • Career and Academic Planning • Re-Careering Services

15. Center for Lifelong Learning Challenges and Opportunities for the Center: • Continue to collect data to support Center • Align activities with Academic Affairs, Student Services and Continuing Ed. • Develop programming across age continuum from H.S. to older adults • Continue marketing to college and community partners

16. eFolio Minnesota™ Mesabi Range Community and Technical College Roxanne Richards, Director CTCE 2002-2010 Evolution of Efolio Minnesota™ Legislative Funding $225,000/yr.

17. eFolio Minnesota™ Workforce counselors in NE MN Region are all trained on eFolio

18. Shared Curriculum – Online Manufacturing Certificate Programs 360 Center of Excellence Bemidji State University, Central Lakes College, Minneapolis Community and Technical College, Northland Community and Technical College, Northwest Technical College, Pine Technical College, Riverland Community College, Saint Paul College, and St. Cloud Technical College. Online certificate programs shared between colleges within the 360 Center of Excellence

19. Shared Curriculum – Online Manufacturing Certificate Programs http://www.360mn.org/

20. Certificate Program Development Anoka-Ramsey Community College Rapid Response Model Sherry Wickstrom, Executive Director

21. Certificate Program Development

22. Certificate Program Development • SolidWorks! • Virtual Infrastructure Architecture (VMware) • Product Development and Project Management • Customer Service • Administrative Professional • Acupressure • Print Design • Lean Healthcare • Lean/Green • Work Place Wellness • Essential Oils • Web Development

23. Certificate Program Development After Stephanie Turkowski became unemployed she upgraded her skills by completing three popular certificate programs: Project Management, Web Design and Microsoft Office. She now works as Manager of Education at the Minnesota Medical Association.

24. AACC – Prime Time Plus 50 Initiative Century College Bridgett Backman, Program Manager Chosen by the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) to serve as one of 5 colleges in the nation to mentor other community colleges in developing innovative programs for individuals overage 50

25. AACC – Prime Time Plus 50 Initiative Three Main focus areas: Academic/enrichment: 86% Training/Re-training: 58% Service/Volunteering: 30%

26. AACC – Prime Time Plus 50 Initiative Key strategies: • Create opportunities to interest the Plus50 audience (i.e. community based partnerships) • Market to how they want to be addressed…Not “senior” but ageless. • Tell your stories…. • Create an advisory or volunteer group.

27. AACC – Prime Time Plus 50 Initiative Lessons Learned: • Create a single point of entry or system. • Communicate often with this group – they are the new “connected” generation. • Partner internally – Use your campus life…Plant sale, common book, GPS, service learning, theatre, or culinary program events to bring new adult learners on campus.

28. College Learning Center St. Paul College Peggy Kennedy, Vice President Creating a College Learning Center – Academic Support Center, Technology Learning Lab, English Language Learning; location will be in the CTCE building.

29. The “whole is greater”than the sum of its parts.

30. Learning is forever.

31. Learning is for all of us.

32. There are tremendous opportunities to collaborate during this time of declining resources – Are we?

33. We can be part of the change.

34. 3,281,066 Minnesota’s Adult Learners – Ages 18-64 Currently Without an Associate Degree 1,976,325

35. Moving Forward • Be an observer, • Be a listener, and • Be an active participant. BE A COLLABORATOR… BE A CHANGE AGENT

36. For More Information Please contact: Bridgett - bridgett.backman@century.edu Susan - sjarosak@inverhills.edu Peggy - peggy.kennedy@saintpaul.edu Martha – mkudak@inverhills.edu Shari - shari.olson@so.mnscu.edu Jim - james.retka@northlandcollege.edu Roxanne - r.richards@mr.mnscu.edu Steve - wagnerst@lsc.edu Sherry - sherry.wickstrom@anokaramsey.edu

37. “When we change lives through learning, we change the world forever.” Shari L. Olson