an assessment of factors among business employees … · deserve recognition include dr. howard...
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An Assessment of Factors Among Business Employees
Related to Obtaining a Credential From the
Madison Area Technical College.
by
Roe Parker
A Research Paper Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the
Requirements for the Master of Science Degree
10
Career and Technical Education
Approved : 2 Semester Credits
The Graduate School
University of Wisconsin-Stout
April 2010
Author: Parker, Roe M.
The Graduate School University of Wisconsin-Stout
Menomonie, WI
Title: An Assessment of Factors Among Business Employees Related to Obtaining a
Credential From the Madison Area Technical College
Graduate Degree/ Major: MS Career and Technical Education
Research Adviser: Michael Galloy, Ph.D.
MonthNear: April, 2010
Number of Pages: 86
Style Manual Used: American Psychological Association, 6th edition
Abstract
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This case study assessed factors that support or hinder full-time business employees from
obtaining an academic credential from the Madison Area Technical College (MATC) in
Wisconsin. A limited amount of literature exists about the characteristics of this subgroup of
nontraditional students. Attrition and persistence issues related to this subgroup need to be
understood in the context of variables like age, financial support, or employment. The following
two research questions addressed the situation: (a) What factors support or hinder business
employees from obtaining a technical college credential? and (b) What factors support or hinder
business employees and their persistence in completing additional college courses within
technical college programs? The author used a qualitative approach by collecting data through
telephone interviews of seven professional staff working in the Wisconsin Technical College
System and two focus groups comprised of 13 business employees between the ages of25 - 56.
Based on the findings of the study, full-time business employees perceive cost/money,
scheduling of courses, and family commitments as three major factors of the 13 characteristics
identified that either hinder or support their ability to obtain a college credential. Information
from the study will be used by MATe to enhance the organization and delivery of instruction
and related student services.
3
The Graduate School University of Wisconsin Stout
Menomonie, WI
Acknowledgments
4
I wish to acknowledge several individuals and organizations who have helped to make
the completion of this study possible. First, to the University of Wisconsin-Stout, for a Career
and Technical Education graduate program that met my needs as an older student. Those who
deserve recognition include Dr. Howard Lee, Dr. Carol Mooney as Program Directors for the
Career and Technical Education master's program at UW-Stout; to Dr. David Stricker for his
excellent instruction of the Research Foundations course, and to Dr. Michael Galloy, Research
Advisor, for guiding me through the research study.
Second, I need to recognize Jennifer Bakke, Director of Business, Industry, Community,
Services (BICS), and Karen Kretschmann, BICS representative of the Madison Area Technical
College for their suppOli during the research activities-without it the study would not have been
possible.
Third, I also want to recognize Dr. Susan May, President, Fox Valley Technical College,
and Lynn Retzak, Dean, General Education and Basic Skills, Lakeshore Technical College for
their excellent instruction of several of my graduate courses and instilling in me the motivation
to persist in my six-year goal of obtaining a Master degree. I would remiss if I did not recognize
Dr. Barbara Prindiville for her unwavering moral suppOli during this time period. My deepest
appreciation goes out to these colleagues.
In addition, thank you to my family and extended family for supporting my dream of
reaching my master's degree goal through the completion of this study. Lastly, and most
importantly, my most heartfelt thanks, deep appreciation, and love to my wonderful wife
Deborah Firkins and my lovely daughter Meghan Parker, without whose support and
encouragement, this would never have been possible. Thank you for enabling me to reach for
the stars and for your patience on the many evenings and weekends spent completing tasks
related to the completion of my graduate degree, your understanding made all the difference in
the world.
5
- '.
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Table of Contents
Page
Abstract .... .................................................................................................................................. 2
List of Tables ....... .......................... .. ........ .............. ..................................... ............................... 8
Chapter I: Introduction ............................................................................................................... 9
Statement of the Problem .................. .................................................................... ... .... 10
Purpose of the Study .................................................................................................... 10
Assumptions of the Study ............................................................................................ 11
Definition of Terms ............................................................... ......... ... ........................... 13
Methodology ........ ... ..................................................................................................... 15
Chapter II: Review of Literature ........................ ................................................................. .. ... 17
Chapter III: Methodology ........................................................................................................ 25
Subject Selection and Description ............................................................................... 27
Instrumentation ................................................................................. .. ...... ............. ...... 31
Data Collection Procedures ...................................................................... .. .................. 32
Data Analysis ............................................................................................................... 35
Limitations ... ................................................. ......................... .. .......... .......................... 36
Summary ...................................................................................................................... 37
Chapter IV: Results .. .. ......................... .. ................................................................... ..... ........... 43
Item Analysis ............................................................................................................... 45
Chapter V: Discussion ............................................................................................................. 63
Limitations ..... .............................................................. ... ....... ... ............ .......... .. ........... 65
Conclusions ... ... .................... .... .......................................................................... ... ....... 66
Recommendations .............................................................................................. .. ........ 67
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References ................................................................................................................................ 70
Appendix A: Project Charter. .................................................................................................. 73
Appendix B: Demographic Data Collection Form (Blank) ..................................................... 74
Appendix C: Voluntary Consent Form (Blank) ....................................................................... 75
Appendix D: Employer Overview Document. ......................................................................... 77
Appendix E: Focus Group Agenda .......................................................................................... 78
Appendix F: Data Collection Summary ................................................................................... 79
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List of Tables
Table 1: Demographic Summary for Preliminary Data Collection ............................... .......... 27
Table 2: Focus Group Demographic Summary .... .......... ...................... .................. .. .... .......... .43
Table 3: Summary of Responses to Research Questions ......................................................... 52
Table 4: Question 1 A: General Knowledge of College Rating .............................................. 53
Table 5: Question IB: Number of Positive or Negative Comments ........................................ 54
Table 6: Question 2: General Knowledge of College Credentials .......................... .... .............. 55
Table 7: Question 6: Is This a Plausible Academic Goal For You? ........ ........ ........................ 60
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CHAPTER I: Introduction
The overall mission for the technical colleges in the state of Wisconsin is to provide high
quality learning experiences to the community. It is a mission that extends to business and non
profit organizations as well as individual students. Technical colleges serve multiple populations
of students ranging from 18 to 65 years of age. Two basic subgroups are described as traditional
and nontraditional. Each group of students has multiple demographic characteristics and diverse
goals upon enrolling in a college course. However, nontraditional students have a more diverse
set of characteristics and goals. Characteristics such as employment, marital status, and
educational background affect their ability to achieve academic goals. Their academic goals may
include obtaining general education, specific job-related skills, or a credential such as a
certificate, and one- or two-year associate degree. Some of these characteristics can pose
potential barriers to enrolling and persisting in courses in order to accomplish academic goals
such. Such a diverse group of nontraditional students suggests that colleges need to be flexible
and use multiple strategies to recruit and retain students. At the same time, nontraditional
students are viewed by businesses as a skilled workforce who support the business and contribute
to the overall economic health of the community.
Technical colleges offer very unique and authentic professional development pathways
for currently employed white or blue collar employees in Wisconsin that are not attainable
elsewhere in education. Their courses focus on technical and academic competencies specific to
occupations and jobs and can be immediately applied when students return to work. Employees
access courses either through an employer-college contract relationship or independently as an
individual student. Those who successfully complete courses and earn credits are often
motivated to take higher level credit courses, and can eventually obtain a postsecondary
credential such as a celiificate, I-year, or a 2-year associate degree. Yet other employees earn
credits through a limited number of courses and do not persist in obtaining a credential.
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Local businesses are community stakeholders who employ current or future technical
college students. At the same time, employers need employees to learn higher technical skills
beyond their current skill level in order to increase business productivity. Some employers feel a
gap exists between cutTent and needed employee skill levels (Center on Wisconsin Strategy,
2005). To address this situation, many employers contract with technical colleges to provide
credit and non-credit courses in diverse topics such as safety, lean manufacturing, and
communication skills. Most employers do not have corporate training staff so they rely on
outside resources like the technical college to provide training (Center on Wisconsin Strategy,
2005).
If employees do not learn skills through employer sponsored training or independently
enroll in technical college courses, they risk not taking advantage of future opportunities to
promote into higher wage jobs or to have the capacity for increased job mobility. The
employee's skill level also factors into employment decisions within businesses about who is
retained and who is laid off due to downturns in business. When employees acquire new skills
they can positively affect the employer's perception of them as a more valuable employee. If
they are laid off, a job candidate with fewer transferable skills will have fewer job opportunities
with other potential employers.
Even in cutTent working relationships between the college and employers, little is known
about business employees or whether they have a continuing relationship with the college after
the conclusion of the contracted training. There is little understanding of how colleges enroll and
retain employed workers in additional courses after they receive employer sponsored contract
11
training provided by the college. The extent to which current college practices meet the needs of
this group of nontraditional students is not clear. Factors such as personal circumstances and
business employee attrition need to be studied. Without this knowledge, college administrators
and professional staff are unable to allocate resources or implement best practices suited to this
group for em-ollment or persistence purposes.
Statement of the Problem
The Madison Area Technical College (MATC) provides contracted training to many
businesses located in eleven counties in south central Wisconsin on topics commonly found in
the curriculum of associate and technical degree programs. The relationship between business
employees receiving contracted training and the educational programs of the college has not
been analyzed. It is unclear whether these employees follow up on the training and pursue
postsecondary education credentials by enrolling and persisting within the college's educational
programs. Employees who lack technical and general education skills limit the overall
productivity of the business while limiting their future career options. Businesses are
experiencing an employee skill gap and a technical college credential is one solution to the
situation.
Purpose of the Study
The purpose of this study is to assess factors that support or hinder business employees
from obtaining a college credential. The findings and conclusions will be used by the Madison
Area Technical College and other technical colleges in Wisconsin to organize the delivery of
instruction and related student services to better meet the needs of full-time business employees
and enhance a process which results in the employees completing credit courses and obtaining
college credentials.
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The study will attempt to explain the change related to business employees who receive
and complete postsecondary instruction by the Madison Area Technical College. The study will
focus on the business employee's awareness of college credentials and factors that hinder or
support their adoption and achievement of an academic goal such as a college credential.
Research Questions
The following two research questions will be addressed by this study:
I. What factors SUppOit or hinder business employees from obtaining a technical college
credential?
2. What factors support or hinder business employees and their persistence in completing
additional college courses within technical college programs?
Assumptions of the Study
Assumptions of the study are as follows:
I. There will be diverse opinions or experiences of business employees accessing and
using college services such as instruction, public information, and counseling.
2. There will be diverse opinions of business employees towards the personal goal of
obtaining an academic credential.
3. The business employees will describe a wide array of personal or college related
factors such as family commitments, limited financial resources, or course schedules related to
obtaining an academic credential.
4. The case study will focus on two companies that have already received, and were
satisfied (as evidenced by a follow up contract or completion of a survey), with the contracted
training provided by the technical college.
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5. The business employees who have completed a contract training course instructed by
the college will have some knowledge level of the mission and credentials of the Madison Area
Technical College.
Definition of Terms
The following terms will be used throughout this study:
Business Employee O\Jontraditional Student): The term business employee is defined as a
student who is employed more than 35 hours per week and previously enrolled and completed a
contracted training course instructed by the Madison Area Technical College.
Business Employee (Nontraditional Student) Persistence Rate: The term nontraditional
student persistence is defined as enrolling in an additional course the following semester or
academic year after successfully completing a college course the prior semester or academic
year.
Business Employee (Nontraditional Student) Retention Rate: The term nontraditional
student retention rate is defined as the number of nontraditional students who attained their
academic and/or personal goals after enrolling in an initial course conducted by the college.
Course Attrition Rate: The term course attrition rate is defined as tracking nontraditional
enrollment in the beginning of a course and comparing it to whether or not they successfully
complete the requirements of the course.
Course Retention Rate: The term course retention rate is defined as the number of
nontraditional students who complete a credit course instructed by the college and enroll in at
least one additional credit course in the following session, semester, or academic year.
Credential: The term credential is defined as a written document earned by a student for
the successful completion of a defined number of courses and credits related to the awarding of a
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certificate, 1 Year Technical Diploma, 2 Year Technical Diploma, or a 2 Year Associate Degree
as defined by the Madison Area Technical College.
Credit: The term credit is a measurement used within the Wisconsin Technical College
System (WTCS) to measure the amount of time and rigor associated with a course. Students
have an opportunity to earn between one and five credits per course. Nine to twelve credits
usually comprise a certificate, approximately 32 credits comprise a one-year degree, and
approximately 68 credits comprise a two-year associate degree.
Contract Training: The term contract training is an educational experience conducted by
the technical college to meet the expressed employee learning needs of an employer within the
limits of a written contract.
Dislocated Worker: The term dislocated worker is defined as a person who was laid off
from either a part-time or full-time job within the last two years.
Employer: A private for profit or nonprofit organization that implements a contractual
relationship with the College for the purpose of purchasing instructional services conducted
outside of the college ' s regular educational programming.
Enrollment: The term enrollment is defined as the behavior of a nontraditional student to
register, pay tuition, and attend the first session of a credit course instructed by the Madison Area
Technical College.
Program Attrition Rate: The term program attrition rate is defined as the number of
nontraditional students who successfully complete a course and do not pursue any additional
course work within a period of 12 months.
Program Retention Rate: The term program retention rate is defined as tracking student
enrollment patterns to determine whether or not they successfully completed a course and
enrolled in a future course within the next semester or from one academic year to the next.
15
Traditional student: A traditional student is defined as a high school graduate, depends
financially on their parent(s), works part-time or less, and enrolls in a college within 12 months
of earning a high school degree.
Training: An organized educational experience of six or more hours for the purpose of
conducting practical vocational and/or technical instruction conducted by the college.
Limitations of the Study
Limitations of the study include the following:
1. The study is limited by the number of respondents who participated in the preliminary
telephone interviews and the two focus groups.
2. The study is limited to the effectiveness of the focus group methodology used for
research purposes.
3. The study is limited to the interpretations of company representatives, college
representatives, and the researcher.
4. Time is a limiting factor for the scope of the study as well as the selection of the
methodology used in the study.
Methodology
The research uses a case study method for a qualitative research approach using two
groups of business employees employed by two companies in Dane County, Wisconsin. The
researcher used five phases to design and conduct the research and was assisted by two staff
16
from the Madison Area Technical College The data collection procedures included the use of
telephone interviews with WTCS staff who serve employers with contract training and two focus
groups, one per company. One focus group of employees consisted of eight production workers
and the other group consisted of five production workers. The data was collected and analyzed
to identify related patterns or themes. It is summarized and was used to inform the conclusions
and recommendations of the study.
17
Chapter II: Literature Review
The purpose of this study is to assess factors that support or hinder business employees
from obtaining a credential from the Madison Area Technical College. Business employees are
considered to be nontraditional students by the college and have multiple demographic
characteristics and diverse personal and academic goals. A distinction is made between business
employees employed full-time and dislocated workers. The intent of the literature review is to
determine what is already known about full-time business employees and how they achieve an
academic goal such as a college credential. The most common credentials for the college are
certificates, one-year degrees, and two-year degrees. It is important to understand the context of
the business employees' goals, employer support of these goals, and the relationship of the
employer to the college. Understanding these three items will help to define the context
surrounding business employees and how they obtain an academic credential such as a certificate
or degree.
The literature review will discuss the definition and characteristics of a nontraditional
student, the value of a college credential, an employer's need for training, and the general
relationship between an employer and the college. There is a need to define the business
employee as a student in order to understand how their characteristics differ from other types of
students and dislocated workers. Understanding the similarities and differences assisted the
researcher in providing a deeper description of the context surrounding the study.
Change Theory
The study is based on the change theory described by Rogers (1995) and the premise that
there is a process related to how individuals respond to change. The change affecting the full
time business employees is within the context of the need for and benefits of a technical college
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education. The study will seek to add lmowledge about why some business employees adopt an
academic goal and obtain a credential and why others are non-adopters. Diverse factors that may
affect both adopters and non-adopters will be studied in the case study.
The diversity of business employees creates a situation that many factors can affect a
person's perceptions related to pursuing a college credential. Fiscal factors such as financial
support by employers or lack of personal funds to finance the cost of college courses impact a
person's decision. Other factors such are prior education and marital status impact their access
to courses. In addition, the manner in which the college provides outreach or instruction to
business employees impacts their ability to access courses. The location of the course can be a
factor and the scheduling of the course can influence emollment or persistence in a course or
degree program.
Nontraditional Student
There is a need to define the nontraditional student in order to explain key characteristics
that can be used to distinguish it from other student populations within a technical college. In a
study of nontraditional undergraduates, Bean and Metzner (as cited by Choy, 2002) asserted the
term nontraditional student is not a precise one, although age and part-time status are common
defining characteristics. Two studies by Choy (2002) and Schuetz (2008) used this definition to
study student attrition, persistence, and the relationship of a campus environment on students.
However, Choy adopted a more specific set of characteristics that were previously used by Horn
(as cited in Choy, 2002). Horn's seven characteristics use a continuum related to the number of
characteristics to define a nontraditional student. This study categorized students by the number
of characteristics possessed by each student. Some may have only one characteristic while
others have as many as five. A higher number of characteristics increase the potential for
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defining the student as nontraditional. The seven characteristics are: (a) delayed enrollment (as
compared to high school student graduates enrolling in the same calendar year), (b) part-time
status as a student, (c) a working status of more than 35 hours per week, (d) financially
independent conditions, ( e) caring for dependents, (f) heading a single parent household, and (g)
not having a high school diploma. An U. S. Department of Education study (as cited by Choy,
2002) mentioned that over 73% of undergraduates have at least one characteristic of the term
nontraditional. A specific definition of nontraditional is needed in order to compare this group of
students to another group described as traditional.
A traditional student is defined as a high school graduate, depends financially on parents,
and works part-time or less. This group of students is commonly associated with postsecondary
education. They are not typical and yet the general perception is that this group is the majority
of college students (Choy, 2002).
Attrition
An additional term that needs definition is attrition because it affects a large number of
nontraditional students. For the purposes of research, Schuetz (2008) defined the term as
"leaving higher education before achieving one's objectives" (p.17). The term is used in the
context of academic achievement within the college as well as work and family issues that may
be occurring outside of course work. A key element is the student's goal at entry to the college
and the resulting lack of achievement. It is a possible explanation for why students leave the
college and do not enroll in additional courses. Tinto's study in 1993 (as cited by Schuetz, 2008)
indicated that 75% of students do not persist in enrolling in additional coursework because of a
mismatch of student's interest and the college's resources and processes. Choy (2002) pointed
out; one needs to understand the characteristics of nontraditional students in order to understand
20
related attrition issues that may be connected to variables like gender, age, or employment status.
The inference is a different set of characteristics apply to different sub groups of nontraditional
students. It is important to make these distinctions in order to study how it applies to business
employees and their employers.
Barriers to Postsecondary Education
A nationwide study by Johnson and Rochkind (2009) focused on the barriers experienced
by nontraditional students that inhibit their ability to return to school to obtain a postsecondary
credential. The data represents over 600 22-30 year old students who started and did not
complete their education. These former students identified family situations and the need to
work as the top two barriers. When asked what accommodations would enable them to return to
school, the students responded overwhelmingly by stating that pali-time students should be able
to qualify for financial aid, courses should be offered in the evening or weekends, and the overall
cost of education needs to be reduced by 25%. Al though this study represents a portion of the
nontraditional student age group, it illustrates how their needs are distinct from traditional
students who recently graduated from high school and are financially dependent on their parents.
A comprehensive study by Zumeta and Frankie (2007) of community college students
confirmed that about 80% of them work an average of 32 hours per week. A related study of the
preferred number of working hours studied by King (2002) comes to the conclusion that 15-20
hours of work is a maximum range for ajob without seriously comprising the student's academic
success.
Benefits of Associate Degrees and Related Certificates
Wheary and Orozco (2010) is the most recent study to confirm and describe the increased
financial benefits related to obtaining a credential from a community college, as compared to a
21
high school and four year degree. The study assessed the assumption that more time in school
increases one's earning. Their Florida study provides more evidence that one- and two-year
credentials provide increased earnings within the ten years following high school graduation.
This study researched the effect of obtaining a one-year celtificate which a lesser credential than
a two-year associate degree. Their findings conclude the obtaining of the certificate is more
beneficial than not completing a two-year associate degree. They also asserted that graduates
with one- and two-year credentials in healthcare and engineering can earn more than four-year
graduates in other occupations.
Wheary and Orozco (2010) also discussed the low persistence rate of community college
students. They described how 38% of students emolled in celtificate programs do not earn any
credential within six years. They go on to state that their study confirms high costs are a major
barrier along with the lack of academic preparations by the nontraditional students.
Carnevale, Strohl, and Smith (2009) confirm the findings of Wheary and Orozco (2010)
that more time spent in education results in increased earnings found in better jobs. They also
assert that postsecondary education is a gateway to increased opportunity-some students earn
the credentials and succeed with higher earnings, while others do not. They commented that the
wage premium for employees with postsecondary education, relative to high school graduates, is
the most significant signal that the economy is demanding more postsecondary level workers.
Using data from the Center for Educational Statistics, Carnevale, Strohl, and Smith
(2009) showed that real wages for prime age workers increased from $25,000 to $33,000 from
1983 to 2007. This trend continues while the total number of workers with college degrees
increases.
22
The Georgetown University Center for Education and Workforce (2010) concluded that
postsecondary celtificates also provide access to the earnings power commonly associated with
traditional two year and four year degrees. The certificates added value well above a high school
diploma and can lead to sustained family earnings.
Employer Need for Skilled Employees
Employers at both the national and local level describe a need for training for their
employees. Two national studies (Casner-Lotto, Rosenblum, & Wright, 2009; Paradise, 2007)
described how employers have a high need for training in applied skills and who are attempting
to address this skills gap. The topics of critical thinking and problem solving are high need
programs. The studies described how new skills are needed to increase business productivity
and apply to the general workforce.
Carnevale (2008) confirmed a high need for training and made a case for postsecondary
education as a solution to the problem. He feels postsecondary education is a good solution for a
broad spectrum of the population due to the changing nature of jobs. Postsecondary education
appeals to a broad mix of cultural and political values and addresses middle class values such as
job mobility. He also pointed to a trend where higher wages go to workers with the most
postsecondary education or training. The needs of employers in Wisconsin can be similar to
needs in other parts of the country.
A need for training exists in western Wisconsin because specific training needs and
trends are not known for an 11 county area served by the Chippewa Valley Technical College
(Owen, 2005). Knowing these topics and trends would enable the technical college to be more
responsive to the needs of employers. The training needs of an employer can also be very
specific to an occupation like the construction industry (Seering, 2008). Mauldin (2009)
confirms the need for more postsecondary training at the technical college level exists
throughout Wisconsin. Although Wisconsin has made a major investment through the 16
technical colleges, a substantial need still exists. The challenge is large enough to assume
employers will be an active partner in an overall relationship with the colleges to provide
postsecondary education and training to business employees.
23
Carnevale (2008) used federal labor statistics related to obtaining postsecondary
credentials to illustrate that not enough people are obtaining college credentials to meet the needs
of employers. He asselied that individuals can directly benefit from a credential. A clear trend
existed showing that higher wages go to individuals with the postsecondary credentials. The
higher credential resulted in increase earnings.
Need for Employer and Technical College Relationship
From the employer's perspective, many are unaware of workforce development resources
in their region (Center on Wisconsin Strategy, 2005). The lack of a working relationship does
not benefit colleges or employers and creates little discussion of employer needs with a technical
college. In southern Wisconsin, only seven percent of the employers knew of opportunities
offered by the technical college. A repOli from the Center described that after 18 months of
relationship building and providing training to employers, employers reported a dramatic
increase in the improvement of their relationship with the technical college and understanding
the resources offered by the college (Center on Wisconsin Strategy, 2005).
When an industry suffers a setback, employers will participate in train~ng (Center on
Wisconsin Strategy, 2005; Paradise, 2007). If the right infrastructure and relationship is present,
the type of training provided by a technical college can benefit employers, workers, and the
public. The lack of a relationship is detrimental to both the employer and the technical college.
24
A positive relationship needs to be developed so all can benefit. The technical college is able to
achieve their mission and the employer benefits through increased productivity. Although
employers attempt to address the skills gap, the need exceeds their efforts.
25
Chapter III: Methodology
The purpose of this study is to assess factors that suppoli or hinder full-time business
employees from obtaining a credential from the Madison Area Technical College. Business
employees are considered to be nontraditional students by the college and have multiple
demographic characteristics and diverse personal and academic goals. There is a need to
understand factors related to how they achieve an academic goal such as a college credential.
The most common credentials for the college are certificates, one-year degrees, and two-year
degrees. It is impOliant to understand the context of the business employees' goals, employer
suppOli of these goals, and the relationship of the employer to the college. Understanding these
three items will help to define the context surrounding business employees and how they obtain
an academic credential such as a celiificate or degree.
This chapter summarizes the ( a) general design of the proj ect, (b) research process, ( c)
subject selection, (d) instrumentation, (e) data collection and analysis, and (f) limitations of the
study.
A qualitative case study was used to address the following two research questions:
1. What factors suppoli or hinder business employees from obtaining a technical college
credential?
2. What factors support or hinder business employees and their persistence in completing
additional college courses within technical college programs?
Within this descriptive approach, a case study model was used to structure the study,
define the parameters of the research, and investigate the subjects by the use of a demographic
data form and focus group discussions. The design solicited ideas and opinions about the
perceptions of full-time business employees related to obtaining a credential from the Madison
Area Technical College (MATC). Considerable time was spent reporting contextual aspects
and/or social factors related to the subject's attitudes or perceptions.
26
The research was conducted within four phases to organize and narrow the focus of the
research and ensure the appropriate data was collected. The four phases included Phase I-basic
planning and preliminary data collection, Phase 2-final planning, Phase 3-data definition and
collection, and Phase 4-data analysis and reporting.
Two constant characteristics throughout the study were the employer and the completion
of a minimum level of instructional hours received through a contract between the employer and
MA TC. It assumed the subjects all worked for the same employer and had prior contact through
contract instruction provided by the college. The dependent variable is the receipt of a college
credential. The independent variables related to business employees studied included the
following: (a) age, (b) gender, (c) course scheduling, (d) factors such as financial support, family
commitments, academic goals, and personal schedules, and (e) financial suppoli from an
employer or public grant. Items a, b, and c were considered classified independent variables for
the purposes of the study.
Business employees are one subgroup of nontradi tional students and have a large number
of characteristics associated with them. Preliminary data collection activities used in Phase 1
was needed to narrow the focus of the study and context sUlTounding business employees as well
as validate the questions used in Phase 3 focus group discussions. The characteristics were
narrowed to a subset that could be managed within the case study format . It needs to be pointed
out, the literature review revealed no information to suggest a consistent and reliable data
collection process for a case study. The results of the preliminary data confirmed the overall
27
framework, focus group questions, and the variables of the study. The preliminary data was used
to inform the remaining data collection activities within the study.
Subject Selection and Description
The stakeholders and subjects of the study were organized into two groups. The first group
consisted of seven WTCS professional staff who are stakeholders to the study and participated in
the preliminary data collection activities. The second group consisted of 13 business employees
who represented two companies during the focus groups conducted on March 16, 2010.
Seven WTCS professional staff work at technical colleges and have job duties related to
contract training which serves businesses in the community. The rationale was to collect their
opinions which would represent a different type of relationship to the study and provide a
different perspective. It gave the researcher a chance to compare their opinions versus the
findings of the focus groups. All of the WTCS staff had a direct relationship to the process of
businesses purchasing contracted training from a technical college.
In Phase 1, seven individuals from six different technical colleges within the Wisconsin
Technical College System were selected for the telephone interviews. The different job titles
represented different perspectives about the relationship between an employer and the college.
The stakeholder's college, job titles and their relationship to the topic is summarized in Table 1.
Table 1
Demographic Summary for Preliminary Data Collection
College Name
Chippewa Valley
Technical College
Job Title and Organization Relationship to Study
Director, Nano Rite Center Functions as an account
manager for contracted
training and is author of one
28
of the references used for
the study.
2 Chippewa Valley Vice President of Student Part of an executive
Technical College Services management team at the
college. Author of a UW
Stout thesis related to
persistence of traditional
students at the college.
3 Waukesha County Account Manager, Develops and manages
Technical College Corporate Training and contracted training with
Community Training businesses.
4 Blackhawk Technical Account Manager, Business Develops and manages
College and Community contracted training with
Development businesses.
5 Fox Valley Technical Director, Business and Develops and manages
College Industry Services contracted training with
businesses.
6 Madison Area Technical Part-time Instructor, Conducts credit and
College Business Contracted noncredit training courses
Services for employers.
7 Madison Area Technical Full-time Instructor, Conducts credit and
College Business Contracted noncredit training courses
Services for employers.
The seven individuals provided three different perspectives which included: (a) manager
of contracted training, (b) account manager, and (c) instructor. A vice president was interviewed
to include a second, higher level of management and provided a broader perspective to the topic
than a mid-level manager. The two instructors worked directly with business employees on a
day-to-day basis while delivering instruction.
29
The sampling of these seven individuals included representatives from one large college
(Madison Area Technical College), four medium colleges (Chippewa Valley Technical College,
Waukesha County Technical College, Western Technical College, and Fox Valley Technical
College), and one small college (Blackhawk Technical College). The terms large, medium, and
small are commonly used without definition within the Wisconsin Technical College System
(WTCS). The terms generally relate to the number of students enrolled in the college. In
addition, the preliminary sampling included six females and two males. All individuals have
Master's degrees and have met the certification standards of WTCS in order to be employed in
their positions. The researcher had a general working relationship with six of the eight
individuals. The researcher had no prior working relationship with the two instructors and
received their names prior to the pilot study from the Director of Business, Industry and
Community Services at Madison Area Technical College.
Overall, the telephone interviews were solicited by the researcher and the individuals
voluntarily agreed to participate. The amount of time for each interview was recorded. The
interview with the Blackhawk Technical College representative took the least amount of time at
12 minutes and the longest interview was with the full-time instructor from Madison Area
Technical College at 24 minutes. The agenda of the interviews consisted of an overview of the
study, discussion of the focus group questions, and a general concluding question.
Focus group participants.
The case study primarily focused on full-time business employees working for two
companies located in Dane County Wisconsin. There are eleven Wisconsin counties comprising
the service area for MA TC. The eleven counties include: Columbia, Dane, Dodge, Green, Iowa,
Jefferson, Juneau, Marquette, Richland, Sauk, and Walworth.
30
Company A employs 37 year-round employees and 15 seasonal employees to make their
wood-laminate products such as dance floors and furniture for schools and hotels. The location
in Dane County is one of six around the world for the company headquartered in Edina,
Minnesota. The company actively provides professional development opportunities to their
employees through contract training with the Madison Area Technical College. They also have a
tuition reimbursement program for the cost of education when employees seek it as individual
students. Currently, they are working with the college to conduct Manufacturing Skills
Standards Council (MSSC) training so eight of their employees can obtain a nationally
recognized certification in manufacturing. This training was funded by a WTCS Workforce
Advancement Training (W A T) grant. Each employee who obtains the certification will receive
18 months of seniority in the company. They are a company interested in and applying lean
manufacturing techniques to their operations. The responsibility for employee training and
liaison with MA TC is a function ofthe plant manager.
Company B manufactures multiple types of plastic packaging products commonly used
in the retailing of batteries and food. It is an eco-friendly company that prides itself on green
princi pies and has one of the most modern office environments in Dane County. The company
employs over 350 employees at the Fitchburg, Wisconsin location and also has a major
manufacturing plant in China. This company has worked with MATC over the last five years to
provide training to employees. The current MA TC contract training being provided to the
company is funded by a W AT grant. Responsibility for employee training and liaison with
MA TC is a function of the human resource specialist.
The subjects were labeled business employees and defined as nontraditional students
working full-time for the employer and have completed at least one training course conducted by
the college within the limitations of a contractual relationship. Based on the job titles provided
by the paliicipants, all of the participants were broadly labeled as blue collar employees or
production employees.
Instrumentation
31
During Phase 1 of the study, a series of structured telephone interviews were used to
collect preliminary data from seven WTCS individuals representing six colleges. Five questions
were posed to the representatives and their responses were recorded on a blank data collection
document organized by questions and individual. The design of the study assumed the questions
were considered pilot questions in Phase 1 and would become the actual focus group questions in
Phase 3. Extensive descriptive notes were created by the researcher in a summary chart for an
analysis of responses. The chart included cross references to individuals, colleges, and interview
questions. The responses were coded and highlighted by the researcher to find themes or
patterns in the data. The chart was stored on a computer for future reference.
Two data collection forms, approved by the Institutional Research Board of UW -Stout,
were developed in Phase 2 and used to collect focus group data in Phase 3. The first form
collected basic demographic information (See Appendix B) about each participant. Examples of
several data elements included name, age, length of time with the company, and other personal
data. The second form was the voluntary consent form (See Appendix C) completed by all focus
group participants in Phase 3. The form summarized the purpose of the study, confidentiality,
compensation, risks, and benefits.
The data from the demographic form was organized in categories and was then coded for
patterns and themes. A summary of the data was created to support the analysis of the focus
group data. The MA TC liaison representative confirmed the data which was related to one of the
constraints of the study-prior MA TC training. The pal1ici pants had completed prior MA TC
contract training and had completed the training in either 2008 or 2009. The research used a
triangulation process for the data analysis.
32
Meeting agendas, minutes and a project charter document (See Appendix A) were used to
describe the relationship between the researcher, MATC, and the employer. The focus group
experience included the use of a demographic form (Appendix B), consent form (Appendix C),
and meeting agenda (Appendix E).
Data Collection Procedures
All data collection activities were approved by the UW-Stout Institutional Research
Board (IRB) policies. The general IRB policies found on the consent form were presented and
reviewed with both MA TC and the employer before they agreed to participate in the research .
The data collection focused on the two research questions and focus groups used in the
study to identify specific perceptions of business employees in the context of their job and
personal life. The data collection was organized into preliminary data collected from study
stakeholders and the two focus groups. Due to the unclear knowledge in the literature,
preliminary data was collected in order to assist in the plalming of the study.
Preliminary data.
The preliminary data collection used a series of telephone interviews conducted with
seven professional staff that are employed at six technical colleges. They have job duties related
to the delivery of contracted training to employers and business employees. During the
telephone interviews, the subjects were asked to comment of how business employees perceive
college credentials and what factors hinder or supp0l1 them from obtaining a credential. A set of
five open-ended questions were used to structure the interviews and assist the professionals in
their perceptions of how business employees will respond in the focus groups. The responses
were highlighted and coded to organize the data for analysis. The results were used to identify
general themes or patterns related to their perceptions of business employees.
33
The telephone interview questions used for the preliminary data collection are described
below.
1. What is the business employee's general knowledge about the technical college and related
credentials (Certificates, I-Year Degree, 2-Year Degree)?
2. What is the business employee's perception of the benefits or value derived from a teclmical
college credential?
3. What is the business employee's perception of attitudes or factors that support them in
obtaining a technical college credential?
4. What is the business employee's perception of attitudes or factors that hinder them from
obtaining a technical college credential?
5. What is the business employee's perception of whether a technical college credential is a
plausible academic goal?
These questions were modified for the focus groups so the business employees could
provide their own opinions or responses. Due to the pattnership relationship with the research,
MA TC also approved the questions prior to the conducting of the focus groups.
Focus group data.
The focus group data was collected during two independent meetings held with the
subjects at the employer's worksite on March 16,2010. The 60-minute agenda (See Appendix E)
of the focus groups included the following components: (a) introductions, (b) review of the
demographic and consent forms, (c) purpose of the study and use of the results, (d) research
discussion questions, and (e) concluding comments.
The questions used during the focus group included the following three types of
questions--engagement, exploration, and exit. Engagement questions were used to open the
focus group and establish rapport between the researcher and the group of SUbjects. The
exploration and exit questions were used to stimulate and organize the discussions by the
research topics and close the focus group activities. Each focus group was started on time and
finished within the 60-minute time period allocated for the focus groups.
34
The focus group discussions started with introductions. The researcher explained his role
and the role of the note taker. He then asked each partici pant to state their name and their length
of time with the company. After reviewing the purpose of the study and use of the results, the
participants were asked to complete a basic demographic form (See Appendix B). The form was
used to collect subject data in a timely matter. This data was collected before the discussion to
increase the accuracy of the information and ensure it was collected from each participant.
The following three engagement questions opened the focus group discussions and
helped build rapport between the pmiicipants and the researcher:
1. How long have you worked at the company?
2. What training did you receive from the college?
3. What was your overall impression of the training?
The exploratory questions were used to focus on the subject's perceptions about their
knowledge of the college credentials, the value of a college credential and their perceptions
about factors that support or hinder their obtaining a credential. The following questions were
used to start and maintain the discussions of the focus groups:
1. What is your general knowledge about a technical college and related credentials
(Certificates, I-Year Degree, 2-Year Degree)?
2. What is your perception of the benefits or value derived from a technical college
credential?
3. What is your perception of the factors that could or do support you in obtaining a
technical college credential?
4. What is your perception of the factors that could or do hinder you in obtaining a
technical college credential? Why or Why not?
5. Is the obtaining of a technical college credential a plausible academic goal for you?
35
An exit question was used to provide another opportunity for participants to comment on
topics discussed during the focus groups. The exit question was: "What other comment(s) would
you like to make about the value of a college credential and factors that hinder or support you
from obtaining a credential?"
Data analysis.
The researcher anticipated basic responses of focus group participants and developed a
blank data collection sheet for each company. The note taking forms were coordinated with the
demographic form and coded in a manner so the note taker could reference most comments back
to an individual. This was useful in identifying themes or data patterns related to age or
company. After the focus groups, the note taker confirmed this process worked well and enabled
her to record the comments of participants in her own handwriting.
The raw data from the focus groups included an individual's comments or opinions in
response to the exploratory questions. Prior to the meeting, a strategy and data code was
36
developed to assist the note taker during the focus groups. The note taker used one data
collection form for each employer and confirmed the consistency of forms across both
companies. The note taker created written notes and used a coding system to identify comments
made by an individual specific to one of the employers. This technique was used to help
organize the individual's comments and enable the researcher to connect the comments to an
individual employer and age group. The note taker typed up the notes within 24 hours of the
focus groups. The data collected was entered into a word processing program and stored on a
computer hard drive for future reference.
The data from the focus group discussion was organized into a narrative summary report
organized by employer and pmiicipant. The researcher used the preliminary coding system used
in Phase 1. It enabled the researcher to organize the raw data, group it by the independent and
classified variables as well as the various patterns or themes described by the respondents. The
report was entered into word processing software and stored for future reference.
The researcher compared and contrasted results within each focus group as well as
between the two groups to determine data patterns or themes. Potential responses were coded
and used for both the preliminary and focus group data . These responses were also compared
against the ones provide by the seven professional staff. The comparison to preliminary data was
made to determine if the professional staff understood general opinions of the clients they serve.
Limitations of the Study
Limitations of the study include the following :
1. The study was limited by the number of respondents who participated in the
preliminary telephone interviews and the two focus groups.
2. The study was limited to the effectiveness of the focus group methodology used for
research purposes.
3. The study was limited to the interpretations of company representatives, college
representatives, and the researcher.
4. Time was a limiting factor for the scope of the study as well as the selection of the
methodology used in the study.
37
A constraint for the selection of the employer and subjects was the timing of the contract
training received by the employer. The employer and employees must have received contract
training in 2008 or 2009. The recent participation in a training course helped business
employees remember the training and be more descriptive when answering the questions used
during the focus groups.
Summary
Overall, four phases were used to design and conduct the study and are described in detail
below.
Phase 1 basic planning and preliminary data collection.
The researcher began the study by selecting a case study approach and the use of two
focus groups to collect data. The large scope of the topic and limited timeframe indicated a need
to narrow the focus of the study and confirm whether the draft questions planned for use during
the focus groups would gather appropriate data. The researcher implemented a preliminary data
collection activity through the use of a structured telephone interview process. The purpose of
this activity was to confirm the general scope for the study and the context surrounding the
business employees. Preliminary data was collected from seven professional staff from multiple
colleges within the Wisconsin Technical College System. The telephone interviews were
38
conducted between November 30 and December 12,2009 and used to confirm patterns or
themes relevant to the research questions and the variables for the study. The group consisted of
seven WTCS college employees who are stakeholders to the college-employer relationship
with varying roles and relationships to both the business employers and their employees. The
data collected during the telephone interviews related to their perceptions of how business
employees will respond to the research questions. The telephone interview questions were
modified and used by the facilitator during the focus group discussions.
Phase 2 final planning.
The second phase began with the researcher obtaining a general oral agreement with the
Director of Business Industry, and Community Services Department (BICS) at the Madison Area
Technical College to conduct the study. The BICS unit is responsible for planning and
delivering contract training to employers within the 11 counties of the college's service district.
The output of this planning activity was the project's charter document (See Appendix A) and a
related action plan which was approved by MATC management in January 2010.
A series of several meetings were held with the BICS Director and a business
representative to develop the action plan for the study. This included reviewing the findings of
the telephone interviews, framework for the study, data collection procedures, and selecting two
appropriate employers for the study.
The overall focus group process and agenda was also planned during this phase. The
final focus group process and exploratory questions were created during this phase. Draft
documents were created first and then revised after input from MA TC staff and my research
advisor. The entire process, schedule of activities, and planning documents were defined in
descriptive notes created with word processing software and saved on a computer for future
reference.
39
This phase included the solicitation of the two employers. Participation by the employer
and employees in the case study was voluntary. The researcher and MATe mutually agreed on
the selection of the employer and the related criteria. The basic criteria for selection of an
employer was: (a) a private for profit organization with 10-40 people who previously completed
a training course instructed by the college, (b) an employer that worked with the college in 2008
or 2009 to implement contract training, and (c) voluntarily agrees to participate in the study. The
general population of potential subjects needed to be large enough to select the 12-16 people
who comprised the two focus groups. Written notes used during the meetings were created by
the researcher, entered in to word processing software, and stored on a computer for future
reference.
The college initially contacted the employers via email and arranged for two 60-minute
planning meetings with the researcher. The meeting agenda included discussions about the
scope of the study, roles of the researcher, college staff, and expectations of employees who
volunteer for the study. The discussion also included topics of interest to the UW-Stout
Institutional Review Board. Written notes used for the meetings were created by the researcher
and stored on a computer for future research.
The result of these meetings was an oral agreement between the college, employer, and
researcher to implement the project. The employers received and approved a one-page summary
of the research project. It included items such as the start and end date of the study, how data
was to be collected, and how the results of the study would be reviewed by the college and
employer. It was assumed that representatives of the company would solicit volunteers
40
according to the population sample-varied by age, gender, ethnic background, and time of
employment with the company. The company representative agreed to introduce the researcher
to the volunteers at the begilming of the focus group meetings. Extensive descriptive notes about
the meetings and environment of the organization were to be created by the researcher, entered
into word processing software, and stored on a computer for future reference.
Phase 3 data definition and collection.
The data collection focused on the two research questions used in the study to identify
specific perceptions of business employees in the context of their job and personal life. The data
collection was organized into preliminary data collected from study stakeholders and from the
two focus groups. Due to the unclear knowledge in the literature, preliminary data was collected
in order to assist in the plaJming of the study and conducting of the focus groups.
The preliminary data collection used a series of telephone interviews conducted with
seven professional staff employed at six teclmical colleges. All of them have job duties related
to the delivery of contract training to employers and business employees. During the telephone
interviews, two research questions were used to identify the WTCS staffs perceptions of
business employee opinions. A set of five open-ended questions were used to structure the
telephone interviews.
The main data collection process for the study was the use of two focus groups comprised
of 13 business employees from two employers . The discussions with the focus groups used
structured questions similar to the ones used in the telephone interviews. The responses were
recorded and transcribed so they could be stored on a computer. Data was highlighted and coded
to organize the data for analysis. The results were used to identify general themes or patterns of
business employees' perceptions as well as inform the findings, implications, conclusions, and
41
recommendations of the study. The qualitative analysis associated with the telephone interview
questions is reported below.
Five open-ended engagement questions were used to collect data. The data was collected
by the researcher and recorded by a note taker with written notes. The notes were typed up for
clarity and preparation for data analysis.
All participants signed a voluntary participation agreement and each person completed a
demographic background form. Responses to the demographic background form were recorded
and summarized with spreadsheet software for analysis and referencing at a later date. The data
from the focus group discussions included extensive researcher notes and the subjects'
comments.
Phase 4 data analysis and reporting.
The final phase included the analysis of the data, summarizing the findings, and the
development of conclusions and recommendations. Data from the telephone interviews and
focus groups were processed and analyzed in a similar manner. Data was highlighted, coded to
organize and define the general patterns and themes related to the topic.
The preliminary data collection activities included seven telephone interviews. The
responses to the five questions were color highlighted and coded to organize the data for
analysis. The results were used to identify general themes or patterns related to WTCS
perceptions of the business employees' perceptions.
The focus group data was collected during two independent meetings held with the
subjects at the employer's worksite on March 16,2010. The 60-minute agenda (See Appendix
E) of the focus groups included the following components: 1) introductions, 2) review of the
demographic and consent forms and policies, 3) purpose of the study and use of the results, 4)
42
research discussion questions, and 5) concluding comments or opinions. The focus groups used
a series of engagement, exploratory, and one exit question to gather data from the 13 subjects. A
note taker took written notes and typed up the responses.
Responses to the demographic background form were recorded and summarized with
spreadsheet software for analysis and referencing at a later date. Table 2 is a summary of the
demographic form data. The data from the focus group discussions was analyzed for themes or
patterns related to the two research questions. Data from one focus group was compared to the
other focus group for consistent patterns or themes. In addition, general comparisons were made
with the responses of the WTCS professional staff from Phase 1. The comparison was done to
identify general matches or mismatches of themes or issues. The analysis was summarized in
word processing software and stored on a computer for future reference.
The data was used to inform the planning of the focus groups and related research
questions. A Plan B paper and a general repOli suitable for use by the employer and MA TC
were created. Interested subjects will have access to the general report. If requested, the
researcher may make oral presentations at in-person meetings about the case study with the
college or employer. Only summary level information will be provided so the privacy of the
participants of the focus groups will be protected.
43
Chapter IV: Results
The purpose of this quali tative study is to assess factors that support or hinder business
employees from obtaining a credential from the Madison Area Technical College. A descriptive
case study utilizing two focus groups from two employers located in Dane County, Wisconsin
was used for a general framework for the study, data collection and analysis, findings,
conclusions, and recommendations. Preliminary data was also collected from seven Wisconsin
Technical College System stakeholders related to the research questions by using telephone
interviews.
Because the basic premise is that little is known of this subject, two research questions
were addressed by this study. The first question is, "What factors SUppOit or hinder business
employees from obtaining a technical college credential?" The second question is, "What factors
SUppOit or hinder business employees and their persistence in additional college courses within
technical college programs?" These two questions were addressed by 13 full-time business
employees, from two employers, during the 60-minute focus group discussions conducted on
March 16,2010.
The subjects for this study were 13 full-time business employees who work at the two
employers. A form was used to collect basic demographic information from each palticipant
during the focus groups. Based on the job titles provided by the participants, all of the
palticipants were broadly labeled as blue collar employees or production employees. None of
the participants reported working in the office at each employer. The data collected from the
participant demographic form is summarized below in Table 2.
Table 2
FocliS Group Demographic Summary
Item
Number of Females
Number of Males
Total Number of
Pm1icipants
Total Time With
Employer Date Range
Age Range of
Subjects
Age Group: 20-29
Age Group: 30-39
Age Group: 40-49
Age Group: 50-59
Number of High
School Graduates
Length of Time Since
High School- Range
Number of Technical
College Graduates
Length of Time Since
Technical College
Range
Company A
3
5
8
4-11 years
25-56 years old
3
2
2
8
7-39 years
9 years
44
Company B Combined
o 3
5 10
5 13
8-23 years 4-23 years
30-45 years old 25-56 years old
o 3 6
2 4
o 2
5 13
12-28 years 7-39 years
2 3
13 years 10 years
Although the study included only three females from Company A, two of the three
females were active pm1icipants during the open-ended questions . Table 2 assumes that 100% of
the pm1icipants obtained high school degrees. Over 69% percent of the participants have been
out of high school more than 20 years. Only one person was between 20-29 years of age, so the
researcher was unable to follow up on a stakeholder conunent about individuals in this age
group.
45
Preliminary Stakeholder Data
The large scope of the topic and limited timeframe indicated a need to narrow the focus
of the study and confirm whether the draft questions planned for use during the focus groups
would gather appropriate data from the subjects. The researcher implemented a preliminary data
collection activity through the use of a structured telephone interview process. The purpose of
this activity was to confirm the general scope for the study and the context surrounding the
business employees. Preliminary data was collected from seven professional staff from six
colleges within the Wisconsin Technical College System who are stakeholders to the college
employer relationship with varying roles and relationships to both the business employers and
their employees.
The two research questions addressed by this study dealt with identifying factors
supporting or hindering business employees from obtaining a technical college credential and
their ability to persist from one credit course to another. To answer these questions, the
researcher asked a series of five open-ended questions about the professional staffs perception
of business employees' attitudes. The researcher recorded the responses on index cards; key
ideas were highlighted, coded, and counted. The notes were entered into word processing
software and stored on a computer for future reference.
Prior knowledge of technical college or credentials.
The first telephone interview question was, "What is the business employee's general
knowledge about the teclmical college and related credentials (Certificates, I-Year Degree, 2-
Year Degree)?" Three different patterns emerged from the answers of the WTCS staff. Two
people said they were not sure of the perceptions of the business employees. They both
46
commented that perhaps this was related to their positions and indirect relationship to the
business employees as account managers. Two account managers and one director indicated that
there was little or no awareness by business employees. One person explained, for many people
it was the employee' s first experience with the college and it was a long time since they
graduated from high school. The second account manager observed they have no knowledge and
employers do not want the college to orient or market college credentials to employees. The two
instructors were in agreement that the prior knowledge of the person depended on the type of
course they took during contract training. If the course was a long one, or an actual course from
a college program with credits, there was greater interest and knowledge about college
credentials. The instructor said they used the number of questions asked by employees to gauge
the level of knowledge or interest about the credential.
Benefits or value of a college credential.
The second telephone interview question asked was, "What is the business employee's
perception of the benefits or value derived from a technical college credential?" The responses to
this question by the seven WTCS staff were mixed between positive and negative responses.
Four of the respondents indicated there was little perception of the value of the credential or its
benefits. One person indicated that the business employee may only want a couple of courses to
upgrade their current skills. They intended to use the skills immediately on the job. So this
business employee would have little interest in a credential which would take longer to earn.
The business employee's personal goal of acquiring skills was met.
Three of the positive responses indicated that access to the college courses was important
to business employee's understanding of the benefit. They felt pa11icipating in regular college
courses increased understanding. It was their opinion that a small percentage of people who
47
participate in contract training had a good understanding of the value. One person said it could
depend on a certification needed for the person's job. It helped if the employees can see the
college providing courses for both a degree and celtifications required by an occupation. The
two instructors were positive about students who completed longer contracted training courses.
They observed the employees interact longer with MATe instructors and other students and also
met graduates of the program. So business employees in this situation can more clearly see the
benefits later in the learning process. One account manager commented that if employers
contract for longer courses, this helped because they have increased contact with college
instructors. Several people commented that instructors were very persuasive in explaining the
value to business employees and they can help market their programs or other programs of the
college. If the employer's focus is only on the contract training, the college will not market their
programs or credentials to the employees. In these cases, college staff usually respect the wishes
of the employer and do not provide information to the business employees.
Factors supporting business employees.
The third telephone interview question asked was, "What is the business employee's
perception of attitudes or factors that support them in obtaining a technical college credential?"
Six of the seven respondents were in agreement that financial support from the employer was a
big factor in supporting employees. They described two financial approaches used by
employers: a general tuition reimbursement approach or a "pay for performance" approach. The
pay for performance term means that business employees receive pay increases upon successful
completion of college courses. The second factor mentioned by three respondents was the age of
the employee. One person felt that people in their 30s or 40s are more focused and can more
effectively balance work, family, and educational courses. This age group seemed more
48
achievement oriented-older employees in this age group seemed to want a degree for their
resume. One instructor mentioned longer courses create more support for students because it
creates a situation where students form a cohort and receive moral suppoli from other students.
Two account managers mentioned that it helps if the contract training provides credits that can
be used by employees at a later time in college programs. One account manager mentioned
credit courses funded by the regional Workforce Development Board are very helpful. The
Board provides funding for the cost of the training (a benefit to employees), requires credits, and
helps create interest in college courses. One director and two account managers mentioned that
long distance learning helps because it is available in regional centers, away from the main
campus or through online courses. The regional centers that use in-person instruction or
television courses greatly reduce driving distances and save respondents time and money spent
on gas. One said the value really hit home when Wisconsin experienced gas costs at $4.00 per
gallon several years ago. In addition, an online course takes away the need for the student to
drive to a course and provides more flexibility for the person's home schedule.
Factors hindering business employees.
The fOUlih telephone interview question asked was, "What is the business employee's
perception of attitudes or factors that hinder them from obtaining a technical college credential?"
The most common response from four of the eight respondents focused on time. The topic of
time was divided up into two parts. One, students have little time available because they need to
balance family and work before they can complete course work. People who are still holding
their jobs are very busy because many are taking on the workload of people who were laid off in
2008 and 2009. Second, the day of the week or time of day can be a conflict for students. If
college courses are offered during the day, this is a problem because it conflicts with work.
49
Business employees will usually choose to work rather than attend courses and avoid losing
Income.
Money is also a problem for people in tight budget times. The vice-president, one
director, and one instructor commented that this was a large barrier. There is much more interest
in course colleges when the business employee is helped by the employer or a public grant
program.
One instructor and account manager commented that age seems to be a factor hindering
younger employees in their 20s. Their values seem to be different from people who are between
the ages of 30 to 40. This group seems to want to focus only on family and jobs and exclude
education at this time in their life.
Two factors related to the college's services were mentioned by several WTCS staff. The
first factor was the college's registration process and the second factor is the many course and
degree options available at the college. One director mentioned the college's registration process
can be a problem for many business employees. It takes a certain level of computer skills to
register for a course using the Internet registration system. In person registration is also
available. However, few seem to use it. One instructor observed the array of programs and
courses can be confusing to business employees. People do not know what the programs are or
the jobs behind them. Help is probably needed to assist the business employees to sort through
these options.
Plausible academic goal.
The second research question that this study addressed dealt with support or hinder
business employees and their persistence in additional college courses or after being accepted
into technical college programs. To answer this question, the researcher asked one open-ended
question about the WTCS professional staff s perception of business employees' attitudes.
50
The fifth telephone interview question was, "What is the business employee's perception
of whether a technical college credential is a plausible academic goal?" This question was used
to understand the change that occurs as a result of completing college courses. Factors from the
other four questions were combined with the experience of the business employee and lead them
to decide that a credential is an appropriate long term goal that they will act upon.
The vice-president, one director, one account manager, and one instructor thought that most
business employees do not perceive a college credential as a plausible goal. Business employees
seem to want to quit after a few courses to meet their goal of obtaining job skills related to their
current job. They do not see it as a long term benefit and how a credential will help present them
in a more positive manner to a future employer.
One director commented that this is a tough question and they were unsure of how to
answer. If they are not in a college course, they probably do not see it as plausible. However,
once a person is at the college, they see it as a plausible goal. The director went on to comment
that more people are starting to think that they need to take courses to build skills and become
more valuable to their employer-just to keep their job and avoid being laid off. The word is
getting around there are a lot of talented people with degrees in the job market. The director said
they recently recruited for a position and had two people with MBAs apply for the job. People
seem to be aware of more competition in the job market.
One instructor commented that outside of information technology training, she suspects
that people do not think of it as a plausible goal. One reason might be the location of the training
at the employer's site. If the course is not at the college, this takes away from the branding of the
51
college and associating it with a credential. The person also commented that they were not sure
but wondered about how the location of the training affects this question. The same instructor
also wondered if contract training is a "prime the pump" situation for access to our college and
the college may be missing opportunities to recruit business employees to the college's
programs. The same person wondered if companies are laddering their jobs to match our
credentials. They went on to say companies are missing an opportunity to develop loyalty of
employees by not providing long term training from the college.
The four positive responses to the question were varied and included several different
themes. Two respondents thought it was a plausible goal and two other respondents had indirect
responses to the question. One account manager and one instructor thought business employees
perceive the credential as a plausible goal. One account manager and one instructor thought the
perception is dynamic and changing as well as dependent on the individual person's experience.
One instructor commented on students in the accelerated FASTRACK Supervisory
Management program at MA TC. Initially business employees think the schedule is a challenge.
It includes one night a week from 5 P.M. to 9 P.M. for 18 months. After they are in the program,
students look forward to the class and a cohesive cohort of students that go through the program
is formed. After this experience these students see it as a plausible goal.
Focus Group Data
Two focus groups were held on March 16,2010. The discussions were 60 minutes in
length and held at the work place of the two employers. Overall, 13 people participated in the
focus groups. Company A had eight individuals participating and Company B had five
individuals participating. The agenda included collecting demographic data (See Appendix B),
52
signing a consent form (See Appendix C), engagement questions, exploratory questions, and one
exit question.
The two research questions addressed by this study dealt with identifying factors
supporting or hindering business employees from obtaining a technical college credential and
their ability to persist from one credit course to another. To answer these questions, the
researcher asked a series of six open-ended questions about the perception of the 13 business
employees' attitudes. The researcher facilitated the focus groups and was assisted by a note
taker from the Madison Area Technical College. The note taker recorded the oral responses for
each focus group question on a data collection sheet, one for each employer. The researcher
highlighted, coded, and counted the data to analyze it to determine patterns or themes. The data
was entered into word processing software to create a focus group summary repoli and stored on
a computer for future reference.
There was a need to assess the participation level by each participant. The note taker
recorded who participated and how many comments they made for each question. Table 3
summarizes the overall response rate to the focus group questions.
Table 3
Summary of Responses to Research Questions
Questions Percent Responding
Question 1 100%
Question 2 100%
Question 3 77%
Question 4 69%
Question 5 85%
Question 6 100%
N=13
Overall the researcher observed that the meetings were effective in collecting data from
the participants. The evaluation was based on the number and percentage of people
participating, how many people made comments during the meeting, and the number of
comments for each individual. Many of the participants responded multiple times to the
questions. Their responses were similar in nature to the ones provided by the stakeholders.
Question 1: General Knowledge of the Madison Area Technical College
53
The first focus group question that this study addressed included two palis and was intended to
identify the participant's perceptions of the Madison Area Technical College as expressed by their
general knowledge about the college. The first part of the question was a one word response by the
participants and part two was an opportunity to comment on the rating. The first part of the focus
group question was, "What is your general knowledge about the Madison Area Technical College?"
The researcher explained each person would be limited to a one-word response according to the
following definitions: H=High (taking five or more MATC courses), M=Medium (taking two to four
MATC courses), L= Low (Taking one MATC course), N= No Knowledge (taking zero MATC
Courses). Table 4 describes a summary of the responses to Question # 1.
Table 4
Question IA: General Knowledge of College Rating
Company A & B
Total
Number of
Responses
13
Low
9
Medium High
1 3
54
In general the two focus groups, expressed a low level of knowledge about the college.
In Company A, one hundred percent of the participants described their knowledge as low.
However, in Company B, three out five paliicipants described their knowledge level as high. It
was assumed that 100% of the 13 participants had participated in at least one contract training
course during 2008 and 2009 and repOlted this impression on March 16, 2010.
The second part of the focus group question was "How do you explain the rating you just
gave?" Participants made oral comments recorded by the note taker. The researcher highlighted
and coded the comments to determine whether they were positive, negative, or neutral. Table 5
summarizes the responses to the second patt of the question.
Table 5
Question 1 B: Number of Positive or Negative Comments
Company A & B
Total
Number of
Responses
13
Positive
17
Negative Neutral
2 o
When asked about their overall impression of the college, the 13 participants provided 17
positive comments and only two negative comments. The backgrounds of the participants were
varied and two major themes came from the positive comments. The two main themes related to
the positive comments were the specific applicability of the course content to their jobs and the
highly qualified MA TC teachers. One student from Company B reported earning a facility
maintenance degree from MATC. Three other students had completed college credit courses
before the contract training. The researcher interpreted the overall response to the question as
favorable towards the college.
Question 2: General Knowledge of Madison Area Technical College Credentials
55
The second focus group question was intended to identify the participant's perceptions of their
general knowledge about the credentials offered by MA TC. The researcher asked the question "What
is your general knowledge about the credentials (Certificates, I-Year Degree, 2-Year Degree) of the
Madison Area Technical College?" The researcher requested a one-word response by the paJiicipants
and limited their response to the terms high, medium, low, or no knowledge. The researcher explained
the use of the terms high, medium, low, or no knowledge was based on their opinion and not on a scale
which defined the terms. Table 6 describes a summary of the responses to Question #2.
Table 6
Question 2: General Knowledge of College Credentials
Company
Total
Number of
Responses
13
Low
9
Medium High
2 3
In general the two focus groups, expressed a low level of knowledge about the credentials
of the college. In Company A, one hundred percent of the participants described their
knowledge as low and their responses matched their responses (Low) to Question # 1. In
Company B, three out five participants described their lmowledge level as high. This matched
their responses (High) to Question #1 and these individuals were the participants who indicated
they had taken credit courses from MA TC in addition to the contract training.
One person in Company A responded to Question # 1 with a Low response and used a
Medium response to Question #2 about the credentials. This person explained that they had
taken courses at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater and understood the different types of
credentials offered by four-year and two-year institutions. One person in Company B responded
to Question #1 with a Medium response and used a Low response to Question #2 about the
56
credentials. So although they had a substantial level of contact with the college, their opinion
was they knew little about the credentials. Question #2 received only three additional responses
from both groups about this question. The researcher interpreted the substantial reduction of
responses as an indication they did not lmow much about the credentials. In Question #1 they
could relate to their prior experiences with the contract training and could draw upon them for
their comments. However, the lack of lmowledge about MA TC credentials appeared to limit
follow-up comments and discussion.
Question 3: Perceptions of the Value of a Credential
The third focus group question was intended to identify the participant's perceptions of
the value related to a credential offered by MA TC. The term credential was defined by the
researcher as either a certificate (nine to twelve credits), one-year degree (approximately 32
credits), or a two-year degree (approximately 68 credits). The researcher asked, "What is your
perception of the benefits or value derived from a teclmical college credential?" The two groups
identified seven distinct patterns or characteristics to their perceptions of the benefits. The ten
people commenting provided 24 distinct comments. The comments were tracked by individual
and all ten people who commented made multiple comments. Three people did not make a
comment-two for Company A and one for Company B.
The four major benefits they identified included: (a) increased wages or job
opportunities, (b) demonstrated achievement via a credential on a resume, ( c) increased their
knowledge applicable to their job, and (d) the flexible class schedules met their needs. The three
characteristics mentioned less frequently included: (a) going on to a four year degree, (b)
coursework augmented their experience, and (c) staying current in their job or field.
57
The researcher observed the two focus groups were very conversational about the benefit
or value of a credential. Their comments showed they could apply the value to their personal life
and career. There was a general agreement between both groups that the top two benefits related
to obtaining a credential were increased wages and demonstrated achievement on a resume. The
two groups differed in their opinions on the benefits of the credential to their job and the course
schedule being flexible . Company A participants rated applicability to the job as an important
characteristic, while no one in Company B mentioned this as a benefit. Company A pm1icipant's
rated flexible class schedule an important characteristic, while no one in Company B mentioned
this as a characteristic. Two people from Company A did not comment and one person from
Company B did not comment. A summary of their responses can be found in Appendix F.
Question 4: Perceptions of Factors That Support Obtaining a Credential
The fourth focus group question was intended to identify the participant's perceptions of
what factors support their obtaining a college credential or persisting in coursework. The
researcher asked the question "What is your perception of the factors that could or do support
you in obtaining a technical college credential or persisting in coursework?"
The discussions from the two focus groups identified six factors that support them. The
participants identified two as the most important and four other factors of less importance. The
focus groups identified outside financial support as the number one factor and scheduling
courses during their work schedule as the second most important factor. The other four
characteristics less frequently mentioned, included: (a) location and distance to the course, (b)
employer encourages participation, (c) cel1ified teachers, and (d) online courses.
In general the two focus groups were in agreement about the six characteristics that
support them and both groups identified financial support and course scheduling as the two most
58
important factors. The remaining four characteristics received much lower number of responses.
The researcher felt the types of comments and the open manner of the discussion showed they
understood the situation and could easily discuss it.
Five out of six people from Company A stated that having the cost of the course funded
by the company or a grant was vital. Each Company A participant also commented that
scheduling the course on work time was equally as impOliant. The responses of these individuals
were specific and to the point. One of the six people went on to say that having a flexible work
schedule or night classes would also help the situation.
Only three of the five people from Company B commented on this question. Two of the
three people agreed with the Company A responses that said a course at no cost to them and one
that was scheduled during work hours or on a flex schedule was vitally important. The third
person said it was impOliant that the company encourage participation.
Overall 20 comments were made by nine people. Four people did not comment on this
question. The researcher did not ask the p31iicipants who did not comment to explain their
silence on this question. A summary of their responses can be found in Appendix F.
Question 5 Perceptions of Factors That Hinder Obtaining a Credential
The fifth focus group question was intended to identify the participant's perceptions of
what factors hinder their obtaining a college credential or persisting in coursework. The
researcher asked the question, "What is your perception of the factors that could or do hinder you
in obtaining a technical college credential? Why or Why not?"
The discussions from the two focus groups identified seven factors that hinder them. The
participants identified four barriers as the most important and three other factors of less
59
importance. The four characteristics included: (a) scheduling courses during their work
schedule, (b) family or children commitments, (c) work and course schedules in evening creates
"too" long of a daily schedule, and (d) lack of money, cost of courses and gas. The other three
characteristics less frequently mentioned, included : (a) location of course or distance to the
course, (b) employer discourages participation or no work advancement, and (c) online course
need face to face course.
Three out of six people from Company A stated that taking courses in the evening, after
working all day, is a barrier because they are too tired to participate in the class or have too many
responsibilities outside of work. Three people from Company A, one female and two males,
commented that children or family commitments were important. The inference was that if
forced to choose, they would decide in favor of their family. These responses matched
comments made about families in Question 6. Two of these three people, commented that they
may take courses when the kids were either in high school or grown and have left the house.
One of the participants who mentioned family commitments as a batTier also described the need
for an in-person teacher. The inference was that this was their learning style and that they were
not attracted to online courses.
Three of the five people responding from Company B said that cost was a major batTier.
They described a lack of money and the cost of gas as a barrier. They were assuming that they
would have to travel a substantial distance to attend a course. In addition, three of the five
people mentioned the long distance to travel, including drive time, as a major barrier. Two of the
participants agreed with Company A respondents who said it was too much effort to work all day
and then go to classes in the evening. One person pointed out that work hours can conflict with
class hours. If this is the case, they would need to work and not attend class.
60
All five people from Company B and seven out of eight people from Company A
commented on this question. In general the two focus groups were in agreement about the seven
characteristics that hinder them and identified four as the most important. Overall 23 comments
were made by 12 people. One person from Company A did not comment on this question. A
summary of their responses can be found in Appendix F.
Question 6: Perceptions of a Whether a Credential is a Plausible Academic Goal
The sixth focus group question was intended to identify the participant's perceptions of
whether a MA TC credential was a plausible academic goal for them. The researcher asked the
question, "Is the obtaining of a technical college credential a plausible academic goal for you?"
The researcher explained each person would be limited to a one-word response according to the
following definitions: Yes, No, Maybe, and I Do Not Know. The researcher used a four point
scale and assumed Yes and Maybe responses to be positive ones. The No or I Do Not Know
responses were considered to be negative. A 100% response rate was given to this question.
Table 7 summarizes the responses to Question 6.
Table 7
Question 6: Is This a Plausible Academic Goalfor You?
Company Number of Yes Maybe I Don't
Responses Know
A 8 5 3 0
B 5 4* 0
Total 13 9* 4 0
* Three people said yes to only a certificate; one person said yes to Manufacturing Skills Standard Council certificate-if on company time.
No
o
o
o
61
In general the two focus groups agreed positively that obtaining a credential is a plausible
goal for them. One hundred percent of the participants agreed it was plausible. However, four
patiicipants commented that it was plausible for them only if the answer petiained to a cetiificate
and not a degree. Six people agreed to the statement as it pertained to either a certificate or a
degree.
Four follow up comments were expressed ; one comment from Company A and three
from Company B. One person from Company A said it was plausible ifit pertained to obtaining
a Manufacturing Skills Standard Council (MSSC) certificate and if they could take the course
work on company time-not their time. It appeared this person confused the MSSC cetiificate
with the cetiificates granted by the college. One person from Company B thought online classes
would be helpful. A second person from Company B said it was hard to determine if it was
plausible since they were unsure of what degree might benefit their career. The third Company
B person noted that there are some new 2+2 degrees that might be of interest to them. This
person was referring to a concept related to WTCS where associate degrees are linked by
curriculum and rigor so the student can easily transition from a technical school into a four-year
college.
Exit Question
An exit question was used with each focus group to provide another opportunity for
patiicipants to comment on topics discussed during the focus group. The researcher asked
"What other comment(s) would you like to make about the value of a college credential and
factors that hinder or support you from obtaining a credential?" The exit question received five
comments; four comments from Company A and one from Company B.
62
One person from Company A expressed a positive comment toward lifelong leaming;
they mentioned they had several other past degrees, and might pursue other training in the future
if they saw a need. Three of the Company A comments related to children and their relationship
to the pmiicipant. One person said they may take more courses when the kids are in school;
however, now kids are more impOliant. A second person commented that their kids thought that
it was good they had to do homework like them. A third person said pursuing a credential is not
a goal now but maybe in the future when the kids are grown. One person from Company B said
they needed more information about online programs since they provide more flexibility; they
can be available anywhere.
The focus group concluded with the researcher thanking the group, restating the purpose
of the study, explaining the anonymous use of the results and how to ask for information after the
session. Participants were offered one of the researcher's business cards for further follow up .
63
Chapter V: Discussion
The purpose of this qualitative study was to assess factors that support or hinder business
employees from obtaining a credential from the Madison Area Technical College. Business
employees are considered to be nontraditional students by the college and have multiple
demographic characteristics and diverse personal and academic goals. There is a need to
understand factors related to how they achieve an academic goal such as a college credential.
The most common credentials for the college are certificates, one-year degrees, and two-year
degrees. It is important to understand the context of the business employees' goals, employer
support ofthese goals, and the relationship of the employer to the college. Understanding these
three items will help to define the context surrounding business employees and how they obtain
an academic credential such as a certificate or degree.
A descriptive case study was developed utilizing two focus groups from two employers
located within Dane County, Wisconsin was used for a general framework for the study, data
collection, analysis, findings, conclusions, and recommendations.
The stakeholders and subjects of the study were organized into two groups. The first group
consisted of seven WTCS professional staff who are stakeholders to the study and participated in
the preliminary data collection activities. The second group consisted of 13 business employees
who represented two companies during the focus groups conducted on March 16, 2010. All of
the business employees self-identified themselves as blue collar or production workers. It needs
to be pointed out, the literature review revealed no information to suggest a consistent and
reliable data collection process for a case study. The results of the preliminary data collected
from the WTCS stakeholders validated the framework of the study, focus group questions, and
64
the variables of the study. The preliminary data was used to inform the remaining data collection
activities associated with the focus groups.
The following questions were used to start and maintain the exploratory discussions of
the two focus groups:
1. What is your general knowledge about a technical college and related credentials
(Certificates, 1-Year Degree, 2-Year Degree)?
2. What is your perception of the benefits or value derived from a technical college
credential?
3. What is your perception of the factors that could or do support you in obtaining a
technical college credential?
4. What is your perception of the factors that could or do hinder you in obtaining a
technical college credential? Why or Why not?
5. Is the obtaining of a technical college credential a plausible academic goal for you?
An exit question was used to provide another 0ppOliunity for participants to comment on
topics discussed during the focus groups. The exit question was: "What other comment(s) would
you like to make about the value of a college credential and factors that hinder or support you
from obtaining a credential?"
Little empirical evidence was found within the literature to describe the relationship
between business employees, their academic goals, and the technical college. Of the studies
found, Mauldin (2009) asserts a shortage of skilled workers exist at the middle skill job level
where more than a high school credential, but less than a four year credential, is needed by
employers and the workforce. Owen (2005), Seering (2008), and the Center on Wisconsin
65
Strategy (2005) confirm the Mauldin study and verify employers need workers with skills
commonly acquired as a result of a teclmical or community college degree. Carnevale (2008)
agrees and points to a trend where higher wages go to workers with the most postsecondary
education or training. At the same time, Choy (2002) and Schuetz (2008) describe nontraditional
students and diverse factors that support or hinder business employees from obtaining a
credential. This creates a challenge for technical colleges who by their mission are directed to
serve both employers through contracted training and students within the general community.
An in-depth descriptive explanation is lacking and confirms that an additional investigation of
the factors affecting business employees is warranted. The general focus of the study is the
factors that support or hinder business employees from obtaining a college credential.
Limitations of the Study
Limitations of the study include the following:
1. The study was limited by the number of respondents who participated in the
preliminary telephone interviews and the two focus groups.
2. The study was limited to the effectiveness of the focus group methodology used for
research purposes.
3. The study was limited to the interpretations of company representatives, college
representatives, and the researcher.
4. Time was a limiting factor for the scope of the study as well as the selection of the
methodology used in the study.
A constraint for the selection of the employer and subjects was the timing of the training.
The employer and employees must have received contracted training in 2008 or 2009. The
66
recent participation in a training course will help business employees remember the training and
be more descriptive when answering the questions used during the focus groups.
Conclusions
Upon review of the preliminary and focus group findings, the seven conclusions of the
study are described below. Both the stakeholders and the focus group participants agree that the
characteristics described in items 5, 6, and 7 are considered to be of major importance:
1. Full-time business employees who pmiicipated in MA TC contracted training or credit
courses have a favorable opinion of the college and the relative value of a credential.
2. Full-time business employees need a substantial level of interaction with the college's
instructional or student services staff before they act to persist in course work in order to
overcome potential balTiers
3. Full-time business employees generally value and understand the value of a credential
to their wages, career, or future.
4. Employer's playa valuable role as a gatekeeper between full-time business employees
and the college; a positive relationship between the college and the employer helps motivate
employees to learn new knowledge and skills
5. Full-time business employees perceive cost/money and who pays for the cost of
courses as one of several of the main factors that either hinder or support their ability to obtain a
college credential.
6. Full-time business employees perceive the scheduling of instruction by the college as
one of the main factors that either hinder or support their interest in obtaining a credential. A
strong preference is for the scheduling of courses during work time, and coordinating it with
work responsibilities so family commitments are disrupted as little as possible.
67
7. Full-time business employees perceive family commitments or available family time
as one of the main factors that either hinder or support their ability to obtain a college credential.
The author generally agrees with the Choy (2002) and Schuetz (2008) studies that
nontraditional students have diverse factors that SUppOlt or hinder business employees from
obtaining an academic credential. At the same time, the study agrees with National Education
Longitudinal Study of 1988 (as cited by Georgetown University, Center on Education and the
Workforce, 2010) that demonstrates certificates are important to employees and can have
positive impact on their wages and careers .
Recommendations
Based on the findings and conclusions, the recommendations are as follows:
1. Interaction within the college in some manner is a vital first step for business
employees in the process towards obtaining a degree. Full-time business employees who
participate in contract training were positively inclined to follow up on the training and take
additional coursework under the right conditions.
2. Financial and family barriers need to be reduced in order for the business employee to
actively pursue a credential.
3. College instructional services need to be scheduled in a manner or at a location that
addresses cost, schedule flexibility, and preferred learning styles.
4. The study supports one of the underlying premises of Wisconsin's efforts to provide
0ppoltunities for Wisconsin's low-wage and low skilled workers to advance in education and
training systems, to acquire postsecondary credentials, and to move up in the labor market under
a statewide initiative started in 2006 entitled the "Regional Industry Skills Education" (RISE)
initiative.
Recommendations For Additional Research
Based on the findings and conclusions, recommendations for additional research as a
result of the study's data collection are as follows:
68
1. Conduct additional research related to factors that SUppOit full-time employees
persisting in credit courses. Factors such as financial SUppOlt, course scheduling, related work
scheduling and responsibilities, and balancing outside commitments such as a family need to be
addressed. Research is needed to obtain more descriptive knowledge about the 13 factors
described by patiicipants of this study and be conducted in a manner so that they are ranked in
order of individual preferences.
2. Conduct additional research about factors in the employer and college relationship so
more is known about this vital first step.
3. Conduct additional research about the impact of the Workforce Advancement Training
Grants used to fund the contract training referred to in this study. Learn more about its impact
on both employers and employees and what can be done to help transition this group of business
employees into college credit courses or programs to earn credentials such as certificates and
degrees. The purpose is to increase the descriptive narrative of the subjects patiicipating in the
focus groups. Consider having the subjects rank in order of impoliance factors such as money,
time available for a course, family commitments, and course schedules and locations.
4. Revise the focus of the literature review to obtain additional resources on how age
affects the business employee's decision to obtain a college credential. Consider adjusting the
composition of the two focus groups according to age (Group 1: 20-29 years of age; Group 2:
30-49 years of age).
69
5. Revise the focus of the literature review to obtain additional resources on the issue of
instruction location and schedules. Consider creating an additional question for use in the focus
groups.
6. Revise the focus of the literature review to obtain additional resources on the issue of
academic goals by business employees or nontraditional students. The purpose is to identify
cun-ent knowledge about their perceptions of academic goals. Insights from additional sources
will increase the researcher's understanding of their perceptions on the relationship between a
plausible goal and the long term benefits associated with obtaining a college credential. After
obtaining additional information, consider revising the interview questions to be used with the
focus groups.
References
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Carnevale, A. P., Strohl, J., and Smith, N., (2009). Help wanted: Postsecondary education and
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Valuing Certificates: Defining the Value of Certificates. Retrieved on March 13,2010
from http://www9 .georgetown.ed ul gradl gppi/hpi/cew/pdfsl certificatesdone. pdf
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eform
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26f6210Sea6S%7D/FORGOTTENJOBS WI FINAL.PDF
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Seering,1. (2008, Winter). Analysis of the need for skilled workers in the construction industry.
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73
Appendix A: Project Charter
Business Employee Research Project Research Title: Identify attitudes of prior contract training Graduate Student: Roe Parker. Employed at the WI students and factors related to post training course Technical College System Office. Graduate student in the enrollment and retention within the Madison Area UW-Stout, Career and Technical Education (CTE) program . Technical College. Graduation: May 20 I O. Note: Roe has already completed
required training for the protection of research subjects. Faculty Advisor: Dr. Carol Mooney, UW-Stout Assigned Research Advisor: Dr. Mike Galloy, UW-Stout Research Goal(s): Develop and conduct a research-based case study of one or two employers within the II counties comprising the Madison Area Technical College (MATC) district by April 16,2010. The final goal(s) will be mutually agreeable between Roe Parker and MA TC. Project Deliverables: I) Plan B academic paper suitable for review and approval by UW Stout. 2) Written report for MA TC Business, Industry & Community Services Department. Priority of Project: High-Plan B paper needed for graduation . Type or Research: Qualitative in nature; includes an exploratory perspective to the subject. Statement of the Problem: The Madison Area Technical College provides "contract" training to many Wisconsin businesses in II counties on topics commonly found in the curriculum of associate and technical degree programs. The relationship between business employees receiving contract training and the educational programs of the college has not been analyzed. It is unclear whether these employees (nontraditional students) follow up the training and pursue postsecondary education credentials by enrolling and persisting within the college's educational programs. Employees who lack technical and general education skills limit the overall productivity of the business while limiting their future career options. The purpose of this study is to determine the attitudes or factors of business employee related to pursuing academic goals through the Madison Area Technical College and obtaining a college credential (celtificate, 1-Yr Degree, 2-Yr Tech. Degree, and/or Associate Degree. Start Date: January 5,2010 Estimated Finish Date: April 16, 20 J 0 Resources Research Assumptions:
• Roe Parker, Graduate Student • Study to be approved by the UW-Stout Institutional
• Dr. Mike Galloy, Research Advisor Review Board in JanualY 20 I O.
• UW-Stout Library and databases • Employer had a prior contract with MA TC for training
• UW-Stout Graduate Project Grant (TBA) • Students will have diverse opinions of the technical
• Jennifer Bakke, (Lead contact for MA TC) college and the goal of obtaining an academic credential.
• MATC training staff • Students will have diverse experiences accessing and
• Employer (1-2) using college services such as public information or
• Miscellaneous academic research resources counseling services.
Other Resources (Bad.ground Information) Scope
• Center on Wisconsin Strategy Staff- (TBA) • The study will be limited to the interpretations of
• WTC System Office Staff company representatives and college representatives.
• Madison Quality Improvement Network (MAQfN) • The study will limited by the number of respondents who participate in the focus groups.
• The study is limited to the effectiveness of the focus group methodology that will be used for research purposes.
Terms to be Defined: Nontraditional Student, Contract Training, Credential, Course Attrition Rate, Course Retention Rate, Enrollment, Program Attrition Rate, Program Retention Rate Research Methods:
• Interviews with MA TC contract trainers
• Interviews with Employer-Human Resource Director and employees
• Focus Group Discussions (2)-Meeting facilitation, data collection, data analysis,
• Review of appropriate train ing records
,-'
Appendix B: Demographic Data Collection Form (Blank)
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UW Stout & Madison College
Participant Research Form
MADISON AREA I TECHNICAL
COLLEGE
74
Please complete the form below by filling in the information or select a response . Please . t pnn .
Company Name: I Company Location:
First and Last Name:
Job Title:
Length of Time with the Company (Round off to the whole year):
Age:
Gender: Check a box below:
DMaie DFemale
Highest Educational Degree Obtained: Check a box below:
o High School o University or College Bachelor Degree (4 Year Degree) o University Graduate Degree DTechnical or Community College (Associate or 2 Year Degree) DOther
Appendix C: Voluntary Consent Form (Blank)
University of Wisconsin-Stout 712 South Broadway St. Menomonie, WI 54751 Phone: 715/232-1122
Title: An Assessment of Factors Among Business Employees Related to Obtaining a Credential From the Madison Area Technical College
Investigator: Roe Parker 1560 Partridge Hill Drive Oregon, WI 53575 Telephone: 608-835-3580 roe. [email protected]
Description:
Research Sponsor: Dr Michael Galloy, Ph D. Depaliment Chair Operations and Management 229 Tech Wing Telephone: 715-232-2108 [email protected]
The objective of this study is to assess factors that support or hinder business employees fi'om obtaining an academic credential from the Madison Area Technical College. Business employees are considered to be nontraditional students by the college and have multiple demographic characteristics and diverse personal and academic goals . There is a need to understand factors related to how they achieve an academic goal such as a college credential.
Employers continually seek employees who possess high levels of technical skills in order to increase productivity. Employees who do not enroll in courses or obtain academic credentials risk taking advantage of 0ppoliunities to promote into higher paying jobs and increased job mobility with future employers.
The study wiJJ consist of two focus group discussions. Each group will have between 6-8 patiicipants. The product of the study will be a written research paper.
Risks and Benefits:
Your risks involved in this research may include: feeling uncomfortable discussing your personal perceptions about the Madison Area Technical College and their academic credentials and/or your personal situations that may be a barrier to obtaining an academic credential. An example of a personal situation is being unable to find time to take a course at the technical college.
The benefits to you will be the opportunity to reflect on the value of an academic credential in terms of your own career development goals and activities. You will have an opportunity to provide feedback to the technical college who may be a potential future resource for your career development.
The overall benefit of the study will be to increase the knowledge about business employees who underutilize academ ic resources to meet the needs expressed by employers for employees with higher technical skills. The study will be useful to the technical college who serve business employees. It may also be useful to employers so they can learn more about the personal and academic goals of employees.
Time Commitment and Payment:
There is no compensation for participating in the focus group. The focus group experience will include completing a short form to collect some basic demographic data and palticipating in a 60-minute small group discussion.
Confidentiality:
Your name will be included on one background document. The document will be used only by the researcher. Notes will be taken during the group discussions. The findings, conclusions, and recommendations of the research paper will include only group summary information. Individuals and companies will not be identified in the research paper.
Right to Withdraw:
76
Your participation in this study is entirely voluntary . You may choose not to participate without any adverse consequences to you. Should you choose to participate and later wish to withdraw from the study, you may discontinue your participation at any time during the focus group without incurring adverse consequences.
IRB Approval:
This study has been reviewed and approved by The University of Wisconsin-Stout's Institutional Review Board (IRB). The IRB has determined that this study meets the ethical obligations required by federal law and University policies. If you have questions or concerns regarding this study please contact the Investigator or Advisor. If you have any questions, concerns, or reports regarding your rights as a research subject, please contact the IRB Administrator.
Investigator: Roe Parker 1560 Partridge Hill Drive Oregon, WI 53575 Telephone: 608-835-3580 roe. [email protected]
Advisor: Dr Michael Galloy, Ph D. Department Chair Operations and Management 229 Tech Wing Telephone: 715-232-2108 ga [email protected]
Statement of Consent:
IRB Administrator: Sue Foxwell, Director, Research Services 152 Vocational Rehabilitation Bldg. UW-Stout Menomonie, WI 54751 Telephone: 715-232-2477 foxwell [email protected]
By signing this consent form you agree to pmticipate in the project entitled, "An Assessment of Factors Among Business Employees Related to Obtaining a Credential From the Madison Area Technical College."
Signature Date
STOUT
Background
Appendix D: Employer Overview Document
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Business Employee Research Project
77
" MADISON AREA ! TECHNICAL
COLLEGE
The Madison Area Technical College provides "contract" training to many Wisconsin businesses in 11 counties on topics commonly found in the curriculum of associate and technical degree programs. Employers continually need employees with higher technical skills to improve productivity. Employees who lack higher technical and general education skills can possibly impact the productivity of the business while limiting their future career options. The purpose of this study is to determine the attitudes or factors of business employees that suppOli or hinder their obtaining a college credential (certificate, 1-Y r Degree, 2-Yr Tech. Degree, and/or Associate Degree).
Researcher Roe Parker is the researcher for this project and working on a Master's degree in Career and Technical Education. Roe is a consultant with over 27 years of expertise in workforce development and post secondary education. He currently teaches at Madison College and the UW -Small Business Development Center.
Note: This research has been approved by UW-Stout and Madison College. It will use a 60-minute focus group for discussion purposes. The focus groups will be held on site at the employer. The identities of the business and the participants will be kept confidential in the graduate research paper to be written in April 2010.
Agenda 1. Introductions
2. Purpose of the study and use of the results
3. Discussion questions
4. Conclusion and wrap up
Appendix E: Focus Group Agenda
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Business Employee Research Project
78
MADISON AREA : TECHNICAL
COLLEGE
The Madison Area Technical College provides "contract" training to many Wisconsin businesses in 11 counties on topics commonly found in the curriculum of associate and technical degree programs. Employers continually need employees with higher technical skills to improve productivity.
Employees who lack higher technical and general education skills can possibly impact the productivity of the business while limiting their future career options. The purpose of this study is to determine the attitudes or factors of business employees that support or hinder their obtaining a college credential (certificate, 1-Yr Degree, 2-Yr Tech. Degree, andlor Associate Degree).
Researcher-Facilitator & Note Taker Roe Parker is the researcher for this project and working on a Master's degree in Career and Technical Education at University of Wisconsin-Stout. Roe is a consultant with over 27 years of expertise in workforce development and post secondary education. He currently teaches at Madison College and the University of Wisconsin-Madison Small Business Development Center.
Karen Kretschmann will be a note taker for the discussion. She is a Training Liaison Representative for the Business, Industry and Community Services Department of the Madison Area Technical College.
Note: This research project has been approved by UW-Stout and Madison Area Technical College. The identities of the business and the participants will be kept confidential in the graduate research paper to be written in April 2010.
Agenda 1. Introductions
2. Review of consent and demographic Forms
3. Purpose of the study and use of the results
4. Discussion questions
Conclusion and wrap up
79
Appendix F: Data Collection Summary
Question #1: General Knowledge of College
H=High (5 or more MATC courses), M=Medium (2-4 MATC courses), L= Low (1 MATC course), N= (0 MATC Courses)
Company A
Al A2 A3 A4 A5 A6 A7 A8 L L L L L L L L
Comments • Took Supervision Principles and learned good ideas • Teacher interaction was good and important • Teacher connected to everyone • Taught how use the concepts and made it hands-on • Easy to learn with small groups and role playing • Got everyone involved - made everyone comfortable • MSSC crammed too much into some of the sessions in too little time • Teachers have been excellent and have good communication • Teacher personalities have been open to sharing about themselves and their experience • Teachers are interested in teaching
Company B
B 1 B2 B3 B4 B5
H M H L H
Comments • Completed a maintenance degree from Madison Area Technical College 10 years ago • 10 years ago did program and know there have been changes in the program • Have taken ExcellWord/SPCICritical Core training • Technical college classes are more specific • Have done Lean/Quality classes • Had to travel to the TEC • Have been a lifer at Madison Area Technical College - taking classes for 10-12 years and
plan to complete a Business Management degree within the year but started in artlarchi tecture
• Need more west side location classes
Question #2: General Knowledge of Credentials
H=High, Medium=M, Low=L, N=No Knowledge (Based on the participant's opinioncomments)
Company A
Al A2 A3 A4 A5 A6 A7 L L L L L L L
Comments • One person had background at UW Whitewater so general knowledge of college
expenence • Have taken only SICO sponsored classes
CompanyB
B I B2 B3 B4 B5
H L H L H
Comments • Two people have used the MA TC website
80
A8 M
81
Question #3: Perceptions of Benefits
Company A
At No Comment A2
• Technical colleges more hands-on experience - think 9 out of 10 like hands on better • Traditional colleges more book work
A3 • Gives you and edge when you have a credential when compared to others • You have proof that you have the knowledge • Documented so you can show you have the degree
A4 • Faster and more flexible when you take technical college classes • Classes are more flexible in days/times
AS No Comment A6
• Technical College more geared to work world - companies see the work related focus as having value
• Can relate knowledge immediately and gear to specific job • Looks good on a resume to have credential • Some classes flexible with on-line components you can complete on own time in own
location A7
• Something you always have to take with you - can calTY credential to future jobs • Can give you more $ if degree
A8 • 4 year degree have to do lots of classes that may not relate directly to job needs • Tech schools get to more relevant classes sooner which means less time and less money
commitment
82
Company B
B1 • Ongoing with schooling - can start at MA TC and then go on for a future 4 year degree if
wish • Credential important and can augment experience
B2 No Comment B3
• In taking the quality certificate courses - have learned new ideas/concepts/gained up to date content
• Once complete technical college degree often then go to work and then will go on to 4 yr degree
• Important to combine education and experience B4
• Degree can help move into a higher paying job B5
• For maintenance jobs = degree/certification usually required to get hired • Experience valuable but need base degree knowledge to start off • Completing classes shows potential & ability to learn
83
Question #4: Perceptions of Factors That Support Obtaining a Degree
Company A
Al No Comment A2
• Offer on work time A3
• Employer pay while on work time A4
• Required to go but it was on work time and paid • When you do not have to use or change your out of work time
AS No Comment A6
• Certified experienced teachers • Grant funding • Online options
A7 • Employer pay; offer flex time; offer on site
A8 • Flexible time • Would need night classes OR • If employer pays for it and offers it on work time
Company B
BI • Financial support • Flexibility with work hours and flexibility with school hours • Taking a couple classes at a time ~ 1-2 per semester so can still work
B2 • Company encourage yarticipation and I benefited from the new knowledge
B3 • Flex time • Employer moral support • Company pay money • W A T grant funding • Offer it at comgany
B4 No Comment BS No Comment
84
Question #5: Perceptions of Factors That Hinder Obtaining a Degree
Company A
Al • Distance to get to classes - commute more than 50 miles one way • Not interested in classes on own only take due to company offering • Night classes will not work after a long day at work
A2 • Limited work advancement/limited pay increase • Old & Tired - work 10 hour days then to go to class after work would not be possible
A3 No Comment A4
• Need face-to-face • Family commitments • Many out of work responsibilities
A5 No Comment A6 No Comment
• Cost/$ • Sometimes the BIG boss resistant to letting off work
A7 • Childcare
AS • Children and sale family bread winner
Company B
BI • Class location/distance to drive • Money/cost
B2 • Distance to drive for class • Work hours can conflict with class hours • Family commitments • Gas costs • Company requires travel so miss some classes
B3 • Gas cost
B4 • Drive time
B5 • Work hours can affect attendance • Work long hours hard to attend after long day
85
Question #6: Is This a Plausible Goal for You?
Y=Yes, N=No, M=Maybe, 1=1 don't know
Company A
Al A2 A3 A4 AS A6 A7 A8
M M Y Y M Y Y Y Comments: Al = only complete MSSC certificate not anything on my own time
CompanyB
Bl B2 B3 B4 B5
Y Y Y M Y If certificate If certificate If celiificate
Comments: • Online classes may be useful • Hard to determine if plausible since unsure what degree might benefit my career • There are some new degrees like 2+2 that might be of interest
86
Question #7: Do you have any additional comments?
Company A
Al No Comment
A2
Like lifelong learning and have several other past degrees so might do other training in the future if see a need
A3 No Comment
A4
May take future classes when kids are in school but right now kids more important AS No Comment
A6
My kids thought it was good I had to do homework just like them A7 No Comment
A8
Pursing a credential is not a goal now but maybe in future when kids are grown
Company B
BI No Comment
B2 No Comment
B3 No Comment
B4 No Comment
BS No Comment