keeping the job: integrating critical skills into applied ... · keeping the job: integrating...

Keeping the Job: Integrating Critical Skills

into Applied Learning Pathways.

MaryLou McQuaide and Alexis GuethlerNCWE 2020

Our CollegeFAST FACTS:

• Established in 1961

• Nationally recognized, public, two-year institution

• Largest single- campus community college in Maryland with 5 off site locations across the County

• Close to Annapolis but have large pockets of poverty scattered throughout the County

Our StudentsFALL 2019 Student Profile:

• Mean Age-26 yrs

• Full time- 3,604, Part Time – 9,051

• Men- 40%, Women- 60%

• Caucasian- 55%

• Black/African- 17%

• Hispanic/Latino- 9%

• Asian- 5%

• Other/Multiracial- 14%

Our ProgramsWe focus on Workforce Development programs such as:

• Apprenticeships (Elec/HVAC/Plumbing/Landscaping)

• CDL A and B

• CNA/PCT

• CompTia (A+, Net+, Sec+)

• Dental Assisting and working on credit

Hygiene Program (2yr degree)

• Real Estate and Home Inspector

• Welding (AWS Certification)

ANNE ARUNDEL COMMUNITY COLLEGE

Today's Session• The need for critical skills development• Development informed by our business partners.• Storytelling and Reflection as an instructional

framework.• Integrating critical skills into our programs.

How many of you out there have received

complaints from employer

placements?

Participant Poll


Soft Skills (Workforce Success Skills)

Why are they important?

AACC End Result: Students are losing jobs because they haven't learned about soft skills.

What type of complaints are most

common?

Participant Poll

Most Important Soft Skills:• Professionalism• Dependability• Verbal Communication

These skills can be learned whether you are new to the workforce or a seasoned professional.


• Professionalism• Critical Thinking• Verbal Communication

Technical Training

Career Services

Workforce Success

Skills

Most Lacking Soft Skills:


Key Take-aways from our Employers• Common themes throughout

instruction– Business savvy– Passion and pride for trade– View towards growing in the trade– Importance of employees training those

behind them

• Skills definitions– Reviewed the terminology in the

research– Adapted them based on the represented

fields– Special attention to the customer service

and professionalism components

AACC Framework


Storytelling• Stories involve us in

personal, emotional ways.

• Low fidelity simulations.

• Enables discussions of real-life issues without feeling affronted or defensive.

Reflection• Allows us to look

back with hindsight.• Develops self

regulation skills.• Allows for

instructional coaching and personalized learning.

Instructional Methods


Our Goals• Develop a Common Language.

– Skills definitions and examples– Skills Profiles

• Develop an awareness of how success skills impact success in one's career.– Authentic situations– Discussion-based

• Understand the multiple perspectives of others impacted by one's work.– Impact on Customers– Impact on Coworkers– Impact on the Company


The Stories• Highly contextualized. • Format: Discussion Board or Face-to-Face.• Students react to stories though a series of

questions.• What types of stories do we tell?

– Cautionary Tales– So there we were stories.– Stories that Inspire – Stories that warn.

• Example Story: Equipment Error.

Your Turn:Which employee is

the most responsible for equipment making its way

back to the job site?

Participant Poll


Student Responses

Martin should have checked that everything was back to the shop and that Tina had tagged the equipment. To avoid issues, Martin should have made a pause from what they were

doing and ask Tina to tag the equipment immediately.

I believe that the primary responsibility of tagging the

rototiller falls with Tina. She was given a task to complete by her team leader that she failed to

complete. Sam should share in the blame here also because he knew the rototiller was broken

when he set it aside at the shop

Stacey should have made sure she had equipment that was in working order

before she left the shop possibly knowing the job was over an hour away.


Asking the right questions.• What should Stacey do first to

make sure that her jobsite stays on track?

• What policies do you think most businesses have in place to prevent this from happening?

• What is the impact of this small mistake on GreenCrew's schedule?

• What is the impact to the customer?

• If you were the owner of Green Crew what would you do to make sure similar mistakes do not happen again?


They also shared some of what our employers called “Business Sense”

The impact seems small but at the same time it is big, because time was lost that

could be used in other work, and in conclusion there is also loss of money,

because it took more time than it should have taken.

The crew has potentially lost a half of day of work. They will now have to do

more work than usual. This not only affects the job at hand, but it get

employees upset with the work-load and cause problems with the team.

The customer may have taken off work to be home while the project was being done and would now have to take off again. The

customer could also have a deadline to meet or another crew It also damages the companies reputation by making them look

like they are unreliable.

This "small" mistake has disrupted an entire days work and multiple employees schedules. Even if they can get another

roto tiller to the job site it means another employee will have to drive over an hour to deliver it which is more labor and gas

money.


And they had some great ideas to make the process better. Call Management to report the issue and ask for whatever resources she doesn't have to move the job forward. Ideally, they could rent a tiller at a local rental location to get the job done. This will cost a little time and money, but not

nearly as much as having to reschedule

I would institute a daily pre/post-trip inspection process for all

equipment and vehicles and then train all team leaders and team

members on the process.

I would have my mechanic be the last one to leave. Everytime someone comes back

and they're equipment isn't in good condition they have the mechanic there to

tell them the issues.


Reflective Portfolios

• Think about all of the jobs or school experiences you have had throughout your life. Identify a time when you made a mistake. Summarize that situation and the good and bad moves you made during it.

• Describe what you did to try to fix the situation.

• If you could go back in time would you change the way you responded to the mistake? What would you do differently?

• What advice would you give yourself about being accountable for both the good and the bad things that happen at work?


Skill Profile• Fast track employees are

accountable. They take responsibility for the quality of their work. They display high standards in judging that quality and request help when they need additional training. These employees have the tools of their trade available and maintain them.

• Dead end employees are not accountable. They play the blame game. Pointing fingers at the client, employer or other employees when there is a mistake or miscommunication. They are often missing essential tools of the trade and do not complete assignments on time.

Instructor Criteria

Students will demonstrate their growing competency in . . . Accountability by doing their best an having high standards for their work in class. They will admit when they are wrong, and request help when they need it. They will bring required supplied to class and let their instructor know if there is a problem. Accountable students follow the honor code and other policies.

Example Skill Profile: Accountability

Draf

t


Credentialing-Digital Badges• Students demonstrate mastery of specific skills to

earn badges.– In-class attitudes– In-class skills shown

• Evaluations in each course.• Rigorous.• Badges designed to speak to future employers.


Pilot Groups: COVID Pivot• Fully online deployment.• Program shortened for

front end loading.• Program optimized for

student needs in the COVID era by including combining orientation activities for online learning with soft skills.

• Combines synchronous and asynchronous.


Curriculum Infusion Throughout Workforce Pathways• Coursework to introduce skills.• A toolbox of activities for infusion into other

coursework.• Regular assessment of student performance of skills

leading to credentialing.• Dovetailing and enhancing career.

Technical Training

Workforce Success Skills

Career Services

Certificate Completion

and Job Placement


Keeping it Affordable• No books to buy.• No expensive

equipment.• Developed in house• Rolled into certificate

programs.• Shared sections


Who will receive this instructionwhen fully deployed?

• Pre-apprenticeships and AACC based workforce development. Addition of Workforce Success

Skills program. Revision of previous career

development program.

• Essential for staying employed and growth in the profession.

This Photo by Unknown author is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND.

https://news.schoolsdo.org/hvac_repair_w-2/

https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/


ClosingOur students, our partner's stories, and a workforce trained to think not only about their technical skills, but how their actions influence the working environment.

We hope that our student will use those experiences to Keep the Job. Keeping the Job

Career Services

Technical Training

Workforce Success

Skills

Anne Arundel Community College

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