Milwaukee Area Technical College: New Strategies for Cultivating Workers in a Global Environment

David B. TurnerDean

Milwaukee Area Technical College

Overview Vocational education evolved from guilds to a publicly- supported

higher educational system with the capacity to offer solutions to social concerns

Community/technical college fill a unique role that four year colleges and universities cannot fill-offering a pipeline for a timely, well qualified workforce

Technology caused global issues Boarders not a safe haven Competition from small countries Changing demographics

Skilled worker shortages Graduation gap Changing demographics Global competition

Overview Cont… Community college strengths are rooted in the

population it serves with their differing goals Milwaukee Area Technical College

has demonstrated innovation in cultivating a workforce for the global economy by:

Working with businesses for Program reviewDeveloping tailor-made programs

Overview Cont…

Providing students with opportunities to test their interest

Reaching out to non-traditional students

Making education and training available at multiple sites

Flexible course offerings User-friendly: focus on learning styles

Historical Origins

ApprenticeshipsGuilds – Adv/ Disadv.Industrial Revolution- more workers

Public Education- Early High Schools

6.3% attended: in 2000, 70% attended College Attendance

2% attended; in 2000, 58% attended

Historical Origins Cont…

Junior Colleges Joliet Junior College (1901)

Academic preparation for four-year colleges

Continuation Schools Individuals working Unemployed Apprentices Interested students

Historical Origins Cont…

Community Colleges Advent: Truman Commission Reasons for success

Low tuition Locations Flexibility of schedules Employment opportunities requiring “less

than Bachelor degree”

Role of Modern Community/ Technical College

Role in Society Occupational education Remedial education A-vocational education Transfer courses Workforce training

Characteristics

1202 two-year colleges in U.S. 5.5 million students 40% full-time, 60% part-time 59% women, 41% men 34% minorities- Hispanics, African-

American, Asians 39% First-generation students 17% single parents

Statistics Cont…

Average tuition $2,272 Four Year- $5,386

Degrees confirmed 550,000 AAS 270,000 Diplomas

Funding Sources 38% State funds 20% Tuition and fees

Statistics Cont…

19% Local funds 7% Federal funds 16% Other funds( food service,

bookstore) Increased demand for AAS degree

In 2004-2014 46% of job growth in U.S. in AAS careers

(professional, managerial, and high sales positions)

Challenges facing Community/Technical Colleges

Open Admission Policies Student may not benefit from college

Retention and Attrition Rates (according to Bailey,2007)

Less than 25% attain a degree After eight years

Less than 17% completed fewer than ten credits

Less than 40% earned a degree

Reasons for Attending College

Job skill acquisition Transfer to university Career/occupational preparation Learn new information Degree attainment

Reasons for High Attrition

Fewer high school opportunities Have met career objective Lack of data related to why

students attend collegeChallenge:Need to assess why students attend

college

Retention Issue

Why students fail to complete program Some students drop out because

They received what they needed Financial reasons Job out Academic

Did not have career preparation/ exploratory skills – Therefore, do not know what they want!

High School Graduation Concerns

U.S. eclipsed by Norway, Russia, Czech Republic

Japan and Canada will overtake U.S. Higher graduation rate Out of 100 students entering high

schools U.S. – 18% graduate Canada- 25% graduate

Reason for Higher Education

Correlation with Higher income Greater career opportunities Less unemployment swings Increased participation in civic

affairs Greater volunteerism

Program Discontinuation

Programs reviewed annually Enrollment status Graduation rates Related employment Workforce growth projections

Concerns and implications Suspended or discontinued- impact

future enrollments

College Survival- Shifting Enrollments due to

economy Employment good- enrollment down Employment bad- enrollment up

• Balanced curriculum areas Manufacturing declines in related trades

1950- 33.1% 2003- 10.7%

Need for managers and technicians with AAS 1984- 21% 2000- 28%

Need to consider before discontinuance

Survival Cont…

Enrollments must enhance opportunities for all individuals Non-traditional students

Older students Minorities Remedial Immigrants

MATC: Balancing Roles

To attract and cultivate workforce Colleges must have balance of programs to

serve multiple constituencies

Students Businesses and industries

Deal with concerns Environmental - employment rates Academic infrastructure (faculty, training matrl’s) Capacity and capacity building

Balance Role Cont…

Must have a skilled workforce and opportunities to work or companies will move resulting in:

Increased unemployment Increased crime Deflated housing market Social unrest

Skilled Worker Shortage

Reason Retirements of large number of

workers Low numbers of individuals being

prepared to enter workforce Large numbers of individuals whose

skills are misaligned with company needs

Critical Areas

Shortages extend to:ManufacturingPharmaceuticalsEducationHealth care

MATC Strategies

High unemployment among minorities

Skilled worker shortages Program information sessions Recruitment Special counseling Focus on unemployed

Need jobs to support themselves!!

Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs

Five levels of need Physiological – air, water Safety - employment, health, safety Belonging – family, friendships Esteem – confidence, respect for self Self-actualization – creativity,

problem solving

Learning Styles

67% learn best when work with others 22% learn best when work on their

own 10% learn best when listening 2% learn by reading

Need to consider learning styles when teaching

Immigration Issues

Hispanics- growth 14% in 2005 20% in 2030-

57% of 16-64 year olds – foreign born Individuals shunned by educators and

society disadvantaged immigrants remedial

Collaboration Across Businesses, Governments and Colleges Need to increase AAS degree

attainment- Manufacturing down but!!! 57% of jobs in region relate to manufacturing

Need to increase economic sustainability by: High levels of business and industry involvement Workforce funding streams Employment and training coordination Support for new workers Career development opportunities

Maintaining Quality

Program Assessment and Review Necessary to ensure programs are up-to-

date/ relevant Attractive to students Provide gainful employment Sustainable wage and job availability

Connecting with Business - Office of Corporate Learning (OCL) Emphasis on incumbent workers 38.14 contracts

Cultivating a Workforce:Global Perspective

Issues in Europe Low birth rates Immigration

Australia expects 30,000 vacancies in health care

Russia, Italy, Japan facing reductions in working-age populations

Training Opportunities - Nursing

High need for health-care workers - nurses Expanded from one location to four Creating additional opportunities for

non-traditional students to participate Students working (full- or part-time) Flexible schedules

Required additional faculty and equipment

Dealing with Shortages - What businesses can do!

Rather than raid other businesses and industries Involve employees in engaging work Help employees do a better job Provide employees with challenges Interact with employees

Need to cultivate workers to ensure skills and interests are matched

Worker Shortages - Bucyrus International Project

Threat to move company What questions needed to be

answered: Where would students come from? How would students be identified? What type of program needed to be

developed? What were the skills required? How would the program be delivered? What were the costs?

Project Cont…

What equipment was required? Did the faculty have the required expertise?

Responses Developed a 12-week, 480-hour program Purchased 22 new welders Obtained $500K for tuition and fees Set up an office for inquiries Radio and television talk shows

Project Cont…

Developed 400 orientation sessions Scheduled interviews for applicants

Results 50% of graduates employed

Problems: labor intensive Time consuming

Additional Funding - Grant Activities

Wisconsin Performance of Skills Standards

ECAM - Energy, Conservation, and Advanced Manufacturing

Department of Labor Grant Capacity building for pre-college

students Teacher leadership Align curriculum

Hot Programs

Allied Health - 26.2% of colleges added

Industrial-skilled trades - most discontinued

26.3% 65% of colleges that responded –

reviewed or modified curriculum for homeland security

Closing Comments

Vocationalism will be here for a long time Worker preparation will play an

increasingly important role Patterns of program development will

continue to be based on needs Community colleges will continue to

have acceptance difficulties Lifelong learning will gain in importance Graduation rates will continue to be issue