In addition to the 2009 VCCS Annual Report and in accordance with Item 213 of the Appropriate Act, workforce development services is offering a more in-depth look at the year in review. Learn more about what our colleges offer to students, job seekers and employers in the Commonwealth.
Introduction
Virginia’s Community Colleges provide a variety of activities to support employers, incumbent workers and the emerging workforce. These activities include career pathway programs that assist individuals in transitioning to employment after career and workplace training are provided, open enrollment courses (offered to the general public) that allow employees or potential employees to upgrade their skills, and customized training which provides the opportunity for employers to develop a course of study that meets their specific training needs.
In 2003, community college presidents developed a strategic plan that included a goal to increase college services across the state through the areas described above. This workforce goal focused on increasing the number of individuals served through workforce programs and services by 85 percent from 125,000 to 225,000.
In FY 2009, community colleges provided services to over 253,000---exceeding the goal by over 28,000.
Targeted state funding for the delivery of workforce services at Virginia’s Community Colleges is provided through three main areas: general support for workforce departments and noncredit instruction; funds to enhance curriculum and services to employers and individuals through the Institutes of Excellence; and support offered to specialized workforce centers located across the state.
Supporting Workforce Departments and Noncredit Instruction at Community Colleges
Workforce departments are the main connection to employers and individuals seeking short-term training for the community colleges. Departments design training programs that meet the current workforce needs through delivery of open enrollment or customized training as either credit or noncredit instruction. In FY 2009, colleges provided over 161,000 individuals with workforce training. Of this, approximately, 65 percent (105,000) received the instruction through noncredit delivery. The types of instruction related to workforce can include courses that provide a skills upgrade such as training in Microsoft Office, leadership and supervision, and project management. In addition, workforce departments also offer instruction that prepares individuals to earn an industry certification or state licensure. Preparation coursework ranges from the health technologies fields, including training as a certified nursing assistant, pharmacy technician, and medical coding and billing specialist, to trades-related occupations, such as general contractor, HVAC technician, and welder.
Employers are another key customer of workforce departments whether through direct contracts or through partnerships with economic development and community agencies that assist existing or potential employers. Last year, workforce departments served over 6,200 employers. In addition, workforce departments partnered with economic development agencies on 108 projects to recruit employers to the region and worked with community agencies on 167 projects to provide training services to dislocated workers.
Participants in workforce training and employers currently pay an estimated 95 percent of costs to deliver noncredit workforce instruction. Despite the higher cost to employers and participants, these courses provided a significant contribution to the community and the economy. A recent economic impact study conducted by Mangum Consulting indicated that these noncredit workforce courses contribute to a nearly 9 to 1 ratio of benefit to cost.
Improving College Curriculum and Services to Employers and Individuals through Institutes of Excellence
One critical source of funding used to increase enrollments, develop new programs and enhance instruction for workforce courses is the Institutes of Excellence program. In FY 2009, colleges received nearly $600,000 to develop or improve workforce training programs that were targeted toward high demand, high growth industries. Examples of programs include: advanced manufacturing, agriculture, construction trades, health care, information technology, mining, and transportation and logistics. With these funds and community partnership support of over $500,000 in in-kind contributions, colleges developed 88 new courses and programs and served close to 500 students. In addition, all colleges participate in the annual Institutes of Excellence showcase that features display booths and informal presentations on each project including curriculums developed, marketing materials and program outcomes to allow workforce colleagues from across the state to share and learn from their experiences.
Expanding Services through Specialized Workforce Centers
In addition to the Institutes of Excellence, the four workforce centers located at Central Virginia, Danville, Paul D. Camp, and Thomas Nelson community colleges also worked to improve instruction and develop new programs. In 2009, these centers served over 22,000 individuals. Projects developed by these centers include: the implementation of a new engineering transfer associates degree at Central Virginia that will articulate to University of Virginia and Virginia Tech, the development of online distance learning courses in industrial maintenance and advanced manufacturing at Danville to allow employees to take courses without having to travel to campus; the development of an advanced certified nurse’s aide (advanced CNA) program at Paul D. Camp to meet the growing demand for healthcare workers and provide greater opportunities employees to transition to an licensed practical nurse or registered nurse (LPN or RN) program; and the implementation of a green building and reconstruction program at Thomas Nelson that provides courses in energy conservation and environmental sustainability.