Career Pathways in Demand Occupations
A Progress Report
Higher Learning & Higher Earning for Oregonians
January 2009
Why is this work - the work of developing career pathways, of creating seamless transitions for students from high schools to community colleges to jobs and further education - so important? Why does it really matter?The succinct and straightforward answer is this: The whole future of our communities and of our country, not to mention countless individuals, depends significantly on the ability of community and technical colleges – along with their partners in education and the employer community – to do a far better job of moving students to and through our institutions, toward better jobs, toward continuing education over a lifetime.
--Dr. Kay McClenney
University of Texas at Austin
Community College Survey of Student Engagement (CCSSE)
Career Pathways: Building Capacity Statewide
The Career Pathways Statewide Initiative was launched recognizing that a wide range of workers enter the workforce in different ways and with different needs, and that Oregon employers are unable to find enough sufficiently trained workers for middle-skill occupations--jobs that require more than a high school degree but less than a four-year degree.
Career Pathways Goals
To increase the number of Oregonians with certificates, credentials, and degrees in demand occupations.
To articulate and ease student transitions across the education continuum from high school to community college; from pre-college (ABE/GED/ESL) to credit postsecondary; and from community college to university or a job.
Career Pathway Initiative Results
The guiding vision of the Career Pathways Initiative is to ensure that Oregonians can obtain the skillsto enter and advance in demand occupations. Initial investments were made at five colleges in 2004 and to eleven colleges in 2006. Oregon then scaled investments statewide to all 17 community colleges in 2007 using Incentive Grant and Strategic Reserve Funds. Community colleges invest in and leverage Career Pathways locally through federal Perkins funds, community college general fund, and Workforce Investment Act funds. Results and accomplishments from 2004 through 2008 include:
Progress Developing & Implementing Pathways Statewide:
Healthcare and/or manufacturing career pathways developed and implemented at all 17 community colleges. Healthcare pathways developed at one or more community colleges include: medical aide, medical coding, medical transcription, pharmacy tech, radiology tech, vet tech, welding, CNA, gerontology. Manufacturing Pathways developed at one or more community colleges include: CNC machinist, diesel technology, welding, construction, maritime seamanship,HVAC installer, and solar installer.
Business, Computer/Information Technology, and other occupational pathways being developed and implemented at individual and multiple community colleges include: computer applications, networking, computer support, early childhood education, paraeducator, retail management, project management, corrections officer, culinary arts, turf and landscape, and human services, facilities maintenance.
State Board of Education approval of a new Career Pathways Certificate (12-44 credits) for demand occupations (effective 7/1/07) resulting in approximately 100 Career Pathways Certificates offered at nine community colleges with many more Career Pathway Certificates in the planning stages statewide.
Five Pathways “bridge” courses for adult basic skills students including contextualized reading,math, and writing courses for healthcare and manufacturing occupations, as well as modules on career and college awareness through Oregon Pathways in Adult Basic Skills (OPABS). These “bridge” courses are being piloted at nine community colleges.
Vocational ESL Pathways using contextualized occupational curriculum offered at six community colleges.
Employer Advisory Committees at all 17 community colleges engaged in developing career pathways.
Statewide certificates, degrees, and articulation agreements for manufacturing engineering technology, retail management, teacher education, early childhood education, and apprenticeship;a statewide manufacturing foundations certificate currently in development.
Marketing & Communication: Tools, Products, and Strategies:
Career Pathways incorporated into five community college catalogs: Columbia Gorge, BMCC, Chemeketa, Southwestern, and Rogue.
Career Pathway roadmaps on college websites for more than 35 demand occupations including secondary and pre-college “entry points” and university and continuing education “exit points”.
Career Pathways Roadmap Webtool designed and developed by the 17 community colleges to produce a roadmaps for students; more than 200 Career Pathways roadmaps have been published. Training on the Webtool provided to 17 colleges and ongoing online help and telephone technical assistance provided to all users.
Career Pathways Glossary developed and disseminated statewide.
Career Pathways marketing materials developed at all 17 in either print or web format.
Statewide marketing plan developed including “logo” that can be used by all colleges.
Statewide website for education and workforce practitioners to disseminate promising practices and replicable models:
Leadership & Cross-Organization/Team Learning:
The Community College Presidents signed a Resolution endorsing their endorsement of Career Pathways as a statewide strategy and framework in May 2006 and renewed the Resolution in November 2008.
The Oregon Pathways Alliance was organized in 2004 beginning with 5 colleges, then expanded to 11 colleges. The collaborative expanded to all 17 colleges in spring 2007 and meets quarterly. Pathways leaders engage in extensive cross-college learning and sharing through regional and one-on-one meetings.
The Statewide Steering Committee comprised of representatives from Governor’s office, ODE, CCWD, OUS, OED, Adult Basic Skills, and the community colleges has developed a Statewide Action Plan in 2004 that is reviewed and updated through bi-annual meetings.
Healthcare Career Pathways Summit in 2008 involving more than 40 hospital & long term care employers participating in 17 teams led by community colleges and including K-12, university, and workforce partners to develop local solutions to healthcare workforce shortages.
Oregon Pathways Academies in 2005 and 2007 with cross-functional teams from all 17 community colleges including education and workforce partners to build systems approach and local Action Plans. More than 175 individuals from across the state attended the event in 2005 and in 2007.
Oregon is one of five states implementing Career Pathways as a unified strategy or framework to better align education systems and improve capacity to respond to the needs of workers and employers.
Career Pathways Student Success Stories
Career Pathways provide a systemic framework for adapting education and training delivery to meet the dynamically changing needs of workers and employers. The core elements of the Framework include: institutional and instructional innovation; student supports & tools; employer involvement; partnerships; continuous improvement; and sustainability.
Blue Mountain Community College: Sgt. Josh M. is a second year student in the Diesel Tech program. During his eight years of active duty in the National Guard, Josh had no mechanical training. Because of his training, Josh is now in charge of a contact team, responsible for maintaining heavy equipment and trucks in this company element of the Idaho National Guard. In addition, Josh is an ambassador for the program, discussing it with interested employers and students in Idaho, extending the regional reach. With years in the timber industry and a good job as a saw filer, 52 year old Todd could see the hand writing on the wall that his job would soon to be eliminated. He started researching professions that would match his skill and interests, and saw an ad that BMCC was restarting a diesel technology program and applied. Now in his second year of the program, he has a cooperative work experience job with the local Caterpillar dealer and hopes to find work in one of their many locations in the Northwest upon graduation.
ColumbiaGorgeCommunity College: Edward met with the CGCC Pathways Advisor when he was at HoodRiverHigh School. That’s when he learned about CGCC’s Renewable Energy Technology (RET) program. He worked hard to achieve the level of math needed for the program and was admitted the following year. He’s currently a student in the RET program and looking forward to a great career. Once he gets his AAS degree he plans to continue on at OIT to get his bachelor’s degree in RET. Wanda met with the CGCC Pathways Advisor when she was at HoodRiverHigh School. She applied for and received a CAMP (College Assistance Migrant Program) scholarship that provided the financial and social support tog et her through her first year of pre-college and gen ed classes. She applied to the CGCC Medical Assistant program this year and got in. She’s enjoying learning about the medical field and feels she has launched her career.
KlamathCommunity College: KCC’s welding pathway articulates with the local high school, KCC, and OIT. Mackcompleted his AAS at Klamath this past year and then transferred to OIT to complete his bachelor’s degree in Manufacturing Engineering Technology. He wants to work on pipelines and have his own business. Josh is currently a welding student focused on his career. He plans to complete his AAS using his aluminum welding knowledge to build boats.
LaneCommunity College: Maria moved to Eugene from Mexico when she was 16. After graduating from high school she worked at manufacturing company for 11 years. When the company moved its facility overseas Maria was laid off. Maria’s college placement test scores were low so she took ABE and ESL classes and a Core College Connections course which raised her reading, writing, and math levels. She was awarded a Register Guard scholarship to continue her education in healthcare. Maria’s is taking credit college classes and her next step is to earn a Career Pathways Certificate in Medical Transcription and eventually complete the Medical Office Assistant or Health Records Technology AAS degree.
Mt. Hood Community College: Thinley grew up in Tibet and later immigrated to the US. He enrolled in MHCC Career Pathways training in the VESL Machine Tool Technology Career Pathways training. He excelled in his classes. In spring 2008 he started work as a machine operator at Toyo Tanso starting at $13.00/hr. Kabale came to the US from Ethiopia as a teenager. She improved her English in PCC’s ESL classes and got a job at OHSU as a patient transporter and realized she had a strong interest in patience care. The next step in her career pathway was completing MHCC’s VESL CNA training, and she passed the Oregon State Board CNA exam. In September 2008 she was offered at CNA position at OHSU advancing in her career while still working with her current employer. This year she plans to take the training for CNA II and her long-term goal is to become an RN.
PortlandCommunity College: Chris spent fifteen years working in automotive parts stores while knowing his dream was to eventually pursue a career in computers. Various circumstances kept him from pursuing his dream but in February 2007 the auto parts facility where he worked closed. With assistance from local WorksourceCenter he started the Computer Education Program at PCC to obtain the CompTIA A+ and MCDST certifications. He successfully passed the certification exams and landed a position as a Help Desk Technician with a large non-profit organization. He started at $14.00/hr. with full benefits and a 401k package. Chris got a stellar six month review and now is enrolled in the Computer Information Systems program to complete his AAS degree. Jenny was educated as a nurse in Hong Kong. She moved to the US and focused on raising her children. She wanted to get back into the healthcare field but hadn’t worked for many years. She entered the VESL Healthcare training with clear career goals, but lack confidence. She was determined to get an internship where she could be in healthcare but not direct patient care. Jenny successfully completed an internship in the Sterile Processing Department at ProvidenceSt. VincentHospital and when the internship was completed, she was offered a job there as a Sterile Processing Assistant working full time with benefits.
RogueCommunity College: In fall 2007 Rogue partnered with their local workforce development agency, The Jobs Council, the Education Service District (ESD), and local economic development agency to conduct Career Pathways Manufacturing Industry Tours. The tours were funded through Rogue’s current Career Pathways grant and the Rogue Valley Workforce Development Foundation. The tours were such a success that local partners and employers put their heads together to figure out how to fund them long term. Another result of the tour was the partners got together and brainstorm a way to reward and recognize students who participated in the tours and wanted to move forward in their career. They decided to invest in the talent of the region’s future and develop scholarships to RCC for three individuals. They hosted the first annual Career Pathways Luncheon in August 2008 to award two individuals each $1,000 scholarships to RCC. James, a graduate of ButteFallsHigh School is now a CTE student at Rogue. Russlin, was laid off from his job and was ready for a career change. He is now enrolled in a CTE at Rogue.
“My life has been irrevocably changed for the better. It’s like the opposite of stepping off a cliff. I have been abruptly propelled skyward.”
--Alan Avery, student at PCC upon completing career pathway training
On the Horizon
Eleven community colleges are offering Career Pathways Student Services Workshops for high school and community college advisors and counselors between February and June 2009. These Workshops will be offered in partnership with the Council for Student Services Administrators (CSSA) and with technical assistance and funding provided by Career Pathways Statewide Initiative.
Co-sponsoring of Student Success Conference keynote speech on career pathways at February 2009 conference in Portland.
Through the Oregon Association of Broadcasting’s Public Education Program, a 30-second “spot” for TV and radio is being developed and will be aired statewide in February – March 2009 featuring successful career pathway students.
Development and implementation of new feature on the Career Pathways Roadmap Webtool—a Plan of Study Template to map high school and community college plans of study in Career & Technical Education. The prototype is being pilot tested in LaneCounty and Portland metro high schools. High schools can develop the template data to be used on their website. Training available spring 2009.
Roll-out of OPABS courses and other Career Pathway pre-college bridge courses to all college later in 2009.
Develop statewide strategies for incorporating the Education Plan & Profile and Articulation Agreements with OUS and other 4-year institutions into Career Pathway roadmaps and advising processes.
Continued implementation of pathways in demand occupations statewide including Career Pathways Certificates
To learn more about Oregon’s Career Pathways Initiative contact:
Mimi Maduro, Pathways Initiative Statewide Director
541-506-6105