Level of Involvement Among Mississippi Community College Workforce Personnel in Community and Economic Development Activities PDF Download

Author: James L. Haffey
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ISBN:
Category : Business and education
Languages : en
Pages :

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The purpose of the study was to find out if there is a significant amount of involvement among workforce personnel and to try to identify the types of activities that were most prevalent. The study attempted to gauge community and economic development involvement by surveying participation in a variety of programs. The following organizations were studied: The State Board for Community and Junior Colleges, The Mississippi Manufacturers Association, The Mississippi Entrepreneurial Alliance, The Manufacturing Extension Partnership of Mississippi, The Society for Human Resource Managers. Over two dozen other organizations were also included in a survey along with data from the federal Workforce Investment Act, the Mississippi Legislative Accountability Report, and the corresponding WIN Job Centers. The following research questions were used in the study: 1. Are community college's actively encouraging their workforce personnel to be involved in statewide groups and local civic organizations? 2. Do community college workforce personnel actively engage in meeting with, or serve in leadership roles in, statewide groups and civic organizations? 3. Are community college workforce personnel actively engaged in working with the Workforce Investment Act (W.I.A), and their respective local WIN Job centers? 4. Do demographic variables affect the level of involvement with local civic groups, state-wide economic development groups, WIN Job Centers, or the State Board for Community and Junior Colleges? 5. Do community college workforce personnel work with businesses in their district in addition to the traditional state training contracts they may administer? The study supported the following conclusions: 1. Community colleges are not actively encouraging their workforce personnel to be involved in statewide groups and local civic organizations. 2. College workforce participation in statewide associations designed to promote community and economic development is low. 2. Community colleges do a very good job of partnering and embracing the concept of taking the colleges' programs to the community through the medium of the WIN Job Centers. 3. There is a strong commitment to businesses in the local community college district.

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Category :
Languages : en
Pages :

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Book Description
The purpose of the study was to find out if there is a significant amount of involvement among workforce personnel and to try to identify the types of activities that were most prevalent. The study attempted to gauge community and economic development involvement by surveying participation in a variety of programs. The following organizations were studied: The State Board for Community and Junior Colleges, The Mississippi Manufacturers Association, The Mississippi Entrepreneurial Alliance, The Manufacturing Extension Partnership of Mississippi, The Society for Human Resource Managers. Over two dozen other organizations were also included in a survey along with data from the federal Workforce Investment Act, the Mississippi Legislative Accountability Report, and the corresponding WIN Job Centers. The following research questions were used in the study: 1. Are community colleges actively encouraging their workforce personnel to be involved in statewide groups and local civic organizations? 2. Do community college workforce personnel actively engage in meeting with, or serve in leadership roles in, statewide groups and civic organizations? 3. Are community college workforce personnel actively engaged in working with the Workforce Investment Act (W.I.A), and their respective local WIN Job centers? 4. Do demographic variables affect the level of involvement with local civic groups, state-wide economic development groups, WIN Job Centers, or the State Board for Community and Junior Colleges? 5. Do community college workforce personnel work with businesses in their district in addition to the traditional state training contracts they may administer? The study supported the following conclusions: 1. Community colleges are not actively encouraging their workforce personnel to be involved in statewide groups and local civic organizations. 2. College workforce participation in statewide associations designed to promote community and economic development is low. 3. Community co.

Author:
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ISBN:
Category : Dissertations, Academic
Languages : en
Pages : 628

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Author: Shenita Brokenburr
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ISBN:
Category : Community colleges
Languages : en
Pages : 346

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This work explores the effects of community college involvement in workforce boards and the ways in which they collaborate and partner with each other, local employers, government agencies, community-based organizations, K-12 educational entities, and labor unions in workforce development initiatives.

Author:
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ISBN:
Category : Education
Languages : en
Pages : 1032

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Author: John Raymond Ramont
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Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 0

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Communities strive to grow economically to improve the quality of life of their citizens. Community colleges have long been a key driver of local economic development through education and workforce development programs. Over the past few decades, community colleges have increased their involvement in economic development activities beyond their traditional roles. Some believe the expansion of the role of community colleges to be a natural extension of their mission, while others are concerned this expansion may divert scarce resources into activities that dilute their core mission. Advances in technology, especially in the areas of artificial intelligence and automation, threaten to displace workers at an ever-increasing pace. Additionally, changing technology will require skilled technical workers to constantly retrain throughout their careers. Most studies examining the role of community colleges in economic development tend to focus on direct economic impacts: total payroll, purchasing, and support costs. Few studies have explored how community colleges work within their local regions to drive growth and expand the economy. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to explore the perceptions of internal and external stakeholders of the role of the community college in regional economic development activities, and to identify areas of agreement and gaps in the alignment of perceptions of the various internal and external stakeholders. Research in this area is important to better understand where interaction and support between interdependent actors can be optimized to produce more effective outcomes for economic development efforts through better alignment of resources. The study methodology used a qualitative case study approach examining the perceptions of internal and external stakeholders within a community college service area. The primary data collection method was semistructured interviews with twenty key stakeholders, both internal and external to the organization. Additional data was gathered from economic development plans and documents from the communities in the region to determine whether or not there was a cohesive vision in the region for economic development for the college to align its activities to. The study utilized three theoretical frameworks: Isenberg's (2014) entrepreneurial ecosystems, Emery and Flora's (2006) community capitals, and Florida's (2014) creative class theories. Each framework provided a means to assess the community context for the study. The results of the study indicated the local college is highly regarded in the community, and many of the programs of the college are perceived to be effective. At the same time, both internal and external stakeholders perceived significant room for improvement. Additionally, the study found evidence suggesting structures within the region for supporting strong economic growth are not ideal, and there is a lack of cohesion among the local communities for developing a vision for economic development. Recommendations for practitioners are presented for consideration in cultivating improved conditions to spur economic growth and better align resources and activities to increase the effectiveness of programs and strengthen the role of community colleges. Expanding this research may increase understanding of how colleges effectively integrate within their communities to spur economic growth and prosperity.

Author: Burnell Harris
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 115

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This study was designed to investigate and analyze whether a community college foster economic growth in its service area and, more specifically, to analyze the economic development contributions of one rural Mississippi community college to its service area. The population under study consisted of business owners in the community college's area, local elected officials, a targeted community college president and administrators, economic development planners, and the Mississippi Development Authority. 100 questionnaires were distributed; 48% of them were returned. Data were collected, arranged, and analyzed using descriptive, comparative, and correlational statistical tools. Additionally, a 5-point Likert scale was used to measure the community college's economic contribution statements. Demographic information was collected. The following information was revealed: (a) 35% of the respondents were elected officials, 20% were community college board members, and 21% were administrators; (b) 73% of those responding were Caucasian; and (c) 40% of those responding had 21 years or more of academic experience. Results revealed that respondents believed that this particular community college made significant contributions to the overall economic development of its service area. Based upon research findings, the researcher recommends the following: (a) continued elaboration between lawmakers and community college leaders, (b) identification of the economic needs of their regions by community college leaders, (c) community colleges' employment of an Economic Development Recruiter, and (d) the maintenance of business incubators. Additionally, the researcher recommends that more research is needed to determine how college administrators can increase enrollment and retrain displaced workers who are now students.

Author: United States. Congress. Senate. Committee on Appropriations. Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, and Related Agencies
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 112

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Author: Pamela Lane Stegeman
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ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages :

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Inconsistent prosperity across the country and a dearth of skilled workers for new middle-skills jobs have led to a rise in the importance of local workforce development and a consistent talent pipeline for employers. Over the past few years, the availability of a skilled local workforce has become the top concern of business executives and relocation consultants when evaluating locations for company expansion and economic growth. With over half of all jobs in the U.S. middle-skills jobs, and community colleges the primary educators and trainers of middle-skills workers, the need to marry economic development activity and community colleges is becoming clear. Some areas recognized this need and have taken steps to bring these two important community development endeavors together. Certain forward-looking states have been successful at developing employer-specific training programs and have successfully merged them into their state economic development programs. In these programs, community colleges act as the delivery platforms across the state for these employer training programs. On the local level, some economic development organizations (EDOs) and their local community colleges understand this need to deliver a consistent skilled workforce to business to build economic prosperity. These community colleges and EDOs work together to help local businesses grow and attract new business to expand or diversify the local economy. A number of researchers have examined the work between community colleges, EDOs, and local businesses to improve the local economy. Little has been done to understand what it takes for community colleges and EDOs to attract new businesses to an area. The purpose of this study is to understand the characteristics of the partnership between community colleges and EDOs that have a proven track-record in attracting new businesses to their area. Understanding the elements of successful partnerships may help communities wishing to expand their employer base and diversify their economy. This multiple case study examined community college/EDO partnerships using the lens of Kanter's (1994) critical success factors for collaborative partnerships to determined commonalities across the partnerships and elements of the community colleges that may have contributed to their success. Participants in this study had a very consistent message on critical success factors for their productive, ongoing relationship: Work together across all critical areas of community development for the good of the community; communicate, collaborate, and trust the partner organization; build respect for and from your partner by delivering on promises, understanding your partner's struggles, and working in innovative ways that help the partnership deliver on its goals. The commonalities across the partnership in regards to these critical success factors suggest their importance in local business attraction efforts, but it also indicates these critical success factors stretch across all community college/EDO partners employing a variety of economic and community growth tactics, as the participants integrated business attraction efforts with other community development activities. Expanding this research to a broader group of partners across the United States in a quantitative study may help further distinguish the critical success factors in community college/EDO partnerships.

Author: George A. Scott
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 46

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In the future, businesses will demand workers with higher-level skills and more education. Community colleges are key providers of career and technical training as well as traditional academic education. These colleges can also play important roles in the one-stop system created by the Workforce Investment Act (WIA), through which a variety of federally funded employment and training programs provide services. Given the importance of community colleges to workforce development, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) was asked to examine (1) how community colleges meet the workforce training needs of their communities; (2) what community colleges do to integrate with the nation's one-stop system; (3) the conditions or practices that enhance or impede these efforts; and (4) the actions the Departments of Labor and Education have taken to encourage linkages between community colleges and the workforce investment system, including one-stops. To address these objectives, GAO visited 20 community colleges, surveyed one-stop centers and their associated workforce investment boards, and talked to Labor and Education officials. The community colleges that GAO visited developed various approaches and programs for career and technical training to meet the needs of industry sectors, individual employers, and certain types of students and workers. Through a variety of outreach, relationship building, and data collection efforts, community colleges have come to understand the specific training needs of key industries in their regions and use this information to keep programs current or develop new programs to address these needs. Community college activities include providing contract or customized training to the employees of specific employers; working with small businesses; and targeting training and education programs to specific populations, such as disadvantaged adults, high-school students transitioning to college, and one-stop clients. Nationwide, GAO estimated that about 11 percent of one-stops are operated solely or jointly by a community college, while 34 percent have community college staff colocated at the center. Similarly, GAO estimated that, nationwide, 49 percent of local workforce investment boards have community college presidents represented on their boards. Some of the benefits of these arrangements include cost sharing and improved communication among participating programs. Officials at the colleges and one-stops that GAO visited reported also conducting other joint activities, such as strategic planning and data sharing. Community college and workforce officials cited state funding and leadership as factors that help integration between community colleges and the workforce system but identified WIA performance system measures and WIA funding issues as impediments. Under WIA, states and local workforce areas must meet performance levels in their Adult, Dislocated Worker, and Youth programs that can be difficult to obtain when serving some populations, such as those on Temporary Assistance for Needy Families or youth, causing disincentives for the one-stops to serve them. In a 2004 report, GAO recommended that the Labor Department develop a systematic way to account for differences in the population groups served by states' one-stop centers and apply it to all states when establishing their performance levels. To date, Labor has not taken action on this recommendation; however, Labor officials stated that states may use their own adjustment models and that the department has worked to ensure consistency in the process. It is uncertain whether Labor and Education's efforts to build linkages between community colleges and the workforce system will be successful in encouraging community colleges to focus on workforce development. Labor's WIRED, High Growth, and Community Based grants aim, in part, to help community colleges and other workforce entities collaborate. As discussed in GAO's recent report on these grants,Labor's evaluations do not fully measure their effectiveness, and GAO recommends that Labor take steps to do so. Labor and Education jointly funded a $1.5 million initiative in 2006 to help build linkages between community colleges and the workforce system. The agencies did not conduct an evaluation, but plan to issue a report in 2008 about the participants' challenges and successes. Four appendixes include: (1) Objectives, Scope and Methodology; (2) Community Colleges Selected for Site Visits; (3) Comments from the Department of Labor; and (4) GAO Contact and Staff Acknowledgments. (Contains 24 footnotes, 1 figure, and 3 tables.).