Creating Career Pathways

Kate Daly & Teri BarnettNCTN, Rhode Island

November, 2014

What is PluggedInVA?http://www.pluggedinva.com

PluggedInVA is a career pathways program that prepares adult learners with the knowledge, skills, and credentials they need to succeed in postsecondary education, training, and high-demand, high-wage careers in the 21st century.

The Beginning

• A challenge from Aneesh Chopra

• An innovative plan to streamline education and training to prepare low-skilled adults to succeed in entry-level jobs in information technology

• From an idea to fruition in 12 months

A Very Brief History of PluggedInVA• 2008: PluggedInVA development at VCU’s Literacy

Institute• 2009: First PluggedInVA pilot began in Feb. in

Southwest Virginia in Information Technology• 2011-12: Expansion to 2 additional sites• 2014: Line item in the VA Governor’s budget

– 12 locations across VA• 2013: Development of models to expand to lower

skill levels:– PluggedInVA Workforce (5th – 8th grade)– PluggedInVA Pathways (literacy – 4th grade)

Key Elements

1. Industry-specific contextualized curriculum

2. Co-enrollment at a postsecondary institution

3. Industry-recognized credentials or certificates

4. Career Coaching 5. Active Business Participation6. Capstone project

College & Career

Readiness Outcomes

GED

Basic Skills

Transferrable Postsecondary

Credits

Digital Literacy Certification

Career Readiness Certificate

Industry Certifications

How does PIVA fill the gaps in• education and • workforce readiness?

Postsecondary education: skills gap

“Remediation: Higher Education’s Bridge to Nowhere”. 2012.http://www.completecollege.org/docs/CCA-Remediation-final.pdf

Remedial students much less likely to graduate62% Complete Remediation

22.3% Complete Remediation and associated college-level courses in two years

9.5% Graduate within 3 years“Remediation: Higher Education’s Bridge to Nowhere”. 2012.

http://www.completecollege.org/docs/CCA-Remediation-final.pdf

Workforce readiness skills gap:American Manager’s Association, Critical Skills Survey, 2010 Ranking of 5 most important

skills/knowledge for employment

1. Critical Thinking / Problem-Solving

2. Information Technology Application

3. Teamwork / Collaboration4. Creativity / Innovation5. Diversity

PluggedInVA as an Organizing Program

Has all the elements• Business driven and sector based• Partner-based development, funding, and

delivery• Outcomes – caveat: jobs• Data and evaluation• Flexible, expandable, sustainable• Total product from soup to nuts• Attention and cache• The right people

Partnerships Make it Work!

• Adult Education• Postsecondary Institutions• Employers• Workforce Development

Adult Education• Local and state level support• Contextualized basic skills• Curriculum frameworks• Teacher training• Technical assistance• Resources

Postsecondary• Co-enrollment• Instructor collaboration • Career coaches• Financial aid• Customized courses and certificate

programs

Workforce partners– Workforce Investment Boards, One-Stops, VEC

• Referrals• Eligibility• Wrap around services• Funding

Employers• Curriculum design• Job experience opportunities• Employment

Overall Framework

PluggedInVA Curriculum

Aligns with–Secondary completion–College readiness–Workplace readiness–Assessments

PluggedInVA Curriculum, cont’d

Assessments–VPT (Virginia Placement Test)–CRC (Career Readiness Certificate)–GED2014–Microsoft Digital Literacy Certificate–Industry-recognized credentials

CERTIFICATES

CAREER STUDIES

IC3 NCCER HIPAACEHRS OSHA Safety CPR & First AidCNA Medication Administration Pharmacy

TechnologyRefrigeration Recovery OSHA 10 WeldingPhlebotomy HVAC MachiningElectronic Medical Records Electricity Dental

Assisting/X-ray

Information Technology Manufacturing TechnicianConstruction/Weatherization EntrepreneurshipElectrician Helper Customer CareSoftware Quality Assurance Electronic Medical RecordsPhlebotomy HVACCNC (machining) WeldingCustomer Care PhlebotomyIndustrial Maintenance

Outcomes

Number 2009-12 2012-13 2013-14 Totals

Cohorts Completed 16 13 14 43

Students Completing Cohorts 211 144 120 475

Percentage 2009-12 2012-13 2013-14

GED Attainment 90% 90% 100% 97.5%

Industry-recognized credentials/career studies certificates

100% 100% 100% 100%

Career Readiness Certificates 88% 96% 90% 92%

Digital Literacy Certificates 100% 100% 98% 99.3%

Outcomes• Through FY2012-13, 70% of completers continued

with at least one additional semester at the community college level—4 times the rate of general adult education students.

• 47% of students enrolled in 2012-13 gained or retained employment by September 1, 2013.

• State funding in 2012-13 more than doubled enrollment from the previous year.

• PluggedInVA cohorts are operating in 12 adult education regions in Virginia.

PluggedInVA Success Stories“No one had ever taken

interest in me before…PluggedInVA gave me the opportunity to become something I wasn’t; it gave me a life and a reason to live.” Patricia Sirles

• “I have been out of school for over thirty-one years, and I am amazed at how much fun I am having learning new skills. I always wanted to return to school but was afraid I couldn’t handle it. PluggedInVA has given me a chance to see that I can do whatever I want in life. One little phone call has made a lifetime of difference for me.”- Debi Matney

Expanding the Pipeline from Literacy to Careers

Pathways

Workforce

Careers

PluggedInVA Pathways

• Goals and outcomes– Increased Educational

Functioning Levels (EFL)– Digital Literacy

Certificate (North Star)– Badges for Professional

Soft Skills & Workplace Skills

– Employment or entrance into job training

• Targeted to literacy through 4th grade

• Focus on basic skills in workplace contexts

• Computer literacy instruction• Job search techniques• Professional soft skills• Critical skills instruction (i.e.,

ethics, teamwork, critical thinking and problem solving, and communication)

• One-on-one tutoring

PluggedInVa Workforce

• Goals and outcomes– Pre-GED© Preparation– CRC Preparation– Microsoft Digital Literacy

Certificate – Completion of

Professional Soft Skills training

– Industry-recognized credential (s)

– Job experience

• Targeted to the 5th to 8th grade basic skill level

• Focus on basic skills in workplace contexts, job readiness, and career exploration– May be adapted to be

industry-specific with employer partners

• Intensive instruction (12+ hours/week + occupational)

PluggedInVA Careers

• Targeted to 9th through 12th grade basic skill levels

• Industry-specific contextualized instruction

• Co-enrollment at the adult education center and the postsecondary institution

• Explicit professional soft skills training

• ~20 hours / week instruction

• Goals and outcomes– GED© credential– Career Readiness

Certificate (CRC)– Microsoft Digital Literacy

certificate– Industry-recognized

credential (s)– Job experience– Transferable college

credits

Questions

Creating Career Pathways

TAACCCT Rounds 2 & 3 ConveningNovember, 2014