Topic

Discussion

Follow-up

WEDNESDAY

June 13, 2007

Regional Tech Prep Grant

Dr. Hazel Hill

San Joaquin Delta College

Don Borges

Project Director

Modesto Junior College

Workshop session presented by Dr. Hazel Hill, Dean of Economic & Workforce Development at San Joaquin Delta College.  Dr. Hill is also the Project Director for the Regional Tech Prep Grant awarded by the California Department of Education.

The intent of the Tech Prep grant is to support an effective and efficient collaborative regional approach for partnership development, coordination of California's various education and economic development agencies, and use of various education and community resources.  Additionally, the project is to support the development of a comprehensive integrated system that provides high quality, successful Tech Prep pathway programs to assist in meeting California's critical needs for highly skilled workers.  The specific career pathways being developed through the grant are: Agribusiness, Manufacturing, logistics, health and medical care, and environmental technology.

The session provided information and discussion of:

• Grant Objectives, Background, General Plans
• Targeted Industries (noted above)
• Regional Needs of the Targeted Industries:  Review of Present Educational Programs, Regional Business & Industry Needs, and Labor Market Analysis
• Specific Plans for the Development of Career Pathways

LINKS TO POWER POINT PRESENTATIONS:

Leaders in Education - Dr. Hazel Hill

Model Curriculum Standards - Don Borges

Don Borges provided a report of Career Technical Education Pathways.  The CDE Model Curriculum Standards Handbook for grades 7-12 provided basis for discussion. 

THURSDAY

June 14, 2007

Tech Prep Grant Session Follow-Up

Gary Mendenhall, Chair

Gary focused discussion on reviewing the needs of the Tech Prep grant.  It was noted that it is now unlikely that SJ Delta College will be the fiscal agent for the Tech Prep funds as previously believed.  Gary asked how the Central Region Consortium can assist the colleges in achieving the goals of the grant without the funding in place.

As a first step, it was proposed that each college take on a program and define it as narrowly or as broadly as they want to.  The definition would provide transitions from high school to community college to the job.  The following areas of each program are to be addressed: 

• Model curriculum
• Model forms
• Model pathways

Discussion then centered on how we would disseminate this information to the college, students, and industry?  It was agreed that the Central Region Consortium would add a Tech Prep button to the home page of the Consortium Web site.  The site would list program models by TOP code.  

Hazel Hill:  “We could use the CDE frameworks as a beginning so we know what is going on in the high schools.”  (CTE Model Curriculum Standards, Grades 7-12, was distributed during 6/13/07 Tech Prep Retreat Session.)

George Boodrookas suggested that we have a vision for this project.

DRAFT Vision:  Build a Talent Pipeline to meet the workforce needs of employers through a fully articulated (programs of study) career pathway in all industry sectors. 

The Center of Excellence at Modesto (MJC) could identify the tasks and skills required (or the COE Hub could help, per Elaine Gaertner, Statewide Director.) 

A work group for this project was formed.  Members include:  Larry Dutto, Bob Taylor, Hazel Hill, Gary Mendenhall, Sue Clark, and George Boodrookas 

DISCUSSION: In this region, do we have a program of study that aligns with the CDE Standards?  The end product will be articulated career pathways.  There is going to be some info for parents and businesses.  We need to simplify our language.

We could pull WIBs in to this effort.

We could create a bridge to what is already out there and direct people to it.

How do we maintain this Web information?

Gary: Same as we do www.training4me.com 

What will employer recognize?  Our job to market with local employer. 

The Work group will look at the Bay Area Regional Consortium’s Web site.  They will talk about how this can work for our region and bring information back to this group.

There needs to come a time when these two primary tasks converge:  Web and college programs. 

Different models: 

AJ & CJ (Rick and Hazel)  industry sector – all under same TOP code  (end result is training cops) 

October 2007 meeting – each of the groups, as listed below, will bring forward their programs of study: 

Precision Ag:  West Hills

Administration of Justice (AJ):  Delta and Fresno

Child Development:  Columbia

CIT (IT and Office Tech):  Fresno

Welding:  Merced

Allied Health:  COS and Taft (Dental)

Culinary:  West Hills Lemoore

Manufacturing:  Reedley

Engineering:  Merced

Media/Entertainment:  Delta

Fire Science: Modesto

Automotive:  Merced

Look at beta version for review on Oct 15, then next steps. 

ADD Career Pathways button to home page of Consortium Web site.  (Review bacareerguide.org)

Programs of Study on Web by October 2007 meeting:

Precision Ag:  West Hills

Administration of Justice (AJ):  Delta and Fresno

Child Development:  Columbia

CIT (IT and Office Tech):  Fresno

Welding:  Merced

Allied Health:  COS and Taft (Dental)

Culinary:  West Hills Lemoore

Manufacturing:  Reedley

Engineering:  Merced

Media/Entertainment:  Delta

Fire Science: Modesto

Automotive:  Merced

Welcome and Introductions

Gary Mendenhall

32 participants introduced.  See list of participants below.

Update matrix,

Designated voc ed dean

Contact matrix routed for updates.

Update on Regional Work Ready Certificate

Handouts:  Overview of Career Ready Certificate, Curriculum for Applied Math for the Workplace, Reading for the Workplace, Locating Information in the Workplace

Gary reviewed activities completed in 2006-2007 on this project.  (See May 3, 2007 Central Region Consortium Minutes.) He identified what it would be and what it would look like.  Three curriculums would be sent forward to the System Office as a Conjoint Program.  Three courses would be included in the program:  Applied Math for the Workplace, Reading for Information for the Workplace, and Locating Information in the Workplace.  Courses would be cross-linked.

Jeanine Schoemer, Project Monitor from the System Office, will talk with Program Review people at the System Office (Vicki Warner and others) and will advise us of the next steps to the approval process. 

The 14 colleges in the Central Region are using a regional approach as a benefit for the colleges.

The curriculum is closely aligned to ACT WorkKeys.

George  Boodrookas commented that Modesto has two of the courses approved for distance education offerings.  English faculty would not approve a non-credit, online reading class.   Modesto is using Key Train (a proprietary product that delivers the Work Keys standard).   

ACTION ITEM:

MOTION to APPROVE the Regional Work Ready Certificate:  M/S/A Unanimous approval.  

Gary Mendenhall asked if we want to leave this in our CRC work plan for the following years.  George Boodrookas replied, “Yes.”  George added that there are conversations at the State level about making this a statewide certificate.

Regional Work Ready certificate will be on each CRC meeting agendas for 2007-2008.

Follow-up for information from Jeanine Schoemer, System Office, on next steps for Conjoint Program

Review of Work Plan Accomplishments for 2006-2007  (Handout)

Gary Mendenhall

Gary provided a brief overview the role of the Central Region Consortium.  He stated that we are facilitators and communicators, not directors.

LINK TO 2006-2007 Central Region Consortium Work Plan Accomplishments

“We won’t do anything that hurts any one of us.

Collaboration is the key to the success of the region.”

The next activity will lead us to the work you want us (Gary and Sue) to complete in 2007-2008.  Gary referred participants to the list of potential topics of focus for 2007-2008.  These included:  WIB Collaboration, Regional Management Information Systems Training, Tech Prep Programs of Study, Perkins IV, New Managers:  Attraction & Retention, Regional Career Readiness Certificate. 

Gary asked if there was anything in the 2006-2007 work plan that we said we would do and didn’t.  There was no response from participants. 

Discussion of how to involve faculty followed. It was suggested that we invite local faculty senate representatives to attend meetings.  (NOTE:  we already do this via the list service.)

Dr. Hill  mentioned that she went to faculty working on advanced degrees and asked how she could help them.  She used the Professional Development funds offered via the Consortium to send them to the CCCAOE conference this year.  

Gary reinforced that that theme for the Fall 2007 CCCAOE conference is basic skills and that many workshops will be offered that will address offering basic skills in a contextual mode. 

Elaine Gaertner mentioned that the Initiatives have been successful with Webinars.  This is a venue where faculty can discover who is doing what. 

Student Learning Outcomes:  Gary Mendenhall asked if there are  any common concerns for the Region in the area of SLOs.  What are some motivational strategies for faculty? 

RESPONSES:  Everyone is doing things totally different.  Perhaps we should tie SLOs back to the career pathways project.  All career outlines have SLOs.  We would be able to see a lot of variety.

There is value outside accreditation.  We could offer examples of how SLOs are tied to pathways and provide models and demonstrations.  

WIB :

SJ Partnership 

Workforce Needs:  align with pathways, target industries 

Collaboration:  SBDC, Centers, EWD 

NEXT YEAR:  How can we support each other in obtaining funding via the grant process?  It was suggested that we work together as a group to get these grants.  It was noted that we would need to make some ground rules to how we are going to play if we were to do this. 

See chart of topics/meeting dates and locations for 2007-2008.

System Office Reports:

Jeanine Schoemer, Project Monitor

HANDOUTS:

Draft of State Budget

Current Status of SB70 Grants

Jeanine reported that the Perkins IV Resource Group State Plan recommendations have been sent to West Ed.  These recommendations will be disseminated to staffs who work at the DOE and the System office.

They are anticipating a draft will be available in November 2007. 

The Joint Advisory Council (JAC) met on June 7, 2007.

Discussions focused on:

1. Split of Funds: Enrollment in CTE at k-12 level is declining.  Equipment costs for community college programs continue to rise.   The Advisory Council did not take a position on this issue.
2. Tech Prep: Perkins IV gives states the option of keeping tech prep funds separate or rolling them back into the basic grant.  A decision was made to extend Tech Prep for one more year.  2007-08 will be a transition year. 

Handouts:  Draft of State Budget, Current Status of the SB70 grants.  Jeanine noted that everything that has gone out has been awarded. 

Handout:  CTE and Nursing.  Listing of bills and status.

COMMENT: As a group, Hazel Hill has a concern about nursing.

She announced a meeting of college presidents and CEOs in SAC tomorrow, June 15, 2007

Concern: They are “throwing all kinds of money into nursing, and it is not in an organized fashion. There is too much money for what we are getting.”

Response from Jeanine: “The assessment piece and prerequisites piece will make a difference.” 

Jeanine explained the phases of the nursing funding.  Phase II will look at Assessment and Retention. 

Hazel:  “We are not getting uniform results.  There is no long term planning.  The quality of experiences students are receiving is not good. Students are being crammed into programs.” 

System Office Report

Teresa Parkison,

Specialist, EWD Division

HANDOUTS:

EWD News 

Diane Brady’s SB 70 position will be filled in July 2007. 

All 13 rural opportunity grants were funded.

Elaine Gaertner

Statewide Director

BWPI Initiative

HANDOUTS:

Report from Catherine Swenson 

RFA 06-0332 (May2007)

Flexible Training Fund Checklist 

EWD Program Public Sector Customer Service Academy:  Train the Trainer, August 7 and 8,k 2007 in San Jose

Upcoming NEWS:  The Global Corporate College is comprised of colleges across the nation to address the talent gap.  There is a consortium across the nation. EWD joined as a consortium.  There are contracts coming in the door already.  We will have to train people.

Catherine Swenson is the secretary of the board for this nationwide entity.  She will provide us with opportunities to provide training. 

During April 2007 EWD conference, Catherine took information from groups and will continue in the Fall to get ideas from you. 

Professional Development:  An augmentation was awarded to some of the Initiatives.  Catherine Swenson, Bob Cumming, and Elaine Gaertner will work to utilize funding in ways to help increase understanding of the needs of special populations, basic skills, small business and entrepreneurship. 

Professional Development Institute: Elaine announced that with Michael Ward leaving the position of statewide initiative director, a competitive grant will be released. 

A Customer Service Academy for the public has been developed.  Elaine announced a train-the-trainer session scheduled for August 7, 2007 in San Jose.   

Data Collection reporting for IDRCs is down.  Elaine commented that if you have a EWD grant, you have an obligation to put your data into the system. 

Renewable Energy: A newly formed informal group comprised of the CACT, ATTi, REBRAC, and COE now exists. (FOUR ENERGY)

COE looking at area in terms of scanning.

Community College Week will focus on Green Collar jobs.  Elaine urged participants to read

www.ccweek.com.

www.cccewd.net (Offers resources for new basic skills)

CENTER REPORTS:

Center for International Trade Development (CITD)

Candy Hansen, Director

State Center CCD

Sheila Herb

Assistant

Merced College

Candy Hansen and Sheila Herb presented information via a Power Point presentation. 

Go to www.ed.gov for international and contract information for businesses.  (grants)

You will need to have an idea for an international business working with a college or university.

Contact information is located at the Web site. 

Note regarding MATCH:  On Federal grants, you can use state funding as match.   

The Centers are available to offer the colleges hands-on activities for students. 

International Office of Education Web site:

www.sjvita.org/voie

Center of Excellence (COE)

George Boodrookas, Modesto Junior College

Elaine Gaertner, Statewide Director

George and Elaine provided an overview via a Power Point presentation of services offered by the Center of Excellence.

Handout:  List of available scan reports statewide 

George announced that the new Director of the COE will have his/her office at the Stanislaus WIB Alliance office along with the Small Business Development Center (SBDC). 

Data used by COE is not suppressed. LMI suppresses data. 

They use primary research and pull in all the available research. 

Community college benefits:  forecasts using economic development model that includes college optimizer and economic forecaster. 

You can contact the COE to obtain data for grant writing, i.e., county data. 

Three workshops to bring together community colleges, Economic Development Corporations (EDC) and workforce boards will be held in the Central Region.  Participation is by invitation only.  (If you have a high interest in attending, contact Carole Adele.) 

Dates/Locations:

Modesto on July 10, 2007

Madera on July 11, 2007

Bakersfield on November 14, 2007 

Each of the Center directors will attend.

California Partnership for the San Joaquin Valley

George Boodrookas 

Dean of Community and Economic Development at

Modesto Junior College

George Boodrookas provided information on the California Partnership via a Power Point presentation.

George stated that each county needs to decide who will do each piece of the work ready certificate (There is $232,000 for the eight counties to be used for this effort.)   

George urged participants to talk to their WIB representatives soon to ask what is happening with these activities in their county.  

The WIRED grant focused on agribusiness – as of today, we are waiting for notification.  (WIRED grant not funded per Ashley Swearingin the week following the retreat.) 

The Partnership asked for a representative from the Regional Consortium to serve on the Energy Board.  Rick Christl stated that he was interested and had submitted his name. 

ACTION ITEM:

M/S/A:  Hazel Hill motioned to recommend Rick Christl as the Central Region Consortium representative to this Board.  Seconded.  Motion passed unanimously.

Notify Ashley Swearingin that Rick Christl is the Central Region Consortium’s nominee to the Board.

Workplace Learning Resource Centers

Harry Gossett for Merced College

Handout from Susan Scaffidi, Bakersfield College

The Merced College WpLRC is offering a train-the-trainer public sector version of the Customer Service Academy in San Jose in July and November. 

Bakersfield College will be offering a 40-hour JOB READINESS ACADEMY.  This academy will be delivered as enhanced basic skills (non-credit) instruction.  It is currently in the pilot phase.  The final version will be available in Fall 2007.  In addition to a training package, WorkKeys testing in Applied Math and Information skills will also be available.  Students who do not score at a work-ready level will be able to participate in KeyTrain lessons. 

The Bakersfield Center  also offers WorkKeys testing, scoring, and profiling, KeyTrain and Command Spanish. 

Bakersfield College has the ETP Regional contract, offering outreach, needs assessment, contract development and negotiation, and all accounting/record keeping, and audits with ETP. 

Rural Opportunity Grants

Thirteen colleges were funded in the state.  Of those, six were in the Central Region.  A work group was formed to evaluate region wide questions and to determine what are the objectives each are trying to achieve.  In other words, “What are region wide questions?”

It was decided that a WORK GROUP would be formed.  First, identify the six funded colleges in the Central Region and identify the lead for each college to serve as member of work group.  Include Elaine Gaertner, Catherine Swenson, and a representative from the Center of Excellence.   

Gary will call a conference call: 

Delta College

West Hills College

Merced College

Gavilan College

Identify the colleges in the region that were awarded Rural Opportunity Grants (Sue Clark).  Identify lead from each college and schedule a conference call.

Center for Applied Competitive Technologies (CACT)

Ken Olson

Director

Fresno City College

Ken reported that employers are starving for workers, especially maintenance technicians.

The two year grant awarded to Fresno City College trained 72 technicians.

Curriculum is offered for five units of credit via a 12 hour program and a 14 hour program.  Each student receives a set of tools when he/she completes the program.

Porterville College offered the program and had to turn away students.  It is doing well.  Students who complete this training are being hired at $12 per hour.  It is attracting students who are unable to take a 4 semester program. 

The Center just received a robotics grant with West Hills CCD.

Ken stated that he wants to try a way of teaching math with robots.  He has a teacher who will write the curriculum.  The goal would be to get the robot to do a task and also complete the math associated with the task.

Small Business Development Center (SBDC)

Gillian Murphy

Director

SJ Delta College

Click here to link to a Power Point presentation on the SBDC Center byGillian Murphy.

Centers in the Central Region include:

Hartnell College

San Joaquin Delta College

Weill Institute (Bakersfield College)

The SJ Delta College SBDC is the HUB for the state.

Gavilan Biotechnology Center

Sherrean Carr for Center Director

Sherrean provided Biotechnology Newsletter and stated that they are looking for a new director, as Karen Ackland took another position in Santa Cruz. 

FRIDAY

June 15, 2007

SB 70 Grant at College of the Sequoias 

Larry Dutto, Dean of Academic Services.

Larry provided report on the activities of the COS SB 70 grant by reviewing details of their June 14, 2007 activities.   Go to http://www.cos.edu/att.

Roundtable

West Hills College Lemoore – Stephanie Atkinson-Alston stated that a New Culinary Program Application will be sent to Central Region Consortium office soon for review and endorsement by the designated lead vocational education deans.  Stephanie expressed thanks to Columbia College for providing a curriculum.  Gary noted that it is modeled after ACF criteria.   

Fresno City College - Marilyn Behringer stated that Fresno’s paralegal program is among the top 100 in the nation.  The

Computer Information Technology faculty visited SUN.  SUN has donated equipment to FCC. 

SJ Delta College – Gillian Murphy stated that the SBDC partnered with University of the Pacific to conduct a venture capital forum in Stockton.  It is their hope that one of the ANGEL funders will help fund a venture capital endeavor. 

West Hills College – Carlos Diniz stated that their Precision Ag program is going well.  He added that, “We are getting on the map worldwide specifically in terms of what we do.  We are building facilities for the classrooms.”  Also, the WH rodeo team ranked number 1 in the nation.

They are very proud of the psych tech program.  They received grant funding initially (a four year grant) to start the program.  They offer three cohorts with 12 faculty.  Students go thru the program for one year, and they are finding jobs that gross $40K year. 

College of the Sequoias (COS) – Larry Dutto stated that their electrician program was approved and that they have almost 300 people in the program.  Larry offered to share the curriculum.  He stated that every electrician has to be certified.  COS has employers call all time looking for graduates.  The training requires completion of 36 units. It takes 4 years to be certified.  The student must then pass a state exam. 

Larry also stated that COS will be moving their vet tech program to the UC Vet Center with funding provided by an IDRC grant.  They are moving toward certification.  San Joaquin Delta College has given up their certification, so COS will be the only program between Visalia and Sacramento. 

COS is also starting truck driving with a twist.  They will be offering it via Ag, not IT. 

140 organic farmers are using the COS facility to process organic milk. 

Modesto Junior College (MJC) - George Boodrookas reported that Modesto Junior College is offering a pharmacy technician training program thru community education via an IDRC grant.

A Vet Tech program was started with SB70 funds.

Their CVN to LVN program produced 140 LVNs for the area.    

Columbia College:  Gary Mendenhall reported that they partnered with Modesto JC to put in a distance education lab to be able to offer Modesto’s nursing program at Columbia.

Columbia provides the prerequisites and MJC provides the clinicals.  This year they were awarded a grant (rural simulation model).  The Sonora Regional Hospital offered their facility to do all RN training at their site. There has been a great deal of collaboration between the city and the hospitals.  It has been sustainable.  If the need goes away, the program can be closed and MJC would still have it.

Gary noted that all will probably gain with collaboration.  You shouldn’t lose.  

Fresno City College – Marilyn stated that FCC is looking for help with their Dietetic Services Supervisor program.  The Dept. of Health Services is making demands.  They have indicated that the FCC program exceeds standards and they want portions of the FCC program deleted.

Participants gave input.  Basically, no one has ever had such a program where they were asked to remove content from the curriculum. 

Profiling Discussion

Larry Dutto,

College of the Sequoias

Larry advised participants that he has funding to support the training of ten profilers during a October 16-20, 2007 training session in California.  (Site to be determined.)  

Larry has been working with ACT, his campus and local WIB.  We need to identify the ten participants by August 3, 2007.

Larry stated that we can do it in specific industry cluster.  There will be some pre-training activities.  He would like to see ten colleges in our region send one person.

George Boodrookas suggested that he have a conversation with Jeff Rowe at the Stanislaus Alliance to determine if WIB funds could also be used to help support other costs, i.e., hotel, travel, etc. 

Larry stated that he wants the colleges in the region to have a person they can call.

Gary: what do you want us to do to

Write basic paragraph about what training would do, what when where

Would delta have to pay profiler to do profile?

George:  pay for travel ?

Larry:  pay for 10 slots 

Carlos Diniz asked that they look at a distribution of profilers in the region – not all in one area.

It was noted that profiling is of a specific job at a specific company. 

Larry will ask ACT what they can provide in terms of national profile information.

Incorporate profiling into the career prep pathway process.

Ask ACT what they can provide  (see description)

Consortium disseminate information from Larry and George.  They need to know what that means.  Larry Dutto to contact George Boodrookas on June 18, 2007 to discuss further.  George to contact Jeff Rowe.

Special Populations Advisory Committee Report

Sue Clark

Co-Chair, JSPAC

Sue provided an overview of the committee purpose and structure by giving a brief tour of the JSPAC Web site (http://www.jspac.org).  She then shared two products of the CCC Statewide Special Populations Collaborative Project.  These included Region 5 data on outcomes for each special population group for all Core Indicators and the Taxonomy of Programs (TOP) Classified as Nontraditional.  

LINK to Regional Data Report.

Sue advised the audience that a more detailed report from Laurie Harrison, Contractor for the Collaborative, would be possible upon request.

CCCAOE Board Report

Gary Mendenhall,

VP, Central Region

Gary encouraged colleges to submit  CCCAOE award proposals.  Information will be sent via email.  Proposals are due December 7, 2007. 

CCCAOE is looking for a legislator to nominate who has had a positive impact on vocational education in California.  Information about the nomination process will be sent electronically. 

Articulation templates will be available on the web.  Gary to send link from Jane Patton. 

The Joint Advisory Committee (JAC) is trying to decide what will happen with Perkins IV.  There is a deadlock on funding (CDE/CC).  It is now split 60/40.

Tech Prep as a separate funding - K-12 elects to eliminate it.  Secondary thinks there are some issues with tech prep.  One year funding has been approved.

Program approval – forms will be online.

Stand alone course training will be offered at CCCAOE in the Fall.  These require local approval.

An Assembly bill being presented by Scott that is an attempt to allow the CC to collect FTE for inmates on courses that are not open to the public.

El Camino College offers training via correspondence and CDs for inmates.  FTEs are collected.   

Gary to send examples of the applications that have won CCCAOE awards.

Send link for articulation templates.  Check with Jane Patton.