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Policy Update on Policy Update on U.S. Community Colleges:U.S. Community Colleges:Successes and Challenges of Successes and Challenges of Incorporating Incorporating “Soft Skills”“Soft Skills” into the Curriculuminto the Curriculum
TA3 ConferenceTA3 ConferenceBerlin, GermanyBerlin, GermanyNovember 7, 2005 November 7, 2005
H. Martin Lancaster, PresidentH. Martin Lancaster, President
North Carolina Community College North Carolina Community College SystemSystemwww.nccommunitycolleges.edu 919-807-7100www.nccommunitycolleges.edu 919-807-7100
North Carolina Community College System H. Martin Lancaster, President www.nccommunitycolleges.edu
Fifty-eight Institutions Educating and Training a World-Class Workforce
The North Carolina The North Carolina Community College SystemCommunity College System
Our mission is about Our mission is about JOBS:JOBS: Attracting good jobs with great Attracting good jobs with great
futuresfutures Growing new jobs in new businessesGrowing new jobs in new businesses Teaching people the skills they need Teaching people the skills they need
to get and keep those jobsto get and keep those jobs
North Carolina Community College System H. Martin Lancaster, President www.nccommunitycolleges.edu
Fifty-eight Institutions Educating and Training a World-Class Workforce
Who We Who We AreAre
A System of 58 A System of 58 Community CollegesCommunity Colleges
Credit, Non-Credit, Job Training Credit, Non-Credit, Job Training and Skills Upgrading, Literacy, and Personal and Skills Upgrading, Literacy, and Personal Enrichment CoursesEnrichment Courses
Nearly Nearly 800,000800,000 North Carolinians enrolled last North Carolinians enrolled last year in at least one Community College courseyear in at least one Community College course
North Carolina Community College System H. Martin Lancaster, President www.nccommunitycolleges.edu
Fifty-eight Institutions Educating and Training a World-Class Workforce
Economic TransitionsEconomic Transitions
State economy was primarily State economy was primarily agricultural agricultural 100 years ago100 years ago
ManufacturingManufacturing emphasis emphasis began in the 1950’sbegan in the 1950’s
Transition to Transition to informationinformation and and biotechnology biotechnology applications applications began in the 1990’sbegan in the 1990’s
North Carolina Community College System H. Martin Lancaster, President www.nccommunitycolleges.edu
Fifty-eight Institutions Educating and Training a World-Class Workforce
Most Important Role of Most Important Role of Education in a Free SocietyEducation in a Free Society
To create citizens who are bothTo create citizens who are both
productiveproductive and and responsible:responsible:Capable of earning a livingCapable of earning a living
Able to make informed decisionsAble to make informed decisions Ready to step into leadershipReady to step into leadership
North Carolina Community College System H. Martin Lancaster, President www.nccommunitycolleges.edu
Fifty-eight Institutions Educating and Training a World-Class Workforce
Why Are Why Are “Soft Skills”“Soft Skills” Important in the 21Important in the 21stst Century?Century?
Dr. Dallas Herring, our spiritualDr. Dallas Herring, our spiritual
“ “godfather”, said almost 50 yearsgodfather”, said almost 50 years
ago: ago: “The only valid philosophy for “The only valid philosophy for North Carolina is the philosophy of North Carolina is the philosophy of total education.”total education.”
Training is multi-dimensional. Training is multi-dimensional.
Our greatest strength is our focus Our greatest strength is our focus
on the whole person.on the whole person.
North Carolina Community College System H. Martin Lancaster, President www.nccommunitycolleges.edu
Fifty-eight Institutions Educating and Training a World-Class Workforce
Because the World is Because the World is ChangingChanging
Greater need for skilled and Greater need for skilled and professional workersprofessional workers
Increasing globalization and Increasing globalization and diversitydiversity
More service-oriented societiesMore service-oriented societies Rapid advances in technologyRapid advances in technology
North Carolina Community College System H. Martin Lancaster, President www.nccommunitycolleges.edu
Fifty-eight Institutions Educating and Training a World-Class Workforce
What Employers What Employers Are SayingAre Saying
Good grades and Good grades and technical expertise technical expertise not enough.not enough.
Campus recruiters are looking for Campus recruiters are looking for “soft skills,”“soft skills,” such as ability to such as ability to communicatecommunicate well, work in well, work in teams,teams, and and lead lead others.others.
Oral communicationOral communication often cited most often cited most important “soft skill” -- important “soft skill” -- sorely lackingsorely lacking in in recruits coming straight from higher recruits coming straight from higher education.education.
North Carolina Community College System H. Martin Lancaster, President www.nccommunitycolleges.edu
Fifty-eight Institutions Educating and Training a World-Class Workforce
What Employers What Employers
Are SayingAre Saying
In a recent survey, employers in North CarolinaIn a recent survey, employers in North Carolina
indicated how important the following are whenindicated how important the following are when
making hiring decisions:making hiring decisions: Attitude and Demeanor 100 %Attitude and Demeanor 100 % Communications Skills Communications Skills 98.4% 98.4% Appearance/Dress/Grooming Appearance/Dress/Grooming 97.2% 97.2% Professional/Technical Certificates Professional/Technical Certificates 79.9% 79.9% Grades Earned in College Grades Earned in College 53.6% 53.6%
North Carolina Community College System H. Martin Lancaster, President www.nccommunitycolleges.edu
Fifty-eight Institutions Educating and Training a World-Class Workforce
Attitude is Attitude is Everything!Everything!
Employees must takeEmployees must take pride pride in their work.in their work.
Our competitors are not racing us to Our competitors are not racing us to the the bottombottom…They are racing us to the …They are racing us to the top.top.
It’s no longer “follow the money.” It’s no longer “follow the money.” Now, it’s Now, it’s “follow the brains.”“follow the brains.”
A A good work ethicgood work ethic is still the most is still the most important element in the workplace important element in the workplace readiness formula.readiness formula.
North Carolina Community College System H. Martin Lancaster, President www.nccommunitycolleges.edu
Fifty-eight Institutions Educating and Training a World-Class Workforce
What North Carolina What North Carolina Employers Are Looking Employers Are Looking ForFor
Personal EffectivenessPersonal Effectiveness FlexibilityFlexibility LeadershipLeadership Futuristic ThinkingFuturistic Thinking PersuasionPersuasion Interpersonal SkillsInterpersonal Skills Decision Making and Negotiating SkillsDecision Making and Negotiating Skills
North Carolina Community College System H. Martin Lancaster, President www.nccommunitycolleges.edu
Fifty-eight Institutions Educating and Training a World-Class Workforce
Even More Critical Even More Critical Are….Are….
Written and Oral CommunicationWritten and Oral Communication TeamworkTeamwork Creativity/InnovationCreativity/Innovation DiplomacyDiplomacy Conflict ManagementConflict Management Customer ServiceCustomer Service Problem Solving and Analytical Problem Solving and Analytical
ThinkingThinking
North Carolina Community College System H. Martin Lancaster, President www.nccommunitycolleges.edu
Fifty-eight Institutions Educating and Training a World-Class Workforce
How Policy Is Changing How Policy Is Changing the Way Skills Are Being the Way Skills Are Being TaughtTaught
Half Half of NCCCS colleges (29 of 58) of NCCCS colleges (29 of 58) provide specific provide specific “soft skills”“soft skills” training training at their college.at their college.
Many have incorporated Many have incorporated “soft skills”“soft skills” into their courses and programs.into their courses and programs.
Others use career centers, student Others use career centers, student activities, and campus workshops as a activities, and campus workshops as a means of delivery for means of delivery for “soft skills.”“soft skills.”
North Carolina Community College System H. Martin Lancaster, President www.nccommunitycolleges.edu
Fifty-eight Institutions Educating and Training a World-Class Workforce
The Sky’s The Limit...The Sky’s The Limit...
Student Clubs and OrganizationsStudent Clubs and Organizations Field TripsField Trips Leadership Retreats and Leadership Retreats and
ConferencesConferences Faculty and Staff TrainingFaculty and Staff Training Student Orientation CoursesStudent Orientation Courses Student Peer MentoringStudent Peer Mentoring Service Learning ProgramsService Learning Programs
North Carolina Community College System H. Martin Lancaster, President www.nccommunitycolleges.edu
Fifty-eight Institutions Educating and Training a World-Class Workforce
How Policy Changes the How Policy Changes the Classroom EnvironmentClassroom Environment
Many of our institutions Many of our institutions are adopting the concept are adopting the concept of the of the “Learning College,”“Learning College,” meaning an engagement of meaning an engagement of the learner that leads to a the learner that leads to a demonstrable change in demonstrable change in the way that the learner the way that the learner relates to his or her relates to his or her environment.environment.
North Carolina Community College System H. Martin Lancaster, President www.nccommunitycolleges.edu
Fifty-eight Institutions Educating and Training a World-Class Workforce
Durham Tech’s Durham Tech’s “Vision for a Learning “Vision for a Learning College”College”
The ability to The ability to communicate communicate clearly, effectively and clearly, effectively and respectfullyrespectfully both orally and in writing both orally and in writing
The ability to The ability to recognize cultural differencesrecognize cultural differences among peoples, to develop among peoples, to develop tolerancetolerance for for differences, and differences, and to act appropriatelyto act appropriately with with individuals of varying culturesindividuals of varying cultures
North Carolina Community College System H. Martin Lancaster, President www.nccommunitycolleges.edu
Fifty-eight Institutions Educating and Training a World-Class Workforce
Durham Tech’s Durham Tech’s “Vision for a Learning “Vision for a Learning College”College”
The ability to The ability to contribute contribute positivelypositively to the academic to the academic and workplace environment and workplace environment by demonstrating expected behaviors by demonstrating expected behaviors (e.g. integrity, demeanor, attendance, punctuality) (e.g. integrity, demeanor, attendance, punctuality) and by working with others to solve problems;and by working with others to solve problems;
The ability to The ability to learn and to possess critical-thinking learn and to possess critical-thinking and problem-solving skillsand problem-solving skills necessary in an ever- necessary in an ever-changing environment; andchanging environment; and
The ability to The ability to recognize ethical dilemmasrecognize ethical dilemmas and to and to identify possible solutions.identify possible solutions.
North Carolina Community College System H. Martin Lancaster, President www.nccommunitycolleges.edu
Fifty-eight Institutions Educating and Training a World-Class Workforce
““Dream It, Do It”Dream It, Do It”
Critical labor shortageCritical labor shortage coming as “baby boomers” coming as “baby boomers” retireretire
Discrepancy in the needs of industry and the skills of Discrepancy in the needs of industry and the skills of the available labor forcethe available labor force
National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) has National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) has introduced introduced “Dream It, Do It”“Dream It, Do It” campaign focusing on campaign focusing on “new reality”of manufacturing:“new reality”of manufacturing:- Provides training for technologically sophisticated - Provides training for technologically sophisticated
industriesindustries- - Emphasizes “soft skills”Emphasizes “soft skills” necessary to work in high- necessary to work in high-
performance teams with greater autonomy than has ever performance teams with greater autonomy than has ever existed in work environmentexisted in work environment
North Carolina Community College System H. Martin Lancaster, President www.nccommunitycolleges.edu
Fifty-eight Institutions Educating and Training a World-Class Workforce
Workkeys and the Workkeys and the Career Readiness Career Readiness
CertificateCertificateWorkKeys WorkKeys identifies skills and competenciesidentifies skills and competencies needed needed
before learning beginsbefore learning begins
Career Readiness Certificate:Career Readiness Certificate: Portable Portable credentialcredential that promotes career that promotes career development and skill attainment development and skill attainment
Confirms to employers that an individual Confirms to employers that an individual possesses basic workplace skills,possesses basic workplace skills, reduces reduces turnover, turnover, andand enhances opportunities enhances opportunities for for promotionpromotion
North Carolina Community College System H. Martin Lancaster, President www.nccommunitycolleges.edu
Fifty-eight Institutions Educating and Training a World-Class Workforce
““Soft Skills”Soft Skills” are are a a Universal Universal PrinciplePrinciple
Not unique to curriculum or credit programsNot unique to curriculum or credit programs Apply equally to training for:Apply equally to training for:
– Business and industry.Business and industry.– Persons in public service positions.Persons in public service positions.– Those seeking to become literate in their own or Those seeking to become literate in their own or
another language. another language. – Those who have chosen to better themselves in Those who have chosen to better themselves in
order to make the world a better place.order to make the world a better place.
North Carolina Community College System H. Martin Lancaster, President www.nccommunitycolleges.edu
Fifty-eight Institutions Educating and Training a World-Class Workforce
Flexibility, Mobility Flexibility, Mobility and Versatilityand Versatility
Still need Still need more math, science, technology, more math, science, technology, and communicationsand communications
Employers increasingly looking for Employers increasingly looking for creative leaderscreative leaders who who solve problemssolve problems and and have a have a passionate commitment to workpassionate commitment to work
Team playersTeam players needed who can negotiate and needed who can negotiate and work in an increasingly diverse environmentwork in an increasingly diverse environment
Our Challenge: Our Challenge: To incorporate into all To incorporate into all our curricula the philosophy of our curricula the philosophy of TOTAL EDUCATIONTOTAL EDUCATION
Policy Update on Policy Update on U.S. Community Colleges:U.S. Community Colleges:Successes and Challenges of Successes and Challenges of Incorporating Incorporating “Soft Skills”“Soft Skills” into the Curriculuminto the Curriculum
TA3 ConferenceTA3 ConferenceBerlin, GermanyBerlin, GermanyNovember 7, 2005 November 7, 2005
H. Martin Lancaster, PresidentH. Martin Lancaster, President
North Carolina Community College North Carolina Community College SystemSystemwww.nccommunitycolleges.edu 919-807-7100www.nccommunitycolleges.edu 919-807-7100
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