Using PLA as a Workforce Development Tool

November 10, 2011

Sarah Miller, CAEL Dr. Robin Millar, CEW

Sarah MillerPublic Sector Services Consultant, CAEL

Dr. Robin MillarExecutive Director, Centre for Education and Work

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Facilitated by:

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CAEL’s Intermediary Role

• Colleges & Universities

• Corporations

• Labor Unions

• Government, Community

and Philanthropic

Entities

• Public Policymakers

Build a stronger workforce—and a stronger economy

CAEL Public Sector Services builds your capacity to: Identify Employer Skill Needs Connect Worker Skills to Demand Identify education and training gaps

Ensure learning leads to real job opportunities

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Public Sector Services

Large Scale worker transitions

Increasing emphasis on “Middle Skill” jobs, capabilities

Skills have value no matter where and how they are developed

US DOL TEGL – Increasing Degree and Credential Attainment including Prior Learning Assessment (PLA)5

Guiding Themes of the National Workforce

Adult Learner in Focus In the U.S., more than 59 million

people, or 30 percent of the adult population, are untouched by postsecondary education.

In 35 states, more than 60 percent of the population does not have an associate‘s degree or higher.

In 2004, adult learners made up approximately 43 percent of total enrollment at community colleges, and represented 12 percent of all postsecondary education students.

Source: Council for Adult and Experiential Learning, “Adult Learner in Focus”, 2008.

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Impact of Credentials and Earnings

Percentage of Workforce by Education Level 1973-2018

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0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

1973- 91 million

1992- 129 million

2007- 154 million

2018- 166 million

Master's Degree or Better

Bachelor's Degree

Associate's Degree

Some College, no Degree

High School Graduates

High School Dropouts

• Source: The Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce

Anticipated Jobs by Education Level 2018

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• Source: The Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce

How do you use PLA? Do you have policies and

practices? Workers in Transition? Connection to the Workforce

System?

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Prior Learning Assessment

Drawing Out “Hidden” Skills Workers share high-value

experience

By helping a few workers to identify transferable and creditable skills, they can help guide the rest

Start the process for clear articulation of skills

Build confidence transitioning back into the workforce

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NUMMI Plant Closure: A Case Study of Hollywood Proportions April 1st, 2010 – Non-staggered

closure 4,700 workers / $512m annual pay

&benefits 47 suppliers and more than 1,100

procurement suppliers in 35 CA counties

Estimated total impact of 50,000 jobs lost

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Taking Action The Transition Intuition

Workers in transition are highly skilled

Potential to receive college credit

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Pre PLA support Re-Packaging Workers

Info for employers and industry outreach

Existing skills sets determined Barriers identified and resources

provided

Worker Assessments Transferrable skills identified – re-

labeled to meet other industry sector profiles

Develop worker profiles15

Clear Challenges Not just skills, but attitude and

outlook weigh heavily Special challenges facing mature

workers Workers had low view of their skills

and experiences Need for sensitive process and

measurements to identify learning from experience

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Building the Portfolio

• Before, During and

After each Job Tasks

• Transferable Skill

• Experience/Evidence of

Skills

•Focus Group input sculpted the portfolio •Process gave directed opportunity for workers to document their experiences on the job

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What do you do before you start a task?

What do you do during the task?

What do you do after the task?

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Before, during, after

Moving Forward…. Taking your skills with you when

you go

Move from “I just did this” to “This is what I learned”19

Employee Guide Templates

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• Open-Ended • Experience Prompts • Completed

Self Assessment Guide Blank template and steps guide the

exercise

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credit vs. CREDIT Is this college level learning?

Do local colleges have policy for prior learning assessment (PLA)

Policy Barriers in the region

Potential policy change with NUMMI portfolios

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The business case for PLA Reduced tuition costs Decreased time to degree Enhanced persistence

Connecting to the Workforce Attract students who otherwise

are not thinking of getting a degree

Using the Case Manager23

Attracting a New Student

What We learned Highly skilled workforce

Unaware of their talents

Self reflection critical to ID of skills

Both job seekers and staff need support and reinforcement

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Looking Toward the Future

Easing the transition from long term employment to new opportunities

Working with regional education collaborative to change policy on PLA

Connect skills documented with local and regional employer needs

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Questions??? Contact Information

Sarah Millersmiller@cael.org(312)499-2672

Dr. Robin Millarrmillar@cewca.org

204-885-2957

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