Making a Market for Competency-Based Credentials: What Can Colleges Do?

Making a Market for Competency-Based Credentials: What Can Colleges Do?

1

Final in a series of three webinars available at www.skilledwork.org

2

All Attendees are muted. To be unmuted, you will need to have entered your PIN.

Please don’t put call on “hold”!

Ask ?s in Question box or “Raise Hand”

Bad connection? Hang up and dial back in

Technical Support: 888-259-8414, ext. 1

958-020-546

Enter the Audio PIN shown on

your screen!Raise/lower your hand

Send comments and ask

questions here!

(646) 307-1716

Today’s Presenters

Jeannine La PradCSW

Dr. Rebecca NickoliIvy Tech Community College, IN

Dr. Maria CoonsHarper College, IL

ModeratorMelodee Mabbitt, CSW

Dr. Robert ToppingSpectrum Consulting Group

Available at www.skilledwork.orgNew Report:Making a Market for Competency-Based Credentials

Slides from this series

What is a competency-based credential?

Accurately assures competencies, based on skills and knowledge of the holder

Awarded based on demonstration of those competencies

Aligns with specific industry standards and founded on the skills/competencies needed by employers

A Quality Competency-Based Credentialing Process

Current State of Play… In a nutshell

• Competency-based credentialing as a concept resonates widely

• Large-scale adoption and use needs:– Transparency (common language, registries)– Interoperability (quality assurance, data

infrastructure)– Making the Return on Investment clear to

employers, job seekers, and educators

Building the Market: Five Key Elements

Expanding Use by Educators Engage employers as full partners Utilize methodologies to ensure that all key

competencies related to job tasks and employability/ soft skills are identified

Work with sector partnerships Meet students where they are Provide opportunities for applied learning

experiences Focus on credential related outcomes

The Evolution of the Business-Education Partnerships

“Off the shelf” course offerings

Needs assessment/customized training

Organizational development approach (“Trusted Partner” – often one on one)

Deep engagement in an industry- shared ownership of standards, curriculum and assessments

(Provide solutions through cross industry and regional sector partnerships)

Dr. Maria Coons

William Rainey Harper College Comprehensive community college in Palatine,

Illinois Named for Dr. William Rainey Harper, a pioneer in

the junior college movement in the United States and the first president of the University of Chicago

Serves 40,000+ students annually, with access to job-ready degrees and certifications.

Accredited by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools (NCA)

Matching Competencies Completion of industry certifications

Quality check Demonstration of skills

Not “life experience” Portfolios Exams Corporate/Military Training (Badging)

Crosswalk

Example:Manufacturing Credentials

Long-Standing Manufacturing Programs

Maintenance Technology Associate in Applied Science Degree Credit Certificate Programs

– Basic Maintenance– Commercial Maintenance – Manufacturing Basic Certificate– Supervisory Maintenance Certificate

Welding Technology Associate in Applied Science Degree Credit Certificate Programs

– Advanced Welding Certificate– Basic Pipe Welding Certificate– Basic Welding Certificate– Welding Fabrication Certificate

New Initiative

Harper College launches new manufacturing program, internshipsIn an attempt to fill growing vacancies in high-tech manufacturing, Harper College is teaming up with local companies to create a stream of future employees.

Harper’s ProgramStatewide Network

Manufacturing TechnologyManufacturing Technology Associate in Applied Science Degree Credit Certificate Programs

– Manufacturing Production Certificate – Computer Numerical Control (CNC) Operator I Certificate– Computer Numerical Control (CNC) Operator II Certificate

• Aligned with Manufacturing Skill Standards Council (MSSC) Certified Production Technician (CPT)

Industry Certifications Entry Level: MSSC Certified Production Technician (CPT) Intermediate (within an area of specialization):

– Mechatronics: Certificates in Motion, Sensors, Electronics, Robotics and PMMI Certification

– CNC: Certificates in Precision Machining and NIMS Certification– Industrial Maintenance: Certification in Machine maintenance– Welding/Metalworking: AWS and NIMS Certifications– Green Manufacturing: Certificates in Waste Management and

Lean Manufacturing

Lessons Learned:Competency-Based Credentials

in conjunction withThe Regional Education Training Center and the

Pacific Northwest Center of Excellence for Clean Energy

Robert Topping, Ed.D.Spectrum Consulting Group, LLC

[email protected](503) 642-5165

Worker

Key Observable Outcome

(KOO)

Key PerformanceMeasurements(KPM)

Competency-Based Proficiency Credentials

Competencies

/ Student

Mastery

Demonstrationsof

Value- added= ProficiencyCredential

Assessment

Pacific Northwest Center of Excellence for Clean Energy: A Centralia College (WA) Partnership

cleanenergyexcellence.org Conduct focus groups to identify critical work

functions and key activities Verify the data gathered from focus groups. Survey current workers to determine

proficiency level of skill for a job position Compile and research existing standards in

related jobs and careers Develop work-related scenarios to place the

skill standards in context of a work environment

Gain Industry endorsement of “ skills standards” for key occupations

23

Skill StandardDuty/ Activity

CompetencyWhen it adds value to a Context, set of Conditions and Culture

Competency Proficiency Score Card

Industry Proficiency Credentials• Value Added•Competency-based•Context• Set of Conditions• Culture

ParadigmShift

Copyright © 2012. Spectrum Consulting Group, LLC. All rights reserved.

Demonstrations of Mastery

Objective Focused• Specified• Standards-based• Contracted

Value Proposition

Demonstrations of Mastery

Outcomes• Specific• Standardized• Objective Focused• Contracted

Demonstrations of Proficiency

Value Added• Competency-based•Context• Set of Conditions• Culture

WhatChanges?LearningMastery vs.

Competency-BasedProficiencies

Context

Conditions

Beliefs

Attitudes

Customs Values

Culture

Rebecca Nickoli, Ed.D.Vice President/Corporate CollegeIvy Tech Community CollegeNovember 5, 2013

Credentialing WebinarCorporation for a Skilled Workforce

• Short-term, financial aid eligible certificates

• Ivy Institutes of Technology

• Pilot program to develop competency-based degree

• Role of certification and cross-walking in accelerating completion

Alternative Approaches to Completing Credentials

• 18 to 29 credits ( ¼ to ½ of an associate degree)

• Federal financial aid available for eligible students

• One or more certifications embedded

• Technical, skills-based courses

• Role of general education

Certificates at Ivy Tech

• Always include one or more third-party certifications

• Always part of a career ladder• Examples

- Information Security has certificates in data security and network security

- Human Services has certificates in addiction studies, elder care, direct support specialist

- New general education certificate has 30 hours that transfer to all public 4-year colleges in Indiana

Certificates at Ivy Tech

Ivy Institute of TechnologyIvy Institute of Technology

Stay and earn your Associate of Applied Science degree with

only a few classes left.

$$$

Go directly into the workforce.

or

Earn your Technical CertificateIn 40 weeks of instruction.

then

How it works•Cohort-based•Five eight-week sessions•Around five hours per day in a lab•Small amount of time in classroom•Math and Communications taught in lab

Math concepts learned are ones that will be used on the Math concepts learned are ones that will be used on the job.job.

• Gates Foundation grant with Western Governors University

• Starting with a Technical Certificate in Web Design, moving on to associate degree

• Rolling out first courses in January 2014

Competency-Based Programs

• Certifications are portable and stay with the individual. Once certified, the individual can use them as evidence that one has earned the professional designation.

• They are industry-recognized, usually industry-specific and are known to employers in that discipline world-wide.

• Issued by professional associations or governing agencies which give the certification credibility in the field.

• Certifications (and professional licenses) are required for certain jobs.

• Certifications often require re-certification or re-training which helps ensure currency of the credential.

Why is Professional Certification Important?

• Through partnerships with national and international testing vendors, our centers have access to over 5,000 professional certification and licensure exams

• In FY 12-13, the centers administered over 42,000 certification and professional licensure exams.

• Certification Crosswalk at: www.ivytech.edu/

Workforce Certification at Ivy Tech

Questions

Rebecca [email protected]

Questions from recent NCWE session

How can we make competency based education fit within parameters for financial aid?

– KCTCS model of chunking modules for credit (as little as 1/2 credit)

41

Questions from recent NCWE session

Are regional accrediting bodies a barrier to this work? …No

42

Questions from recent NCWE session

Challenge of tracking accountability for outcomes when students get hired with credentials

– Data elements/ identifiers are not comparable

43

Comments from recent NCWE session

Several people talked about developing their own aligned curricula and/or credentials

– There is an opportunity for colleges to help develop certificates/certifications with companies or endorse those credentials developed by companies (and develop and align related curriculum).

44

Comments from recent NCWE session

Several people talked about developing their own aligned curricula and/or credentials

– One college mentioned that the cost of some proprietary curriculum can be cost prohibitive. They are developing their own curriculum that aligns with an industry recognized credential.

45

Questions?

Thank You!

Slides and report available at

www.skilledwork.org