National Centre for Student Equity in Higher Education (NCSEHE) Visiting Professorial Fellow Sally Kift presents a seminar at Curtin University in October 2019.
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National Centre for Student Equity in Higher Education (NCSEHE) Visiting Professorial Fellow Sally Kift presents a seminar at Curtin University in October 2019.
Programa de Liderazgo e Innovación Educativa - Caso Harvard ( English version)Fundación Varkey
El Programa de Liderazgo e Innovación Educativa que Fundación Varkey junto al Ministerio de Educación ya implementó en 4 provincias y por medio del cual capacitó a 2000 directores, fue tomado como caso de estudio por la Harvard Graduate School of Education. #HarvardPLIE
Excelencia in Education accelerates higher education success for Latino students by providing data-driven analysis of the educational status of Latinos, and by promoting education policies and institutional practices that support their academic achievement. A not-for-profit organization, Excelencia is building a network of results-oriented educators and policymakers to address the U.S. economy’s need for a highly educated workforce and for civic leadership.
This report highlights four critical elements of training models that lead to positive employment outcomes for trainees. First, training models should be demand-driven, meaning they are responsive to employer needs by teaching the specific skills required by industry.
The Strategic Twin Counties Education Partnership — STEP for short — is a unique initiative between several stakeholder groups in Edgecombe and Nash counties.
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education, and the importance of education, especially the girls’ education. It also trained communities, revived School Management Committees (SMCs), and formed accountability committees. The idea behind these interventions was to bring communities closer to co-own, co-design, and co-create a learning-friendly environment in the schools.
Under the project, public schoolteachers and district education officials were trained on ‘intraadministrative accountability’. This was done to make teachers realize their rights & responsibilities, and how to deal with intra-administrative conflicts. The project encouraged the community and local leaders to play their role in improving enrolments and lowering dropouts. The project also sought the community members to serve as accountability committee members so as to monitor the working of schools and teachers’ absenteeism.
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Presentation on the lessons learned from Shifting Gears, a state policy initiative in the Midwest designed to re-engineer state education and training systems to ensure more low-skilled adults obtain postsecondary credentials. Delivered as a conference session during the 2011 National College Transition Network Conference in Providence, Rhode Island.
Excelencia in Education accelerates higher education success for Latino students by providing data-driven analysis of the educational status of Latinos, and by promoting education policies and institutional practices that support their academic achievement. A not-for-profit organization, Excelencia is building a network of results-oriented educators and policymakers to address the U.S. economy’s need for a highly educated workforce and for civic leadership.
This report highlights four critical elements of training models that lead to positive employment outcomes for trainees. First, training models should be demand-driven, meaning they are responsive to employer needs by teaching the specific skills required by industry.
The Strategic Twin Counties Education Partnership — STEP for short — is a unique initiative between several stakeholder groups in Edgecombe and Nash counties.
The Joint Learning Network (JLN) is a key innovation and central part of The Rockefeller Foundation’s efforts to promote universal health coverage (UHC) in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) under its Transforming Health Systems (THS) initiative (2009-2017). Launched in 2010, the JLN is a country-led, global learning network that connects practitioners around the globe, in order to advance knowledge and learning about approaches to accelerate country progress toward UHC. The JLN currently includes 27 member countries across Africa, Asia, Europe, and Latin America that engage in multilateral workshops, country learning exchanges, and virtual dialogues to share experiences and develop tools to support the design and implementation of UHC-oriented reforms. The core vehicles for shared learning and resource development under the JLN are technical initiatives, which are managed by several technical partners and organized around key levers for reaching UHC objectives.
Making Quality Education Accessible in Pakistan: A Social Accountability Appr...Muhammad Sohaib
The project titled “Making Quality Education Accessible in Pakistan -- A Social Accountability Perspective” was designed to promote the idea of participatory school governance. The project, in its targeted areas, advocated for people’s right to free
education, and the importance of education, especially the girls’ education. It also trained communities, revived School Management Committees (SMCs), and formed accountability committees. The idea behind these interventions was to bring communities closer to co-own, co-design, and co-create a learning-friendly environment in the schools.
Under the project, public schoolteachers and district education officials were trained on ‘intraadministrative accountability’. This was done to make teachers realize their rights & responsibilities, and how to deal with intra-administrative conflicts. The project encouraged the community and local leaders to play their role in improving enrolments and lowering dropouts. The project also sought the community members to serve as accountability committee members so as to monitor the working of schools and teachers’ absenteeism.
Lessons Learned from Shifting Gears: Adult Education State Policy Change for ...Marcie Foster
Presentation on the lessons learned from Shifting Gears, a state policy initiative in the Midwest designed to re-engineer state education and training systems to ensure more low-skilled adults obtain postsecondary credentials. Delivered as a conference session during the 2011 National College Transition Network Conference in Providence, Rhode Island.
Strategies for Community Engagement in School Turnaround.docxjohniemcm5zt
Strategies for
Community Engagement
in School Turnaround
March 2014
The Reform Support Network, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Education, supports the Race to
the Top grantees as they implement reforms in education policy and practice, learn from each other,
and build their capacity to sustain these reforms, while sharing these promising practices and lessons
learned with other States attempting to implement similarly bold education reform initiatives.
Contents
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Takeaway 1: Make Engagement a Priority and Establish an Infrastructure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Takeaway 2: Communicate Proactively in the Community . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10
Takeaway 3: Listen to the Community and Respond to its Feedback . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14
Takeaway 4: Offer Meaningful Opportunities to Participate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15
Takeaway 5: Turn Community Supporters into Advocates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18
Conclusion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19
Appendix : 11 Turnaround Initiatives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20
3
Introduction
Across the United States, school districts and State
education agencies (SEAs) have turned their attention
to the chronically lowest performing schools and drop
out factories, investing resources and implementing
a wide range of strategies in an effort to dramatically
improve student achievement . In many States, the
focus on “turnaround schools” has been spurred by
investments from the Federal School Improvement
Grant (SIG) program, changes to State accountability
systems and State initiatives to turn around low-
performing schools through Race to the Top and other
Federal programs . Many school districts also have
undertaken turnaround as a core reform strategy .1
This report examines one key strategy for making
school turnaround more effective: community
engagement . The purpose of community engagement
is to ensure that school improvement is done with
the community, not to the community . It recognizes
how integral schools are to their communities, and
how much parents a.
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Letter sent to college and university presidents by Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos announcing the release of additional $6.2 billion in funding for institutions.
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Wake Technical Community College plans to train 450 people for information technology (IT) jobs in healthcare, cybersecurity, manufacturing, and financial services through Project SECURE — Supporting and Enhancing Cybersecurity through Upwardly Mobile Retraining and Education.
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http://sandymillin.wordpress.com/iateflwebinar2024
Published classroom materials form the basis of syllabuses, drive teacher professional development, and have a potentially huge influence on learners, teachers and education systems. All teachers also create their own materials, whether a few sentences on a blackboard, a highly-structured fully-realised online course, or anything in between. Despite this, the knowledge and skills needed to create effective language learning materials are rarely part of teacher training, and are mostly learnt by trial and error.
Knowledge and skills frameworks, generally called competency frameworks, for ELT teachers, trainers and managers have existed for a few years now. However, until I created one for my MA dissertation, there wasn’t one drawing together what we need to know and do to be able to effectively produce language learning materials.
This webinar will introduce you to my framework, highlighting the key competencies I identified from my research. It will also show how anybody involved in language teaching (any language, not just English!), teacher training, managing schools or developing language learning materials can benefit from using the framework.
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The Roman Empire, a vast and enduring power, stands as one of history's most remarkable civilizations, leaving an indelible imprint on the world. It emerged from the Roman Republic, transitioning into an imperial powerhouse under the leadership of Augustus Caesar in 27 BCE. This transformation marked the beginning of an era defined by unprecedented territorial expansion, architectural marvels, and profound cultural influence.
The empire's roots lie in the city of Rome, founded, according to legend, by Romulus in 753 BCE. Over centuries, Rome evolved from a small settlement to a formidable republic, characterized by a complex political system with elected officials and checks on power. However, internal strife, class conflicts, and military ambitions paved the way for the end of the Republic. Julius Caesar’s dictatorship and subsequent assassination in 44 BCE created a power vacuum, leading to a civil war. Octavian, later Augustus, emerged victorious, heralding the Roman Empire’s birth.
Under Augustus, the empire experienced the Pax Romana, a 200-year period of relative peace and stability. Augustus reformed the military, established efficient administrative systems, and initiated grand construction projects. The empire's borders expanded, encompassing territories from Britain to Egypt and from Spain to the Euphrates. Roman legions, renowned for their discipline and engineering prowess, secured and maintained these vast territories, building roads, fortifications, and cities that facilitated control and integration.
The Roman Empire’s society was hierarchical, with a rigid class system. At the top were the patricians, wealthy elites who held significant political power. Below them were the plebeians, free citizens with limited political influence, and the vast numbers of slaves who formed the backbone of the economy. The family unit was central, governed by the paterfamilias, the male head who held absolute authority.
Culturally, the Romans were eclectic, absorbing and adapting elements from the civilizations they encountered, particularly the Greeks. Roman art, literature, and philosophy reflected this synthesis, creating a rich cultural tapestry. Latin, the Roman language, became the lingua franca of the Western world, influencing numerous modern languages.
Roman architecture and engineering achievements were monumental. They perfected the arch, vault, and dome, constructing enduring structures like the Colosseum, Pantheon, and aqueducts. These engineering marvels not only showcased Roman ingenuity but also served practical purposes, from public entertainment to water supply.
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2. Table of Contents
Project Overview ........................................................................................................................1
Collaborative’s History ...............................................................................................................2
Attainment & Workforce Collaborative Attainment Ecosystem...................................................4
Short-Term Goals........................................................................................................................6
Collaborative Region Assets Map ...............................................................................................6
County Profiles and Attainment Dashboard.................................................................................8
Best Practices..............................................................................................................................8
Employment Trends....................................................................................................................8
Next Steps.................................................................................................................................10
3. 1 | P a g e
Project Overview
The Land of Sky Educational Attainment and Workforce Collaborative, “the Collaborative,” is a
pilot program related to the statewide myFutureNC Commission Educational Attainment
Initiative. The focus is to align educational achievements with employable skill needs of local
employers. The overall myFutureNC state goal is to increase the total number of North
Carolinians with a postsecondary credential or degree by 2 million by the year 2030. Forecasts
indicate that if the current level of attainment rates remains constant over the 10-year period,
there will be a shortfall of 400,000 individuals with credentials or degrees needed to fulfill the
attainment goal. The Land of Sky region will need to contribute about 82,000 individuals within
the targeted group with a postsecondary credential or degree by 2030. Carolina Demography
projects that the Land of Sky region is on track to contribute 72,000 individuals with
postsecondary credentials or degrees at its current attainment level. To minimize that shortfall,
the Collaborative’s four-county goal is to increase the number of North Carolinians with
postsecondary credentials or degrees by 10,000 by the year 2030.
The Collaborative focuses on short-term, intermediate, and long-term resources and goals that
lead to a greater alignment of educational objectives and outcomes related to employers’ human
talent competencies needed in the four-county region of Buncombe, Henderson, Madison, and
Transylvania, North Carolina. The pilot program will develop an attainment model that
examines educational initiatives, certificates, and degrees that create a seamless transition from
educational institutions to gainful employment that can be utilized in all 100 North Carolina
counties.
Stakeholders include:
• Pre-K Programs
• K-12 Schools
• Community Colleges
• Public Colleges and Universities
• Private Colleges and Universities
• Workforce Development Boards
• Economic Developers
• Private and Public Employers
• Community Partners
• Nonprofit Organizations
• Local and State Governments
4. 2 | P a g e
Collaborative’s History
The Land of Sky/myFutureNC Collaborative was conceived in February 2019, when
myFutureNC released its goal of two (2) million 25 – 44 years old North Carolinians earning
high-quality credentials or post-secondary degrees by the year 2030. Initial conversations among
a small group of leaders revolved around possible collaborations between institutions of higher
education and public school systems, in the interest of developing a “pipeline” that would help
the four-county region fulfill its portion of the overall state goal. The Collaborative was
intentionally focused on Buncombe, Henderson, Madison, and Transylvania counties, which are
all served by the Land of Sky Regional Council, a local government planning and development
organization. The Collaborative’s founders and core team are:
• Mr. Jack Cecil, myFutureNC Board Member and President & CEO of Biltmore Farms
• Dr. Michael Dempsey, Dean and Director, Lenoir-Rhyne University Asheville
• Mr. Nathan Ramsey, Executive Director, Land of Sky Regional Council
• Dr. Laura Leatherwood, President, Blue Ridge Community College
• Dr. Bill Sederburg, Retired Chancellor, UNC Wilmington
To move the Collaborative forward, a steering committee was formed that represented
community colleges, public and private universities, and K-12 school systems. Initial steering
committee members included:
• Dr. Nancy Cable, Chancellor, UNC Asheville
• Mr. Tony Floyd, President, Mars Hill University
• Dr. Gene Loflin, Associate VP, Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College
• Dr. Jeff McDaris, Superintendent, Transylvania County Schools
Workforce development professionals and employers were also included in early meetings, to
ensure that the Collaborative’s focus would remain current with the regional economy’s needs,
trends, and forecasts. Several educational leaders visited Catawba Community College in
Hickory, NC, to learn more about the Catawba K-64 Initiative that has a focus on connecting all
Catawba County students to career opportunities. Additionally, during the Summer of 2019, the
Land of Sky Collaborative’s Leadership Team authored a White Paper outlining its initial ideas
and their alignment with myFutureNC, and they met with myFutureNC funders and Tennessee
education officials. The group formalized the Land of Sky Educational Attainment and
Workforce Collaborative in Fall 2019. Shortly thereafter, planning-grant funding was secured
from the John M. Belk Endowment, and Dr. Joseph Fox, President of Fox Management
Consulting Enterprises, was hired as the Collaborative’s Project Coordinator.
In November 2019, the Collaborative’s first large meeting was held at the Biltmore Park Hilton
Hotel in Asheville. Planning for the Collaborative fully commenced at that meeting, and leaders
from the following institutions participated:
5. 3 | P a g e
• Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College
• Asheville City Schools
• Blue Ridge Community College
• Brevard College
• Buncombe County Schools
• Henderson County Public Schools
• Lenoir-Rhyne University
• Mars Hill University
• Montreat College
• Transylvania County Schools
• UNC Asheville
• Western Carolina University
• Warren Wilson College
The Collaborative has continued to work toward improving educational attainment that leads to
gainful employment; however, the COVID-19 crisis caused the cancellation of the March 25,
2020 regional meeting to share updates and establish workgroups. The Collaborative has
refocused its efforts on data collection pertaining to best practices from local stakeholders and
compiled this preliminary report. The core team continues to meet bimonthly via Zoom in an
effort to move the project forward. The Collaborative is using this time of social/physical
distancing to take advantage of additional planning time to forecast educators and employers’
future needs and job categories that may be impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. While our
work at myFutureNC/LOS is intentional, strategic, and comprehensive, we also recognize in this
new world of COVID-19 that we must build in flexibility and adaptability as the workforce and
economy change in our region. When opportunities arise, we too must shift and adapt and so
must our work. The Collaborative is working with local colleges and universities to obtain the
following information:
• Number of Students 25 Years Old and Older Enrolled
• Number of Students 25 Years Old and Older Completing a Postsecondary
Credential/Degree
• Counties in which Students Reside
• FAFSA Completion Rates (Once entering college)
• Persistence Rates
• Completion/Graduation Rates
• Number and Percentage of Students Retained in the Region
6. 4 | P a g e
Attainment & Workforce Collaborative Attainment
Ecosystem
The Collaborative utilizes components of the Collective Impact Model to establish a shared
mission and common interests among stakeholders in the interest of aligning the needs of local
employers’ human talent pools to educational attainment objectives and outcomes. (A graphic
depicting the five components of the Collective Impact Model can be found below.) The
Collaborative forms the “backbone” of the organizational structure to assist the four-county
region in helping myFutureNC with its ambitious goal. The Collaborative is identifying and
reaching out to key community stakeholders, educators, employers, local governments, economic
developers, chambers of commerce, workforce development boards, and community advocates.
Members from each stakeholders group have shared their “best practices” that reinforce the
educational attainment to gainful employment goal. The Land of Sky Educational Attainment &
Workforce Collaborative Coordinator is tasked with maintaining a collective effort that identifies
common goals/progress, and establishing common agendas that create a long-term, sustainable
attainment model. The Coordinator is aided in this work by a task force that includes business
people, workforce development professionals, and representatives from all facets of the
educational pipeline, including K-12 systems, community colleges, and both public and private
four-year colleges and universities.
Source: https://clearimpact.com/achieving-collective-impact
7. 5 | P a g e
The Collaborative has created the following Educational Attainment Collaborative Ecosystem:
• External Variables are external factors impacting educational attainment, such as family
support.
• Internal Variables are internal factors impacting educational attainment, such as student
preparedness.
• Educational Institutions include Pre-K programs, public and private education K-12,
community colleges, and four-year colleges and universities.
• Policy Issues are policies that directly or indirectly impact educational attainment, plus
initiatives including funding and technology.
• Advocacy Groups are programs and organizations that advocate for educational
attainment, social and/or economic justice, human rights, etc.
• Employers are the end users that employ individuals with various credentials and
degrees.
• Workforce Development includes workforce development councils, economic
developers, and city/county governments.
8. 6 | P a g e
Short-Term Goals
Established short-term goals include the following:
• To provide recommendations regarding policy changes that will eliminate opportunity
gaps, create a common workforce development vision, and enhance gainful employment
through an equity lens.
• To establish communication and networking opportunities for all stakeholders that lead to
enhanced alignment between educational institutions, local governments, and local
employers.
• To build upon national and local “Best Practices” models in the educational and
workforce talent development arenas that lead to development of a successful North
Carolina model.
• To work in conjunction with myFutureNC and the Education Strategy Group to conduct a
regional Gap Analysis and build educational attainment County Profiles.
• To provide recommendations regarding alignment of specific workforce competencies
(human talent) needed in not only the current workforce, but also the workforce of 2030.
• To identify resources and tools that establish a seamless transition from educational
institutions to gainful employment.
• To examine talent management and talent acquisition through enhanced “Credentials of
Value.”
• To develop funding sources that lead to a long-term, strategic approach to funding the
project.
Collaborative Region Assets Map
After identifying key community stakeholders that are instrumental in the success of the
attainment/alignment project, an inventory of community assets was established. Assets were
defined as entities, organizations, and initiatives that lead to a long-term, sustainable approach to
align credentials and degrees to the needs of local employers. Three major areas were identified
as assets not only in the project four-county initiative, but throughout the state of North Carolina.
They included the following areas:
• Community Advocates
• Educational Institutions
• Governmental Support
10. 8 | P a g e
County Profiles and Attainment Dashboard
To help local North Carolina communities develop action plans driven by data, myFutureNC is
creating profiles for every county that highlight county-level education attainment and
performance on key myFutureNC education and workforce metrics. The county profiles are
intended to facilitate decision-making on local priorities, to increase attainment by highlighting
county and regional performance, and specific opportunities for improvement. Over time these
profiles could be used to map and analyze regional initiatives to increase postsecondary
attainment in North Carolina. In partnership with Carolina Demography, the myFutureNC team
developed initial County Attainment Profiles in collaboration with leaders from the Land of Sky
region. The county profiles and myFutureNC Attainment Dashboard is located at
www.myfuturenc.org.
Best Practices
Information provided by stakeholders within the Land of Sky counties led to researching best
practices and strategies around the following topics:
• Aligning Pre-K and Early Childhood Development initiatives, to establish social and
emotional skills that can be fostered throughout the educational journey.
• Development of K-16 career pathways aligned with student aspirations and employers’
needs.
• A tiered advising framework that provides a road map beginning in elementary school,
which is aligned with educational institutions and local employers.
• Establishing regional partnerships in which Pre-K, K-12, higher education, and private
sector business and workforce leaders are represented to advance alignment. This could
be in the form of a “P-20 Council” or some other formalized body.
• Connecting employers to educational partners in the interest of supporting curriculum
development or work-based learning experiences (internships, apprenticeships, etc.).
• Targeting special populations such as re-entry, veterans, immigrants, and students that are
economically or academically at risk.
• Revising educational placement policies and practices that impede education-to-
employment pipelines.
Employment Trends
Information from the State of Our Workforce: Western North Carolina (2018) provided the
following key takeaways:
11. 9 | P a g e
• Manufacturing is expected to grow the most in the next 3 years, adding as many as 7,500
new jobs. Over 50% of respondents are seeking candidates with apprenticeship
experience for future workforce.
• The Restaurant, Lodging, & Hospitality Services participants expect to add as many as
6,500 jobs in the next 3 years, second to manufacturing for number of jobs by industry.
• The Public Sector & Education participants rank four-year degree programs as the most
desirable credentials needed for future workforce.
• The Professional & Technical Services participants are comprised of small to midsize
businesses. Over 70% of respondents rely on friends and networks for sourcing talent,
while just 50% responded that they use online job portals.
• The Retail participants rate professionalism, responsibility and self-discipline, and taking
initiative as the soft skills most difficult to find in the workforce.
• The Construction & Skilled Trades participants rank apprenticeship programs,
community college programs, and professional certifications as the most desirable
credentials they are seeking in their future workforce.
• The Healthcare & Social Assistance Industry rank on the job training and continuing
education through community colleges highest for workforce training programs they plan
to use.
• The Energy, Utilities, & Cleantech participants rank quality of talent pipeline higher than
average at 2.9 out of 5, and placed equal weight on community college programs and 4-
year degrees.
• IT, Software, & Analytics participants rank 4-year degree colleges and universities
highest for credentials employers are seeking in their future workforce.
• Logistics, Transportation, & Warehousing participants had the lowest rating of the
quality for talent pipeline.
Source: https://www.ashevillechamber.org/get-engaged/advocacy/state-of-workforce
The implications of these takeaways for educators and employers include:
• Aligning Educational Programs to Current and Future Employment Growth Areas
• Aligning Educational Objectives and Outcomes to Needed Employee Competencies
• Enhancing Ongoing Communication Channels with Local Employers
• Enhancing Community Marketing of Educational Programs
• Implementing “Credentials of Value”
• Identifying Needed Resources to Implement an Attainment Model
• Implementing “Best Practices” to Align Education and Workforce Attainment
The two major themes that the Collaborative is seeing develop are that there is a skills gap
between current human talent in the workforce and needed competencies for future jobs, as well
as employers often facing challenges recruiting external human talent to fill positions. The
picture that is emerging is that WNC needs to “grow” its own human talent, while also exploring
internal and external human talent processes. The Collaborative is currently utilizing
information from Chamber of Commerce offices, workforce development boards, economic
developers, employers, the Department of Commerce, and the Career One Stop Center
12. 10 | P a g e
(https://www.careeronestop.org/CompetencyModel) to identify foundational skills/competencies
and specific industry skills/competencies needed for current and future jobs.
Next Steps
Due to continued social/physical distancing related to COVID-19, the Collaborative’s next steps
are based on continuous planning in order to develop a model that can be replicated throughout
North Carolina. Next steps include:
• Working with the Education Strategy Group, a nationally recognized consulting firm, the
Collaborative will be comparing national “best practices” to local/regional initiatives to
develop goals and strategies for the Land of Sky counties.
• Aligning workforce competencies to educational objectives and outcomes to ensure that
Land of Sky-area credentials and degrees prepare students with the skills needed for
current and future jobs. A challenge that exists is predicting future jobs and skill sets.
The Collaborative will be utilizing the Building Blocks Model Foundational
Competencies developed by the Employment and Training Administration Division of
the U.S. Department of Labor to align “soft skills” that are suggested for all employees.
The Building Blocks model can be viewed here:
https://www.careeronestop.org/CompetencyModel/competency-models/building-blocks-
model.aspx
• Examining specific jobs and future jobs based on Industry-wide Technical Competencies
to perform a skills gap analysis for the Land of Sky Region.
• Creating marketing tools that will tell the story of the Collaborative and why its work is
important to the economy of the Land of Sky Region and the well-being of the area’s
inhabitants.
• Establishing specific goals, objectives, strategies, and metrics that will become the
Collaborative’s Strategic Plan. Each county will tailor the strategic plan for its specific
area of western North Carolina. The Collaborative will complete the planning phase by
communicating findings to stakeholders, sponsoring an Alignment Summit, and
developing/sharing the attainment model with all North Carolina counties. Realizing that
there may be various levels of social/physical distance restrictions as the project moves
forward, the Collaborative is currently assessing the usefulness for the following Zoom
discussions:
• Pre-K to High School Student Retention Strategies
• K-16 Alignment Strategies
• FAFSA Completion Strategies
• College Student Recruiting and Retention Strategies
• Aligning Student Outcomes to Employment Competencies
• Targeted Employment Recruitment Strategies
For additional information, please contact Dr. Joseph Fox (joseph@landofsky.org).