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1. #NACCE2015
Cultivating Soft Skills
for Workforce Development
Higher Education Initiatives
Dr. Eugene V. Giovannini
President, Maricopa Corporate College
10/21/2015 1
#NACCE2015

2. #NACCE2015
Agenda
• Maricopa Community Colleges
• MCOR: Mission, Vision
• Results/Impact of 3 Divisions
• The Challenge
• Building Competency-Based Programs
• Employer Needs: What We’ve Learned
• MCOR Model
• Q & A
• 10/21/2015 2
#NACCE2015

3. #NACCE2015
Maricopa Corporate College is part of the Maricopa
Community College District (MCCCD) — one of the largest
higher education systems in the nation with nearly 250,000
students, and a model of excellence internationally. With a
50-year history of providing quality educational programs and
subject matter experts in virtually every industry.
• 10/21/2015 • 3
#NACCE2015

4. #NACCE2015
Maricopa Corporate College
CUSTOM.WORKFORCE.SOLUTIONS
VISION: To transform the workforce.
MISSION: To deliver solutions that impact the economy.
MCOR addresses the needs of the local workforce and provides market-relevant, customized
training solutions and educational programs for employers at every stage of growth.
Business
Solutions
Personal
Professional
Education
Entrepreneurial
Initiatives

5. #NACCE2015
Average contract size increased by 550%
due to expanded depth and scope of
services offered within client companies.
Unique programs such as the Web Developer
Boot Camp were developed and launched to
meet the demand for skilled professionals.
The Community Collaborative Network
(CCN) was formed to address crucial
staffing needs of the community.
MCOR celebrated the official opening of Amazon’s
new onsite classroom where MCOR partners with
Amazon for the Career Choice Program.
CONTRACT SIZE
1000%
COMMUNITY
COLLABORATION
CCN
BUSINESS SOLUTIONS
Maricopa Corporate College
RESULTS / IMPACT
CONTRACT SIZE
550%

6. #NACCE2015
An estimated 60 prospective
students per month are referred to
sister colleges for credit programs.
80 programs are now approved for
WIOA funding - a 400% increase from
the previous year.
MCOR offers a Career Online High School
(COHS) option to serve disconnected youth
and those who did not receive a high school
diploma.
PROFESSIONAL PERSONAL EDUCATION
Maricopa Corporate College
RESULTS / IMPACT
More than 500 online and in-person
programs offered for employees and
individuals in a diverse array of industries.
PROGRAMS
500+ONLINE&IN-PERSON

7. #NACCE2015
Maricopa Corporate College
RESULTS / IMPACT
ENTREPRENEURIAL INNOVATION

8. #NACCE2015
…the vast majority of soon-to-be college graduates
face the difficult task of translating their college
experience to something useful in the workforce.
To fill those gaps between what’s learned in
college and what’s needed in the workforce, a
new group of education providers have
emerged to give students real-world skills in
short chunks of time. (boot camps)
“…as we are creating new jobs in this new
economy, we have to make sure that every
American has the skills to fill those jobs.”
President Barack Obama
Programs must be held accountable not just for
spending money or recruiting trainees but for
equipping those they are seeking to help with
marketable skills and placing them in legitimate jobs.
The Challenge Today
Training Programs ≠ Skill Sets for Open Jobs

9. #NACCE2015
Employer Needs: What We’ve Found
• Employer needs assessments reveal a critical skill gap
hindering workforce readiness. Training is needed to
ensure employees are ready with technical skills and soft
skills to do the job.
• Employers have philosophy that technical skills can be
trained, soft skills must be “hired” – we’re shifting that by
integrating both.
• Project-based training yields better soft skill outcomes
because content is applied.

10. #NACCE2015
Employer Needs: What We’ve Found
• Common soft skill requests include:
 Diversity
 Communication
 Active Listening
 Stress Management
 Time Management
 Customer Service
 Team Work
 Behavior Styles and Ethics

11. #NACCE2015
Employer Needs: What We’ve Found
• Future soft skills will be centered on synthesizing
and making meaning out of data, emotional
intelligence and the integration of behavioral
health knowledge as the workplace becomes
more of people’s lives.
 Example: We’ve had requests for nurses to
learn rudimentary counseling skills to calm
patients down.

12. #NACCE2015
Building Competency-Based Programs

13. #NACCE2015
MCOR Model

14. #NACCE2015
eugene.giovannini@maricopacorporate.com
maricopacorporate.com
Working together to create new pathways for
workforce success today and tomorrow.
Q & A