| Abstract: |
To help all community colleges unleash their potential for workforce and economic development, the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Vocational and Adult Education sponsored the Community College Labor Market Responsiveness (CCLMR) Initiative. This project sought to develop and disseminate information and tools enabling colleges to keep pace with the needs of a diverse student body and a dynamic labor market. In partnership with Westat, the Academy for Educational Development (AED) undertook this initiative in 2002. Their main goals were to: (1) determine the characteristics of a "market responsive" community college and identify the indicators and measures by which market responsiveness can be judged; (2) identify the policies and practices community colleges have put in place to facilitate and support labor market responsiveness; (3) pinpoint the steps colleges can take to improve labor market responsiveness and the quality of customized programs they offer to students; and (4) disseminate that knowledge to the field. The conclusions and recommendations drawn rely heavily upon case study analysis of more than 30 colleges in 10 diverse labor markets, especially hundreds of interviews and discussions conducted with college leaders, employers, and economic development professionals. The participating colleges, organized by labor market area, are presented in the appendix. The colleges in the study sample vary with respect to size, geographic location, overall budget, student populations, funding stream, and other variables reflecting the full range of community colleges in the U.S. To augment the case studies, we collected standardized data across all colleges using surveys and document review, conducted statistical analyses, reviewed the relevant literature, and consulted with experts. From the data collected, the Department of Education asked AED and Westat to develop a guidebook that college administrators could use to maximize their responsiveness to dynamic labor market conditions. Its main purpose is to identify ways college leaders can improve those programs and services that most directly affect the ability of citizens to succeed in today's demanding skill-based labor market and the ability of employers to compete in today's challenging global market. Titled "The 21st Century Community College: A Strategic Guide to Maximizing Labor Market Responsiveness," the guidebook is designed to accomplish three major goals: (1) share up-to-date information on labor market responsiveness; (2) offer practical guidance to college administrators seeking to take actions which will allow them to maximize their labor market responsiveness; and (3) encourage community college administrators to engage in a critical self-assessment process. This document offers an introduction to the guidebook and distills its main findings. Colleges in Labor Market Responsiveness Study Sample are appended. (Contains 4 notes.) |