[House Hearing, 112 Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Printing Office]
REVIVING OUR ECONOMY: THE ROLE OF HIGHER EDUCATION IN JOB GROWTH AND
DEVELOPMENT
=======================================================================
FIELD HEARINGS
before the
COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION
AND THE WORKFORCE
U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
ONE HUNDRED TWELFTH CONGRESS
FIRST SESSION
__________
Full Committee
HEARING HELD IN WILKES BARRE, PA, MARCH 21, 2011
__________
HEARING HELD IN UTICA, NY, MARCH 22, 2011
__________
HEARING HELD IN COLUMBIA, TN, APRIL 21, 2011
__________
Subcommittee on Higher Education
and Workforce Training
U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE
65-154 WASHINGTON : 2011
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HEARING HELD IN GREENVILLE, SC, AUGUST 16, 2011
__________
Serial No. 112-14
__________
Printed for the use of the Committee on Education and the Workforce
Available via the World Wide Web:
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or
Committee address: http://edworkforce.house.gov
COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION AND THE WORKFORCE
JOHN KLINE, Minnesota, Chairman
Thomas E. Petri, Wisconsin George Miller, California,
Howard P. ``Buck'' McKeon, Senior Democratic Member
California Dale E. Kildee, Michigan
Judy Biggert, Illinois Donald M. Payne, New Jersey
Todd Russell Platts, Pennsylvania Robert E. Andrews, New Jersey
Joe Wilson, South Carolina Robert C. ``Bobby'' Scott,
Virginia Foxx, North Carolina Virginia
Bob Goodlatte, Virginia\1\ Lynn C. Woolsey, California
Duncan Hunter, California Ruben Hinojosa, Texas
David P. Roe, Tennessee Carolyn McCarthy, New York
Glenn Thompson, Pennsylvania John F. Tierney, Massachusetts
Tim Walberg, Michigan Dennis J. Kucinich, Ohio
Scott DesJarlais, Tennessee David Wu, Oregon\2\
Richard L. Hanna, New York Rush D. Holt, New Jersey
Todd Rokita, Indiana Susan A. Davis, California
Larry Bucshon, Indiana Raul M. Grijalva, Arizona
Trey Gowdy, South Carolina Timothy H. Bishop, New York
Lou Barletta, Pennsylvania David Loebsack, Iowa
Kristi L. Noem, South Dakota Mazie K. Hirono, Hawaii
Martha Roby, Alabama
Joseph J. Heck, Nevada
Dennis A. Ross, Florida
Mike Kelly, Pennsylvania
Barrett Karr, Staff Director
Jody Calemine, Minority Staff Director
SUBCOMMITTEE ON HIGHER EDUCATION AND WORKFORCE TRAINING
VIRGINIA FOXX, North Carolina, Chairwoman
John Kline, Minnesota Ruben Hinojosa, Texas
Thomas E. Petri, Wisconsin Ranking Minority Member
Howard P. ``Buck'' McKeon, John F. Tierney, Massachusetts
California David Wu, Oregon\2\
Judy Biggert, Illinois Timothy H. Bishop, New York
Todd Russell Platts, Pennsylvania Robert E. Andrews, New Jersey
David P. Roe, Tennessee Susan A. Davis, California
Glenn Thompson, Pennsylvania Raul M. Grijalva, Arizona
Richard L. Hanna, New York David Loebsack, Iowa
Larry Bucshon, Indiana George Miller, California
Lou Barletta, Pennsylvania
Joseph J. Heck, Nevada
------------
\1\ Appointed May 24, 2011.
\2\ Resigned August 3, 2011, leaving a vacancy.
C O N T E N T S
----------
Page
Hearing held on March 21, 2011................................... 1
Statement of Members:
Barletta, Hon. Lou, a Representative in Congress from the
State of Pennsylvania...................................... 2
Prepared statement of.................................... 3
Kline, Hon. John, Chairman, Committee on Education and the
Workforce.................................................. 1
Prepared statement of.................................... 2
Statement of Witnesses:
Alesson, Jeff T., vice president of strategic planning,
Diamond Manufacturing Co................................... 8
Prepared statement of.................................... 9
Angeli, Raymond S., president, Lackawanna College............ 20
Prepared statement of.................................... 22
Leary, Thomas P., president, Luzerne County Community College 30
Prepared statement of.................................... 32
Perry, Jim, president, Hazleton City Council................. 5
Prepared statement of.................................... 7
Seaman, Joan, executive director, Wyoming Valley campus,
Empire Education Group..................................... 23
Prepared statement of.................................... 25
Verret, C. Reynold, provost, Wilkes University............... 16
Prepared statement of.................................... 18
Additional Submissions:
Mr. Angeli:
Additional information supplied for the record........... 45
Ms. Seaman:
Additional information supplied for the record........... 46
----------
Hearing held on March 22, 2011................................... 47
Statement of Members:
Hanna, Hon. Richard L., a Representative in Congress from the
State of New York.......................................... 48
Prepared statement of.................................... 49
Kline, Hon. John, Chairman, Committee on Education and the
Workforce.................................................. 47
Prepared statement of.................................... 48
Statement of Witnesses:
Bay, John S., vice president and chief scientist, Assured
Information Security, Inc.................................. 64
Prepared statement of.................................... 65
Kirkpatrick, Judith, provost, Utica College.................. 80
Prepared statement of.................................... 81
Mathis, David, director of workforce development, Oneida
County..................................................... 56
Prepared statement of.................................... 58
Murray, Ann Marie, president, Herkimer County Community
College.................................................... 77
Prepared statement of.................................... 78
Picente, Anthony J., Jr., Oneida County Executive............ 51
Prepared statement of.................................... 54
Williams, Phil, president, Utica School of Commerce, prepared
statement of............................................... 73
Yeigh, Bjong Wolf, Ph.D., F. ASME, president, State
University of New York, Institute of Technology at Utica/
Rome....................................................... 74
Prepared statement of.................................... 76
----------
Hearing held on April 21, 2011................................... 93
Statement of Members:
DesJarlais, Hon. Scott, a Representative in Congress from the
State of Tennessee......................................... 95
Prepared statement of.................................... 96
Kline, Hon. John, Chairman, Committee on Education and the
Workforce.................................................. 93
Prepared statement of.................................... 94
Miller, Hon. George, senior Democratic member, Committee on
Education and the Workforce, prepared statement of......... 156
Statement of Witnesses:
Brown, Dr. Ted, president, Martin Methodist College.......... 109
Prepared statement of.................................... 110
Coakley, James, president, Nashville Auto-Diesel College..... 111
Prepared statement of.................................... 113
Dickey, Hon. Dean, Mayor, City of Columbia................... 123
Prepared statement of.................................... 125
Marlow, Susan, president and CEO, Smart Data Strategies...... 126
Prepared statement of.................................... 129
McKeel, Jan, executive director, South Central Tennessee
Workforce Alliance......................................... 138
Prepared statement of.................................... 140
Prater, Margaret W., executive director, Dyersburg State
Community College--Northwest Tennessee Workforce Board..... 142
Prepared statement of.................................... 144
Smith, Janet F., president, Columbia State Community College. 97
Prepared statement of.................................... 99
----------
Hearing held on August 16, 2011.................................. 159
Statement of Members:
Foxx, Hon. Virginia, Chairwoman, Subcommittee on Higher
Education and Workforce Training, prepared statement of.... 164
Gowdy, Hon. Trey, a Representative in Congress from the State
of South Carolina.......................................... 161
Prepared statement of.................................... 163
Wilson, Hon. Joe, a Representative in Congress from the State
of South Carolina.......................................... 159
Prepared statement of.................................... 161
Statement of Witnesses:
Barker, James F., president, Clemson University.............. 191
Prepared statement of.................................... 193
Eikenbusch, Werner, manager, associate development and
training, BMW.............................................. 169
Prepared statement of.................................... 171
Harmon, Laura, project director, Greenville Works............ 173
Prepared statement of.................................... 175
Hickman, Amy, campus president, ECPI Greenville, South
Carolina Campus............................................ 206
Prepared statement of.................................... 207
Miller, Dr. Keith, president, Greenville Technical College... 202
Prepared statement of.................................... 204
Moore, Tom, chancellor, USC Upstate.......................... 196
Prepared statement of.................................... 198
Thames, Brenda J., Ed.D., vice president--academic
development, Greenville Hospital System, University Medical
Center..................................................... 178
Prepared statement of.................................... 180
White, Hon. Knox, Mayor, City of Greenville.................. 166
Prepared statement of.................................... 168
REVIVING OUR ECONOMY:
THE ROLE OF HIGHER EDUCATION IN
JOB GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT
----------
Monday, March 21, 2011
U.S. House of Representatives
Committee on Education and the Workforce
Washington, DC
----------
The committee met, pursuant to call, at 9:00 a.m., in the
Henry Student Center Ballroom of Wilkes University, Hon. John
Kline [chairman of the committee] presiding.
Members present: Representatives Kline and Barletta.
Staff present: Casey Buboltz, Coalitions and Member
Services Coordinator; Jimmy Hopper, Legislative Assistant; Amy
Raaf Jones, Education Policy Counsel and Senior Advisor;
Barrett Karr, Staff Director; and Brian Newell, Press
Secretary--Workforce.
Chairman Kline. Committee will come to order. Well, good
morning. Welcome to our first field hearing of the 112th
Congress. It is good to be here in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania,
my home State. I was born down the road here in Allentown,
Pennsylvania. I was saying the other day, in doing an
interview, that I am surely the only man in Minnesota whose
favorite dessert is shoofly pie. In fact, I am one of the few
people in Minnesota who knows what shoofly pie is.
Anyway, thank you all for coming. A special thanks to our
two panels of witnesses. We appreciate you taking the time to
join us today, and we look forward to your testimony.
Our Nation faces many challenges today. With unemployment
still hovering around 9 percent and more than 13 million people
out of work, the American people have made jobs their number
one priority. Immediate solutions are required, but we must
also look to the future to insure tomorrow's workers can lead
in a global economy and are prepared to weather future economic
downturns.
Once you scratch beneath the surface, you discover
education is a jobs issue. It is no secret--our current
education system is failing. We all know the statistics of high
school and college dropouts and test scores that leave students
unprepared to tackle the challenges they will confront both in
the classroom and the workplace.
As we work to improve the Nation's education system and
foster a growing economy, it is more important than ever to
hear from folks on the ground about the challenges and
opportunities they see in our schools and workforce. That is
why we are here today. We want to learn about the policies that
may be standing in the way of job creation right here in
Wilkes-Barre. We want to hear your thoughts on encouraging
academic success in our classrooms and get your ideas on how we
can work together on the local, state, and federal levels to
reinvigorate the American spirit of innovation and prepare the
students of today to succeed in the workforce of tomorrow.
Again, we are grateful to our panels for participating in
today's hearing, and I am looking forward to getting this
discussion underway. I also want to thank my committee
colleague, Lou Barletta, for his gracious invitation to hold a
field hearing here in his district. And without objection, I
now yield to him for his opening remarks.
[The statement of Mr. Kline follows:]
Prepared Statement of Hon. John Kline, Chairman, Committee on Education
and the Workforce
Good morning, and welcome to our first field hearing of the 112th
Congress. It is good to be here in Wilkes-Barre (WILKS BERRY),
Pennsylvania with Representative Barletta. Thank you all for coming,
and special thanks to our two panels of witnesses. We appreciate you
taking the time to join us today, and we look forward to your
testimony.
Our nation faces many challenges today. With unemployment still
hovering around 9 percent and more than 13 million out of work, the
American people have made jobs their number one priority. Immediate
solutions are required, but we must also look to the future to ensure
tomorrow's workers can lead in a global economy and are prepared to
weather future economic downturns.
When you scratch beneath the surface, you discover education is a
jobs issue. It is no secret our current education system is failing. We
all know the statistics of high school and college dropouts and test
scores that leave students unprepared to tackle the challenges they
will confront both in the classroom and in the workplace.
As we work to improve the nation's education system and foster a
growing economy, it is more important than ever to hear from folks on
the ground about the challenges and opportunities they see in our
schools and workforce. That's why we're here today.
We want to learn about the policies that may be standing in the way
of job creation, right here in Wilkes-Barre (WILKS BERRY). We want to
hear your thoughts on encouraging academic success in our classrooms,
and get your ideas on how we can work together--on the local, state,
and federal levels--to reinvigorate the American spirit of innovation
and prepare the students of today to succeed in the workforce of
tomorrow.
This is Mr. Barletta's show here today, so I want to turn it over
to him for his opening remarks. Again, we are grateful to our panels
for participating in today's hearing, and I'm looking forward to
getting this discussion underway.
______
Mr. Barletta. Thank you, Chairman Kline. And we wanted to
give you a Minnesota welcome. Again, I want to thank you for
bringing the Committee on Education and the Workforce to
Wilkes-Barre and for holding this important hearing today. I
always appreciate the opportunity to hear from leading voices
in our local community, and I am thrilled that Chairman Kline
can share in this experience with us.
The committee has assembled an extraordinary panel of
witnesses from our community's business and higher education
sectors, and I can assure you, Chairman Kline, that you will
leave here today with a very clear picture of how Northeast
Pennsylvania is taking strides to reviving our economy through
higher-quality higher education.
The fragile state of the economy remains a top concern for
many in Pennsylvania, and the people who reside in Northeast
Pennsylvania understand better than most the difficulties we
still face as we struggle with an unemployment rate of 9.1
percent, the highest level of unemployment in the State and
higher than the current national average.
After years of tough economic times, it is clear that we
need smart solutions to get our economy moving again and people
back to work. That is why we are here today. There is often
more common sense on the corner of Main Street, America than in
all the halls of Congress. Listening to the concerns and ideas
of the people we are elected to serve is a good place to begin
putting the economy back on track.
We all must start with getting our fiscal house in order,
here at home and in Washington, D.C. For far too long,
governments have overtaxed, overspent, and over-borrowed and
the time to address this crisis is long overdue. It is forcing
entrepreneurs to the sidelines, undermining competence in the
economy, and ultimately destroying jobs. We have to make hard
but responsible choices to reign in government spending and
ease the burden being placed on our children.
I have been a resident of Northeast Pennsylvania my whole
life. I lived the dream of raising my children here and I am
thankful that I get to see my grandson, Gabriel Lewis, raised
here as well. I know that it is a dream many Pennsylvanians
share. We have faced some pretty difficult challenges. But I am
confident that the people of this great State will lead us back
to prosperity.
Critical to that effort are our institutions of higher
learning. They help ensure that students and workers have the
tools they need to succeed in the workplace. Data from the
United States Department of Labor documents the close
relationship between higher education and employment. Today,
workers with a high school diploma have a nearly one-in-ten
chance of being unemployed while their colleagues with a
college degree have only a 4.3 percent chance of being
unemployed.
Schools like Wilkes University, Empire Beauty School,
Lackawanna College, and Luzerne County Community College offer
diverse training and knowledge that individuals need to compete
and succeed in the workforce. Business leaders such as Diamond
Manufacturing understand firsthand the importance of locating
workers with various skills that can be applied to a wide range
of jobs. Business leaders, local officials, and institutions of
higher learning all play a leading role in shaping the success
of our economy.
The people of this community and great State have a great
deal to share with this committee. They will ultimately lead
our economy out of these tough times. I look forward to hearing
their thoughts and ideas and to ensuring policies in Washington
do not stand in their way. Thank you.
[The statement of Mr. Barletta follows:]
Prepared Statement of Hon. Lou Barletta, a Representative in Congress
From the State of Pennsylvania
Thank you, Chairman Kline, for bringing the Committee on Education
and the Workforce to Wilkes-Barre and for holding this important
hearing today. I always appreciate the opportunity to hear from leading
voices in our local community, and I am thrilled that Chairman Kline
can share in this experience. The Committee has assembled an
extraordinary panel of witnesses from our community's business and
higher education sectors, and I can assure you, Chairman Kline, that
you will leave here today with a very clear picture of how Northeast,
Pennsylvania is taking strides to revive our economy through quality
higher education.
The fragile state of the economy remains a top concern for many in
Pennsylvania, and the people who reside in Northeast, Pennsylvania
understand better than most the difficulties we still face as we
struggle with an unemployment rate of 9.1 percent--the highest level of
unemployment in the state and higher than the current national average.
After years of tough economic times, it is clear we need smart
solutions to get our economy moving again and people back to work. That
is why we are here today. There is often more common sense on the
corner of Main Street America than in all the halls of Congress.
Listening to the concerns and ideas of the people we are elected to
serve is a good place to begin putting the economy back on track.
We also must start with getting our fiscal house in order, here at
home and in Washington D.C. For far too long, governments have over
taxed, over spent, and over borrowed, and the time to address this
crisis is long overdue. It is forcing entrepreneurs to the sidelines,
undermining confidence in the economy, and ultimately destroying jobs.
We have to make hard but responsible choices to rein in government
spending and ease the burden being placed on our children.
I have been a resident of Northeast, Pennsylvania my whole life. I
lived the dream of raising my children here, and I'm thankful that I
get to see my grandson, Gabriel Louis, raised here as well. I know that
is a dream many Pennsylvanians share. We face some pretty difficult
challenges, but I am confident the people of this great state will lead
us back to prosperity.
Critical to that effort are our institutions of higher learning.
They help ensure that students and workers have the tools they need to
succeed in the workplace. Data from the U.S. Department of Labor
documents the close relationship between higher education and
employment. Today, workers with a high school diploma have a nearly one
in 10 chance of being unemployed, while their colleagues with a college
degree have only a 4.3 percent chance of being unemployed.
Schools like Wilkes University, Empire Beauty School, and
Lackawanna College offer diverse training and knowledge that
individuals need to compete and succeed in the workforce. Business
leaders such as Diamond Manufacturing understand firsthand the
importance of locating workers with various skills that can be applied
to a wide range of jobs. Business leaders, local officials, and
institutions of higher learning all play a leading role in shaping the
success of our economy.
The people of this community and great state have a great deal to
share with this committee. They will ultimately lead our economy out of
these tough times. I look forward to hearing their thoughts and ideas,
and to ensuring policies in Washington do not stand in their way.
______
Chairman Kline. I thank the gentleman. Pursuant to
Committee Rule 7C, all committee members will be permitted to
submit written statements to be included in the permanent
hearing record. And without objection, the hearing record will
remain open for 14 days to allow statements, questions for the
record, and other extraneous material referenced during the
hearing to be submitted for the official period record.
And now it is my pleasure to introduce our first panel. We
do have two panels for today's hearing. The first panel, we
have Mr. James Perry, who serves as the president of the
Hazleton City Council. He has served the Bloomsburg Area School
District for 39 years, 32 years of volunteer chemistry teacher,
and 7 years as a science department chair. Mr. Perry has also
been a mentor and co-operated teacher with the Department of
Secondary Education of Bloomsburg University for 23 years. He
previously served as an assistant varsity swim coach with the
Hazleton Area High School, a supervisor for the Hazleton City
Recreation Department, and treasurer of the Hazleton Parking
Authority.
Mr. Jeffrey Alesson is the vice president of Strategic
Planning and Quality Assurance for Diamond Manufacturing
Company, the largest perforated company in the United States.
Mr. Alesson graduated from Wilkes University with a bachelor of
science degree in engineering management and from Marywood
University with a master's in business and industrial
management. Welcome to you both.
As we discussed earlier, there is a little light box there.
Amy will turn on the green light when you start your testimony
and will be on for 4 minutes and then it will turn yellow for a
minute or so and then turn red. And we would look for you to
try to wrap up your testimony shortly after the red light comes
on.
Mr. Perry, you are recognized, please.
STATEMENT OF JAMES PERRY, PRESIDENT,
HAZELTON CITY COUNCIL
Mr. Perry. Thank you. I would like to thank the Committee
on Education and the Workforce for allowing me to offer
testimony on the role of higher education and job growth and
development. I am especially thankful to Bloomsburg Area School
District for enabling me to be here today. As Hazleton City
Council president and educator for over 30 years, I believe I
have a unique perspective to offer the committee with regards
to community education and job growth.
As you are aware, our city, like most cities, is struggling
with lost revenue, high unemployment, limited resources from
the state and federal government. We are the victims of
stimulus policies not benefitting our city and reckless
spending that has fallen on the backs of working-class families
like those in Hazleton, Bloomsburg, and other municipalities.
Our city has seen an increase in population due mainly to an
influx in immigrants, which have led to an increase in violent
crimes, causing a strain on our police department and an
unending burden on our citizens and our city budget. Our school
district and hospitals are all burdened with increased expenses
and limited resources as a result of our federal government
passing the buck to the States that have passed it on to the
school districts and communities like ours and that buck is
mere pennies now.
From a city council perspective, we need to stimulate our
local economy, and that only happens when we have skilled jobs.
We would like to see an increase in funding to be able to train
and retrain our unemployed, especially those that need to learn
English as a second language in addition to learning a skill.
An example is a partnership between the Workforce Investment
Board, CareerLink, who provided the grant, Luzerne County
Community College, and the Manufacturers Employees Association,
who provided the training, which resulted in a small graduating
class that was able to be interviewed and offered jobs. This
type of program must continue to be funded and expanded because
it benefits the workforce as well as the community.
And a way to improve our economy is to allow our local
businesses to be able to grow and develop without the many
layers of regulations from the federal, state, and local
levels. One local businessman told me that we are regulating
ourselves out of business. He felt it was easier to provide
rental space properties than start a company and employ
workers.
From an educational viewpoint, we would like to see a
greater focus on more efficient methods for colleges to adapt
curriculum to new and emerging job fields in the natural gas
industry and cyber technology industries. In talking to
students at all levels, faculty, administration, and parents,
there is a common thread that is evident in discussing local
communities' needs from our local colleges and universities,
and that is a lack of communication and a need for more
collaboration. We need a triangle approach between local
communities, school districts, and higher education to allow
all of us to meet the needs of the students of all learning
abilities in an ever-changing world.
Many schools have collaborated with local universities and
colleges, which allows select students to take college courses
that reduce rates for the State in paying a portion of that
cost. At the present time, this dual role is not being funded.
Collaboration is very inconsistent from high school to
colleges. The career education and work is the 13th academic
standard required by all schools in the State of Pennsylvania.
It needs to be a focal point for all schools because we need to
prepare all of our students to enter the workforce directly
from high school or after earning a degree. We need more
cooperative education opportunities for all students at high
school levels, which will allow students to experience
internships in a business and work environment while they are
in school, earning both educational credit and a paycheck.
The recommendation from one administrator is to fund a
career-in-the-workforce program for school districts, which
would especially benefit those students who may not be going to
college or are not enrolled in a career or vocational school.
The student would earn academically an opportunity to work with
industry volunteers in a job-shadowing project. It would be a
benefit to everyone at all levels.
At our school, as part of the school district's required
graduation project, all the 10th grade class is exposed to a
career day at Penn College of Technology where they explore all
the careers that a technical school has to offer. Each student
is to research three careers thoroughly, including a job-shadow
day, along with a formal presentation in front of family and
friends. As one recent graduate told me, because of his
exposure, he knew that he wanted to pursue a career as an
aeronautical engineer before he graduated.
In discussion with students and staff administration, the
topic always focuses on the problem that has an impact on our
ability to prepare students to be lifelong learners, and that
is the enormous amount of standardized assessment that all the
students have to endure. Students from grades 3 to 12 are
tested for nearly a month every year. Preparation time is a
yearlong challenge. We want to be held accountable for our
students, but we are losing valuable teaching time and the
amount of stress and anxiety in all school districts is
overwhelming.
In closing, students need direction and purpose to meet the
challenges that lie ahead. It is our job to make sure they are
prepared academically and have the skills to meet the needs of
a rapidly changing job market. There is very little room for
error between our communities and schools and institutions of
higher learning when it comes to our students. A skilled,
prepared workforce will have a positive impact on our entire
community.
[The statement of Mr. Perry follows:]
Prepared Statement of Jim Perry, President, Hazleton City Council
I would like to thank the Committee on Education and the Workforce
for allowing me to offer testimony on the role of higher education in
job growth and development. I am especially thankful to the Bloomsburg
Area School District for enabling to be here today.
As a Hazleton City Council President and an educator for over
thirty years I believe that I have a unique perspective to offer this
committee with regards to communities, education, and job growth.
As you are aware our city like most cities is struggling with lost
revenue, high unemployment and limited resources from the state and
federal government. We are the victims of a stimulus policy that did
not benefit our city and reckless spending that has fallen on the backs
of working class families like those in Hazleton, Bloomsburg, and other
local municipalities. Our city has seen an increase in population due
mainly to an influx of immigrants which have lead to an increase in
violent crimes causing a strain on our police department and an
unending burden on our citizens and our city budget. Our school
district and hospital are all burdened with increase expenses and
limited resources. The result is that our federal government is passing
the buck to the states that have passed it on to the school districts
and communities like ours. That buck is mere pennies now.
From a city council perspective we need to stimulate our local
economy and that only happens when we have skilled jobs. We would like
to see an increase in funding to be able to train or re-train the
unemployed, especially those that need to learn English as a second
language in addition to learning a skill. An example is the partnership
between the Workforce Investment Board, through our Career link which
provided the grant, Luzerne county Community College and the
Manufacturers and Employers Association who provided the training. The
result was a small graduating class that was able to be interviewed and
offered jobs. This type of program must continue to be funded and
expanded because it benefits the workforce as well as the community.
Another way to improve our economy is to allow our local businesses to
be able to grow and develop without the many layers of regulations from
the federal, state, and local levels. One local businessman told me
that we are regulating ourselves out of business; he felt it was easier
to provide rental space properties than start a company and employ
workers.
From an educational view point we would like to see a greater focus
on more efficient methods for colleges to adapt curriculum to new and
emerging job field such as the natural gas industry and cyber
technology industries. In talking to students at all levels, faculty,
administration, and parents there is a common thread that is evident
when discussing local communities needs from our local colleges and
universities and that is a lack of communication and a need for more
collaboration. We need a triangle approach between local communities,
school districts, and higher education. This will allow all of us to
meet the needs of the students of all learning abilities in an ever
changing world. Many schools have collaboration with local universities
and colleges which allows select students to take college courses at
reduced rates with the state paying a portion of the cost. At the
present time this duel enrollment program is not being funded. The
collaboration is very inconsistent from high schools to colleges.
The Career Education and Work is the thirteenth Academic Standard
required by all schools in the State of Pennsylvania. This needs to be
a focal point for all school because we need to prepare all students to
enter the workforce directly from high school or after earning a
degree. We need more Cooperative Education opportunities for all
students at the high school level, which will allow students to
experience internships in the business and work environment while they
are in school, earning both educational credit and a paycheck. A
recommendation from one administrator is to fund a career in the
workforce program for school districts which would especially benefit
those students who may not be going to college or are not enrolled in a
career or vocational technical school. A student would earn
academically an opportunity to work with industry volunteers on a job
shadowing project that would be a benefit to everyone at all levels.
At our High school, as part of a student's required graduation
project all of the 10th grade class is exposed to a career day at Penn
College of Technology where they explore all of the careers that a
technical school has to offer. Each student is to research 3 careers
thoroughly including a job shadow day along with a formal presentation
in front of family and friends. As one recent graduate told me, because
of this exposure he knew that he wanted to pursue a career as an
aeronautical engineer before he graduated.
In my discussion with students, staff, and administration the topic
always focuses on a problem that has an impact on our ability to
prepare students to be lifelong learners, that is the enormous amount
of standardized assessments that all of student have to endure.
Students from grade 3 through 11 are tested for nearly a month every
year. The preparation time is a yearlong challenge. We want to be held
accountable for our students but we are losing valuable teaching time
and the amount of stress and anxiety on all school districts is
overwhelming.
In closing students need direction and purpose to meet the
challenge that lie ahead. It is our job to make sure they are prepared
academically and have the skills to meet the needs of rapidly changing
job market. There is very little room for error between our
communities, schools and institutes of higher learning when it comes to
our students. A skilled and prepared workforce will have a positive
impact on our entire community.
______
Chairman Kline. Thank you, Mr. Perry. I need to explain to
both witnesses that somewhere between this spot and that light
we have tripped on a wire. But you should know that you
finished with 20 seconds to spare. So you can pretty much
disregard that. Amy will hold up a little sign when you get
down to 1 minute to go to just kind of let you know where we
are. I am assured that it was working perfectly moments before
I dropped the gavel, but I don't know, somewhere here between
the two. Mr. Alesson, you are recognized.
STATEMENT OF JEFFREY ALESSON, VICE PRESIDENT OF STRATEGIC
PLANNING AND QUALITY ASSURANCE, DIAMOND MANUFACTURING
Mr. Alesson. Let me start by acknowledging how honored I am
to be asked to offer testimony before this Committee on
Education and the Workforce. I am Jeff Alesson, Vice President
of Strategic Planning for Diamond Manufacturing Company. Along
with performing the strategic planning duties at Diamond, my
current position allows me to lead the dependable punch and
fabricating divisions, as well as the engineering, quality,
production control, and shipping and receiving departments.
Diamond Manufacturing Company is a manufacturer of
specialty engineered perforated materials with locations in
Wyoming, Pennsylvania; Michigan City, Indiana; Cedar Hill,
Texas; and Charlotte, North Carolina. The facility in Wyoming
houses 125,000 square foot manufacturing facility, as well as
45,000 square foot corporate offices. The Michigan City and
Cedar Hill facilities add a combined 180,000 square foot of
additional manufacturing. We also have 20,000 square foot
distribution warehouse in Charlotte.
Diamond was founded in 1915 to service the coal industry.
Today, it serves in excess of 25 different industry groups.
Diamond has been a pioneer in developing new applications and
expanding into markets such as power generation, petrochemical
processing, agricultural processing, and highway sound
barriers. It also serves as the automotive appliance and
computer markets.
2011 combined sales will be in excess of 100 million this
year and growing. Diamond has experienced continuous growth
during the last several years. The key to maintaining this
growth is our ability to react quickly to potential
opportunities while having documented yet flexible systems in
place to maintain organizational stability. We have in recent
years hired a number of graduates in both the technical and
non-technical areas to sustain this growth. We also heavily
utilized the local universities' internship programs with three
currently on staff. Current growth will facilitate the hiring
of personnel both at the local facility, as well as our branch
plants.
I agree that higher education plays an important role in
job growth and development. While it is important that today's
graduates be technically competent in their field, I feel it is
equally important that they be competent in the areas of
communication and problem-solving. Companies in today's
competitive environment live or die by their ability to
communicate effectively. Efficient communication is critical
both externally and, just as importantly, internally. We need
the skills to be able to understand our customers' requirements
and convey them accurately within the organization. Technology
does allow us to communicate faster than we ever thought
possible, not only the speed at which we can communicate, but
the sheer amount of information that can be transferring in a
millisecond is staggering.
But all these different means and increased speed have not
necessarily allowed us to be more effective. It has not
increased our ability to listen or to understand. One of the
hardest skills to master is the art of listening and truly
understanding what is being said. This often requires the
ability to read between the lines. In doing so, this will help
decrease any misperceptions and enhance true effective
communication. Many times there is a psychology behind what is
being said. It is important to understand a person's viewpoint.
And the better we understand this, the better we can
communicate.
In addition to effective communication, problem-solving
skills allow for efficient utilization of a company's
resources. Today's companies are required to be able to do more
with less to remain competitive. We are always searching for
continuous improvement in all our processes. Effective problem-
solving skills allow companies to capitalize on new challenges
as they are presented. Having employees with an understanding
of how companies function and interact internally aids in the
ability to problem-solve. Having the skills to find the root
cause of a problem goes a long way in finding the solution or
potential improvement. The goal is to look at a company as a
whole, not just a sum of the individual parts. In doing so, we
have the opportunity to become a lean and competitive
organization on the global stage.
In conclusion, I feel the key to job growth and development
is the company's ability to react to ever-changing paradigms.
Our employees need the skills to react quickly and accurately.
Effective communication and problem-solving skills are powerful
tools to have in one's toolbox.
[The statement of Mr. Alesson follows:]
Prepared Statement of Jeff T. Alesson, Vice President of Strategic
Planning, Diamond Manufacturing Co.
Let me start by acknowledging how honored I am to be asked to offer
testimony before this Committee on Education and the Workforce. I am
Jeff Alesson, Vice President of Strategic Planning for Diamond
Manufacturing Company. Along with performing the strategic planning
duties at Diamond, my current position allows me to lead the Dependable
Punch and Fabricating Divisions as well as the Engineering, Quality,
Production Control and Shipping/Receiving Departments.
Diamond Manufacturing Company is a manufacturer of specially
engineered perforated materials with locations in Wyoming
Pennsylvania., Michigan City Indiana., Cedar Hill Texas and Charlotte
North Carolina. The facility in Wyoming houses a 125,000 square foot
manufacturing facility as well as the 40,000 square foot corporate
offices. The Michigan City and Cedar Hill facilities add a combined
180,000 square feet of manufacturing. We also have a 20,000 square foot
distribution warehouse in Charlotte. Diamond was founded in 1915 to
service the coal industry. Today it serves in excess of 25 different
industry groups. Diamond has been a pioneer in developing new
applications and expanding into markets such as power generation,
petrochemical processing, agriculture processing and highway sound
barriers. It also serves the automotive, appliance and computer
markets. 2011 combined sales will be in excess of 100 million dollars
and growing.
Diamond has experienced continuous growth during the last several
years. The key to maintaining this growth is our ability to react
quickly to potential opportunities while having documented, yet
flexible systems in place to maintain organizational stability. We have
in recent years hired a number of graduates in both the technical and
nontechnical areas to sustain this growth. We also heavily utilize the
local university internship programs, with three currently on staff.
Current growth will facilitate the hiring of personnel both at the
local facility, as well as our branch plants.
I agree that higher education plays an important role in Job Growth
and Development. While it is important that today's graduates be
technically competent in their field, I feel it is equally important
that they be competent in the areas of communication and problem
solving.
Companies in today's competitive environment live or die by their
ability to communicate effectively. Efficient communication is critical
both externally and just as importantly, internally. We need the skills
to be able to understand our customers' requirements and convey them
accurately within the organization. Technology has allowed us to
communicate faster than we ever thought possible. Not only the speed at
which we can communicate but the shear amount of information that can
be transferred in a millisecond is staggering. But all these different
means and increased speed have not necessarily allowed us to be more
effective. It has not increased our ability to listen and to
understand.
One of the hardest skills to master is the art of listening and
truly understanding what is being said, this often requires the ability
to read between the lines. In doing so this will help decrease any
misperceptions and enhance true effective communication. Many times
there is a psychology behind what is being said. It is important to
understand a person's viewpoint. The better we understand this the
better we can communicate.
In addition to effective communication, problem solving skills
allow for the efficient utilization of a company's resources. Today's
companies are required to be able to do more with less to remain
competitive. We are always searching for continuous improvement in all
our processes. Effective problem solving skills allow companies to
capitalize on new challenges as they are presented.
Having employees with an understanding of how companies function
and interact internally aids in the ability to problem solve. Having
the skills to find the root cause of a problem goes a long way in
finding a solution or potential improvement. The goal is to look at the
company as a whole, not just a sum of the individual parts. In doing
so, we have the opportunity to become a lean and competitive
organization on the global stage.
In conclusion, I feel the key to job growth and development is a
company's ability to react to ever changing paradigms. Our employees
need the skills to react quickly and accurately. Effective
communication and problem solving skills are powerful tools to have in
ones tools boxes.
______
Chairman Kline. Excellent. Thank you very much. We are
going to now move back and forth, I think. I have got a couple
of questions I want to ask and then Mr. Barletta will ask a
couple of questions and so forth. We will try not to let that
go too long. We can get carried away up here very easily and we
have another panel of witnesses we would like to hear from.
I just would like to start, Mr. Alesson, on where you
finished, and you were talking about how important it is to
have communications and problem-solving skills. Are the people
that you are hiring now from 4-year colleges and 2-year
colleges, do they have those skills?
Mr. Alesson. To a degree they do. Problem-solving, like an
engineer that we hired, problem-solving skills are there on a
technical side. But as far as company-wide, there needs to be
more of a cross-functionality to problem-solving. And we don't
see that as much and we stress it, sometimes too quickly, to
find out what the real problem is. We look at a symptom and say
we found it when we really haven't. And not only what that
problem is but how it interacts with all the other departments.
Chairman Kline. So they are not arriving with those skills
and you are having to develop that once you have brought them
on?
Mr. Alesson. Correct.
Chairman Kline. I think that is a common occurrence. Mr.
Perry?
Mr. Perry. Yes.
Chairman Kline. You said in your testimony that sometimes
it seemed like we are regulating ourselves out of business.
Have you got an example or is that just a sense of----
Mr. Perry. Yeah, like I said, a businessman I was at a
dinner with had mentioned that it was just the overlaying
amount of regulations in terms of being able to start a
business, layer upon layer, whether it is environmental or
local or business or employee-related, it would seem to be a
burden that took a lot of time. It wasn't an easy process.
Obviously, you want to be regulated, but he thought it was too
many layers. I can't give you the exact specifics but he just
felt it was a layering effect.
Chairman Kline. It seems to be a theme we have heard a lot
lately. Where I was going to go----
Mr. Perry. Sure.
Chairman Kline.--with your line of questioning anyway, but
since you brought it up, we have heard it again and again. And
part of the regulatory burden seems to be the regulations that
are placed on schools. And I hope that we can explore that a
little bit probably in the next panel--where schools are
finding that they have got so many rules and so many
regulations they are adding more and more of a staff just to
comply with those rules and regulations.
You also mentioned that the collaboration between high
schools and colleges wasn't happening.
Mr. Perry. It is happening but not as much. Well, one of my
past graduates said he had needed five credits his senior year
and didn't know what else to do. And it wasn't consistent with
universities that were close by. Now, that may be--I can't say
through here, this location. I work in the Bloomsburg District
with Bloomsburg University. There wasn't a continuous
collaboration. Maybe one school down the street got more
connection than the other because of a parent working at the
school. There was more connection in terms of being able to be
more intertwined with the district. We don't see it as much as
we should. We are right in the city with the same university.
So I think it needs to be more consistent I think is what I am
seeing.
I am hearing from parents that others have more
opportunities than their kids did to utilize the university
more so. And again, the dual enrollment program where they can
do both is obviously not going to be funded, or at least on a
state level. So we want to get them out there to expose them to
universities as quickly as we can, especially those students at
a higher end that are able to get out there quicker.
Chairman Kline. So that they are better prepared when----
Mr. Perry. Absolutely.
Chairman Kline.--they go to university.
Mr. Perry. Yeah. We do have some kids taking college
courses, and that does happen and there is no question about
it, but it is not on a consistent basis. That is what I am
hearing from parents.
Chairman Kline. Thank you. Mr. Barletta?
Mr. Barletta. Yeah, thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Alesson,
do you have any suggestions of how businesses and institutions
of higher education could better work together?
Mr. Alesson. We do work with internship programs but it
would be nice if--like we are right in Wyoming and we never
have groups over to look at our facility and to really push
manufacturing. We have had some international students over but
really not the local colleges. In fact, most people don't even
know we are there. We are the largest perforator and people go
wow, you are in Wyoming? Yes. So I think we can work together
maybe enlighten some of the--not only engineering but other
disciplines as well of what is here locally.
Mr. Barletta. Mr. Perry, you possess some unique
qualifications in the fact that you have worked most of your
life in the education system and you are now working on a
municipal level on city council so you are seeing the
connection between education and employment in a community.
In Hazleton there is a program that I want to talk about,
something that I am very proud of and would like to see
elsewhere. But I want your opinion, Partners in Education.
Mr. Perry. Yes.
Mr. Barletta. This is a program where, you know, what we
hear most often is that we are losing our young people. We
educate them and they end up going somewhere else to a job and
they would really like to stay at home, but they can't find
those opportunities. And with Partners in Education, really
what it does is we call ``tie.'' It brings to the table local
industries, the school district, and the students. And it does
a number of things, and one, it allows the students to see the
many opportunities that exist right here at home, some that
they might not be knowledgeable of. It allows local industry to
talk about basic work skills that are needed for their
industries. And it brings the school district together to tie
this up in teaching some of those skills, those basic work
skills. And it allows industry to almost have a farm system so
to speak, of possibly having an employee who has some
experience or knowledge in their industry. Do you think that
that program, Partners in Education, is successful, is helping
the Hazleton area, and is something that should maybe be
explored elsewhere?
Mr. Perry. I believe so. It is a great opportunity. And I
think it needs to be expanded to all levels. I mean, again, a
lot of times it is the hiring student that is able to do that.
We need the student who may not be going to the college or may
not be going to a vocational school where he is able to learn a
skill but is going to go right to the workforce. And I think
those students need to get that connection early on.
And like I said, as we do in the 10th grade program, these
kids are exploring it and not finding out that gee, I don't
even know what I can do, or getting in college and saying I
don't want this. I am changing my major so many times. But they
need to have that idea that maybe this is the place for me. And
I think that is the partnership we are looking for on a much
larger scale. And I think we need to get the communities and
the businesses together to meet the needs of all those kids.
And I think it is going to be a great program if we could
expand that. It is not everywhere I believe.
Mr. Barletta. All right. That is true. How do local
institutions of higher education play an important role in
fostering that job growth and job creation?
Mr. Perry. That is the key. We have prepared them to go on
but I think we need to focus more on the careers that are out
there so that they understand that opportunity. And like I
said, in our district when those students get exposure and it
is a fantastic program at the 10th grade level. So they are
constantly exploring careers way back at that level and not
when they are a senior. So they are learning to say hey, this
is a career I like or I don't like this one. So they are
exploring it and they are interviewing people; they are going
out in the community. So I think that is a benefit that we
would like to promote and I am sure all the districts should be
doing something in that way.
And like I said, we need more career guidance. And I have
heard from even graduates who say, well, there is career
development in the university but not everybody takes advantage
of it. So it is almost something that needs to be part of their
curriculum, need to get in there, need to find out what is
necessary and not graduating people with degrees that they are
not employable.
Mr. Barletta. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Chairman Kline. And thank you. Mr. Perry----
Mr. Perry. Yes.
Chairman Kline.--I want to explore this 10th grade thing--
--
Mr. Perry. Okay.
Chairman Kline.--a little bit here. I am a little bit
confused. In the 10th grade----
Mr. Perry. Yes.
Chairman Kline.--there is a career day.
Mr. Perry. Basically, as part of their graduation projects
with the English department, they researched careers. They do
that as part of their program and they research, right. And
they research the programs. We take the whole student body out
to the university like Penn College, which is a technical
school for Penn State. And they explore and they put on
displays of all the different careers that are possible.
Chairman Kline. That is one day?
Mr. Perry. Right. It is a one-day opportunity. And then
after that they would then prepare a presentation and actually
go out and do a day where they basically job-shadow someone in
the field they have chosen. So again, every student in 10th
grade goes out in the community and then gets exposure to that
career. So we found that that is very beneficial to their,
again, liking or disliking or following in that particular
career.
Chairman Kline. So I think I am getting----
Mr. Perry. Yeah.
Chairman Kline.--that it is career day where they go out to
the college----
Mr. Perry. Yes.
Chairman Kline.--or school and they are exposed to what----
Mr. Perry. Right.
Chairman Kline.--career possibilities. But this is an
ongoing project where they are actually----
Mr. Perry. Yes.
Chairman Kline.--shadowing somebody, perhaps writing a
paper----
Mr. Perry. Yes, they do that. That is in 10th grade. Right.
And it is a part of the graduation project. They can't graduate
until they complete that project. So it is a requirement from
every--well, every student eventually has to go through that
program.
Chairman Kline. It is an interesting way to look at this. I
mean, a lot of times when we are looking at higher education,
you know, we are looking for what is the connection between our
higher education and the job force.
Mr. Perry. Um-hum.
Chairman Kline. Somebody going out to Diamond
Manufacturing, and what you are talking about is making a
connection from high school thinking about their career before
they to go college or community----
Mr. Perry. Right.
Chairman Kline.--college or a career college or something
like that.
Mr. Perry. Sure.
Chairman Kline. Great. Thank you very much.
Mr. Perry. You are welcome.
Chairman Kline. Mr. Alesson, you mentioned the intern
program and I think you said you have right now three interns.
How do you use those interns? What is the value to them and to
you?
Mr. Alesson. We use them on different levels and cross-
functional. On the technical side they are really getting into
engineering duties. They are setting up drawings. They are
checking on how things transfer from drawings to actual
equipment. We try to give them a feeling of the quality aspects
of it and how our process fits in with the environment. We try
to give them a well-rounded basis on what we are doing at
Diamond and what they are doing in school.
Chairman Kline. Thank you. Mr. Barletta?
Mr. Barletta. Mr. Alesson, in your testimony you state that
the key to Diamond Manufacturing's success is the company's
ability to react to opportunities in the marketplace. Can you
further explain how Diamond's management and employees are able
to respond to these opportunities and the significance this has
on your company's overall success?
Mr. Alesson. Sure. An example would be we will have a
customer that will come to us and they may have criteria from
stocking programs to technical abilities that we actually have
to perform to make the part to scheduled and to shipping. And
we find, you know, some of our competitors, they may not try to
get all five points. They will get four out of the five. We
push very strongly to figure a way to get them the complete
package. We may internally many times need to change our
process to do that but that is where we excel. We look at the
customer's requirements and basically change ourselves to meet
those requirements.
Mr. Barletta. And overall, I know you talked a lot about
communication and problem-solving and how important it is. As a
small business owner, I absolutely agree. You know, sometimes
those entering the workforce may not understand the importance
of some basic skills like communication and even the importance
of showing up to work on time and making sure your employer has
adequate notice of when you are going to be missing work, you
know, some of those skills we take for granted.
In your opinion, do you feel those entering the workforce
are adequately prepared?
Mr. Alesson. I think on the technical side they are. All
our recent hires have been technically fine. It is the next
step that makes them fit into our culture at Diamond. And like
communication, we stress verbal communication with customers.
You have to develop a relationship before you switch or start
texting or emailing and a lot of the younger guys want to, you
know, oh, I will send him an email. Have you talked to him? No.
Okay, you don't really know, then, what you need.
You know, it is okay to email and it is okay to use all the
rest of the technology to do that, but you can't lose sight of
the verbal communication and the relationship-building between
customers and also internally. We are so fast internally of
scanning something to somebody electronically or emails and a
lot of times you miss really what is being said or does the
person really understand what is being asked of them
internally? And we have made it one of our large strategic
plans at Diamond is to increase that communication because it
is so critical.
Mr. Barletta. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Chairman Kline. Thank you, Mr. Barletta. I think we will
thank these two witnesses and I mean that sincerely. Thank you
very much for your testimony and for answering the questions.
And we will move to the next panel. And we will take a couple
of minutes to see if we can do some technical repairs here to
lights and microphones.
Welcome to the next panel. Before I make introductions, let
me take some more technical observations if I can. You can see
we have done some shuffling here. Apparently, our light box
fell on the floor and may never work again. We will keep track
of the time up here. You don't need to worry about it too much.
Amy will hold up a little sign here and if for some reason you
go on extensively, I will start tapping the gavel as gently as
I can.
The smaller microphones in front of you go to the official
record for the stenographer. And he assures me that all the
microphones are working there. The two larger microphones I
will ask you to share them and keep them fairly close to your
mouth so that we can hear you clearly and others in the room
can hear you clearly. Okay, I think that ends my administrative
remarks.
Now, I am please to introduce our second panel. First, Dr.
Reynold Verret serves as provost of Wilkes University. And
thank you very much for letting us join you here today. Prior
to his tenure at Wilkes, he served as dean and professor of
chemistry and biochemistry in the Misher College of Arts and
Sciences at the University of the Sciences in Philadelphia. Dr.
Verret also served Clark Atlanta University for eight years as
associate professor, interim chair, and chair of the department
of chemistry. He currently serves on the Pennsylvania
Humanities Council and the Studies Sections of the National
Institute of Health.
You are bringing back nightmares of organic chemistry,
Doctor. I am sorry.
Mr. Verret. I apologize.
Chairman Kline. I am trying, but it just is the way it is.
Dr. Raymond Angeli is the president of Lackawanna College,
having been named to the position December 1994. He had
previously served on the college's board from 1989 through
1992. Prior to his appointment, Dr. Angeli served as a
Pennsylvania Secretary to the Department of Committee Affairs
under Governor Robert Casey. Before entering public service,
Mr. Angeli was a career Army officer who obtained rank of
lieutenant colonel.
Ms. Joan Seaman relocated to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton area as
the director of the Wyoming Valley campus in 2001. She
graduated from the Operators Program from Empire Beauty School
in 1974 and began working at a local salon in the Hazleton
area. While employed in the salon, Ms. Seaman enrolled at
Empire Beauty School's Teachers Program. In 1983 Ms. Seaman
opened her own salon while she continued to teach. She has now
been with Empire for almost 35 years. That must be a misprint
here.
Mr. Thomas Leary has been president of Luzerne County
Community College since 2008. He began his career at the
college 34 years ago as assistant director of admissions. He
has worked in many administrative capacities at the college,
including vice president of student development, the position
he currently holds, along with his presidency. With the
understanding of the failed light system, Dr. Verret, you are
recognized.
STATEMENT OF REYNOLD VERRET, PROVOST,
WILKES UNIVERSITY
Mr. Verret. Good morning. I wish to address the committee
on how we are preparing young people for the workforce and to
take leading roles in developing our economy. I also wish to
discuss the challenges that we must meet as educators. And I am
speaking from my experience as we discuss as an educator and as
a researcher in various institutional settings and also with
very diverse student populations.
What I would like to say is that Wilkes offers programs in
a number of areas and Wilkes began as a junior college in 1933
and eventually became a university 15 years ago. And we have
five colleges offering programs in a range of areas in the
arts/sciences, the health disciplines, pharmacy and nursing and
also engineering and education. Throughout all this we have
offered programs and studies that lead to specific career
choices such as nursing and engineering to define careers.
But the large number of our programs offer a wide range of
career choice, especially in the arts and sciences and
engineering, the option that students will be taking. We
recognize many of our students throughout their lifetimes will
be taking on many career choices and will be changing careers
throughout their choices. And we provide them flexibility to
face that flexible future by giving them a rich undergraduate
education that gives them that option. And that is also, I
think, an important piece for our--for the employees who use
our students as, for example, the representative of Diamond
Engineering did mention.
Very importantly, our programs emphasize practice within
the specific disciplines. For example, our biology majors, it
is important that they do biology, our communication majors
practice biology. Just as a pianist must practice the piano and
not just hear the piano. Our students do this. For example, we
have a program called Zebra Communications, a student-led
program, the communications department, that while students
take on a number of community communications program, important
programs in the community and get real-life experiences that
they take into the workplace later. It is very useful to their
employers.
We have an advisory board to our engineering division,
which is composed of leaders of engineering firms throughout
the area. And one of the things that they have told us is that
when our students arrive in their workplace as employees, they
bring with them real engineering skills, and that comes from
the hands-on experience that they get in the laboratories. One
of the things that we do have is that we also use that advisory
board to actually tell us exactly what--are our laboratories
keeping up to date? Are we putting on the experience that they
need to have and that we have to continually meet that level of
communications process in place. And that expertise, as I
mentioned, is useful to future employers.
One other thing that I would like to point out is that
Wilkes and also many institutions like ourselves, a large
number of our students are the sons and daughters of first-
generation college students. We have a survey that we offer to
our undergraduates that asks questions, are either parents a
graduate of a 2-year or 4-year institution? That number,
roughly 35 percent of our students say no, and I don't think
Wilkes is unusual in that respect.
Also on the financial side, roughly about 36 percent of our
students receive Pell Grants, about 17, 18 percent SEOGs, which
are indicators of financial need. And that is not changing. And
it has been like this for quite some time. That is because we
are an opportunity institution. We began as Bucknell Junior
College serving the sons and daughters of coalminers, and we
continue to serve the sons and daughters of this region and
also the larger geographic area that reaches into New York and
into New Jersey as well.
What I would say is that throughout the years, these sons
and daughters who come to Wilkes have become leaders in
industry. They have become leaders in science and engineering
throughout the country. We have the leading engineer at
Lockheed. We also have the recent editor of JAMA, the Journal
of the American Medical Association is a graduate of Wilkes. We
have members of the National Academies who are Wilkes
graduates, and they have come from these children of Northeast
Pennsylvania.
Our purpose, I would say, is to bring all the talent to the
floor to serve the community, the Nation, and also the world. A
concern I would raise that has been raised before is the gulf
between K-through-12 education and higher education. Too many
of our high school graduates arrive ill-prepared for college.
As noted journalist Tom Friedman has noted, the world is flat.
And that flatness is important to us. We sense the urgency to
educate fully all our young people for a multinational and
changing world. We cannot afford to adequately educate a subset
of our population while our international partners try to
maximize the potential and talent of all their young. Our
institutions are responding remarkably to enable students to
succeed.
However, we must acknowledge that those students who
arrived at our doors are indeed the remnants, the survivors of
an inadequate K-through-12 educational system. As a Nation we
must expect that all high school graduates have acquired the
skill to communicate effectively, have the quantitative
ability, understanding of history and culture, that they can
reflect critically on complex matters, et cetera, et cetera, et
cetera. That should be the case.
Another concern isSTEM education in the science and
technical fields. Wilkes is a destination for science and
engineering. We have the only ABET-accredited engineering
program. Our life science program has been recognized by the
Howard Hughes Medical Institute. Still, we and other American
educational systems know that we must cultivate the talents of
STEM education. And the important thing that we must understand
is that young scientists are not made at college. They don't
begin there. They are like cellists. Cellists do not begin at
the age of 20. If I can give you examples where we have asked
the question in informal settings of chemists and prominent
ingenious members of the National Academy, how many of you
thought of becoming scientists at the college level? No hands
come up. It begins at seven, eight, or nine. So we have to dig
into the middle schools, into the seventh, eighth grades. We
are not doing that very well.
I would quote, two days ago, the headline on NPR was
``Young Brazilian scientists made their careers in the U.S. Now
Brazil wants the scientists to come home to build Brazil.''
That can be said of China, of India, et cetera, et cetera, et
cetera. If we do not build our own seed cord, we will lose. And
that is not just a workforce issue. It has become a national
security issue.
Lastly, I want to say something else that I think whether
it is science and health, graduates of higher education are the
innovators and develop ideas that translate to businesses and
sometimes lead to new industries. And we have seen it happen.
Our institution instills the skills that we need, the truth and
capacity for discovery, for innovation, for reasoning, for
planning. It is that precious skill that we have depended upon
for generations to build this Nation and that we still rely
upon. And we cannot neglect it. Thank you.
[The statement of Mr. Verret follows:]
Prepared Statement of C. Reynold Verret, Provost, Wilkes University
I am Reynold Verret, the Provost at Wilkes University, in Wilkes-
Barre Pennsylvania, and also Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry. I
wish to address the committee on the how we are preparing young people
for the workforce and to take leading roles in developing our economy
and to discuss the challenges that we must meet as educators.
I speak from experience in higher education as an educator,
researcher, and mentor, having worked with diverse student populations
in varied institutional settings: on the faculty at Tulane and Clark
Atlanta University, and as a fellow at MIT and Yale, and more recently
as dean and provost at University of the Sciences in Philadelphia and
Wilkes University.
Founded as Bucknell Junior College in 1933, Wilkes became a four
year institution soon after the end of World War II and attained
university status 15 years ago. It now consists of 5 colleges and
professional schools: Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences; Science and
Engineering; Business; Pharmacy and Nursing; Education; and Graduate
and Professional Studies.
Our professional programs do prepare students for specific careers
as nurses, pharmacists, engineers. These are much needed. Many of our
students will likely have several careers over a lifetime. Thus we
prepare them for a flexible and evolving future. Our major programs,
especially in the arts, sciences and engineering prepare undergraduates
for a wide range of career choices and also for postgraduate study,
e.g. doctoral programs, medical or law school.
These major programs emphasize practice in the disciplines, through
undergraduate research and capstone projects. It is important that
biology majors practice biology and communications majors learn the
practice of their fields. Many of our students engage in research with
the faculty and publish their work. The student led Zebra
Communications takes on a number of important service projects in the
community and our students graduate with expertise very useful to their
future employers. The advisory board for our Engineering programs,
consisting of leaders of engineering firms in the region, has noted
that our graduates join their firms with concrete knowledge and skill,
fully prepared to function as engineers. Our students in
Entrepreneurship conceptualize and operate businesses as an essential
element of their education, which culminates in senior capstone. Our
students work on multidisciplinary teams to develop business plans,
execute projects and compete in the regional Great Valley Business Plan
Competition.
We would like to note that many of our students, and those of
institutions like ourselves, are first generation college students, who
go on to make remarkable contributions in their fields of endeavor. To
an annual survey question, whether either parents received a degree
from either a 2 year or 4 year college, roughly 35% of our young people
answer NO. Approximately 36% of our students receive PELL grants and
17% receive SEOG. Wilkes alumni include leaders of industry, nationally
acclaimed scientists and engineers, and the recent editor of the
Journal of the American Medical Association. It is our purpose of
institutions like us to bring all talent to the fore in service of
community, nation and world.
Unfortunately, a gulf separates K-12 education and higher
education. Too many high school graduates are ill prepared to begin
college work. Aware of the flatness of our world as indicated by Thomas
Friedman, we also sense the urgency to educate and prepare fully all
our young people for a wide range of careers and for a multinational
and changing world. In this flat world, we cannot afford to adequately
educate a subset of our population while our international partners
strive to maximize the talents of their young. Our institutions have
responded with a range of remedial programs that allow students to make
the transition successfully. However, we must acknowledge that those
students who arrive at our doors are indeed the remnant, survivors of
an inadequate K-12 system. As a nation, we must expect that all college
graduates have acquired the ability to communicate effectively orally
and in writing, that they have the requisite mathematical ability, that
they understand history and society, that they can reflect critically
on complex matters.
We also seek to respond to adults who must develop new skill and
knowledge. For the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the recent census
shows that 22.4% of adults over 25 years of age have earned a bachelors
degree, 2% below the national average. For this county, the rate is
20%. Thus, it is essential that institutions like ourselves assist
adults who seek to complete the bachelors degree. This has required
close work with community colleges in our region to facilitate
matriculation of students to insure that they complete the
baccalaureate. We have completed roadmaps for all available majors that
tell students at our local community college what courses to take to
smoothly transfer into a program at Wilkes University.
A current effort in the Department of Education seeks a standard
definition of the ``credit hour''. It is important that the definition
have real flexibility. Promoting baccalaureate completion and
addressing the needs of adult learners requires legitimate ways to
grant academic credit for valid life experience. We and many
institutions have established processes for Prior Learning Assessment.
A rigid definition of the ``credit hour'' would preclude this valuable
educational approach.
We are a destination in this region for science and engineering
students. We are the only ABET accredited engineering program in our
region. Howard Hughes Medical Institute recently recognized the
excellence of our Biology and life sciences. Yet, we and American
education in general must do more to cultivate talent in the STEM
discipline among our young. In his 2006 State of the Union Address,
President Bush alerted the nation to a crisis in science education. In
the 2011 State of the Union, President Obama also stressed that ``The
quality of our math and science education lags behind many other
nations''. A third or more of graduate students in the sciences are
foreign nationals, who do contribute significantly to the nation. The
shortage of scientifically or technologically educated Americans is not
only a workforce issue; it is also a national security issue.
It is imperative that we cultivate and capture the imagination of
young scientists during their early years, middle school or earlier.
Like professional cellist, scientist and engineers develop their
inclinations early. If not nourished they move on. It is essential that
they encounter passionate and skilled teachers. I recall a gathering of
professional scientists. In response to the question, ``when did you
discover your passion for sciences?'' Most replied before their teenage
years. Very few recalled deciding while in college. At Wilkes, our WEBS
program (Women in Biological Sciences) brings young women into our
laboratories for enriching experiences. Our efforts to cultivate the
pipeline of students seeking the bachelors in the sciences and
subsequent advanced degrees call for a special efforts to encourage
gifted science student to enter the teaching profession. This is a
critical need, here and nationally. NSF programs such as the Noyce
grants to support tuition for science students seeking teaching
certification are much needed. We must also support reasonable pathways
to allow career professional in the STEM areas to earn teaching
certificates.
Graduates of higher education contribute to the economy in an
important way as innovators who renew the economy. Whether in science,
finance or health, they develop ideas that translate to new businesses,
in some instances that lead to entirely new industries. Our
institutions instill in them broad sets of tools and capacities for
discovery, planning and reasoning that prepare them for the unforeseen
opportunities of tomorrow. It is this precious imagination and
resilience that has built the nation thus far and on which we continue
to rely.
______
Chairman Kline. Thank you very much. Mr. Angeli?
STATEMENT OF RAYMOND ANGELI, PRESIDENT, LACKAWANNA COLLEGE
Mr. Angeli. Congressman Kline, Congressman Barletta, thank
you very much for this opportunity to say a few words today. I
am really happy to provide comments on how people can take
advantage of higher education in Northeastern Pennsylvania.
Just as a summary, though, I would just say a little bit
about Lackawanna College. We are a private, accredited, 2-year
social degree award institution with a campus in Scranton and
we have four satellite centers. We have one in Hazleton,
Honesdale, the Lake Region--which is Hawley, Pennsylvania--and
New Milford. We also offer continued education programs,
certificate programs, and enrichment and workforce training
programs. In two of our locations in both Scranton and
Hazleton, we offer the Act 120 Police Program where in the
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania you have to be training in, you
know, a 6-month program in order to become a police officer for
certification.
At each of these centers we have created a partnership with
business and industry and with the local municipalities to take
over buildings and areas that would be vacant if we weren't
there. So it is a partnership that we have created that works
very well for us and for the local community.
Lackawanna was originally established in design to support
the local industry in 1894, which was the coal industry. We
provided accountants and secretaries, and that is how we got
our start. Since then we have really evolved into many, many
multiple programs that address the needs of the growth sectors
of the workforce offering students the option of traditional
education, which either leads to a four-year degree or a
specialized education focused on a specific vocation. And that
has been the hallmark of our growth and our success. With an
enrollment of approximately 2,200 full-time and part-time
students, we consider our diversity and our agility to respond
to workforce needs as an educational niche in our region.
One of the unique aspects of this region is a group of
college universities called NEPACU, Northeastern Pennsylvania
Association of College Universities. A group of us got together
and thought to really send a message down to the high school
level that says whatever you need to do, whatever you want to
do in your future in education, one of us has the ability to
offer that to you. And getting that message down into the high
school is a very difficult, difficult task. And despite the
abundance of educational opportunities in Northeastern
Pennsylvania, only half of the population pursues higher
education, which really we need to enhance the quality of any
workforce. So the challenge for NEPACU continues to put forth
to the community is how do we do this? Now, I know I speak to
Lackawanna's involvement in training the workforce and not
because we are unique but because of what the efficient use of
federal and state aid, combined with the business and
community's assistance, we have been able to design programs
quickly and ensure they are affordable.
Several years ago, along with the joint Chambers of
Commerce of Wilkes-Barre and Scranton, we surveyed business and
industry. Business and industry kept saying look at people
coming out of high school and adult learners coming back in the
workforce that don't have the skills that we need. So we
surveyed everybody. I think we surveyed over 50 industries and
businesses and said what do you want? And the answer was very
simple in those days. It was, you know, math, reading, English,
teamwork, and some basic computer skills. So we start to design
programs to address some of those things.
And from those early beginnings, we created a joint program
between Lackawanna College, the Scranton Chamber of Commerce,
and Johnson College. Using workforce investment dollars, we
developed a program to train electricians for Tobyhanna Army
Depot. For the local defense industry we trained people in
pneumatic control technicians for the skills that were
basically needed. We subsequently designed programs for
displaced workers and created an allied program that trains
faster technicians, stenographers, cardiac sonographers, and
other technicians.
Five years ago, in anticipation of the growth of the
Marcellus Shale industry, we designed a gas field management
program. Our first class will be graduating this May and all
the people already have jobs and they have already done
internships. And we just recently were approved by the
Department of Education to start a gas compression technology
program, which will start this fall.
All of those things we have done to one thing and that is
to be able to have the agility to be able to respond very
quickly to the needs of business and industry and to students
who want to go to college to pursue other avenues of education.
And the secret to this is the agility to be able to do it and
to have the federal and state aid which allows us to leverage
these dollars to put these programs on the street. Thank you.
[The statement of Mr. Angeli follows:]
Prepared Statement of Raymond S. Angeli, President, Lackawanna College
I am pleased to have the opportunity to provide commentary on the
issue of how constituents can take advantage of what higher education
has to offer in partnership with workforce initiatives. As president of
Lackawanna College for over sixteen years, I have witnessed remarkable
changes in both higher education standards, and those of an evolving
workforce, both nationally and in the region of Northeastern
Pennsylvania.
One of the unique aspects of education in Northeastern Pennsylvania
has been the establishment of NEPACU (Northeastern Pennsylvania
Association of Colleges and Universities). NEPACU is the cooperative
consortium of 16 Colleges and universities that work together to
provide a wide array of offerings that prepare our students to work in
the many fields of opportunity that are always evolving. Each of us has
offerings that vary, including certificate programs, undergraduate
programs, Master's and Doctoral programs.
Despite the abundance of educational opportunity available in
Northeastern Pennsylvania, only approximately half of the local
population pursues higher education, which irrefutably enhances the
quality of any workforce. The concept of ``brain drain'' continues to
be an issue in our region, which basically means that our own students
seek education elsewhere, while our own colleges and universities
attract students from other parts of the country--especially
Southeastern PA, New York and New Jersey--who, in turn generally leave
our region upon graduation.
So the one challenge NEPACU continues to put forth to the community
of Northeast Pennsylvania is: No matter what an individual's interests
are, one of our colleges or universities can meet his or her
educational needs, whether one is a new high school graduate or adult
learner seeking new employment or career change. Of course, I can only
speak to Lackawanna College's involvement in training the workforce,
not because we are unique, but because with the efficient use of
federal and state aid, combined with the business community's
assistance, we have been able to design programs quickly--and ensure
they are affordable.
Several years ago, Lackawanna College, along with the joint
Chambers of Commerce (Scranton and Wilkes-Barre) surveyed business and
industry in an attempt to understand what their needs were. In the
beginning, the equation was simple. Students coming out of high school,
and later, adult learners returning to the workforce needed to be
trained up to a simple standard: math--reading--English--teamwork. From
those early beginnings, a joint program was created between Lackawanna
College, the Scranton Chamber and Johnson College. Using Workforce
Investment dollars, we developed a program to train electricians for
Tobyhanna Depot, and pneumatic control technicians for the many defense
industries who were desperately short of workers with such skills.
We subsequently designed special programs for displaced workers,
and created an Allied Health Program that trains vascular technicians,
sonographers, cardiac sonographers, surgical technicians, nurse aids
and even paramedics to meet demands. To illustrate our success,
consider that 100% of our Nurse Aid students have passed their license
examinations, with 100% job placement upon completion of the program.
Most recently as 5 years ago, in anticipation of the growth in the
Marcellus Shale gas opportunity, we designed a gas field management
program. Our first class will graduate in May, and each of the 25
students has already served a paid internship on local drilling rigs.
We have added a second class, and there is currently a waiting list of
students for the following year.
Just this week, Lackawanna College was approved by the Department
of Education to start a gas compressor technician program that will
come on line this fall. This is another example of workforce related
education, born of industry demand.
And an additional example of our ability to address local workforce
opportunity is our certificate and Associate's degree programs for
Entrepreneurship. As the Marcellus shale industry has taken off so
rapidly, so have entrepreneurial business opportunities in order to
serve the hundreds of gas and pipeline workers who have flooded the
region: catering, laundry services, lodging, etc. One component we are
addressing with this program includes training of veterans, both
disabled and recently returning from deployment. Lackawanna College has
received national recognition as a ``Military Friendly College.''
We have in the past taken advantage of trade relocation dollars,
Appalachian Regional Control Programs, and Department of Education
Programs to retrain workers who are trying to improve their skills or
just need a job.
Lackawanna College is a private, accredited, two year, Associate's
degree awarding institution with one main campus in Scranton, and four
satellite centers in Hazleton, Towanda, New Milford and Lake Region
(Hawley, PA). We also offer several continuing education programs,
certificate programs and enrichment and workforce training programs. In
two of our locations (Scranton and Hazleton), we maintain a Police
Academy, which offers Act 120 certification and other law enforcement
training.
Originally established as a business school designed to support
local industry in 1894, the college has continued to play a unique role
in the ever evolving needs of the regional workforce. In the last
decade, enrollment has more than doubled, largely due to our
establishment of multiple programs that address the needs of the growth
sectors of the workforce. Offering students the option of a traditional
education leading to a four year degree, or a specialized education
focused on a specific vocation has been the hallmark of our growth and
success. With an enrollment of approximately 2,200 full and part time
students, we consider our diversity and agility to respond to workforce
needs as an educational niche in our region.
In light of the recent threats on the state and federal levels to
cut funding to education, I respectfully ask this committee to consider
colleges similar to Lackawanna College as stellar examples of success
in education, leading to tangible employment. For the majority of our
students, Lackawanna College provides the foundation for a continued
education, whether it is a four year degree or specialization. An
example: many of our criminal justice students pursue Act 120
certification upon earning their degree, and vice versa.
Over 80% of our students are first generation college students.
Lackawanna College has the most diverse student population in
Lackawanna County, and with the exception of other regional community
colleges, it provides the most affordable tuition available. We are
committed, despite funding cuts in financial aid, to no increase in
tuition for the 2011-2012 academic year. This comes at considerable
expense to the college and its employees, but we remain cognizant of
our mission and commitment to our own constituents--our students.
Another reason for our growth has been the improvement in our
transfer credit acceptance, and our establishment of several
articulation agreements with other colleges and universities, including
the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education and Misericordia
University. We continue to seek additional partnerships, both with
other colleges and universities, and with regional workforce agencies.
Higher education is at a palpable crossroad. The value of a two
year degree is ever increasing for obvious workforce related reasons.
Partnering with business has always been the strength of two year
colleges, and particularly in NEPA, the hallmark of Lackawanna College.
Despite the inevitable funding cuts to education, I implore this
committee to judge the merits of community and private two year
colleges, and the effects any cuts will have on the students
themselves, and their access to viable employment.
I could go on about how much success we all have had in making
Northeastern, PA a place where opportunity meets preparation but I
believe if you speak to the employers of our students, they will tell
you that what we are doing works effectively. Thank you for the
opportunity to communicate the importance of Lackawanna College in our
community.
______
Chairman Kline. Thank you very much. Ms. Seaman?
STATEMENT OF JOAN SEAMAN, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, EMPIRE BEAUTY
SCHOOLS
Ms. Seaman. Good morning. My name is Joan Seaman, Executive
Director of the Wyoming Valley Campus of Empire Education Group
located here in the 11th District in Pennsylvania. I would like
to thank Representative Barletta, Chairman Kline for hosting
this important hearing on how higher education can help revive
the economy through job growth and development.
Today I would like to share with you my own professional
journey, the role that Empire Education Group plays in helping
students achieve those careers, and how the cosmetology school
industry and professional beauty industry can and should be
looked upon as a part of a solution to our economy recovery.
My career and the realization of my passion and dreams was
made possible because of the choices and access provided to me
by Empire Beauty School. I graduated from Empire Beauty School
in 1974, prior to the school being eligible to administer
federal student financial assistance. Upon graduation, the
school director helped me find a job in a local salon. While
working in the salon in 1976, I started to return to Empire,
which was now accredited, and I enrolled in the teaching
program with the help of Title IV funding. Upon graduation from
the teaching program, I was hired as an instructor and worked
in that capacity for 17 years.
The help and support I received from Empire also allowed me
in 1983 to realize my lifelong dream of owning my own salon and
becoming a small business owner. I am proud to say that I have
been employed by Empire Beauty School for 35 years and
presently serve as the executive director at the Wyoming Valley
Campus. In my capacity as executive director, I am responsible
for the operations of a total quality school.
I would submit to you that Empire does an outstanding job
preparing students that choose to enter the professional beauty
industry. At Wyoming Valley over half of my students enroll in
school with prior higher education experience, and sadly
enough, prior debt. And this is typical of most institutions
within the cosmetology community as we estimate that 20 to 35
percent of students enroll with some prior higher education
indebtedness.
Wyoming Valley has a success rate that I am proud of and
they are similar to the success enjoyed across Empire's 102
campuses located in 23 states. Our graduation rate is 71
percent. Our past rate on the state-mandated licensing test is
86 percent and our placement rate is 77 percent.
The cosmetology school industry is more heavily regulated
than my peers on this panel. Believe it or not, Empire views
this additional level of oversight as a positive. It provides
that the individual has the entry-level skill sets to enter the
workforce and begin their careers. Armed with this passport,
cosmetologists have entry into a world of opportunity in areas
where employment is expected to grow much faster than the
average for all occupations according to the United States
Department of Labor.
Personal appearance workers will grow by 20 percent from
2008 to 2018, which is much faster than the average of all
occupations. Employment of hairdressers, hairstylists, and
cosmetologists will increase by about 20 percent, much faster
than the average.
Today I would like to call to your attention three brief
examples which illustrate key legislative and regulatory
barriers which limit institutions from effectively enrolling,
completing, and placing future employees into our Nation's
workforce: student over-borrowing, misrepresentation, and
gainful employment.
In the terms of student over-borrowing, the Higher
Education Act mandates that all institutions disclose to the
potential borrower every type and amount to federal student
financial that they are eligible to receive and prohibits an
institution from limiting the amount a potential student can
borrow, even if the student exceeds the funds needed to pay for
tuition fees. As currently constructed, the law and regulations
actually push more student aid onto the borrower than is
necessary, increasing the potential that the student can and
potentially will over-borrow.
Secondly, the Department of Education's October 2010 final
regulations included modifications to the definition of
misrepresentation, which are illogical, unrealistic, and will
likely open the door to countless lawsuits based upon the
expansive terms now contained in this regulation.
Lastly, what is certain is that the as-yet unpublished
gainful employment regulation will limit students' access and
choice. What is unknown is the degree to which the final
regulation will have unintended negative impact on cosmetology
schools like mine. One important issue which was not raised at
last week's gainful employment hearing, which deeply concerns
my institution, is the fact that the Missouri data used by the
Department to access the impact of the proposed regulations
failed to take into consideration any cosmetology school data.
So neither the Department nor the cosmetology sector can say
for sure when it passes the impact the final regulations will
have on our program.
In conclusion, institutions like Empire have the ability to
help meet the Nation's local as well as national job demands.
However, we need targeted relief from federal restrictions and
unduly harm students and the institutions they chose to attend.
It is my hope that through your leadership we can and will work
together to make the necessary changes to the Higher Education
Act, which will enable Wyoming Valley, all of Empire, and my
peers on this panel representing traditional higher education
meet the local and national workforce needs and do our share to
help bring about economy recovery.
[The statement of Ms. Seaman follows:]
Prepared Statement of Joan Seaman, Executive Director, Wyoming Valley
Campus, Empire Education Group
Good morning. My name is Joan Seaman, Executive Director of the
Wyoming Valley Campus, of Empire Education Group, located here in the
11th District of Pennsylvania. I would like to begin my testimony by
thanking both Representative Lou Barletta and Chairman John Kline for
hosting this important hearing on how higher education can help revive
the economy through job growth and development.
I think we all agree that the path to a stronger and more
competitive workforce is rooted in access to postsecondary education,
and the ability and flexibility afforded to our nation's students to
choose the education and training that best meets their own individual
personal and professional career goals.
In the time that I have with you gentleman this morning, I would
like to describe a little bit about my own professional journey, the
role that Empire Education plays in helping myself and others achieve
success in our chosen professions/careers, and how the Cosmetology
School Industry and Professional Beauty Industry can and should be
looked upon as a part of the solution to economic recovery and a
broader more robust workforce.
And, I would be remiss if I didn't also share with you some of the
legislative and regulatory barriers which currently exist that limit/
prohibit my institution from helping individuals and their families
enroll, pursue, and complete their education, which is the ``passport''
to a world of ``in-demand'' employment, financial independence, and
personal/professional growth and success.
My Professional Journey
My career, and the pursuit of my passion and dreams, were made
possible because of the choice and access provided to me by Empire
Beauty Schools.
I graduated from Empire in 1974 prior to the school being
accredited and recognized by the U.S. Department of Education as an
institution eligible to administer Federal Student Financial
Assistance. Upon graduation, the school director helped me find a job
in a salon.
While working in the salon, in 1976 I decided to return to Empire,
which was now accredited, and I enrolled in the Teacher Training
Program with the help of Title IV funding. Upon graduation from the
Teacher Training Program I was hired as an instructor and worked in
that capacity for 17 years. The help and support I received from Empire
also allowed me, in 1983, to realize my life long dream of owning my
own salon and becoming a small business owner as well.
I am proud to say that I have been employed by Empire for 35 years
and presently serve as the Executive Director of the Wyoming Valley
Campus. In my capacity as Executive Director I am responsible for the
overall quality of the school. That includes delivery of the education,
graduation and placement, community outreach, operation of the facility
and anything else that needs to be done to insure our students have a
positive learning environment.
Empire Education's Role
I would submit to you that Empire Education, and the broader
cosmetology school industry as well, do an outstanding job preparing
students that choose to enter the Professional Beauty Industry.
At Wyoming Valley, more than half of our students enroll in school
with previous higher education experience and, sadly enough, prior
debt--and this is typical of most institutions within the cosmetology
community, as we estimate that 20-35% of students enroll with some
prior higher education indebtedness.
Many of these individuals are making a transition--whether it be
from the pursuit of an education which was not the best fit for them or
a new career path based upon the loss of their existing job due to the
lagging economy--and are finally getting to follow their passion. Many
also see the Professional Beauty Industry as a pathway to independence
or are pursuing a dream that they have had since childhood, but either
could not, or did not pursue previously. The one thing that they all
have in common. * * * They have all chosen to attend our school and are
counting on us to help them achieve their goals and dreams.
And, with some humility, I believe we deliver.
Wyoming Valley has success rates that I am proud of and they are
similar to the success enjoyed across Empire's 102 campuses in 23
states. Our graduation rate is 71%, our pass rate on the State mandated
licensing test is 86% and our placement rate is 77%. I bring these
rates to your attention in part because they are part of the metrics
used by Empire Education Group, our accrediting agency, and other large
and small cosmetology schools in our sector to determine quality of
education.
The Cosmetology School & Professional Beauty Industries' Roles
The cosmetology school industry is more heavily regulated than my
peers on this panel, and this is true of cosmetology schools in every
state.
Not only must cosmetology institutions meet the federal higher
education laws and regulations, but we must also comply with the state
regulatory guidelines and licensure testing requirements of our
Cosmetology and Barbering Boards. These entities quite literally
establish the length of our programs, the curriculum that is to be
taught in order to meet the state's licensure requirements, and the
independently administered, state approved exams our students must pass
in order to enter the profession.
Believe it or not, Empire Education and the cosmetology school
industry view this additional level of oversight as a positive. It
helps us educate the students and their families on what is expected of
them in order to achieve entry into the profession. It enables us to
validate the quality of our programs based upon our outcomes and
success in preparing individuals for licensure. And, it provides the
Professional Beauty Industry with a clear, bright-line indication that
the individual has the entry-level skill sets to enter the workforce,
and begin their careers.
Armed with this ``passport'' the cosmetologist has entry into a
``world'' of opportunity in areas where ``employment is expected to
grow much faster than the average for all occupations'' according to
the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2010-
2011.
As noted under ``Job Outlook'' for Barbers, Cosmetologists, and
Other Personal Appearance Workers:
``Overall employment of barbers, cosmetologists, and other personal
appearance workers is projected to grow much faster than the average
for all occupations. Opportunities for entry-level workers should be
favorable, while job candidates at high-end establishments will face
keen competition.
Employment change. Personal appearance workers will grow by 20
percent from 2008 to 2018, which is much faster than the average for
all occupations.
Employment trends are expected to vary among the different
occupational specialties. Employment of hairdressers, hairstylists, and
cosmetologists will increase by about 20 percent, much faster than
average, while the number of barbers will increase by 12 percent, about
as fast as average. This growth will primarily come from an increasing
population, which will lead to greater demand for basic hair services.
Additionally, the demand for hair coloring and other advanced hair
treatments has increased in recent years, particularly among baby
boomers and young people. This trend is expected to continue, leading
to a favorable outlook for hairdressers, hairstylists, and
cosmetologists.
Continued growth in the number full-service spas and nail salons
will also generate numerous job openings for manicurists, pedicurists,
and skin care specialists. Estheticians and other skin care specialists
will see large gains in employment, and are expected to grow almost 38
percent, much faster than average, primarily due to the popularity of
skin treatments for relaxation and medical well-being. Manicurists and
pedicurists meanwhile will grow by 19 percent, faster than average.
Job prospects. Job opportunities generally should be good,
particularly for licensed personal appearance workers seeking entry-
level positions. A large number of job openings will come about from
the need to replace workers who transfer to other occupations, retire,
or leave the labor force for other reasons. However, workers can expect
keen competition for jobs and clients at higher paying salons, as these
positions are relatively few and require applicants to compete with a
large pool of licensed and experienced cosmetologists. Opportunities
will generally be best for those with previous experience and for those
licensed to provide a broad range of services.''
It is the Professional Beauty Industry that will afford individuals
with the ability to use their passport to choose from all manner of
career paths and destinations. They can pursue employment in a salon,
building up a clientele--which may one day lead to the opening of their
own salon just like mine. They may enter into the manufacturing and
merchandising side of the industry (wholesale trade), or the customer
service and retail professions (retail trade), which are again
classified by the U.S. Department of Labor as areas for occupational
growth at above the national average. Regardless of their choice, the
options are there and so is the demand.
Legislative and Regulatory Barriers
Rep. Barletta and Chairman Kline, I believe that my campus, Empire
Education Group, and the rest of the cosmetology school community can
help get us back on the right track to full economic recovery, but in
order to do so students and schools need your help.
You have already heard me state that my institutions and our
industry does not shy away from regulation, in fact, when it is fair
and balanced at both the federal and state level we embrace it. But in
far too many cases, especially at the federal level, statute and
regulations proposed in the name of ``program integrity'', ``the
interests of the taxpayers'', and ``the federal interest'' frankly go
too far.
These regulations can be unreasonable, unfair, and yes, even
unjust, and often times come with unintended consequences which are far
more detrimental to the students and schools than originally prescribed
or intended.
Today I would like to call to your attention three brief examples
which illustrate key legislative and regulatory barriers which limit/
prohibit institutions from effectively enrolling, completing, and
placing future employees into our nation's workforce. They include:
Federal statutory prohibitions on an institutions ability
to limit student borrowing to only those funds needed/necessary for
pursuit of their education;
Recently promulgated Federal regulations broadly defining
``misrepresentation'' go well beyond reasonable interpretations of
substantial misrepresentation with a clear intent to deceive; and
Pending Federal regulations seeking to define ``gainful
employment in a recognized occupation.''
Student Over-Borrowing
This may seem counter-intuitive, but in an effort to promote
consumer transparency and greater access to student loan information,
the Higher Education Act mandates that all institutions disclose to the
potential borrower every type and amount of federal student financial
that they are eligible to receive and prohibits an institution from
limiting the amount the potential student and/or the family can
borrow--even if that amount exceeds the funds needed to pay for all
tuition, fees, and direct academically-related costs (including child
care, transportation, et. al.).
Student financial aid administrators do have the ability to limit
student borrowing on a case-by-case basis, but are often cautious about
doing so because of the potential adverse consequences if the
discretion is overused.
Thus, as currently constructed, the law and regulations actually
push more student aid onto the borrower than is necessary, increasing
the potential that the student can, and potentially will over-borrow.
I'm certain the irony is not lost on the two of you. At a time when
other Members of Congress, student rights and consumer advocates are
vocally questioning college tuition increases, student debt, and the
harms associated with large indebtedness, the ability to repay, and the
potential for default, the fact of the matter is that the institutions
are required to offer more of the taxpayers money than is actually
necessary.
Compounding the problem are the pending U.S. Department of
Education regulations seeking to define ``gainful employment'', which
focus on a borrower's ability to repay their loan and the relationship
of the amount borrowed to the anticipated earnings immediately after
graduation. Later in my testimony I discuss the broader implications of
the pending regulations, but they are relevant to this concern as well.
Several portions of the higher education community, including the
for-profit and community colleges, have requested that both the
Department of Education and Congress provide institutions with the
ability to limit the amount a student can borrow.
Department of Education officials have repeatedly noted during
Federal negotiations that the Secretary requires statutory authority to
enable institutions to make such determinations.
To that end, I respectfully request that you consider granting
institutions and their financial aid administrators the ability to
limit the amount a student and/or their family can borrow. In doing so,
you will enable institutions to prevent unneeded and unnecessary
student indebtedness, while at the same time protecting the federal
fiscal interest in terms of both funds attributed and the default risks
associated with the over-awarding of taxpayers' dollars.
Misrepresentation
The Department of Education's October 2010 final regulations
implementing a series of changes designed to promote greater program
integrity included modifications to the definition of
``misrepresentation'' which are simply illogical, unrealistic, and will
likely open the door to countless lawsuits based upon the expansive
terms now contained in the regulations effective this July.
Under the law, the Program Integrity Triad--made up of state
authorizers, accrediting agencies, and the U.S. Department of
Education--are all responsible in one form or another to prevent
institutions from providing the consumer with false or misleading
information.
Specifically the HEA directs the U.S. Department of Education to
make determinations regarding ``misrepresentations'' made by
institutions of higher education to potential students and their
families that are ``false, erroneous or misleading statements'' in
relations to ``descriptions of educational programs, its financial
charges or employability of its graduates.''
For many years, all institutions of higher education have
understood and abided by this regulation, and support its intent and
that of the underlying statute.
However, as part of the most recent efforts on the part of the
Department to expand oversight and enhance program integrity, the
Administration sought, and was successful in promulgating new
regulations broadly defining ``misrepresentation'' in a manner that
goes well beyond reasonable interpretations of substantial
misrepresentation with a clear intent to deceive
The new regulations dramatically expand the definition of
``misrepresentation'' to include misstatements that have a ``likelihood
or tendency to deceive or confuse.'' They also enlarge the scope of
actionable misrepresentations to include any statement about the
institution as a whole, not the narrower description of the program,
financial charges and outcomes noted above. And, not only do the new
regulations pertain to representations made to potential students and
their families, but now, the new regulations open this up to
misrepresentation made to the general public.
Empire Education Group, the cosmetology school industry, and the
broader for-profit community all agree that this regulation is a
significant over-reach on the part of the Department, one fraught with
potentially unintended consequences based upon the most minor of
mistakes or even human error.
I urge you to review the underlying law and the new regulations,
which go well beyond what the law and Congress appear to have intended
and respectfully request that you work with us to find remedies which
will dial back this over-reaching and potentially very damaging new
regulation.
Gainful Employment
As was clearly demonstrated throughout last Thursday's (March 17,
2011) Full Committee Hearing entitled, ``Education Regulations:
Roadblocks to Student Choice in Higher Education'' the as yet
unpublished U.S. Department of Education (Department) ``gainful
employment'' regulations will limit student access and choice.
What is unknown is the degree to which the final regulation will
have unintended but profound negative impact on cosmetology schools
like mine. While last week's hearings touched on a number of important
concerns, one important issue which was not raised at the hearing in
Washington, which deeply concerns my institution and the cosmetology
school industry, is the fact that the Missouri data used by the
Department to assess the impact of their proposed regulations failed to
take into consideration any cosmetology school data. So neither the
Department, nor the cosmetology sector can say for sure what impact the
final regulations may have on our programs--which leads me to my second
concern on gainful employment.
The Department and supporters of the provision have repeatedly
stated that the proposal is program specific, and that the institution
does not loose eligibility, only the impacted program(s). Within the
cosmetology school industry this simply isn't accurate. Wyoming Valley,
like a majority or cosmetology schools across the country, offer core
curriculum in the cosmetology arts and sciences and related fields. We
do not offer multiple disciplines and as a result stand to be more
negatively impacted by the proposed regulations--as elimination of our
cosmetology programs eligibility will result in institutional
ineligibility.
But perhaps my biggest concern is the fact that I, as someone who
is responsible for running a total quality school, will have little, if
any, control over the outcomes of the two metrics (Annual Loan
Repayment Rates and Student Debt-to-Earnings) which will be used to
determine my institution's, not just a program's, continued
eligibility.
Annual Loan Repayment
There are many problems with this metric but I will focus on
several that are most evident and worrisome. First is the fact that
this proposed regulation looks backward and, if implemented, will
include students that attended and graduated from my school up to three
years ago. I am concerned not only of the unfair nature of such a
provision, but also with the precedent it may set for future
retroactive regulations.
Second, as proposed, there are certain classes of performing loans
that will not be recognized as such because they are loans in deferment
or forbearance. Also, many income contingent options while deemed to be
performing statutorily by education law, will count against the
institution as not in repayment. Add to the fact that all loans are
serviced by the Department of Education and it creates a dichotomy as
to how the institution and the Department will work to properly counsel
and ultimately service those loans, when what is in the best interest
of the student is in direct conflict with the assessment of the
institution's compliance with the gainful employment regulation.
Third, the calculation of median loan debt is not an accurate
reflection of the proceeds of the loan debt received by the
institution. Students may borrow well beyond the cost of education for
living and other educationally related expenses. Institutions could
actually charge zero for tuition and by law, the students could borrow
up to their eligible maximum. Under the proposed regulation, the
institution is held responsible for the student re-paying that debt
even if the institution did not receive even a single penny from the
proceeds of the loan.
Student Debt-to-Earnings
Simply put, I am not sure what this metric reflects or is trying to
measure. As proposed, the institution will submit a roster of social
security numbers to the Department of Education who will then turn that
roster over to the Social Security Administration (SSA). The SSA will
in return give the Department of Education the average earnings of the
graduates on that roster so it can be compared against the median loan
debt of recognized occupation(s) in that field.
First, there is no way for the institution--or any external
auditor--to identify the source of the income. While this may work to
the advantage of the institution, it is not reflective of the
difference in the value between what was borrowed and the subsequent
earning power of the student as a result of the training that student
received because of the loan.
Second, there is no way to check the accuracy of the information
coming back to the institution. The exclusion of a few graduates could
dramatically impact the average, especially in institutions and
programs with small cohorts.
Third, programs with small enrollments will have average earnings
and loan values with potentially large outliers that will be more
attributable to economics than the quality of education at an
institution.
Based upon all of these concerns, and many more too numerous to
include in my prepared or verbal testimony, Wyoming Valley, Empire
Education Group, the cosmetology school industry, and the Professional
Beauty industry all respectfully submit and agree with your statements
Rep. Kline that these regulations should be withdrawn by the
Department.
I applaud both of you gentleman for taking the lead in seeking to
slow down the rush to regulate in this area. The overwhelming House
vote on this issue is an important first step. I hope that the Senate
will see the wisdom of including the provision in their Fiscal Year
2011 (FY11) Appropriations bill, but even if they do not, I hope you
will fight to have the provision maintained in the House & Senate
Conference and the final enacted FY11 funding legislation.
The Wyoming Valley Campus, Empire Education Group, the cosmetology
school industry, and the Professional Beauty Industry are all committed
to working with you to see this regulation at a minimum delayed, and in
a perfect world never published. We support accountability, and are not
adverse to oversight and regulation, but only when it is fair and
balanced, and this regulation is certainly far from that.
Conclusion
Empire Education Group, the cosmetology school industry, and
institutions like Wyoming Valley have the ability to help meet the
nation's local, as well as national, job growth and development needs,
helping to lead to a path of full economic recovery. However, to work
at optimum efficiency and effectiveness we need targeted relief from
federal legislative and regulatory restrictions that unduly harm
students and the institutions they choose to attend.
It is my hope that through your leadership we can, and will, work
together to make the necessary changes to the Higher Education Act,
which will enable Wyoming Valley, Empire Education Group, the
cosmetology school industry, and my peers on this panel representing
traditional higher education meet the local and national workforce
needs, and do our share to help spur on full economic recovery.
______
Chairman Kline. Thank you, Ms. Seaman. Mr. Leary?
STATEMENT OF THOMAS P. LEARY, PRESIDENT,
LUZERNE COUNTY COMMUNITY COLLEGE
Mr. Leary. Thank you, Congressman, for this opportunity
to----
Chairman Kline. Would you share the microphone there with--
thank you.
Mr. Leary. Yes. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you for the
opportunity to present information of what we feel is extremely
important with respect to the future of higher education.
Community colleges play a very important role in the future
of our State and, given the shifts in the economy, have a more
significant impact every day. They have always played a key
role in providing the workforce with the education and skills
necessary to find sustainable employment in business and
industry that supports the economy, including such high-
priority education, which for Pennsylvania includes such
programs as nursing, surgical technology, computer information
systems, architectural engineering, and early childhood
education.
During the current economic climate, there are climbing
numbers finding themselves unemployed. The impact of community
colleges has increased dramatically as more and more
individuals are looking to our institutions to train--and in
many cases, retrain--them so they may gain a competitive edge
in today's limited workforce market. While community colleges
are supported by state and local funding, that funding is
currently under a great challenge. For Luzerne County Community
College, the initial proposed budget from the state level calls
for a cutback of approximately $1.2 million, which is reflected
in federal stimulus funding.
Like other community colleges, we have been making
adjustments along the way to address the continually decreasing
cuts while ensuring that the quality of education and training
is not impacted. The staff is doubling up on their
responsibilities and growth and development activities are
stunted as we must reallocate existing resources to meet day-
to-day operational needs.
However, the areas where we can make cuts and trim the
budget are nearing completion. As the budget situation
continues to be challenging, community colleges face no other
alternative but to increase tuition and fees. Accessibility and
affordability have been the mainstay of community colleges
since their inception and are the reason that so many in our
community are able to gain advanced training and education to
aid the economic development of this region. Increasing tuition
and fees can mean the difference between going to college and
not going to college for those who are just outside the range
of financial aid availability. Many of those who do receive
financial aid rely on that funding to cover not only their
tuition and fees but also their textbooks, which at times can
cost as much as our tuition.
If the Pell cuts proposed in H.R. 1 are approved, many of
these students will not have adequate resources to attend
college. Consider the fact that 68 percent of our first-time,
full-time students at our college receive some form of
financial aid. That financial aid covers not only tuition but
also other expenses.
Ladies and gentlemen, I spoke to a woman last week in my
office and she is approximately 30 years of age. She is in a
high-demand occupation. She is pursuing the nursing program.
She has a 3.8 GPA coming into this semester. She works full-
time, raises two children on a salary of $25,000 a year. Her
financial aid is critical for her to continue to pursue that
program, which will allow her to have a job when she graduates
in our nursing profession and raise her two children.
Sufficient Pell funding is currently available and the
current continuing resolution provides sufficient Pell Grant
program funding to ensure $5,550 at maximum grant level for the
2011/2012 year. However, the House passed H.R. 1 last month, a
continuing resolution that cuts the maximum Pell Grant by $845
from $5,550 to $4,705. Because of this Pell Grant reduction, it
will have a detrimental impact on the woman that I mentioned
before and several thousand other students. I urge you to
consider maintaining the current level of Pell Grants.
The students affected by any cuts are the ones counting on
financial aid to fulfill their responsibilities to their
families by finding sustainable employment without which they
must rely on government assistance or the support of families
and friends to get by, none of which enhances self-esteem or
self-reliance, which can have a detrimental long-range effect
on your children's ability to contribute to their economy in a
meaningful way. The Pell Grant is the cornerstone of the
federal student aid programs and in the academic year of 2009/
2010, we had 2,836 students receive a Pell Grant of which 1,268
received a maximum Pell Grant award.
I assure you that colleges are doing our part to support
our students and support the economic development of our region
during these difficult times in as many ways as possible. For
example, Pennsylvania community colleges, 14 community colleges
have come together to submit an application to the Department
of Labor for the TEACH Grant. This grant will allow our
capacity to place students--adult learners who may have lost a
recent job or are in need of additional skills--to upgrade
their employability or meet the changing demands of the
workplace.
Lifelong learning is a primary strategy for meeting the
President's challenge that by 2020 America will have the
highest proportion of college graduates in the world. About 40
percent of our 7,000 students are over the age of 25 and could
potentially benefit from the goals and objectives of the grant
that I just mentioned. The jobs requiring at least an associate
degree are projected to grow twice as fast as jobs requiring no
college experience. The 14 community colleges in Pennsylvania
are collaborating to make certain that we meet this challenge.
The approach being taken is designed to transform and
accelerate initial experiences of the TAA and TAA-like students
at community colleges and to align educational programs with
industry-recognized credentials and industry needs in specific
focused areas leading to job placement. This is just one
example of the many avenues community colleges seek to
supplement funding resources.
We hope that you will seriously consider funding Pell
grants at their current rate and overall eliminating any
potential cuts to education funding on the national level.
Thank you very much.
[The statement of Mr. Leary follows:]
Prepared Statement of Thomas P. Leary, President,
Luzerne County Community College
Community colleges are critical to the future of our state and,
given the shifts in our economy, have a more significant impact every
day.
Community colleges have always played a key role in providing the
workforce with the education and skills necessary to find sustainable
employment in the business and industry that supports the economy,
including high priority occupations which for Pennsylvania includes
such programs as nursing, dental hygiene, surgical technology,
Automotive Technology, and Computer Information Systems, Architectural
Engineering, and Early Childhood Education.
During the current economic climate, with record numbers finding
themselves unemployed, the impact of community colleges has increased
dramatically, as more and more individuals are looking to our
institutions to train and, in many cases, retrain them so that they may
gain a competitive edge in today's limited workforce market.
While community colleges like Luzerne County Community College are
supported by state and local funding, that funding, combined with
student tuition and fees, is still not sufficient to allow for the
needed flexibility in programming and maintenance of state-of-the-art
equipment and facilities to ensure students are fully prepared for
careers and continued education in their field, including and
especially the high demand occupations. As a result, federal, state and
private grants and donations have become a critical piece to the
community college revenue puzzle.
Unfortunately, at the same time that state and local funding has
been decreasing over the past two years, LCCC and our sister community
colleges across the nation have also experienced loss of some of these
supplementary funding sources.
For LCCC, this situation will likely worsen dramatically if the
Governor's proposed budget which calls for $1.2 million cut (most of
which is the result of a loss of federal stimulus money) is approved,
as many anticipate will happen.
Like other community colleges, LCCC has been making adjustments
along the way to address the continually decreasing cuts while ensuring
that the quality of education and training provided is not impacted.
Staff are doubling up on responsibilities, and growth and development
activities are stunted as we must reallocate existing resources to day-
to-day operational needs.
However, the areas where we can make cuts and trim the budget are
nearing depletion.
Other ways these budget cuts impact economic development is in the
loss of programs such as Pennsylvania's Dual Enrollment program,
through which eligible high school students receive funding to attend
college courses and gain a head start on their post-secondary
education.
As the budget situation continues to worsen, community colleges
face no other alternative but to increase tuition and fees.
Accessibility and affordability have been the mainstay of community
colleges since their inception and are the reason that so many in our
community are able to gain advanced training and education and
contribute to the economic development of their regions.
Increasing tuition and fees can mean the difference between going
to college and not going to college for those who are just outside the
range of financial aid availability. Many of those who do receive
financial aid rely on that funding to cover not only their tuition but
also their textbooks, which can at times cost as much as tuition. Also
needed are the additional funds to cover transportation, supplies and
other varied needs, such as child care.
If the Pell cuts proposed in HR 1 are approved, many of these same
students will not have adequate resources to attend college.
Consider the fact that 68% of first time, full time students at
LCCC receive some form of financial aid. Again, that financial aid
covers not only tuition, but also the other expenses that are incurred
by the student in order to attend college. Ladies and Gentlemen, we are
talking here about, say, the single mother of a family of 4 earning
$25,000 a year. The fact that she can manage a full-time job and raise
a family while studying and completing homework and attending classes
is remarkable enough. How do we expect her to find available money in
her budget to pay for her textbooks or cover the additional cost of gas
to get to and from campus?
The Federal Government must provide sufficient Pell Grant funding
to ensure the maximum award is not reduced in the 2011-12 academic
year.
The current continuing resolution (P.L. 111-322) provides
sufficient Pell Grant program funding to ensure a $5,550 maximum grant
level for the 2011-12 academic year. However, the House passed H.R. 1
last week, a continuing resolution that cuts the 2011-12 maximum Pell
by $845--reducing the maximum award from $5,550 to $4,705.
Because this Pell Grant reduction will have a detrimental impact on
low-income students, I urge you to oppose this provision in the
continuing resolution.
Any changes to Pell funding at this point could disrupt, delay, or
halt low-income students and families' higher education aspirations. To
prevent this, Congress must vote down any Continuing Resolution that
reduces the maximum Pell Grant award.
Our students at Luzerne County Community College rely on federal
aid to attend our institution. The students affected by these cuts are
the neediest individuals and are the ones counting on financial aid to
fulfill their responsibilities to their families by finding sustainable
employment, without which they must rely on government assistance or
the support of families and friends to get by, none of which enhances
self-esteem or self-reliance, which can have a detrimental long-term
effect on their and their children's ability to contribute to their
community in a meaningful way.
We also count on the funding of the SEOG grants to our students. If
they are cut as well, we would have many students unable to attend
school because they could not afford books and necessary supplies.
The Pell Grant program continues to be the cornerstone of the
federal student aid programs and it provides students the opportunity
to attend Luzerne County Community College each year. In the academic
year 2009-10, we had 2836 students receive a Pell Grant during the year
of which 1268 received the maximum Pell Grant of $2675. These students
will be relying on Congress to ensure their awards are not reduced.
I assure you that the colleges are doing our part to support our
students and support the economic development of our regions during
these difficult times in any way possible.
For example, the PA community colleges are working together to
submit an application for a TAACCCT Grant. This U.S. Dept. of Labor
grant is designed to increase institutional capacity and student
success for TAA-eligible students and ``TAA-like'' students--meaning
adult learners who may have lost a recent job or are in need of
additional skills to upgrade employability or meet the changing demands
of their workplace.
Life-long learning is a primary strategy for meeting President
Obama's challenge that by 2020, America will have the highest
proportion of college graduates in the world, and community colleges
will produce an additional 5 million graduates.
About 40% of LCCC's 7,000 students (2,800) are over the age of 25
and can potentially benefit from the goals of and objectives of this
grant. If the grant is successfully funded, a number of student
supports already available through the College will be optimized and
customized for its adult student population
With jobs requiring at least an associate degree projected to grow
twice as fast as jobs requiring no college experience, the 14 CC's in
Pennsylvania are collaborating to submit a single grant application
with a focus on student success and capacity-building to serve adults
looking to re-train and upgrade their skills to compete in the 21st
century workforce.
The approach being taken is designed to transform, streamline, and
accelerate the initial experiences of TAA and TAA-like students at a CC
and to align educational programs with industry recognized credentials
and industry needs in specific focus areas ultimately leading to job
placement.
The CC's plan to invest in the intake/assessment and collaborations
with other human service and workforce development organizations, as
well as employers in order to support student success and the
attainment of an industry-recognized credential. The 14 CC's in
Pennsylvania plan to redesign and accelerate basic skills development
to help move students through the foundation skills and on to learning
the specific workplace skills and competencies needed in today's
economy.
This is just one example of the many avenues community colleges
seek to supplement funding resources.
We are doing our part to support a workforce prepared with the
skills needed by business and industry to address the current
unemployment rates and help restore our country's financial stability.
We urge you to do the same by fully funding Pell Grants at their
current rate and overall eliminating any cuts to education funding on
the national level.
______
Chairman Kline. Thank you, Mr. Leary. Thank the entire
panel for your testimony and for bearing with us on the timing
system here. You all did very, very well. Let me get my notes
together here. I took so many notes I had to change pencils,
ran out of pencils.
There is kind of a thread that I think we are seeing in
previous hearings and in the testimony here today in sort of
two pieces. One is a failure to connect between K-12 education
and higher education, students are not ready. Perhaps we heard
from the previous panel that the students don't know what to
expect. And the other is between institutions of higher
education and the workforce. And so Dr. Verret, you mentioned
that you have here at Wilkes an advisory board of employers.
How does that board work? What do they do?
Mr. Verret. They work with the director of the engineering
program, the chair of the engineering division, and also the
dean in evaluating basically the currency of our programs with
our laboratories actually providing the experiences that are
important to students to keep abreast of the changing
engineering fields----
Chairman Kline. Um-hum.
Mr. Verret.--and also to make sure to help our students
with developing internships and also connections during their
educational programs as well. Many of the members of the
program are involved in overseeing some of the student projects
and other student projects and things like that. So the
advisory programs create connections with industry. They also,
for example, help us--for example, we are also taking curricula
to give writing to companies. For example, with one company in
Scranton we are working with to create curricula to allow
people who had not completed the baccalaureate to actually
complete the baccalaureate on site. So we would be providing a
two-year program on site and we have done that. And we are also
working toward something similar.
Chairman Kline. So this advisory board, then, helps you
make sure that your curriculum is current and relevant to the
needs of the workplace and it apparently is also through
internships and so forth helps place----
Mr. Verret. It helps----
Chairman Kline.--your graduates--do you happen to know what
your placement rate is?
Mr. Verret. I cannot give it to you offhand. I can send it
to you.
Chairman Kline. Okay. All right. Thank you. Mr. Angeli, you
said I think--if I can read my own writing here--that you are
trying to send a message to the high school level but it is a
difficult task. Could you just sort of expand on that? What
does that mean, difficult task?
Mr. Angeli. When we first looked at the--there are jobs
available at Tobyhanna Army Depot and the defense industry in
the future that go unattended to because of a lack of education
in those skills. When we first went down to the high school, it
is very difficult to convince parents that their child isn't
going to go into industry. They are all going to go on to
college or do something great. So the challenge was how do we
get that message? And working with Chamber of Commerce and our
own educational pass code program, we said you have to go down
into the middle school. You have to start sending that message
at the middle school that there are all kinds of different
opportunities for young people out there and go to the old Army
recruiting strategy, if you have convinced the mother, you have
convinced the child. And I think that is what we try to do. We
try to go down there and present our programs early on at the
high school level. Thanks to the Chamber of Commerce, their
skills program that they put together, along with what we do
with education attachments, we actually go down into the
seventh, eighth, and ninth grade level to talk about
opportunities.
Chairman Kline. What does that mean when you say you go
down there?
Mr. Angeli. We have staff----
Chairman Kline. Faculty?
Mr. Angeli.--faculty who are in charge of different
programs who go to all the high schools and----
Chairman Kline. And you arrange with the school an
opportunity----
Mr. Angeli. Right, to go out there in a skills program. We
have what is called Strive for 35. We have 35 schools in the
system that we actually go out to try and get that message out.
And it was slow to start. It was very slow to start but now
after about 4 or 5 years now we were running people through
those programs, they are getting trained, they are getting jobs
at the end, they are doing internships at different levels.
Like the gas industry, you know, as the job opportunity for
young people right now in the Marcellus Shale area in all of
our five or six counties up here is tremendous if you just
train people. Again, you have to get down there to that level
to discuss that with parents and with young people about what
the opportunities are. You are talking about jobs $38 to
$45,000 a year and internships with all kinds of the different
employers. Same thing in the health field, vascular technology,
diagnostic medical stenography, those are all 2-year technical
programs that offer great jobs at the end of the 2-year
program. You just have to get that message down there at that
level.
Chairman Kline. Okay. Thank you. Mr. Barletta?
Mr. Barletta. Yeah, Mr. Leary, I just want to say that
Luzerne has a great baseball program there as well. I played
there for a couple of years.
But back in Washington, our committee has been holding
hearings to examine the burden that federal regulations impose
on colleges and universities. Do you have some thoughts on that
topic and what federal regulations are most time-consuming from
your perspective?
Mr. Leary. Well, I think some of the major challenges that
we face is in completing much of the compliance requirements
for grants that support about 17 percent of our total budget.
And although it is reasonable to expect that you are going to
have some compliance regulations, there are some costs
associated with that that actually diminish, I believe, from
the overall grant and what you can provide the students. So I
think there is a tendency to have, if you will, a little too
much regulation with respect to some of the requirements of
those grants.
Mr. Barletta. How much of your time is spent on complying
with those federal requirements?
Mr. Leary. Well--various offices--there is a great deal of
time spent in our grants office and our financial aid office in
meeting those regulations, sir.
Mr. Barletta. Thank you. Mrs. Seaman, in your testimony on
the Department of Education's proposed gainful employment role,
you state that the United States Department of Education's
analysts did not include data or information on cosmetology
institutions. Can you please provide more detail for me on
this? And it appears the Department of Education is making more
program, or in your case, institutional eligibility assumptions
without any information at all on your sector. Would you say
that is true?
Ms. Seaman. Absolutely. According to my understanding that
the surveys that were completed, the data that was submitted
had no information concerning cosmetology schools. They had no
information based on the employment of our stylists that are
working out in the salons. So when our students become
gainfully employed in the salons, this gainful employment
regulation that is going to be implemented has no data to base
their equation on. So they are trying to formulate numbers as
to what the actual student should be hired at on an entry-level
income and they have no information to base this on.
Mr. Barletta. Thank you. Dr. Verret, how often do your
institutions work with local industry to reshape curriculum to
adapt to the local workforce needs?
Mr. Verret. Often, in our business and accounting programs
and engineering----
Chairman Kline. Pull up the microphone, please.
Mr. Verret. I am sorry.
Mr. Barletta. Sorry.
Mr. Verret. Our curricula and also we have both our
industry linkages and also linkages to our crediting agencies
in engineering and pharmacy, in nursing, we are keenly aware of
industrial standards. For example, the educational standards
for our nursing, we adapted our nursing standards. We
established the doctor of nursing practice to advancing nursing
practitioners. In engineering we have developed the skill
accreditation for when the Board of Engineers and Technology
comes in and also we have reshaped our curriculum. We have done
some reshaping just recently. In the biological sciences, the
drive for major reports in requiring the alignment of the
education of life sciences by linking them more to the physical
courses of sciences has caused a major reshaping of our
curriculum. So we conduct periodically. And that review also
comes through our accounting programs where we do periodic
programming, used our programs at Wilkes as well, the
individual programs.
Mr. Barletta. Mr. Angeli, in your testimony you mentioned
the ``brain drain'' problem. Can you explain the impact of this
problem in Northeastern Pennsylvania?
Mr. Angeli. For us and we talked about this amongst
ourselves, among the 16 college universities around here, which
is that we just don't have the ability really to get the
message out that two things--we do have business and industry
here that can use your skills and we have the ability, one of
us can meet your needs. And it goes back to being able to
provide the information on education to students coming out of
high school and to parents. There is no reason why students
should leave here to go someplace else to work when we have
business and industry actually looking for those who are
educated in the very fields here.
Mr. Barletta. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Chairman Kline. Thank you. I am going to start working my
way down the table here but I am going to pick up, Mr. Angeli,
where I left off. And sort of coming back to the same theme,
you said in your testimony that you could design programs
quickly and you also said that the secret is agility. And so I
have got a couple of questions about that. What does quickly
mean?
Mr. Angeli. Well, I will use a couple examples in both our
allied health programs and also our gas industry programs. We
went to business and industry first and they designed our
programs. And when the demand is there, they not only designed
our programs, but they were able to provide us all the
equipment we needed for all of our allied health programs and
for all of our gas industry programs. So having the resources
to be able to put programs on the street is the difficult task.
Writing the curriculum and getting the Department of Education
and other people to approve it is what we are used to and that
is a skill we have. So being a private 2-year school not
burdened by regulations and decisions that have to go through
many, many layers, we are able to make those decisions very
quickly and put programs on the street.
Chairman Kline. Okay. And you said you are working with the
Scranton Chamber of Commerce and others, I assume. I mean, how
are you connecting with employers?
Mr. Angeli. Actually, through the Chamber of Commerce was
really our main--we have representation on there and actually I
was the president of the chamber for several years. We are able
to understand that various meetings of the educational
committee that meets at the chamber where they discuss the
local needs for business and industry. And at that table is
where we interface with business and industry as to what is
needed out there. And if you see a skill that is needed, well,
then, put it on the street very, very quickly. Two-year
programs are a lot easier to put on the street than 4-year
programs.
Chairman Kline. Will they come to the campus?
Mr. Angeli. Does the business industry come to campus?
Chairman Kline. Um-hum.
Mr. Angeli. In those fields they do. And actually, in our
Milford campus they help us actually train our people, our
students.
Chairman Kline. Thank you. Ms. Seaman, you said something
that I find frequently when I am talking to schools in the
cosmetology industry. You said that half of your students have
some higher education experience. How many of them is this a
second career choice, they have already worked someplace else?
Do you have any kind of numbers on that?
Ms. Seaman. I don't have exact numbers, but I know the
majority of my students this is a second school for them. And
they choose to either change careers, they found out that the
traditional college setting was not for them, they are more the
creative type of student, that they wanted to come show their
skills, they are more people-oriented, and, you know, they have
gone to school and it just wasn't for them. So now they are
coming to a creative industry.
Chairman Kline. Okay. I think it is interesting that you
pointed out also that so many of them come who have gone to
another school, perhaps a fine school, but didn't work out for
them, they have accumulated some debt, they are bringing that
debt along with them when they come to your school, which isn't
free either.
Ms. Seaman. Right.
Chairman Kline. Neither one of us is pretending that. Okay.
Thank you very much. And now, Mr. Leary----
Mr. Leary. Yes, sir.
Chairman Kline.--you have indicated that you and 14 other
community colleges are working together in collaborative effort
to improve your success with TAA Grants and some other sources
to supplement your funding resources and it makes good business
sense. I suspect I would be doing that as well. Do you have any
sense of--I mean, you talked about where we can cut. What does
that entail? Have you reduced salaries? Have you frozen
salaries? Have you fired faculty? And I ask that because one of
the things we have seen is frustrating, and this is a
bipartisan frustration, by the way, when you look at the costs
of higher education running quite a bit ahead of inflation,
about 6 percent I think the figures show, a little under 6
percent ahead of inflation, year after year costs of tuition
and fees. And so we are sort of chasing, you know, trying to
get grants and Pell Grants and student loans and things like
that. Can you talk a little bit about the costs and what cost-
containment steps that you are taking?
Mr. Leary. Yes, sir. That is a very good question because I
think it is approximately three years ago when I assumed the
presidency, and at that time, I realized that the trend was
basically that funding was going to become more challenging,
particularly due to the economic climate across the country.
Specifically, we have cut approximately $700,000 from our
administrative budget. And we do that by combining positions.
And I thought I should set the example and I continued in my
position of vice president of student development and the
presidency. And I particularly was able to do that because of
the many talented people around me. So across the board, we
have done that in the academic affairs area and other areas and
we have focused on the administration.
Because at the same time that we are combining
responsibilities, our college has grown by approximately 18
percent over a 3-year period. So we have more students to serve
and we believe we exercised some prudent controls by evaluating
exactly where we can ``get by'' and make sure that the quality
of education is not affected. And along those lines, last year
we maintained a level tuition. We did not raise our tuition.
And we were one of the few colleges that was able to do that.
And we continue to have small classes because many of our
students who have come to the college have different
challenges. We have many students who come fully prepared, as
was referred to by my colleagues earlier. There are many
students who come to college and need some extra support. So we
want to maintain small classes where our faculty get to know
our students. We want to provide them with the tutoring and
special skills assistance that they need to succeed. And as a
result, I think we have been successful in addressing the
current challenges that we face in terms of funding.
Chairman Kline. Thank you. I appreciate that you mentioned
you were freezing tuition. I certainly don't want to get in the
position where the Congress of the United States even remotely
considers such a thing, but it is frustrating to us all. And I
meant absolutely what I said about this bipartisan frustration.
We share this discussion back and forth because it seems like
we can never catch up.
You mentioned Pell Grants. I know that is a subject of
great interest to everyone, a program that has also had
bipartisan support. It is also a program that has tripled in
cost in about 3 years and it is unsustainable at that rate. So
there is no question. You mentioned previous legislation that
passed in the House. That debate is going to go on. But the
growth of the Pell Grant program simply can't continue the way
it has been. It is shockingly expensive and it is part of the
frustration as we continue to try to chase the higher tuition
and fees that we can't seem to catch up with. So that is going
to be an important part of the debate. I appreciate that you
are engaged and concerned about it and we all are concerned
about the cost of higher education and how students are going
to pay for it. Mr. Barletta?
Mr. Barletta. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Dr. Verret, you have
a sense about whether your graduates choose to stay in the area
or are they moving away to find employment elsewhere?
Mr. Verret. It varies. It varies because----
Chairman Kline. Can we share the microphone, please? I am
sorry.
Mr. Verret. I think also that we have a number of graduates
who do stay in the area. We have graduates who invest in the
companies in this area and actually have built companies in
this area. We also have graduates who go farther afield. We
have graduates have gone away from the area and returned.
On the issue of the brain drain, in fact, I addressed that
about a year ago, I think it is both a blessing and a curse
because we have students who actually develop their
professional skills, go farther afield, and return and bring
things back. And it is important for us that they are able to
build to bring these things back to the region. So I am not
always convinced that that is a loss. Sometimes they go off for
graduate studies in other places and they have returned. And we
have some of them in our faculty. We have some of them who have
built companies in the area. But in a sense, overall, we have
students--it depends on the discipline. In some disciplines,
people do go away. For example, those who go away to medical
school, the new medical school is only 2 years old in this
area. The first class will be graduating in 2 years. So they
have gone away. But the majority of physicians in this area
keep throughout the medical programs. They have gone away and
have come back. So we would expect more of that.
I think we also have an important thing that we are also
invested in working with adult learners, the fact that we are
able to put programs at sites to help educate adults. The fact
that we are working with Luzerne County Community College to
create a roadmap to help students continue to finish their
baccalaureates so that they understand what course they need to
take in their first 2 years so that they can seamlessly get
their BS because we have one of the lowest baccalaureate
completion rates in the state. I believe we are at 20 percent.
The State is at 22 and nationally the average of adults 25 or
above with baccalaureates is 24 percent. So we are low in a low
State. So we have a lot of work that we have yet to do. But
these people are here and these people will remain here. So I
think we have a double-edged sword.
Mr. Barletta. And as we were discussing with the panel
before you, I think it is very important that we continue to
foster communications between higher education, local leaders,
business leaders, and look at this as a region so that we can
keep our young people here, we can educate them. We have such
talented students here and we are blessed, as we can see today,
with so many fine higher education opportunities. We need to
always make sure we are making that connection with local
industry and not so much only the ones that are here but what
we are trying to act so that, you know, again, as an employer,
it is very important to know that you have a workforce pool to
choose from. And that helps attract other industries. So I
applaud all of you for what you are doing.
Ms. Seaman, I noticed some terminology in your testimony
that I wanted to learn more about. Can you explain more
specifically what Empire and Wyoming Valley mean by a ``total
quality school?''
Ms. Seaman. Part of Empire's core value is to make sure
that all of its 102 school located throughout the country are
running in a total quality sense. And there are four sections
on this.
The first area of concern would be the metrics. The metrics
also deal with the 90/10 ratio rule. It is dealing with our
compliance, and it is also dealing with outcomes assessment.
The second category would be administration. Administration
is totally my responsibility. I am responsible for the entire
education. I monitor the financial aid process. I am working
very closely with salons with job placement, and I just want to
ensure the positive learning atmosphere that Empire has to
offer to each and every one of its students.
The third area would be compliance. And of course,
compliance is meeting or exceeding all of the governing
regulations that our accrediting body dictates to us.
And lastly would be our students' satisfaction. We are
working very closely with the students. We do a student
inventory on a regular basis. We take the comments and concerns
of the students very seriously. And we work with those students
so we can assure that each and every student has the best
possibility to graduate from Empire Beauty School and seek
employment.
Mr. Barletta. Thank you. Mr. Angeli, you mentioned
Lackawanna College's new gas compressor technician program,
which highlights your institution's ability to adapt and
develop programs on industry demand. What is the benefit of
your institution and institutions like yours to adapt to
industry demand?
Mr. Angeli. Well, first, the benefit is being able to
design programs that they need. I mean, for us we went down to
Texas 5 years ago and we heard this was going to happen. We
surveyed business and industry down there. We talked to the
college universities down there and asked, what is this all
about and how many people are you going to employ? When you
look at their gas bill that is \1/5\ as large as ours and they
employ directly 250,000 people, we came back to try and figure
out, how do we take advantage of that? And the first thing we
have to do is go back to the industry themselves and say, what
are your needs?
And there is a second part of this that I think is equally
important. We have established a school of entrepreneurship
also because along with the business and industries that are
being created in Northeastern Pennsylvania, a lot of new
businesses are going to start, you know, dry cleaning,
trucking, all kinds of different things that go along with it.
So we also have to train young people to have the knowhow in
order to get into these businesses. And actually, we geared our
program to veterans, returning veterans who would like to start
new programs.
But the link is going back to the industry and asking them
what they need and how can they help us. And it is all about
partnership. It is all partnerships with us, the four-year
schools, with federal government, with State government, and
with these people to be able to design things. And with their
help we can build them quickly.
Mr. Barletta. And I agree, especially with Marcellus Shale
as you are doing at Lackawanna. You know, we have only
scratched the surface of what the needs and demands and job
demands will be from that industry, many of which, you know, we
may not be able to realize, you know, what we will need to make
sure that we are supplying those jobs, because this industry
will absolutely create more opportunities for people.
Mr. Angeli. But there are different types of accounting
that takes place, different type of administrative background,
a different kind of mapping. All of that stuff has to take
place yet. And you can design it but if you don't go to the
people who are the users and ask them what they need, you are
not going to design something that is going to work. So you
have to start with those companies.
Mr. Barletta. Mr. Leary, do you have any suggestions for
how businesses and institutions of higher education could
better work together?
Mr. Leary. I think there is always room, certainly, for
improvement and collaboration between business and industry.
And particularly in our setting at a community college, the
diversity of our disciplines suggest that we need to have good
rapport in terms of just high-end curriculum. If it is a short-
term need rather than an associate degree need that will fill
an employment basis, then that is something we need to work on
immediately. And so as a result you have diploma programs which
are short-term, several months.
We have certificate programs for training, associate
degrees, and we have a very engaged dime print program as well
to develop, which we are designing in such a way that it is
seamless to go from dime print to credit so that--sometimes
people don't feel comfortable. Especially if you are 35 years
or 40 years of age and you lose a job and you have to get some
skills, you have to acquire some skills quickly. And in that
regard we need to be able to respond to someone who comes in
and says I need something in six months. And we try to figure
out how we can match that individual's competency and skills
with the appropriate program. And our career services office,
along with our workforce development department, works very
hard on that to succeed in that area so that we are helping
each individual student.
But there is collaboration in Northeastern Pennsylvania
among the colleges and universities so we also attempt not to
basically replicate other programs that are successful.
Particularly in terms of business and industry, each of us
has--I believe we do--advisory councils that tell us
specifically what they need and how to design to the program
because they are the experts. The educators provide the
opportunity, provide the training and the education, but the
individuals who are out there in the private sector--they
provide us with keeping us updated on what is needed in the
region.
Mr. Barletta. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Chairman Kline. Thank you, Mr. Barletta. Winding near the
end here. Everybody has been patient in enduring the time at
the table, but I have a couple more questions if you can just
hang on for a just a minute. I want to explore a couple of
things.
One, Dr. Verret, I am sort of getting over my flashback to
organic chemistry. It has taken me a while to do it. I was
thinking about you have to practice. And I remember the
professor when I went in with my hat in my hand and said, you
know, this makes perfect sense to me when you are standing up
there and you explain it to me, but I am just doing horribly on
the tests. And he said almost exactly what you did. He said it
is like playing the piano. You have to practice. So go get
stacks of paper and learn to draw hexagons in your sleep and
you will just be okay. And so I did that. And if you don't
understand hexagons in organic chemistry, you have chosen a
better field. Good for you.
You did mention that in order to get students interested in
science and technology, engineering, mathematics that you have
got to go down to the middle schools. And I am on the Board of
Visitors, a sort of board of trustees if you will to the U.S.
Naval Academy. And they have had an active program for some
time of reaching out to schools around the country, but
particularly in the Maryland area to get kids interested. And
they have special summer programs where they bring kids in and
start to introduce them. Is that something that you see around
here, either at Wilkes or other schools where you have got this
real outreach to the middle schools to get the kids engaged
and, you know, building robots and that sort of thing?
Mr. Verret. It is something that we do at Wilkes, something
that there is a larger interest. We have some with the medical
college where we are doing this. Two examples that we have--we
have an initiative called Science in Motion, which is state-
funded. And Science in Motion where our science faculty, they
bring equipment and experiments or demonstrations to the
schools and work with teachers in the middle and high schools
to make the high schools in that region. We even have a van
that takes things to the high schools. That is one issue.
The other issue is we have WEBS, which is Women in
Experimental Biological Sciences. We have summer academies and
weekend programs for young women to encourage young women in
middle school and above to help them consider the sciences.
What I would say is that we probably don't have enough because
the other piece I think that is really missing is that we mean
to actually give greater help to teachers and general teachers
in the much lower grades, to give them the skills to actually
help develop the imagination of students at that level. But I
think that is a larger program because we have difficulty
getting our best students in the sciences to consider teaching
professions. And it is not just here. It is a national problem.
Unless we help--we deal with that, I think we will have a
problem. And we did that better 50 years ago.
Chairman Kline. So I didn't mean to interrupt but I am
envisioning this trip down to school, that you have got a van
with presumably I will just call them toys, so to speak. It
seems to spark their interest. And these are your faculty or
are these your students or both?
Mr. Verret. These are faculty. We have students working
with them and also we have some staff that are attached to that
program. And we have the funding to continue that. We also have
the WEBS program where we do that directly with our faculty. We
bring the students on campus to work with our faculty.
Chairman Kline. Okay. Thank you. Now, just very quickly,
Dr. Verret, you said you were going to give me some figures on
your placement ratings. Ms. Seaman, you gave us 77 percent. Mr.
Angeli, do you know a job placement rate coming out of
Lackawanna?
Mr. Angeli. About 75 percent of our students transfer to 4-
year schools. But all of our other programs have a variety of
figures. I will use the gas industry. It is 100 percent. Right
now the vascular allied health services program, they are in
the high 90th percentile. Those technical programs are in
demand.
Chairman Kline. Are you tracking those?
Mr. Angeli. Yes, we do.
Chairman Kline. Okay. Thank you. Mr. Leary, are you doing
the same?
Mr. Leary. Yes, sir. We are tracking it as described. It
varies by program.
Chairman Kline. Right.
Mr. Leary. For our health sciences graduates, it is about
100 percent. So we continually look at that to make certain
that our programs are up to date with respect to what the
opportunities are because we are more sensitive to that in
terms of 85 percent of our graduates remain in the region. So
we need to know, you know, basically what the region is
demanding. But it does vary by program, Congressman.
Chairman Kline. All right. And if you have those numbers,
if you could just submit them for the record.
Mr. Leary. Yes.
Chairman Kline. I think that is an important part as we are
trying to connect higher education to the workforce, that that
is literally the connection if you walk out and you get a job.
And I do understand that if you go to different schools and a
lot of these numbers are difficult to track, graduation rates
and things, the way the government has conspired to come up
with that. Did you know that in order to count as a graduation
rate you have got to be a first-time student? So if you have
transferred someplace, your graduation doesn't even count. So
we have got some interesting problems out there.
Well, listen, thank you very much, everybody. I thank the
witnesses for being with us today. Mr. Barletta, did you have
any comments?
Mr. Barletta. Again, Chairman Kline, I want to thank you
again for coming back to my home, my part of the country, and
again, to thank the panels for the very informative hearing
that we had today as I said earlier, which we are blessed here
in Northeastern Pennsylvania to have so many quality higher
education opportunities. And the information you shared with us
today will be helpful as we go back to Washington and continue
to make the very tough decisions that we must make to get our
fiscal house in order.
But I believe we will all agree that the bottom line of
what we are trying to accomplish here is job opportunities for
not only the next generation but for the many Americans who
have fallen out of the job market as we try to retool them. And
many are now looking at other opportunities. I see so many now
going back to higher education institutions to find a new path
and a new job. And today we have a very diverse panel of junior
college, community college, proprietary schools, and Wilkes
University. And we have many more here in Northeastern
Pennsylvania and I believe the Chairman will be able to go back
to the committee and report what you are doing to create more
jobs. And again, thank you to them.
Chairman Kline. Thank you, sir. Again, thank all of you
here, the people in the room, witnesses from both panels. This
is very helpful for us to get out of Washington, come out, and
see where the people are actually living and working and
providing the education and the jobs and so we very much
appreciate your input. We wish you all great success in your
endeavors. Again, thanks to all. There being no further
business, the committee stands adjourned.
[Witness responses to questions for the record:]
Additional Information Supplied for the Record From Mr. Angeli
lackawanna college graduation rates
The average graduation rate of students enrolled in Lackawanna
College in the most recent four years is 29%, and this academic year,
it is 30%. Being a two-year institution, however, this statistic is not
necessarily an accurate reflection of how many students actually
complete their college degree--Associate's or Bachelor's, since many of
our students transfer to four year colleges without actually completing
their Associate's degree requirements. For example, if they switch
their major and transfer to another college, our statistics only
reflect that they attended Lackawanna College, and not that they
graduated, which can significantly reduce the calculated graduation
rate.
Here is a comparison of other regional 2-year institutions, based
on the IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data system) reporting
for the incoming class of Fall 2006:
GRADUATION RATES
[Percentage]
------------------------------------------------------------------------
School Percentage
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Lackawanna College............................... 28%
Harcum College................................... 22%
Northampton Co Area CC........................... 21%
Luzerne Co. Community College.................... 20%
Harrisburg Area CC............................... 14%
Bucks Co CC...................................... 12%
Delaware Co CC................................... 10%
CC of Philadelphia............................... 08%
------------------------------------------------------------------------
financial aid
According to the numbers that we reported for College Board 1,151
of our 1,483 (77%) of all students were awarded some type of financial
aid.
When you include Police Academy and students in the paramedic
program, the percentage of students receiving some type of financial
aid is 96.
effect of pell grants on lackawanna college
Per government statements, the cost to fund PELL has doubled over
the past three years, largely because the number of recipients has
increased so much due to downturns in the economy. But providing
opportunities for low-income students to attend college is exactly why
the PELL grant program was created.
At Lackawanna, over the past 7 years, we have seen moderate growth
in the PELL funds we award, primarily proportionate to increases in
enrollment. Beginning in 2008 however, up until the present, we are
seeing annual growth of over $1 million--$2.4 million awarded in 2008-
2009 and as of today, $4.1 million awarded for 2010-2011.
For 2010-2011, to date, we have awarded PELL funds to 1,167
students. Forty-eight percent (48%) of our students receive the maximum
award. If PELL funds are cut by $845, our students will lose over
$950,000. To date for this year, we have provided some kind of
financial aid to 1627 students, including degree, Paramedic and Police
Academy. So 72% of our aid recipients receive PELL.
Looking from another prospective, PELL funds alone (at their
current funding levels) will cover 49% of our annual tuition for a
student who has maximum PELL eligibility. This certainly helps to make
Lackawanna College affordable.
other funding consideration for lackawanna college students:
state financial aid grants (pheaa)
PHEAA state grants are limited to an amount authorized in each
year's state budget. Over the past few years, due to budget
constraints, PHEAA grants at Lackawanna have decreased from a high of
$4000 in 2007-2008 to the amount PHEAA is proposing for this year
$2608. Last year (2009-2010) Pennsylvania students attending Lackawanna
who were fully eligible received $3014. For 2011-12 the same students
would see a $406 decrease. We awarded PHEAA to 691 students and so the
overall loss is over $250,000 (note: this is under estimated because
not all students receive the full award). Last year if a student
received a full PHEAA grant, the grant covered 27% of tuition. For the
upcoming year, the grant will cover 23% of the same tuition cost.
job placement/employment
We have not been able to successfully track employment statistics
due to low post graduation participation in surveys. However, through
our allied health programs, we have been able to study these figures
through the program director. Here are some useful stats for
employment-driven health programs:
DMS (Diagnostic Medical Sonography) completed Dec 2010 walking in
graduation May 2011: 2 employed out of 7 = 28%
DMS completed Dec 2009 walking in graduation May 2010 working: 4
out of 9 = 44%
One student is furthering her education. 4 out of 8 = 50%
Vascular technology degree: Graduated 2010. 6 employed out of 11 =
54%
One student is furthering his education. 6 out of 10 = 60%
Also, our first graduating class in May 2011 in the Natural Gas
Technology degree program has successfully provided 100 % placement in
internships as well as post graduation employment offers.
______
Additional Information Supplied for the Record From Ms. Seaman
The following numbers are directly related to Empire Beauty
School's Wyoming Valley Campus, located in Moosic, Pa. As a school
system, we have 102 locations in 23 states.
Graduation Rate--71%
Placement Rate--77%
______
[Whereupon, at 10:41 a.m., the committee was adjourned.]
REVIVING OUR ECONOMY:
THE ROLE OF HIGHER EDUCATION IN
JOB GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT
----------
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
U.S. House of Representatives
Committee on Education and the Workforce
Washington, DC
----------
The committee met, pursuant to call, at 10:00 a.m., in the
Campus Center, State University of New York, Institute of
Technology (SUNY IT), 100 Seymour Road, Utica, New York, Hon.
John Kline [chairman of the committee] presiding.
Present: Representatives Kline and Hanna.
Staff Present: Colette Beyer, Press Secretary, Education;
Casey Buboltz, Coalition and Member Services Coordinator;
Daniela Garcia, Professional Staff Member; Barrett Karr, Staff
Director; and Brian Melnyk, Legislative Assistant.
Chairman Kline. A quorum being present, the committee will
come to order.
Good morning, and welcome to our second field hearing of
the 112th Congress. It is good to be here in Utica, New York,
with Representative Hanna. Thank you all for coming, and
special thanks to our witnesses. We appreciate you taking the
time to join us today, and we look forward to your testimony.
These are tough times, and although our economic recovery
remains uncertain, we are encouraged by recent progress and the
resilience of the American people. Families, workers and small
business owners from the great state of New York and across the
country are leading us toward a more prosperous tomorrow.
As members of the House Committee on Education and the
Workforce, we are keenly aware of how closely related education
is to the strength of the workforce. A student's success in the
classroom will help determine his or her success in the
workplace. The evidence overwhelmingly suggests that
individuals who fail to advance in their education are more
likely to be unemployed and earn lower wages.
Understanding the challenges and opportunities facing local
communities is critical to ensuring Washington does not stand
in the way of growth and prosperity. As we work to improve the
nation's education system and foster a growing economy, it is
more important than ever to hear from folks on the ground about
the challenges and opportunities they see in our schools and
workforce. That's why we're here today.
We want to learn about the polices that may be standing in
the way of job creation, right here in Utica. We want to hear
your thoughts on encouraging academic success in our
classrooms, and get your ideas on how we can work together--on
the local, state, and federal levels--to reinvigorate the
American spirit of innovation and prepare the students of today
to succeed in the workforce tomorrow.
Again, we are grateful to our panelists for participating
in today's hearing, and I'm looking forward to getting this
discussion underway. Let me also thank my committee colleague
Richard Hanna for his gracious invitation to hold a field
hearing here in his district. And without objection, I now
yield to him for his opening remarks.
[The statement of Chairman Kline follows:]
Prepared Statement of Hon. John Kline, Chairman,
Committee on Education and the Workforce
Chairman Kline: A quorum being present, the committee will come to
order.
Good morning, and welcome to our second field hearing of the 112th
Congress. It is good to be here in Utica, New York with Representative
Hanna. Thank you all for coming, and special thanks to our witnesses.
We appreciate you taking the time to join us today, and we look forward
to your testimony.
These are tough times, and although our economic recovery remains
uncertain, we are encouraged by recent progress and the resilience of
the American people. Families, workers, and small business owners from
the great state of New York and across the country are leading us
toward a more prosperous tomorrow.
As members of the House Committee on Education and the Workforce,
we are keenly aware of how closely related education is to the strength
of the workforce. A student's success in the classroom will help
determine his or her success in the workplace. The evidence
overwhelmingly suggests that individuals who fail to advance in their
education are more likely to be unemployed and earn lower wages.
Understanding the challenges and opportunities facing local
communities is critical to ensuring Washington does not stand in the
way of growth and prosperity. As we work to improve the nation's
education system and foster a growing economy, it is more important
than ever to hear from folks on the ground about the challenges and
opportunities they see in our schools and workforce. That's why we're
here today.
We want to learn about the policies that may be standing in the way
of job creation, right here in Utica. We want to hear your thoughts on
encouraging academic success in our classrooms, and get your ideas on
how we can work together--on the local, state, and federal levels--to
reinvigorate the American spirit of innovation and prepare the students
of today to succeed in the workforce of tomorrow.
Again, we are grateful to our panelists for participating in
today's hearing, and I'm looking forward to getting this discussion
underway. Let me also thank my committee colleague Richard Hanna for
his gracious invitation to hold a field hearing here in his district,
and without objection I now yield to him for his opening remarks.
______
Mr. Hanna. Good morning, and thank you to SUNY IT for
hosting us here today. Thanks to our distinguished witnesses
for participating and to everyone in the audience for their
interest.
We are very fortunate to have a special guest joining us
for this event. My colleague and friend sitting next to me is
Congressman John Kline.
Congressman Kline serves as the Chairman of the Education
and Workforce Committee in the House of Representatives.
Chairman Kline was elected to represent Minnesota's 2nd
Congressional District in 2002, and was re-elected to a fifth
term in 2010. Chairman Kline is an undisputed advocate for
workers and employers and a champion for students, parents and
teachers. Thank you, Chairman Kline, for joining us today.
This is an official hearing of the House Committee on
Education and the Workforce. This is the committee through
which reforms to the No Child Left Behind law are proposed and
oversight of initiatives such as Race to the Top occurs.
Although we are living in some of the most difficult times
in our history, I am of the opinion that we now have a unique
opportunity and obligation to reconsider and perhaps reinvent
how we educate our people.
The topic of today's hearing is Reviving our Economy: The
Role of Higher Education in Job Growth and Development.
We hope to learn about the economic environment of our
community. In order that we may assist employers who have the
need and ability to hire, and to suggest means by which we can
match skill sets, education, and potential employment. We are
also interested in how local higher education institutions in
Central New York are fostering job creation, growth, and
building partnerships with each other and industry to achieve
the goal of building the best and most talented workforce.
We all know that our part of New York State has suffered
from brain drain for many years. And of course, like the rest
of the country, we are still recovering from the recession.
Unemployment in the Utica-Rome area remains at around 8
percent.
We can change that. We are blessed with dozens of fine
colleges and universities and burgeoning 21st century
industries. I hope this hearing will help shine a spotlight on
some of the collaborative efforts already underway between
schools and employers, and encourage more in the future.
One of my top priorities in Congress is to find a way to
help keep our children here at home. I want all of our children
and theirs to have the same opportunity that we did, to live,
succeed, and thrive here in Central New York. That will not be
possible without the dedicated and thoughtful efforts of our
higher education institutions, the innovation and
resourcefulness of our local companies, and the critical
support of state and county agencies and public officials.
So let's get the hearing underway. We have two panels of
witnesses. I would like to recognize Chairman Kline to
introduce our guests on the first panel.
[The statement of Mr. Hanna follows:]
Prepared Statement of Hon. Richard L. Hanna, a Representative in
Congress From the State of New York
Thank you, Mr. Kline.
Good morning and thank you to SUNY IT for hosting us here today.
Thanks to our distinguished witnesses for participating and to everyone
in the audience for their interest.
We are very fortunate to have a special guest joining us for this
event. My colleague and friend sitting next to me is Congressman John
Kline.
Congressman Kline serves as the Chairman of the Education and
Workforce Committee in the House of Representatives. Chairman Kline was
elected to represent Minnesota's 2nd Congressional District in 2002,
and was re-elected to a fifth term in 2010. Chairman Kline is an
undisputed advocate for workers and employers and a champion for
students, parents, and teachers. Thank you, Chairman Kline, for joining
us today.
This is an official hearing of the House Committee on Education and
the Workforce. This is the committee through which reforms to the No
Child Left Behind law are proposed and oversight of initiatives such as
Race to the Top occurs.
Although we are living in some of the most difficult times in our
history, I am of the opinion that we now have a unique opportunity and
obligation to reconsider and perhaps reinvent how we educate our
people.
The topic of today's hearing is ``Reviving our Economy: The Role of
Higher Education in Job Growth and Development.''
We hope to learn about the economic environment of our community.
In order that we my assist employers who have the need and ability to
hire, and to suggest means by which we can match skill sets, education
and potential employment. We are also interested in how local higher
education institutions in Central New York are fostering job creation,
growth and building partnerships with each other and industry to
achieve the goal of building the best and most talented workforce.
We all know that our part of New York State has suffered from
``brain drain'' for many years. And of course, like the rest of the
country, we are still recovering from the recession. Unemployment in
the Utica-Rome area remains at around 8 percent.
We can change that. We are blessed with dozens of fine colleges and
universities and burgeoning 21st century industries. I hope this
hearing will help shine a spotlight on some of the collaborative
efforts already underway between schools and employers--and encourage
more in the future.
One of my top priorities in Congress is to find ways to help keep
our children here at home. I want all of our children and theirs to
have the same opportunity that we did: to live, succeed, and thrive
here in Central New York. That will not be possible without the
dedicated and thoughtful efforts of our higher education institutions,
the innovation and resourcefulness of our local companies, and the
critical support of state and county agencies and public officials.
So let's get the hearing underway. We have two panels of witnesses.
I would like to recognize Chairman Kline to introduce our guests on the
first panel.
______
Chairman Kline. Thank you, Mr. Hanna.
Pursuant to Committee Rule 7(c), all committee members will
be permitted to submit written statements to be included in the
permanent hearing record. And without objection, the hearing
record will remain open for 14 days to allow statements,
questions for the record, and other extraneous material
referenced during the hearing to be submitted in the official
hearing record.
It is now my pleasure to introduce our witnesses today. We
have two distinguished panels of witnesses today and I would
like to start with the first panel.
Mr. Anthony Picente is the 10th Oneida County Executive and
was unanimously appointed by the Oneida County Board of
Legislators in 2006. During his tenure, County Executive
Picente has focused his efforts on economic development,
maintaining infrastructure, consolidation of services, and
dealing with the numerous unfunded mandates placed on county
government by New York State. He has led Oneida County through
troubled economic times, and has reduced the county government
by over 10 percent to help reduce the burden on taxpayers.
Despite this reduction, Oneida County has still provided the
quality services that residents have come to expect.
Mr. Dave Mathis has been the Director of Oneida County
Office of Workforce Development for 25 years. Prior to that, he
served as Deputy Director of Oneida County Office of Employment
and Training. He has also served as a trustee of Mohawk Valley
Community College for more than 34 years. He has served as
Chair of the MVCC Board of Trustees from 1983 to 1987, the
first MVCC graduate to serve as Chair. Mr. Mathis served once
again as Chair from 2004 to 2006 and currently serves as Board
Vice Chair.
Dr. John Bay is the Chief Scientist of Assured Information
Security where he oversees their Research and Development
Program. Prior to joining AIS, Dr. Bay was a member of the Air
Force's Scientific and Professional Cadre of Senior Executives,
and served as the Chief Scientist of the Information
Directorate of the Air Force Research Laboratory in Rome, New
York. Before his career in the Air Force, Dr. Bay was a Program
Manager in the Information Exploitation Office of the Defense
Advanced Research Projects Agency, Arlington, Virginia; a
Tenured Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering at
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University,
Blacksburg, Virginia; and an Engineering Fellow at the Raytheon
Corporation.
Welcome to you all. We are using a timing device here. Let
me just go over that again, one more time.
There is a little box here in front of the witnesses. When
you start your testimony Daniela will start a timer, there will
be a green light on for about four minutes and a yellow light
for one minute, then a red light. And we would ask you to try
to wrap up your testimony shortly after the red light comes on.
Okay. With that, Mr. Picente, you're recognized.
STATEMENT OF ANTHONY J. PICENTE, JR.,
COUNTY EXECUTIVE, ONEIDA COUNTY
Mr. Picente. Thank you, Chairman Kline, thank you
Representative Hanna, and all who are gathered here today.
My name is Anthony J. Picente, Jr., and I have had the
honor to serve this county as their County Executive since
2007. I welcome you here today and thank you for hearing our
testimony and for allowing us in Herkimer and Oneida County to
have our voices heard.
As County Executive since 2007, and having worked in
government for three decades, I have a strong background in
working with employers and our community college. And also have
the distinction of being the first graduate of MVCC to become
Oneida County Executive.
As Regional Administrator for the New York State Labor
Department serving ten counties in the late 1990s and early
part of this century, I helped lead the transformation of what
was known as the Unemployment Office to the One-Stop System of
Workforce Development. I've worked with CEOs across this county
to understand their needs from what it takes to hire a skilled
workforce and in developing financial incentive packages to
help them grow.
For another five years I served as vice president and
regional director for Empire State Development Corporation, the
State's arm for economic development. And with Empire State
Development serving six counties, my office was involved in
numerous projects resulting in millions of dollars in State
assistance and leading to the creation of over 3,700 new jobs
and the retention of over 1,300 existing jobs--13,000, excuse
me.
Successful economic development not only requires that we
create shovel-ready sites, but also development of a workforce
that can fill the plant the day that it opens. Our Workforce
Development and Educational System must be ready to handle the
challenges that are on our horizon. We cannot simply expect
that the workforce of the future will develop on its own. We
need to work differently.
Let me tell you one anecdote about our region, and how we
have worked collaboratively to help grow an important sector.
Several years ago, Empire Aero, an aircraft repair firm
located here. As those of us at the regional level looked at
the economic potential of that sector, not just the one
employer, we realized that we did not need to just create a
course, train a few people and hope for the best. We needed a
well-developed, intentional plan so that this sector could grow
to its own potential, regardless of whether we had one or ten
employees in the area.
That process brought together a number of partners. These
partners included Mohawk Valley EDGE, our economic development
agency, the Workforce Investment Board, Oneida County Office of
Workforce Development, the New York State Department of Labor,
Empire State Development and Mohawk Valley Community College.
The college looked at this workforce issue as an opportunity to
increase our region's training capacity. MVCC went far beyond
the needs of the moment by creating a full program aimed at the
Airframe and Power plant credentials needed in the industry, a
program that is still going strong. We all probably crossed
over into one another's sphere of authority about a hundred
times in the course of the process, but that is why the process
worked. In the end, the entire partnership was developing the
workforce for this sector, which is why even after the initial
employer who started this chain of events has transitioned from
the region, we still have a successful and growing sector, as
well as programs that are meeting the needs of our employers.
We built something from scratch to serve the needs of our
region, and we have been successful because every partner
invested time and resources.
I think there is a very strong message in that, and one I
wish to focus upon. I want to make sure that we are doing the
same to meet the needs of employers and create a skills base
that will enable us to attract new industry.
For example, our region is working hard with a tremendous
show of perseverance to develop a site right near this hearing
that can become a nanotechnology facility. We are up to our
ears in permitting and infrastructure and all of the other
pieces of a major economic development project.
At the same time, staff from our workforce system, Mohawk
Valley Community College, Herkimer County Community College,
Utica School of Commerce, SUNY Institute of Technology, and
others, have been meeting to discuss how we can adapt current
career pathway models to continually raise the bar in programs
that lead towards advanced manufacturing. I think it says
volumes about the commitment of our colleges and our workforce
system that a partnership of staff members from both systems
have been behind virtually every successful training grant
project in the last few years. Not every partner gets a
windfall on every project, but the partnership endures and our
efforts become stronger due to all of this effort.
From Oneida County, the stakes are getting higher and the
challenges are growing. We know the day we enter the
nanotechnology business there will be some very strong demands
for some very high-skilled people. Whether our training
programs build partnerships or try to refine ways to move
training under the broad nanotechnology umbrella, the
preliminary infrastructure for those training programs is being
built through our workforce system and our colleges.
It's slow going because this is one more task on top of
many others. I believe this represents one of the great
challenges facing our community; with understandably limited
resources, how does a medium-sized community such as ours
embark upon the capacity building it needs to do in order to
develop a workforce, development education and training, and
infrastructure that keeps pace with the needs of the future?
Developing quality technical and professional curriculum is
neither easy nor quick; however, it is essential.
If we really want to plan for the future of our economy and
build a system of postsecondary training and education that
works, then we need to invest in that effort with strong
federal leadership and support. One of the ways that all of us
at all levels of government can address the reality that there
are more needs than we can ever fully fund, is to ease
regulatory burdens and mandates so that the agencies and
governments on the front lines of delivering services, those
who know best what is needed, can react and respond without
being constrained by rules imposed with the best intentions
that end up being burdens.
One of the reasons we are here in the first place is that
community colleges are able to operate with maximum flexibility
because the decision-making capability is close to the
community. Each community faces at least one complex problem
that is so unique to their region that no best practice is
going to work. Let's empower communities to tackle those issues
and develop the capacity to create workforce and training
solutions.
We are living in revolutionary times. The Mohawk Valley
economy must adapt to global economic changes and a demographic
shift creating urgent needs to help upgrade workforce
preparation for all segments of our population.
Educating a workforce that requires extensive postsecondary
education and training will not happen overnight, but we are
working overtime to be ready for the day when opportunity
arrives.
We continue to look at every possible way to maximize the
skills of the workers we have, the potential of those in
transition and the educational achievement of those who have
not yet graduated.
Workforce development is cornerstone of economic
development. Just as the jobs of the Industrial Revolution grew
up around natural resources such as water, the jobs of the
knowledge revolution of the 21st Century will cluster in
regions that can provide a diverse, trained and highly
motivated workforce.
The strategies and programs we develop as part of our
partnership between the workforce system and community college
system will do more than shape the future of our economy; they
will shape the lives of the Mohawk Valley's future generations.
[The statement of Mr. Picente follows:]
Prepared Statement of Anthony J. Picente, Jr., Oneida County Executive
Good morning. My name in Anthony J. Picente, Jr., and I have the
honor to serve the people of Oneida County as their County Executive. I
wish to welcome you today and thank you for hearing our testimony and
allowing us in Herkimer and Oneida Counties to have our voices heard.
As the County Executive since 2007, and assistant to a prior county
executive for five additional years in the early 1990s, I have a strong
background in working with employers and our community college.
As Regional Administrator for the New York State Labor serving ten
counties in the late 1990s and early part of this century, I led the
transformation of what was known as the unemployment office to the One
Stop System of Workforce development. I've worked with CEOs across this
county to understand their needs from what it takes to hire a skilled
workforce and in developing financial incentives packages to help them
grow.
For the next five years I served as Vice President and Regional
Director for Empire State Development Corporation, the state's arm for
economic development. With Empire State Development serving six
counties my office was involved in 87 projects resulting in over $29
million of state assistance. These projects led to the creation of over
3700 new jobs and the retention of over 13,000 existing jobs.
Successful economic development not only requires that we create
shovel ready sites, but also develop and attract the work force that
can fill the plant the day it opens. Our work force development and
educational system must also be ready to handle the challenges that are
on our horizon. We cannot simply expect that the workforce of the
future will develop on its own. We need to work differently.
Several years ago, Empire Aero--an aircraft repair firm--located
here. As those of us at the regional level looked at the economic
potential of that sector--not just the one employer--we realized that
we did not need to just create a course, train a few people and hope
for the best. We needed a well-developed, intentional plan so that this
sector could grow to its full potential, regardless of whether we had 1
or 10 employers in the area.
That process brought together a number of partners. These partners
included Mohawk Valley EDGE, our economic development agency, the
Workforce Investment Board, Oneida County Workforce Development, The
New York State Department of Labor, Empire State Development and Mohawk
Valley Community College. The college looked at this workforce issue as
an opportunity to increase our region's training capacity. MVCC went
far beyond the needs of the moment by creating a full program aimed at
the Airframe and Power plant credentials needed in the industry--a
program that is still going strong. We all probably crossed over into
one another's sphere of authority about a hundred times in the course
of the process, but that is why the process worked. In the end, the
entire partnership was developing the workforce for this sector, which
is why even after the initial employer who started this chain of events
has transitioned from the region; we still have a successful and
growing sector as well as programs that are meeting the needs of
employers. We built something from scratch to serve the needs of our
region, and we have been successful because every partner invested time
and resources.
I think there's a very strong message in that, and one I wish to
focus upon. I want to make sure that we are doing the same to meet the
needs of employers and create a skills base that will enable us to
attract new industry. For example, our region is working hard with a
tremendous show of perseverance to develop a site right near this
hearing that can become a nanotechnology facility. We are up to our
ears in permitting and infrastructure and all of the other pieces of a
major economic development project.
At the same time, staff from our workforce system, Mohawk Valley
Community College, Herkimer County Community College, the Utica School
of Commerce, SUNY Institute of Technology and others have been meeting
to discuss how we can adapt current career pathway models to
continually raise the bar in programs that lead towards advanced
manufacturing. I think it says volumes about the commitment of our
colleges and our workforce system that a partnership of staff members
from both systems have been behind virtually every successful training
grant project in the last few years. Not every partner gets a windfall
in every project; but the partnership endures and our efforts become
stronger due to all of this effort.
For Oneida County, the stakes are getting higher and the challenges
are growing. We know the day we enter the nanotechnology business there
will be some very strong demands for very high-skilled people. Whether
our training programs build partnerships or try to refine ways to move
training under the broad nanotechnology umbrella, the preliminary
infrastructure for those training programs is being built through our
workforce system and our colleges.
It's slow going because this is one more task on top of many
others. I believe this represents one of the great challenges facing
our community: with understandably limited resources, how does a
medium-sized community such as ours embark on the capacity building it
needs to do in order to develop a workforce development education and
training infrastructure that keeps pace with the needs of the future?
As our economy is requiring higher and higher skills, the capacity of
our systems to deliver those skills must continue to grow.
When the One-Stop System began, one central precept was to be ready
to respond to employers. Even in the short time since WIA was adopted,
that has taken on new meaning. Employers are now demanding--and
needing--employees who cannot be trained in days or weeks, but require
months or in some cases years. I believe that efforts to help regions
build the capacity to deliver high-level skills training and
postsecondary education are every bit as essential as the training
provided to people in need. Developing quality technical and
professional curriculum is not the same as hiring a machinist to teach
a course in running an old-fashioned milling machine. However, support
for those kinds of efforts is not consistent. If we really want to plan
for the future of our economy and build a system of postsecondary
training and education that works, then we need to invest in that
effort. As someone who has to live within a budget and say the word
``no,'' I'm not going to tell you the answer is in billions of new
federal dollars. However, the way we invest resources should align with
our critical priorities, and I am convinced that investments to build
capacity are a critical priority to develop key growth sectors in our
region, or any region.
Management is the art of getting things done. We all have different
styles. I commend the attention all of you must pay, when making
allocations, to ensuring that there is strict accountability for the
money the government spends. I'm a taxpayer. I want my money used
wisely. I also know that flexibility is a vital element to success. As
this committee looks at the Workforce Investment Act for refinements
and updates, I strongly encourage you to provide the local Boards that
make up the system with the greatest possible degree of flexibility to
set needs and priorities. One of the ways that all of us at all levels
of government can address the reality that there are more needs than we
can ever fully fund is to ease regulatory burdens and mandates so that
the agencies and governments on the front lines of delivering
services--those who know best what is needed--can react and respond
without being constrained by rules imposed with the best of intentions
that end up being burdens. One of the reasons we are here in the first
place is that community colleges are able to operate with maximum
flexibility because the decision-making capability is close to the
community. One of the two key partners in the workforce-college system
can move fast. In a private sector world where employers move fast, all
parts of the system need the flexibility to be innovative and creative.
Each community faces at least one complex problem that is so unique to
that region that no best practice is going to work. Let's empower
communities to tackle those issues and develop the capacity to create
workforce and training solutions.
We are living in revolutionary times. The Mohawk Valley economy
must adapt to global economic changes and a demographic shift creating
urgent needs to upgrade workforce preparation for all segments of our
population.
Educating a workforce that requires extensive postsecondary
education and training will not happen overnight, but we are working
overtime to be ready for the day when opportunity arrives.
We continue to look at ever possible way to maximize the skills of
the workers we have, the potential of those in transition and the
educational achievement of those who have not yet graduated.
We will need to develop programs that learn from the past and focus
on the changing demographics of our communities, so that we are not
just providing one-shot training, we are engaging lifelong learners.
Workforce development is the cornerstone of economic development.
Just as the jobs of the Industrial Revolution grew up around natural
resources such as water, the jobs of the knowledge revolution of the
21st Century will cluster in regions that can provide a diverse,
trained, highly motivated workforce.
The strategies and programs we develop as part of our partnership
between the workforce system and community college system will do more
than shape the future of our economy; they will shape the lives of the
Mohawk Valley's future generations.
______
Chairman Kline. Mr. Mathis.
STATEMENT OF DAVID MATHIS, DIRECTOR,
ONEIDA COUNTY WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT
Mr. Mathis. Thank you for allowing me to give this
testimony. I look forward to being in front of you this morning
to testify. This is a unique opportunity for me and I
personally thank you.
However, when you sit next to your boss, you know that
you're under immense pressure not to screw up because you might
get called into his office later on today. So let me get to my
testimony.
Good morning. My name is David Mathis. I am director of
workforce development for Oneida County. I have more than 30
years of experience in Workforce Development, and have been
director of Oneida County Office of Workforce Development for
25 years. I am also a trustee of Mohawk Valley Community
College, a position that I have held for over 34 years; two
hats, however, does not mean two perspectives. Both the
workforce system and the community college system are vital
parts of Oneida County workforce partnership, and the
collaboration runs so deeply that without both systems, the
workforce, the present and the emerging one of the future, will
be hard-pressed to succeed.
At a time when middle skills jobs in New York are projected
to increase 38 percent, the highest of all skill levels, strong
community college workforce linkages are essential to meet the
needs of our employers and communities. Our system of One-Stop
career centers is a great resource to help guide workers
towards new career pathways and to help them find future
employment, but the community colleges are the backbone of our
public workforce system's training mission. Through our close
partnerships with the community college system, we prepare our
workforce for lucrative job opportunities that can lead to
life-long careers in high growth and emerging industries such
as healthcare, technology, and clean energy.
One of the pitfalls of discussing workforce issues is we
end up in the minutia of formulas and acronyms to the extent
where the point of our work is lost.
I want to start at the root of our purpose. To that end,
let me share this quote from Franklin Delano Roosevelt, who was
speaking at a time much likes ours, its workforce system roots
are in the Great Depression, so that a time much like ours,
when people who lived up to their end of the bargain with
society one day woke up and found the economy had changed and
left their lives as collateral damage.
Roosevelt said: Not only our future economic soundness but
the very soundness of our democratic institutions depends on
the determination of our government to give employment to idle
men.
The system was founded to connect people with work, it
continues to pursue that goal, since the inception of the
Workforce Investment Act, WIA.
We have One-Stops in Oneida County downtown, and in a
downtown office building in Rome that serves the needs of
Griffiss and western Oneida County, and one in Utica's State
Office Building which serves the eastern end of the county.
These centers are the major points of contact between our
system and job-seekers who are looking for work. In 2009-2010
program year, more than 12,000 people were served at these
centers. For a point of reference, that's a little over 10
percent of the civilian labor force as measured by U.S. census.
Let me stress that. One in 10 people in the civilian labor
force of Oneida County came to a One-Stop Center, mostly due to
unemployment.
It's important to know who those people are. Sixteen
percent of laid off workers did not have a high school diploma.
Fifty-eight percent of laid off workers had education no higher
than a high school diploma or a G.E.D. Eleven percent had
either an associate's degree or bachelor's degree. Twenty-eight
percent will work for their employer twenty to thirty years.
Forty-eight percent were between the ages of thirty and fifty.
In short, the people we see are people who have more barriers
to employment than the average population. That's why they are
at the One-Stops. They do not have a safety net of contacts,
they have us.
When they enter our One-Stops, we provide old-fashioned
case management and counseling for workers who have no idea
what to do with the next 20 to 30 years of their working lives,
along with practical steps to find jobs. The people we serve
are those who are less likely to find employment without our
assistance.
The traditional role of our One-Stops is to work very
closely in connecting these people with employment. We also
note the employers who have done focus groups, that they need
people who have skills, the levels for adults who either have
lost their jobs in the past few years, or those who have never
successfully held a job. Employers want new hires with some
very important qualifications, strong math skills that equate
to roughly the level of algebra, strong technology skills to
operate precision equipment, strong I.T. skills, strong science
skills, strong writing skills, and strong reading skills. And
all of these areas employers are responding to the changing
face of work. The only way to get the skills employers demand
is to get to a postsecondary or adult training course and learn
them. The message from employers is very clear, they do not
want us to train for job titles, they want training to prepare
their workers for learning and doing. They want what a
community college that's created to provide a combination of
skills and theory that will not fade away at the next
technological change.
The past ten years have been a time of increased
partnership between our colleges and our workforce system.
Here at SUNY IT, the workforce development board and SUNY
IT staff have worked with the concept of information technology
apprenticeships in a project that had a 90 percent placement
rate, and has served as a pilot for other efforts focusing
training on employment competencies taught in any class instead
of the more traditional college classes.
In Madison County, the Renewable Energy Training Center at
Morrisville State College was launched because of the
partnership between the college and workforce system.
In Herkimer County, Oneida County Workforce Development
staff networked with the college to include Herkimer County-
based training options in the health care and technology
training projects.
Mohawk Valley Community College has been a centerpiece of
our college-workforce efforts. When we wanted to power the
concept of training disconnected youth in green careers, MVCC
created a project that not only renovated facilities in
downtown Rome and downtown Utica. We also had 70 percent of our
young adults, who were ages 19 to 24, either enter employment
or ended up going to college full-time. MVCC has been the home
of our summer youth program for the last 15 years, where we
bring disconnected youth onto the college campus to qualify for
summer employment.
All of our efforts with our four colleges have been
strategic; however, community colleges are ideally suited to be
partners in our workforce system, they can best move our
customers from either being under-qualified or outdated to the
level that they need to be, whether that means short-term
training, certificate programs, degree programs, transfer
programs, or a combination of on-line and in-person courses.
The rich texture of opportunities offered at community colleges
is unrivaled.
However, we do need the support of this committee. It's
about time that the Workforce Investment Act was renewed. It's
been coming, and we look for support from this committee to
move that effort forward. And we would like to see a strong
connection to higher education in any reauthorization that
occurs.
And I thank you for this opportunity to testify.
[The statement of Mr. Mathis follows:]
Prepared Statement of David Mathis, Director of Workforce Development,
Oneida County
Good morning. My name is David Mathis. I am the Director of
Workforce Development for Oneida County. I have more than 30 years of
experience in workforce development, and have been director of the
Oneida County Office of Workforce Development for 25 years. I am also a
trustee of Mohawk Valley Community College, a position I have held for
over 34 years now. In my testimony, I will discuss the employment,
training and education issues facing our region and our society wearing
both hats. Two hats, however, does not mean two perspectives. It is
important for me to note at the outset that both the workforce system
and the community college system are vital parts of our Oneida County
workforce partnership, and the collaboration runs so deeply that
without both systems, the workforce of the present and the emerging one
of the future will be hard-pressed to succeed. At a time when middle
skills jobs in New York are projected to increase 38%--the highest of
all skill levels--strong community college-workforce linkages are
essential to meet the needs of our employers and communities. Our
system of One-Stop Career Centers is a great resource to help guide
workers towards new career pathways and to help them find future
employment, but the community colleges are the backbone of our public
workforce system's training mission. Through our close partnerships
with the community college system, we prepare our workforce for
lucrative job opportunities that can lead to life-long careers in high
growth and emerging industries such as healthcare, technology and clean
energy.
Oneida County Workforce Development/Background
One of the pitfalls of discussing workforce issues is that we end
up in the minutiae of formulas and acronyms to the extent where the
point of our work is lost. I want to start at the root of our purpose.
To that end, let me share this quote from Franklin Delano Roosevelt,
who was speaking at a time much like ours--when people who lived up to
their end of the bargain with society one day woke up and found the
economy had changed and left their lives as collateral damage.
Roosevelt said: ``Not only our future economic soundness but the
very soundness of our democratic institutions depends on the
determination of our government to give employment to idle men.''
Ronald Reagan said it with less of a flourish when he said: ``I
think the best possible social program is a job.''
Both presidents reflect the pivotal role of the workforce system--
to get people working so they can have better lives, and we can have a
stronger society. That is our goal, our mission and our guiding
purpose. Oneida County has four main elements to our system:
1. Our One-Stop Centers located in Utica and Rome
2. Our community-based programming
3. Education & Training Programs
4. Our youth programming
We have One-Stops in an Oneida County downtown office building, to
serve the needs of Griffiss and western Oneida County, and one in
Utica's State Office Building, which serves the eastern end of the
county. These centers are the major points of contact between our
system and job-seekers out looking for work. In the 2009-2010 Program
Year, more than 12,000 people were served at these centers. For point
of reference, that's a little over 10 percent of the civilian labor
force as measured by the U.S. Census. Let me stress that. One in 10
people in the civilian labor force of Oneida County came to a One-Stop
Center, mostly due to unemployment.
It's important to know who these people are. Let's be honest about
the world of work. Networking is the most important way to get a job.
Depending upon which study you read, between a third and half of all
hires are made because a job-seeker knew someone who could steer them
to a job, put in a good word, or otherwise open a door. The people who
come to One-Stops who need help are the ones who don't have those
connections. Some local data from last year helps paint a picture of
who comes in our door:
16.3% of laid off workers did not have a high school
diploma, compared with 13.4% of the state overall.
58% of laid off workers had education no higher than a
high school diploma or GED, as opposed to 47.6% statewide.
11% had either an associate's or bachelor's degree, as
opposed to 16% statewide.
28% had worked for their employer 20 to 30 years as
opposed to 19% statewide;
48% were between the ages of 30 and 50; far higher than
the statewide figure of 34%
In short, the people we see are the people who have more barriers
to employment than the average population. That's why they are at the
One-Stop. They do not have a Safety Net of contacts--they have us.
When they enter our One-Stops, we provide core services available
to anyone who enters the door. These include assessments of knowledge,
skills and abilities, job search and placement assistance. Some of what
we do is old-fashioned case management and counseling for workers who
have no idea what to do with the next 20 to 30 years of their working
lives. We provide an array of seminars about the process of finding
work--from how to write a resume to how to deal with job interview
questions. Partners at the One-Stops help out with the referrals and
services they provide. For example, MVCC uses the One-Stop as a prime
place to recruit out-of-work men and women for training programs.
Our region operates One-Stops in Herkimer, Madison and Oneida
Counties under the Working Solutions brand, with a commitment to
combine the best of high-tech delivery of information and services
along with personal counseling by trained experts. Working Solutions
services include employment, career information, education and
training, vocational rehabilitation, financial aid and scholarship
assistance, information on hiring incentives and information on the
latest grants to help upgrade employee skills. For employers, Working
Solutions offers recruitment and screening of job applicants,
computerized matching of job requirements and skills with Working
Solutions' pool of thousands of applicants, information on hiring
incentive programs and tax credits, resources to support the training
of new hires and to upgrade the skills of existing workers, education
and wage information, assistance to workers impacted by downsizing,
interviewing and meeting space and more.
For job seekers, Working Solutions offers a fully equipped Resource
Room to access job listings on line and in print, workshops and
seminars to help improve work skills, information on quality jobs with
a future, education and training resources, and the one-to-one
assistance of workforce professionals to craft and individualized job
search strategy.
In addition to people who have lost a job, the One-Stop Centers and
One-Stop System are a vital part of the effort to find jobs for adults
who may never have been employed. Let me be blunt. This population
includes ex-offenders, disconnected youth and adults who may never have
worked and may never have made it out of high school, as well as men
and women whose lives have fallen apart along the way. The titles of
two programs operated in our area say a lot: the Workforce Investment
Board's ``Second Chance'' project for ex-offenders and my office's
``Jobs and Hope'' project for the homeless. These programs are not all
we offer. Major efforts include:
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Program Who funds it Who it serves What it does
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Green Careers NY Dept. of Offenders, adults, Training in green
Labor disconnected youth occupations with
aged 19-24 case management,
support services.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Re-Entry Task NYS Division Adult state Case management,
Force of Criminal parolees, returnees referral,
Justice from state prison, counseling, job
Services other offenders search assistance
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Life Skills Federal County jail inmates Teaches life skills/
Program Workforce under age 25 GED, referral to
Investment community for
Act, County support services,
funding job search
------------------------------------------------------------------------
CareerLink US Dept. of Young adults 16-25 Provides skills
Education, with a disability, training, job
Projects serves offenders as placement, job
With part of the retention
Industry population.
Grant
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Second Start Oneida Older youth, 19-21, Case management,
County, WIA, with no diploma/GED referral,
state grant or low basic skills counseling, job
search help,
education
assistance.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Second Chance NYS Adult ex-offenders, Case management,
Department with focus on those referral,
of Labor leaving County counseling, job
Jail. search assistance,
mentoring.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Probation Oneida County Youth 16-21 who have Case management,
Employment Youth Bureau interacted with the counseling, job
juvenile justice search assistance,
system assistance
completing school.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Jobs & Hope HUD Homeless adults Case management, job
search
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Jail-to- Oneida County Youth 19-21 who have Case management,
Community Youth Bureau interacted with the referral,
justice system counseling, job
search assistance,
GED referrals.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
YouthBuild USDOL High-risk youth 19- Construction skills
24 training,
placement, support
services
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Wheels for NY Office of Low-income area State-funded project
Work Temporary residents to connect entry-
and level workers with
Disability transportation
Assistance
(OTDA)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Wage Subsidy OTDA Low-income adults Provides wage
Program subsidy for adults
entering employment
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Career OTDA Low-income adults/ Provide training,
Pathways older youth supports for
Pathways Training
to help adults,
youth enter good-
paying jobs.
Renewable USDOL/NYSDOL Adults/youth Regional project to
Energy Task convene partners to
Force support green jobs
in biofuels &
construction
------------------------------------------------------------------------
CyberJobs USDOL Adults Regional project to
(MVCC) develop the IT
sector
------------------------------------------------------------------------
The people we serve in these community partnership programs are
much less likely to come into the One-Stop, because they've interacted
with government in the past--school, military, justice system, social
services system, and they don't want to see it again, even if they need
it. That's why our workforce system developed strong community
partnerships to meet the needs of these high-needs, high-risk
customers. Many, such as the young adults in the WIB's YouthBuild
project, are part of our system without ever going in our centers. Our
system brings its services into the community. A few years ago, we
successfully were awarded a federal grant to provide Life Skills
training to offenders in the Oneida County Jail., and although funding
to support this effort has all but dried up, we have maintained a small
presence to start offenders on the road to employment before they ever
leave the jail.
That's not the traditional role of a workforce system, but we have
adapted the system to serve as the community connecting point for
various systems that need employment to succeed. For example,
employment is the critical factor in offender recidivism, yet until our
efforts began in the past five years, there was little community
outreach focused on employment. This is not just a community issue. An
Urban Institute study, ``Employment Dimensions of Reentry,'' suggested
that 30% of the annual growth of the labor force is due to offenders
leaving institutions and looking for work. Oneida County Workforce
Development has had a unique role, along with the Workforce Investment
Board, in bringing partners together to serve populations like
offenders, the homeless, and young adults with minimal education and
skills. We have done so through securing state and federal grants that
provide an added layer of services on top of what we already provide
through the One-Stop Centers. Even before declining funding required
new alliances, we have been forging partnerships because the people we
serve have needs that overlap traditional funding silos.
Training and education are vital parts of making anyone ready for a
better job. Our workforce system has taken a broad, regional view to
providing training in health care, renewable energy and technology in
partnership with our local colleges, chiefly our community colleges.
It's a pretty simple formula. We ask employers what they need, we ask
our colleges to adapt what they do to meet those needs, and we work to
secure grant funding that lets us establish creative, flexible
programming that focuses on the needs our employers have expressed.
Over the past 10 years, we have totaled about $10 million in training
scholarship funds alone that have helped workers acquire degrees and
advanced higher certifications. This successful formula is facing some
serious strains, because so much of what employers want is now getting
to be costlier and require more training time. It's an accepted truth
that most jobs being created in our economy require some type of
postsecondary training. It's also a fact of life that the national
average for community colleges is that about 23% of people who enroll
(adults, traditional students, everyone) completes a degree in three
years. It's also a fact of life that funding to support training and
education has not kept pace with costs. This brings us to a situation
where the training adults need may be too costly, take more time than
they can afford to spend in training, and require developmental courses
to fill holes in an academic background that might be 5 to 15 years in
the past. The area of developing new, innovative, shorter term
programming to move adults like those I mentioned earlier through
training and education at a faster pace with a lower cost is a critical
challenge to our system, because until we can do that, we cannot fully
meet the needs of our employers.
Having worked in the area of workforce development for 30 years, I
can say without reservation that the Summer Youth Employment Program is
one of the most important programs our governments can offer. A strong
Summer Youth Employment Program can help low-income, unemployed youth
get their first job, and point them towards increased academic and
career success. The Center for Labor Market Studies at Boston
University has made it very clear, year after year, that the job market
for youth is drying up, and that lines of class and race separate those
who find work through family connections from those who never get jobs
because they don't have those connections. Our Summer Youth Employment
Program, historically financed through TANF dollars annually
appropriated by the state of New York, annually gets 800 or more
applications for 300 or fewer slots. This program, which serves youth
below 200% of poverty, is an important part of helping young people
learn the lessons that come with work. We need to have a national
investment in this effort. The youth who flood our program--mostly
minority, all low-income--are the backbone of the emerging workforce.
We use Workforce Investment Act funding to augment this and support
year-round programs that offer summer sessions. This is what two of the
youth we served this past summer said back then:
``My teachers in the Upward Bound Program taught me things
that I need to know and learn, and we all worked together as a
team to get the job done. When I got paid, I bought things that
I needed like clothes, things for school, and food for my
family and me. It was very helpful to get money to buy what I
need and not have to ask my parents all the time.''
Rebecca Di.
``I loved this opportunity because we worked hard and got
paid for it. We earned it, and that's what life is mostly
about. I bought many things with the money I earned, like
materials for school.''
Ehle Tha.
This is what we do at Workforce Development: We provide those
looking for work with the vital connections no one else can give them,
and we start those looking for careers along a path that can help them
succeed in life.
Employment opportunities
At this point in our regional economic cycle, ripples of the
recession are still dominant. The national economic recession continued
a long-established trend of contraction in the manufacturing sector,
while sectoral growth was chiefly in health care and technology. Within
these broad trends, there are areas--such as human services or
hospitality--that have experienced growth due to growth of either a
major employer or several large ones. The aviation sector had a boom
with Empire Aero, a lull when that employer left, and is now growing
strong with new employers in the picture.
Of greatest concern for our workforce system is the disconnect
between what employers indicate through focus groups they will be
needing as the recovery takes hold, and the skills levels of adults who
have either lost jobs in the past few years or who have never
successfully held a job.
Overall, employers want new hires with some very important
qualifications:
Strong math skills that equate to roughly the level of
algebra
Strong technology skills to operate or oversee precision
equipment in a manufacturing environment.
Strong IT skills to oversee networks, security and systems
work in a service sector environment.
Strong science skills in health care, manufacturing and
renewable energy sectors.
Strong writing skills to communicate with internal and
external customers
Strong reading skills to understand e-mails and
instructions
In all of these cases, employers are responding to the changing
face of work. Within my lifetime, a high school graduate was able to
find a job--a good-paying job--and stay with that employer for decades.
Training took place when a new machine arrived. Now, change is such a
constant that only with a strong set of foundation skills can anyone
ride the changes that are taking place in every sector of our economy.
The only way to get the skills employers demand is to get to a
postsecondary or adult training course and learn them. Community
colleges have the very unique position of covering the range of skills
that are so vital to the economic well-being of this region, and our
country. That is why we need such strong efforts to link workforce
programs with community colleges. I have tremendous respect and
admiration for the adult education efforts provided locally by our
Board of Cooperative Education Services (BOCES) and in other states by
adult education providers. They are essential partners to bring the
lowest-skills, highest-need adults to the level where they can
participate in vital postsecondary programs. But the needs of our
employers are such that we cannot expect success in a training
continuum that stops short of a college campus. The message from
employers is very clear: They do not want us to train for job titles:
They want training to prepare their workers for learning and doing.
They want what a community college is created to provide--a combination
of skills and theory that will not fade away at the next technological
change.
College partnerships
The past 10 years have been a time of increased partnerships
between our colleges and the workforce system. Funding secured through
grants by Oneida County Workforce Development and the Workforce
Investment Board has helped us develop partnerships with a number of
our local colleges.
1. Here at SUNY Institute of Technology, the WIB and SUNY IT staff
worked to developed the concept of Information Technology
apprenticeships in a project that had a 90 percent placement rate, and
that has served as a pilot for other efforts to focus training on the
employment competencies taught in any class instead of the more
traditional college course catalog approach. Although most of the
training efforts that are the major focus of our work take place at
lower skill levels that those taught at SUNY IT, the college has
remained a valuable strategic partner in all of our project development
efforts, so that as we build career pathways, they can lead to the
higher degrees offered at this campus.
2. Over in Madison County, the Renewable Energy Training Center at
Morrisville State College was launched because of the partnership
between the college and workforce system.
3. One county to the east, in Herkimer County, Oneida County
Workforce Development staff have networked with the college to include
Herkimer County-based training options in health care and technology
training projects.
4. Mohawk Valley Community College has been the centerpiece of our
college-workforce efforts. For example, our Summer Youth Employment
Program is entirely based at MVCC, which means our local high school
youth have exposure to a college campus just from work readiness
activities that are an integral part of our program. MVCC piloted a
project called Ready, Set College to increase the numbers of young
people getting a college degree before seeking work. That transitioned
into an Upward Bound project that now functions as part of our summer
workforce youth programming. When we wanted to pilot a concept for
training disconnected youth in ``green careers,'' MVCC converted the
concept into a summer program and created a project that not only
renovated facilities in downtown Rome and downtown Utica, we also had
about 70 percent of our young adults (aged 19-24) either employed or
going to college full-time.
5. All four of these colleges send staff to strategic planning
sessions that outline how we can respond to employer needs in ways that
fit the needs they see as well as the programs they offer. The dialogue
has been constant for several years, and is a reason we are able to
operate as a regional system. Yes, all the lines of geography are
there. However, we plan regionally and act that way because employers
and our customers care only about results, not turf.
6. Our private colleges, which have less a focus on workforce
training, remain a part of our workforce system. Utica College works
with us in its Young Scholars program, so that summer work experience
goes hand in hand with year-round academic skills training for at-risk
students. Utica College is linked with MVCC in its current CyberJobs
effort.
Workforce/community college perspective
Community colleges are ideally suited to be partners with the
workforce system. The emerging system that has been shaped by our
experience is that the One-Stop Centers and its community-based
outreach programs are ideally suited to assessing the skills and needs
of unemployed adults and laid-off workers. One-Stop/workforce staff can
understand the difference between someone who wishes he or she could
have an IT career and someone who actually has the ability to find work
in that sector. There are some hard calls to make, before we spend
public money on training that will not work out. We're willing to make
those calls.
The many unemployed adults who need basic skills--including, in
this community, refugees whose English is not sufficient to bring them
up to the next level of wages--are served well by BOCES and the similar
adult education providers in other states.
Community colleges fit into the mix by serving as the connection
that moves our customers from being either under-qualified or outdated
to the level they need to be--whether that means short-term training,
certificate programs, degree programs, transfer programs, or a
combination of on-line and in-person courses. The rich texture of
opportunities offered at community colleges is unrivaled.
But there's a catch. Sooner or later, everything comes down to
money. We love to think outside the box, but we cannot deliver powerful
programs outside of funding streams. If local boards and local
community colleges are going to be unleashed to address local problems
in new, creative partnerships, the workforce and community college
systems must have flexibility at the local end and the capability to
respond to unique regional opportunities.
Oneida County developed its strong partnership with community
colleges over time. The type of partnership we enjoy is now a major
workforce priority everywhere. As a recent National Skills Coalition
report entitled ``New York's Forgotten Middle Skill Jobs'' notes:
``Middle-skill jobs--those that require more than a high school diploma
but not a four-year degree--account for nearly half of all current jobs
in New York, and a substantial share of future job openings. Prior to
the recession New York was experiencing shortages of middle-skill
workers in crucial industries, like health care and information
technology. Although the state has lost jobs across most skill levels
during the economic downturn, this has not fundamentally changed the
structure of New York's labor market: the majority of all jobs still
require more than a high school diploma. As recovery takes hold in New
York and across the nation, a large share of the new jobs created will
require middle-skill credentials. With high unemployment in the state,
now is precisely the time to ensure that New York is training its
residents for the middle-skill job opportunities that will be critical
to the state's recovery and long-term economic success.''
If disaster tomorrow swept through this region, regardless of
deficits, there would be action to help the people of this area rebuild
their lives. The long-term economic contractions that have taken away
job after job have been so gradual they lack the obvious impact of a
disaster, but the result on the lives of those impacted has been the
same. The response to this should be clear: empowering and
strengthening the workforce system and its partner, the community
college system, is the most essential step that can be taken to rebuild
our workforce, to rebuild our economy and to rebuild the lives of
people who deserve a hand up after the economy has knocked them down.
______
Chairman Kline. Thank you, Mr. Mathis.
Dr. Bay, you're recognized, sir.
STATEMENT OF JOHN S. BAY, VICE PRESIDENT/CHIEF SCIENTIST,
ASSURED INFORMATION SECURITY, INC.
Mr. Bay. Good morning, Chairman Kline, Mr. Hanna.
I am pleased to have this opportunity to address the role
of institutions of higher education in fostering job creation
and growth. I'm currently a Vice President and Chief Scientist
at Assured Information Security, Inc, or AIS, in Rome, New
York. I've been in this position since December of 2009. Prior
to joining AIS, I served for eight years as a Senior Executive
with the Department of Defense, most recently as Chief
Scientist of the Air Force Research Laboratory Information
Directorate.
Prior to government service, I was a professor of
Electrical and Computer Engineering at Virginia Tech, and an
Engineering Fellow at Raytheon Company. It is with these
multiple perspectives that I offer my observations on the
relationships between private employers, higher education and
job growth.
AIS is a small business founded in 2001 to conduct research
and development on computer network security issues and
methods, national infrastructure protection, law enforcement
technology support and related areas of research. Over the past
ten years, AIS' national reputation for its innovative
cybersecurity has repeatedly demonstrated success in the
development of unique cyber capabilities, as well as the
associated infrastructure, that enables effective and
controlled use of cyber capabilities to achieve national
objectives.
AIS, Inc. is headquartered at 245 Hill Road in the Griffiss
Business and Technology Park, but we have operating locations
in Chantilly, Virginia; Fairborn, Ohio; Portland, Oregon. We
have 110 employees and we're proud to have sustained annual
growth rates of over 25 percent in each of the past two years.
This year we're now in the process of hiring 28 new scientists
and engineers for the Rome location and project similar growth
in the coming years.
Our primary customers are the science and technology
acquisition offices of the Department of Defense, the
intelligence community, and both local and national law
enforcement agencies. This is a government-focused high-
technology business that requires our staff to be highly-
educated and cleared. Over 50 percent of our staff hold or are
pursuing masters or doctorate degrees in computer sciences,
engineering, mathematics, or related fields, and 85 percent
hold top secret security clearances.
To maintain our growth, AIS, Inc. aggressively recruits new
graduates at the bachelor's, master's, and Ph.D. levels with
high academic grades. We first screen candidates for necessary
academic and professional credentials, but then focus on
finding within that group those individuals who exhibit a
passion for technology and a drive to make a difference. We
work on cutting edge problems that may have no solution. We
seek employees that can solve a problem that has never been
solved before.
We recruit all over the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic regions,
but we find that our highest success rate is with institutions
in New York State.
Today joining SUNY IT among our most fertile recruiting
grounds are Clarkson University and Binghamton University.
To a great extent the education of our employees is only
beginning when they join the company. AIS strongly encourages
continuing graduate education and pays 100 percent of the costs
of our employees earning graduate degrees. We maximize the
value of this policy by forming enduring partnerships with the
institutions by which we recruit. With SUNY IT, for example,
three of the senior management of AIS, including myself and
Charles Green, serve on advisory boards, academic programs in
cyber technology, computer science, and electrical and computer
engineering, as well as for President Wolf Yeigh. Directly AIS
has worked together with President Yeigh and his faculty on
joint proposals for educational programs and research
laboratories that serve to simultaneously educate the SUNY IT
students on emerging technology problems of national
importance, as well as infuse our government-funding research
programs with well-prepared faculty and graduates with
practical experience.
We have different but similarly motivated collaborative
arrangements with Clarkson University, Binghamton University,
Utica College, Syracuse University and Hamilton College, and we
are now negotiating more such agreements with Cornell
University and more distant institutions such as the University
of Maryland and Penn State University. At some of these
institutions, our staff members serve as adjunct faculty or
formal advisors; at others, the collaboration is less
structured. In this manner, we seek to ensure that our new
graduates meet our workforce requirements by working with the
universities to ensure that they do not leave school to enter
the workforce, but rather that they continue their education as
part of a broader research environment in the community. It is
our goal and strategy to guarantee that the college graduates
we hire meet our needs by being part of that education. With
institutions with which we maintain this bilateral
relationship, our success and satisfaction rate is higher than
with institutions from which we simply just harvest the
graduates. It is a formula that succeeds for us and one that we
would recommend to others.
I appreciate the opportunity to address the committee and
welcome your questions.
[The statement of Mr. Bay follows:]
Prepared Statement of John S. Bay, Vice President and Chief Scientist,
Assured Information Security, Inc.
Good morning Chairman Kline and Mr. Hanna.
I am pleased to have this opportunity to address the role of
institutions of higher education in fostering job creation and growth.
I am currently the Vice President and Chief Scientist of Assured
Information Security, Inc., or AIS, in Rome, New York. I have been in
this position since December of 2009. Prior to joining AIS, I served
for eight years as a senior executive with the Department of Defense,
first with the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), and
more recently, as Chief Scientist of the Air Force Research Laboratory
Information Directorate. Prior to government service, I was a Professor
of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Virginia Tech, and an
Engineering Fellow at the Raytheon Company. It is with these multiple
perspectives that I offer my observations on the relationships between
private employers, higher education, and job growth.
AIS, Inc. is a small business founded in 2001 to conduct research
and development on computer network security issues and methods,
national infrastructure protection, law enforcement technology support,
and related areas of research. Over the past ten years, AIS, Inc. has
expanded the scope of its R&D portfolio and has repeatedly demonstrated
success in the development of unique cyber capabilities, as well as the
associated infrastructure that enables effective and controlled use of
cyber capabilities to achieve national objectives.
AIS, Inc. is currently headquartered at 245 Hill Road in the
Griffiss Business and Technology Park (GBTP), and has operating
locations in Chantilly, VA., Fairborn, OH, and Portland, OR. We have
110 employees, and are proud to have sustained annual growth rates of
over 25% in each of the past two years. This year, we are in the
process of filling 28 new positions for scientists and engineers in the
Rome location alone, and we project similar growth in coming years,
allowing us to grow into a new facility at Griffiss in November of this
year.
Our primary customers are the science and technology acquisition
offices of the Department of Defense, the intelligence community, and
both local and national law enforcement agencies. This government-
focused high technology business requires that our staff be highly
educated and cleared. Over 50% of our staff hold or are pursuing
Masters or Doctorate degrees in computer science, engineering,
mathematics, or related fields, and 85% hold Top Secret security
clearances.
To maintain our growth, AIS, Inc. aggressively recruits new
graduates at the bachelors, masters and PhD level with high academic
grades, an inquisitive nature, and a predisposition to action. We first
screen candidates for the necessary academic and professional
credentials, then focus on finding within that group those individuals
who exhibit a passion for the technology and a drive to make a
difference. We work on cutting edge problems that may have no solution;
we seek employees that can solve a problem that has never been solved
before.
We recruit all over the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic regions, but
find that our highest success rate is with institutions in New York
State. Our founder and President, Charles Green, is a graduate of SUNY-
IT, the institution hosting this field hearing today. Joining SUNY-IT
among our most fertile recruiting grounds are Clarkson University and
Binghamton University.
To a great extent, the education of our employees is only beginning
when they join the company. AIS, Inc. strongly encourages continuing
graduate education, and pays 100% of the costs of our employees earning
graduate degrees. We maximize the value of this policy by forming
enduring partnerships with the institutions from whom we recruit. With
SUNY-IT, for example, three of the senior management of AIS Inc.,
including myself and Charles Green, serve on advisory boards for
academic programs in cyber technology, computer science, and electrical
and computer engineering, as well as for President Wolf Yeigh directly.
AIS Inc. has worked together with President Yeigh and his faculty on
joint proposals for educational programs and research laboratories that
serve to simultaneously educate the SUNY-IT students on emerging
technology problems of national importance, as well as infuse our
government-funded research programs with well-prepared faculty and
graduates with practical experience.
We have different but similarly-motivated collaborative
arrangements with Clarkson University, Binghamton University, Utica
College, Syracuse University, and Hamilton College, and we are
negotiating more such agreements with Cornell University and more
distant institutions such as the University of Maryland and Penn State
University. At some of these institutions, our staff members serve as
adjunct faculty or formal advisors; at others the collaboration is less
structured. In this manner, we seek to ensure that new graduates meet
our workforce requirements by working with universities to ensure that
graduates do not ``leave'' school to enter the workforce, but, rather,
continue their educations as part of a broader research environment. It
is our goal and strategy to guarantee that the college graduates we
hire meet our needs by being part of that education. With institutions
with which we maintain this bi-lateral relationship, our success and
satisfaction rate is higher than with institutions from which we simply
``harvest'' graduates. It is a formula that succeeds for us and one
that we would recommend to others.
I appreciate the opportunity to address this committee and welcome
your questions.
______
Chairman Kline. Thank you. Thank you very much. Thank you
all, witnesses.
We will take now a few questions and try to get some
discussion going. I'll ask a couple of questions, and Mr. Hanna
will ask a couple, and we will try to provide a little bit more
of what we've heard today.
It seems that all three of you are talking about improving
the connection between the institution of higher education and
the workforce.
Dr. Bay, this is particularly talking about community
colleges and people going back and getting perhaps retrained in
some cases. And, Dr. Bay, you talked about the relationship
that you have established with some adjunct faculty and you
being a member of the advisory board. We have heard testimony
like this before, as recently as yesterday when we were in
Pennsylvania.
I guess my question is how is this working; or more
importantly, is there anything in the way of that process of
connecting either the community or the employer with the
colleges? That's open to any of you.
Mr. Bay. If I might.
You're correct in that this collaboration is a contact
sport, but for the most part the relationships are made on an
individual basis. These are faculty members that have come to
know the individuals at the university or have met at an
academic conference or a professional conference or meeting and
have found some point of common interest that they later
pursued.
There are relatively few programs that institutionalize
that kind of collaboration.
An anecdote. When I was leaving the teaching profession
from Virginia Tech, my colleagues, when they found out I was
going to work in private industry at Raytheon, they said well,
that's great, maybe you can get us in touch with those guys in
industry; they never answer the phone, they never participate
in advanced research technology, maybe you can get them to
return our messages. When I arrived at Raytheon, my colleagues
there said you're the old college professor, maybe you can get
the guys to answer the phone and communicate with us. So it was
opening the lines of communication. It was in a great way,
repeating the kinds of experiences that I had had at
universities.
Chairman Kline. And so were you able to open those lines of
communication having crossed from one discipline to the other?
Mr. Bay. Not entirely successfully, no.
Chairman Kline. I didn't mean to put you on the spot, but
it does seem to me to be sort of obvious, that you need that
connection, and it also seems obvious to me that we have not
had that connection for some time. We have turned our graduates
that didn't have a fit in the workplace, in some cases didn't
know what to expect, found out their degree may not be entirely
applicable.
I remember when I graduated many, many, many, many years
ago, I had a degree in biology, with all apologies to those of
you that have studied biology, I found it not to be very useful
in the workforce, except I went in the Marine Corps for a
three-year stint, and stayed there for 25 years, so it became a
moot point.
But I do see that we're increasingly--back to you, Mr.
Picente, Mr. Mathis, people that have gone into the workplace,
found out that didn't match very well, perhaps they have been
laid off. I think, Mr. Mathis, you reported that 10 percent of
the workforce has come through the One-Stop system, it means
they're looking for something else.
And so when they go, presumably to community college, again
the question is beyond just the services the One-Stop provides,
how are they being connected to potential employers in the
area?
Mr. Mathis. I think through the One-Stop system we serve
the employers and we serve those that are looking for
employment. I think one of the biggest problems we encounter is
that employers need trained workers pretty much immediately,
and through our system we're part of the--Mohawk Valley
Community College is part of the State University of New York.
And in some cases, by the time we get programs approved, it can
take months if not years, employers cannot wait that long. We
have people who are ready to go to work. We have employers who
want to hire. We need to have the abilities to create training
programs and certificate programs and degree programs for
hiring immediately.
And part of what happens so often is that employers will
look elsewhere for workers if they can't find them here. So we
need to have ways to turn around our system and get them
training and to employers fairly quickly.
On my side of the fence in terms of dealing with workforce,
we can tie up so often in the process, we spend so much time
reporting and trying to monitor what we're doing as opposed to
going out and doing it.
When people come into our One-Stop Centers they want to be
served, then they want to get training, they want to get a job.
And what we need to do is cut down some of the barriers that
keep this from happening.
Chairman Kline. Excuse me for interrupting.
That's my question, because you and Mr. Picente, both have
talked about that. I think your quote was, Mr. Picente, your
quote was neither easy nor quick. And you asked that somehow
they need to ease the regulatory burdens. And I'm not sure if
it's the regulatory burdens in the process of developing
programs in school or the regulatory burdens in the workplace
or both. And so I'm trying to see, frankly, if there is
something that we need to be doing in developing the Workforce
Investment Act in cleaning that mess up. And it's a mess, it's
47 programs and nine agencies. It ought to be a lot simpler.
Is there something specific that you can address that's
sort of getting in the way of this regulatory program?
Mr. Picente. I think David hit on it in terms of the
ultimate measuring tool that takes place in terms of where you
have an employer that needs people to work, that you're not
bogged down with all of the red tape and various requirements
that lead in terms of those dislocated workers to get them into
a particular program. It takes lots of time. And I think in
restructuring and reorganizing the Workforce Investment Act, we
look at ways in which the system can respond quicker, in terms
of those areas of the workforce that needs to be done in terms
of training.
Mr. Hanna. Mr. Bay, do you believe that there is a lack of
institutional collaboration? And it seems as though there is
long times between what Dave describes as people coming in and
looking for work in the lab, because those people who may
have--the work is either nonexistent or there is so much
friction and so much bureaucracy that they can't match the two
in the time period that saves the worker.
Do you believe that there is enough going on in this
community? I can tell you I've been traveling to the 24th
District now for quite a while, and I can tell you that you are
a unique company in terms of what you produce, but that there
are dozens of companies in this district that have needs for
new workers, and observing there are people educating those
workers, and it seems from where I sit that there is something
missing, that this is the collaboration between the educator
and those people who are hiring, that's kind of my general
assumption.
Do you agree with that? Do you see ways that we can improve
it? What would you envision as a way to start a path towards
better collaboration and our capacity to match people to jobs?
Mr. Bay. Along those lines, one thing I might do is respond
to a comment that Mr. Mathis made, and that's what we need from
the workforce perspective is not so much workers who are
trained as much as they are educated. I think there are
opportunities being realized for guiding and counseling under
prepared members of the potential workforce for high technology
careers, but that there is a mismatch. There is an attempt to
train them for specific roles, when what we really need are--is
more of a focus on higher education, because our problems are
open-ended. We hire graduates who are solving problems that
have never been solved before, and it's very difficult to
target that skill in a training program versus an education
program.
So it may be that degrees should not be prescribed. I'm not
an advocate of identifying areas where, say, there is a
shortage of civil engineers, for example, but rather advocate
expiration of students in their deed program to pursue higher
degrees in area of interest to them. And I believe they will
make their own opportunity and the workforce will make--local
industry will make opportunities for them as well.
Mr. Hanna. So would you suggest that the main premise I'm
laying out, is there is a disconnect in education and what you
want to provide for a job? What you're suggesting to me is that
a higher focus on what is commonly called scientific non-
engineering and math (sic), that you would produce more
generally in those subject matters and kind of turn them loose.
Mr. Bay. We would much prefer to hire graduates who have
brought interest and capabilities in science and technology
than to hire somebody who was lab trained in a particular sub-
area, yes.
Mr. Hanna. So do you think that we're making a mistake? Is
that fair to paraphrase what you're saying, we're making a
mistake by pushing people in and offering courses that are so,
perhaps narrow and focused, if I could perhaps paraphrase what
you're saying, and generally missing the target of keeping
those people here and putting them to work for you?
Mr. Bay. Programs vary in the degree to which they focus
candidates on specific job skills, but those that do target a
specific position, for example, do run the risk of missing that
target when a position changes. If the needs of local industry
are dynamic, then we require flexibility and broader education
rather than very natural technical workforce education.
Mr. Mathis. One of the programs we run in Oneida County
College boards, it's been around for 12 years and it's funded
by--County Core, and it serves college juniors and seniors in
college internships, that program has been quite successful
over the years, because what we have done, what the county has
done, is to cut out all potential barriers.
What we do is look for employers who are willing to pick up
50 percent of the $9 an hour wage, and after that the county
does all the work, the employer interviews, they hire, they put
youth into internships, like the one we're talking about, this
employer here or others. But it cuts out the red tape, and it
lets you actually work in the field. That's so important,
because so much of what I've seen, both on the workforce side
and on the education side, is that there are just too many
barriers to stop us from doing that.
And when the county created the College Core, they took out
a lot of those barriers. That's why the program has been so
successful, but it puts the connection between the employer and
the college students. And for those needs that go back to what
I talked about in my testimony about the program that we did in
the Airframe maintenance, it was connecting the employer to
look at the skills required. Before that, curriculum was just
developed on the basis of this is how we develop curriculum,
you go into all of these different scenarios in terms of what's
required under fixing an airplane. But it's more than that,
it's about processing, it's about thinking, it's about working
with the employer, what directly they're looking for when that
student steps out of school. And those connections are
priceless.
Mr. Hanna. We have Chairman Kline. We talked about
bureaucracy and unfunded mandates ad nauseam. This is an
opportunity to explain about something specific if you would
like. You hear about it generally every day. Do you have
something that's a particular pet peeve that might originate in
this committee that we can talk about?
Mr. Mathis. All I can say, is we are constantly being
monitored by the New York State Department of Labor. It seems
like everybody seeks to review one program versus another, and
in many ways it just gets in our way. And I think hopefully
with the reauthorization of the Workforce Investment Act it's a
lot easier if you consolidate to have one review, but when
you're constantly being reviewed for one program versus the
other, sometimes it just gets to be overwhelming.
So I'm definitely one that gets a little tired of always
sitting, listening to somebody coming in reviewing a program
after all these years, and in many cases coming up with
contradictory recommendations from different areas.
Mr. Picente. Just my personal opinion. Part of it is to
stop reauthorizing the employer and have an investment in
education and then move it towards that focus, and, you know,
the focus of putting people to work rather than keeping them
out.
Mr. Hanna. Thank you, Dr. Picente. You have a relationship
with Clarkson that apparently works well for you.
Mr. Picente. Yes.
Mr. Hanna. Dr. Bay, can you give us a brief overview of
what that looks like and how we might use it in other places?
Mr. Bay. A specific example, I met a couple of professors,
one in mathematics and one electrical engineering at Clarkson
at--in fact, it was a meeting of high technology companies
along the I90 corridor, and that meeting was held in Rochester
about a year ago.
And casually we struck up conversation in the technology
areas of common interest and we found that my company had hired
graduates of Clarkson and, in fact, former graduate students of
both of those faculty members. And so we set up a series of
bilateral meetings in Potsdam, and at our company and we
decided to pursue research grants with the National Science
Foundation and some of the defense research organizations, as
well as with the small business in the Oneida Research Program,
the Office of the Secretary of Defense, and with those joint
efforts, we were able to identify and monitor both upcoming
undergraduate students and graduate students from Clarkson who
have interests and abilities in areas that we think we could
use in the future.
And so we were able to conduct the joint research effort
within part government funding and faculty where they train and
educate the students that we are interested in working with in
the future. And when the time comes that they're ready to
graduate, they're certainly first in line, and we feel that we
know them well enough, that they're a very low risk potential
hire for us.
And this goes in cycles. Each year we have these meetings,
identify projects, similar interests and students that can help
us, and we track them during their education.
Chairman Kline. Thank you. I'm going to pick this up in
just a minute. We want to move to the next panel fairly soon.
A couple of points that I've been listening to. One is, Dr.
Bay, your company is very, very technical. Clearly, you're
looking for highly educated--you're talking about people with
bachelor's degrees and master's degrees and doctorates and
continuing education and working for a higher degree.
And you need problem solving skills, you're moving into an
area where people don't necessarily know the answers and so
you're looking for a little bit broader problem solving, I
gather from your testimony. But some cases, some of the
examples that Mr. Picente talked about and Mr. Mathis, were
looking for much more specific skills. You're looking at
airplanes, preparing airplanes, airplane manufacturing parts,
and something like that, employers sometimes want somebody that
comes in the door that has a particular skill set and they
don't have to spend time doing on-the-job training.
So I think the demands of the workplace can vary pretty
dramatically, depending upon the kind of work that we're
talking about. And the thing about this hearing and the work
that this committee is--we're interested in all of this. And so
we look at legislation and ways we might address some of these
problems. We have to remind folks that there are many, many
different requirements in the workplace and we need the
abilities for education to meet those needs. And there are
obviously different ways of getting about that.
Again, we've talked about the regulations that get in the
way, and that's clearly something that we need to address. The
Workforce Investment Act has been--I've been listening to
governors now for some time, and there is nobody that tells me
that this is a well-organized, well-run efficient program, not
one person. It just turns out that getting to it, even in
Congress, is a little bit problematic because when you have 47
programs and nine agencies you've got about nine committees in
Congress that have jurisdiction so to speak, so we have a
little work to do on our own part to try to sort that out so we
can make it manageable for ourselves before we can make it
manageable for you.
I want you to know that we're thinking about it, we're
working on it, we'll be engaging in a bipartisan discussion as
we try to figure out how to crack that problem.
So I want to thank you all very much for your testimony,
for engaging in the conversation for the graduate work that
you're doing out there trying to solve these problems.
And Congress congratulates you, Dr. Bay. Any company that's
growing at that rate is an example of what it's about. So
congratulations to you all.
And with that, we will thank you and we will move to the
next panel.
It is my pleasure now to introduce our second distinguished
panel.
Dr. Wolf Yeigh is the current president of the State
University of New York, Institute of Technology. Thank you very
much for hosting. This is a position Dr. Yeigh has held since
2008.
Prior to becoming president, Dr. Yeigh served as the Vice
President for Academic Affairs and Dean of the Faculty of
Norwich University in Northfield, Vermont and as Dean of St.
Louis University's Park College of Engineering, Aviation and
Technology. During his impressive career, Dr. Yeigh was
responsible for launching a number of new majors and
establishing international cooperation programs in several
institutions around the world.
Dr. Ann Marie Murray is the third president of Herkimer
County Community College, a position she has held since 2008
and has currently.
Prior to joining HCCC, she served as Vice President for
Academic Affairs and was responsible for the oversight of all
academic programs and academic functions of Broome Community
College.
Dr. Murray also held the positions of Dean of Business and
Engineering and Industrial Technologies, Associate Dean of
Academic Services, and Department Chair for Mathematics and
Science and Engineering Science at Hudson Valley Community
College.
Dr. Judith Kirkpatrick was appointed Vice President for
Academic Affairs and Dean of the Faculty at Utica College in
August of 2004, and was named Provost in August 2009.
Dr. Kirkpatrick came to Utica College from Texas Wesleyan
University, where she served as Dean of the School of Arts and
Sciences. She also served as Dean of the School of Science and
Humanities at Texas Wesleyan, Associate Dean for the Humanities
and Fine and Performing Arts, College of Arts and Sciences, at
the University of Alabama, tenured faculty member in the
Department of Romance Languages and Classics at the University
of Alabama, and Assistant director of the Center for
International Studies in Madrid, Spain.
Dr. Phil Williams was supposed to be with us, he is unable
to join us today, and without objection his testimony will
appear in the record.
[The statement of Mr. Williams follows:]
Prepared Statement of Phil Williams, President, Utica School of
Commerce
Chairman Kline and Congressman Hanna, thank you for allowing me
this opportunity to speak with you concerning the Utica School of
Commerce and the innovative education we are offering students to meet
this ever-changing workforce.
My name is Phil Williams, President of the Utica School of
Commerce, a two-year proprietary college, founded by my great-
grandfather nearly 115 years ago.
We, at USC, are proud of our history and the accomplishments that
we have made, but are equally proud to be a part of today's workforce
education, and are geared up for the future. USC is a member of the New
York Association of Proprietary Colleges (``APC''), which represents 27
degree-granting institutions on 41 campuses throughout New York State.
The APC member colleges currently enroll more than 50,000 students in
more than 350 educational programs leading to associate, bachelors,
masters and doctoral degrees in traditional and emerging fields.
APC represents one of the four sectors of higher education in New
York; SUNY, CUNY, the independent colleges, and us. We, in New York,
are fortunate to have a higher education system that is highly
regulated by the Board of Regents through the New York State Education
Department.
Our programs at USC are designed to be practical in nature
appealing to the career-orientated student. Not only do we have
associate degree programs which can be completed in as few as eighteen
months, but we have credit-bearing certificate programs, for quick
retraining which can be completed in as few as seven months. We stress
individualized attention with an average class size of ten students,
and we serve Congressman Hanna's district with campuses not only in
Utica, but with branches in Canastota and Oneonta. Students may take
classes during the day, the evening, or online. However, at USC, no
program can be completed with more than 50% of classes online, because
we believe this blend promotes the greatest likelihood of success for
students at the associates degree level or below.
We are small with fewer than 500 students at our three campuses. We
work with our students to ensure their success with the ultimate goal
of placement or promotion. Our current placement rate, as measured from
respondents, is 92% for the class of 2010. Quite good, considering the
economy. Factoring in non respondents, our placement rate is 78%.
Again, quite good when compared to other sectors. Actual statistics are
attached with this testimony.
USC has always been a leader in the workforce development area.
Today we are a part of a consortium of colleges providing cybersecurity
training to residents of Oneida, Herkimer, Madison, Chenango, and
Otsego counties through a federal grant administered by the local
Workforce Investment Board. We changed our Medical Office Assistant
certificate program to specifically meet the requests of our local WIB,
and are a part of a five-college consortium providing a variety of
health care training programs to 2,500 individuals through 2012.
Working with local insurance companies and agencies in the area, we
have developed an approved Insurance Associate Certificate program, as
well as a degree option under the Business Administration program * * *
Risk Management and Claim Services. Both of these programs resulted
from discussions with the insurance industry on how to improve the
quality of the local workforce.
In response to the needs of local insurance agencies, our Division
of Corporate and Workforce Development has created and received
approval for 24 continuing education courses in Property and Casualty
Insurance, as well as the Life Insurance markets.
Likewise, through flexible scheduling, we have provided insurance
licensing training programs to a number of companies in central New
York, including MetLife, Utica National Insurance Group and New York
Central Mutual Insurance Company.
In order to meet a strong local, state and national need for
licensed Public Adjusters, USC, working in conjunction with several
Public Adjuster firms, developed a 40 hour, non-credit, NYS Insurance
Department approved, pre-licensing training program.
Working with a major manufacturer of fiber optic supplies,
materials and equipment, USC staff developed an ``employee directed''
evaluation system. This is now being used by over 200 employees each
year.
In cooperation with the Cooperstown Chamber of Commerce, USC has
developed a five part, leadership and management training program,
offered bi-monthly in Cooperstown.
Yes, USC is an active an vibrant part of the workforce community,
providing excellent coursework in a variety of venues.
As an employer, although we do not like our employees to leave, we
are proud to be a fine training ground for successful advancement. Our
current Executive Vice President of Academic Affairs took, what I call
an eight year leave of absence, to become Vice President of Academic
Affairs at North Country Community College. The current Vice President
of Academics at Schenectady Community College came from USC, as does
HCCC's Chief Fiscal Officer. MVCC and HCCC have also benefited from
USC. Likewise, we have many employees from other colleges.
Again, thank you for holding this hearing and I look forward to
answering any questions you may have.
______
Chairman Kline. A reminder to the new panel. We have a
little box there that has lights, green, yellow, and red,
Daniela will control it from here. When it gets to red, please
look to try to wrap up your testimony. Your entire testimony
will be entered into the record.
Dr. Yeigh.
STATEMENT OF BJONG WOLF YEIGH, PRESIDENT, STATE UNIVERSITY OF
NEW YORK, INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
Mr. Yeigh. Thank you, Chairman Kline, Representative Hanna,
and distinguished guests. Welcome to SUNY IT.
Representative Hanna, thank you for bringing the Chairman
and this hearing to the Mohawk Valley, to our campus. And thank
you for this opportunity to share with you thoughts on higher
education's role in job growth and economic development.
Like the nation, our region is at a crossroads. More so
than many other parts of the county, this part of New York
State is in transition, as our rich history gives way to a
bright future. New York's economic stature has been an example
for the nation and the world, but it is increasingly clear that
we must maintain a shared commitment to ensure that this
generation, and future generations of New Yorkers, continue to
build success.
Education is key, from the K through 12 foundation laid
down by our school districts to higher education and beyond.
Our community college partners, and SUNY IT, as a unique
representative of the State University system, have and will
continue to give students the preparation they need to launch
successful 21st century careers. In a global economy,
opportunities for success are abundant, and those who pursue
life-long education and training will thrive.
Our role as a regional workforce development engine holds
great promise, especially in light of our nanotechnology
partnership with U. Albany's College of Nano-scale Science
Engineering, and the continuing development of the Marcy Nano-
Center at SUNY IT. Thanks to the support of our elected
officials, SUNY IT is making significant investments in
infrastructure and expanding its economic offerings, with new
programs in engineering, computer security, biology, and human
services, as we look to meet the needs of current and future
students.
With both broad preparation in the liberal arts and
specific technical competencies, our students are well-prepared
to succeed in an increasing array of careers.
At SUNY IT, we're committed to providing affordable,
quality, undergraduate and graduate education, and because of
our unique history, we have always stressed the importance of
applied learning and its connection to students' careers
success. Last week, we brought together dozens of potential
employers with students preparing to graduate, our career
services office and many of our faculty maintain connections
with business and industry that help our graduates find jobs
and launch successful careers.
To ensure that we--that what our students learn is relevant
to workforce and industry needs, many of our academic programs
regularly seek professional expertise through advisory boards
to keep their curriculum relevant.
Throughout our history, many of our graduates have found
employment and professional advancement in our region. But in
other cases, graduates in certain programs moved elsewhere, and
students who came to us from outside the Mohawk Valley also
left the area after graduating. Through our nanotechnology
partnership, SUNY IT will be a catalyst, contributing to a more
robust regional economy with greater opportunities for all.
This model has worked in Albany, and we know it will be
successful here as well.
Affordable access to higher education is essential to
workforce development, and ultimately to America's
international competitive advantage. And maintaining
affordability is critical to our students. More than 80 percent
of SUNY IT students depend on some form of financial aid, and
the federal role in keeping a college education affordable
cannot be overstated. We're seeing more and more students with
significant financial need. Since the economic downturn, our
financial aid counselors encounter students from families in
which a parent has lost a job, sometimes both parents have been
laid off. Two years ago more than one third of our
undergraduate students received Pell Grants, last year that
figure increased to almost 40 percent.
Clearly, our students' need for Pell and other forms of
financial aid is increasing. Any reduction in Pell Grant awards
would be a blow to lower- and middle-income families, and would
certainly keep some from beginning or continuing their college
education at SUNY IT and at our higher education institutions.
Thanks to the generosity of our alumni, we continue to
build our endowment so that we can offer additional support to
those students who need it, but because we are a relatively
young institution, founded in 1966, we are, in fact, a public
college of modest means. So our students have and continue to
rely heavily on federal and state aid.
We are proud to be this region's public college, and public
higher education is a critical component of workforce
preparation, but colleges cannot do workforce development if
people cannot afford to go to college. I ask that you and your
colleagues in Washington continue to support a federal role in
support for higher education.
Thank you.
[The statement of Mr. Yeigh follows:]
Prepared Statement of Bjong Wolf Yeigh, Ph.D., F. ASME, President,
State University of New York, Institute of Technology at Utica/Rome
Chairman Kline, Congressman Hanna and other members of the
committee, and distinguished guests: Welcome to SUNYIT. Congressman
Hanna, thank you for bringing the Chairman and this hearing to the
Mohawk Valley and to our campus. And thank you for this opportunity to
share with you some thoughts on higher education's role in job growth
and economic development.
Like the nation, our region is at a crossroads. More so than many
other parts of the country, this part of New York State is in
transition, as our rich history gives way to a bright future. New
York's economic stature has been an example for the nation and the
world, but it is increasingly clear that we must maintain a shared
commitment to ensure that this generation, and future generations of
New Yorkers, continues to build success.
Education is key, from the K-12 foundation laid down by our school
districts to higher education and beyond. Our community college
partners, and SUNYIT, as a unique representative of the State
University System, have and will continue to give students the
preparation they need to launch successful 21st century careers. In a
global economy, opportunities for success are abundant--and those who
pursue life-long education and training will thrive.
Our role as a regional workforce development engine holds great
promise, especially in light of our nanotechnology partnership with
UAlbany's College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering, and the
continuing development of the Marcy NanoCenter at SUNYIT. Thanks to the
support of our elected officials, SUNYIT is making significant
investments in infrastructure and expanding its academic offerings--
with new programs in engineering, computer security, biology, and human
services--as we look to meet the needs of current and future students.
With both broad preparation in the liberal arts and specific technical
competencies, our students are well-prepared to succeed in an
increasing array of careers.
At SUNYIT, we are committed to providing affordable, quality
undergraduate and graduate education, and because of our unique
history, we have always stressed the importance of applied learning and
its connection to students' career success. Last week, we brought
together dozens of potential employers with students preparing to
graduate--our career services office and many of our faculty maintain
connections with business and industry that help our graduates find
jobs and launch successful careers. To ensure that what our students
learn is relevant to workforce and industry needs, many of our academic
programs regularly seek professional expertise through advisory boards
to keep their curriculum relevant.
Throughout our history, many of our graduates have found employment
and professional advancement in our region. But in other cases,
graduates in certain programs moved elsewhere--and students who came to
us from outside the Mohawk Valley also left the area after graduating.
Through our nanotechnology partnership, SUNYIT will be a catalyst--
contributing to a more robust regional economy with greater
opportunities for all. This model has worked in Albany--and we know it
will be successful here as well.
Affordable access to higher education is essential to workforce
development and, ultimately, to America's international competitive
advantage. And maintaining affordability is critical to our students.
More than 80 percent of SUNYIT students depend on some form of
financial aid, and the Federal role in keeping a college education
affordable cannot be overstated.
We are seeing more and more students with significant financial
need. Since the economic downturn, our financial aid counselors
encounter students from families in which a parent has lost a job--
sometimes both parents have been laid off. Two years ago, more than
one-third of our undergraduate students received Pell Grants. Last
year, that figure increased to almost 40 percent.
Clearly, our students' need for Pell and other forms of financial
aid is increasing. Any reduction in Pell Grant awards would be a blow
to lower and middle income families, and would certainly keep some from
beginning or continuing their college education at SUNYIT. Thanks to
the generosity of our alumni, we continue to build our endowment so
that we can offer additional support to those students who need it--but
because we are a relatively young institution, founded in 1966, we are
in fact a public college of modest means. So our students have and will
continue to rely heavily on Federal and state aid.
We are proud to be this region's public college--and public higher
education is a critical component of workforce preparation, but
colleges cannot do workforce development if people can't afford to go
to college. I ask that you and your colleagues in Washington continue
to support a strong Federal role in support for higher education. Thank
you.
______
Chairman Kline. Thank you, Dr. Yeigh.
Dr. Murray.
STATEMENT OF ANN MARIE MURRAY, PRESIDENT,
HERKIMER COUNTY COMMUNITY COLLEGE
Ms. Murray. Thank you for having me here. It's truly an
honor for me and our college to participate in this hearing.
To do so I want to talk to you a little bit about our
college. Tell you how we keep our graduates here in the area.
What partnerships we have made with local businesses and our
other institutions of higher learning. Tell you a little bit
about future programs and how we connect to the community.
Herkimer County Community College is a unit of the State
University of New York system. We are accredited by the Middle
States Commission of Higher Education. Our goal is to transform
lives. Our institutional learning includes skills for our
students as excellent communication, critical thinking, and an
appreciation for the arts.
We have a unique community college in that only 30 percent
of our students come from Herkimer County, 70 percent of our
students come from not only outside the county but outside the
United States, 3 percent of our students come from over 26
different countries.
We offer more than 40 certificate and degree programs but
we have a very strong on-line program, and over 100 of our
courses and 19 of our degrees and four of our certificate
degree programs are available totally on-line.
We do excel in athletics, we are very proud of that. But
more importantly we have 28 national academic team of the year
awards, which means that our opportunities are not only good in
the fields but they're good in the classroom.
A recent economic impact study said that our college
contributes $74.9 million each year to the economy of Herkimer
County or roughly about 6.3 percent of the county economy.
Our job is to keep our graduates in this area. We do this
by providing local business internship experiences for our
vocational majors. We also have part-time job fairs and career
fairs that provide opportunities for the businesses to come in
and meet directly with our students.
Our students are trained in presentations and workforce on
how to apply for jobs and interview skills. We work
collaboratively with the local colleges to allow employers to
recruit students so that we can improve success for all of the
campuses in our region.
Our emphasis is partners in businesses. We do this by
maintaining those productive partnerships. These partnerships
are critical parts of that activity in that they connect to our
academic programming by advisory coucils. Our business partners
work with us to make sure that our economic programs maintain
our current and industry standards. We know that connecting
with partners involves person-to-person contact and we have an
employer relations specialist on our staff who determines what
skill sets are needed for our applicants.
Additionally, we have a part-time program at the Regional
Working Solutions Office who assists area job seekers
interested in improving their professional qualifications or
learning new careers.
We work with our regional partners in funding support for
regional training needs through grants. Right now we are
involved in grants that involve cybersecurity, green
technology, alternative energy, heath care, and manufacturing.
Our current programs help meets the needs of our clients.
We are looking at future programs that will include agra-
business, alternative energies, quality assurance for
manufacturing in the health field, and health information
technology.
We provide a full range of non-credit professional
development training for our workers in collaboration with
BOCES as we move to meet the needs of community members.
We provide a variety of businesses and non-profit
organizations, trainings, meetings, workshops, press
conferences, and special events through the use of our
facilities. Our facilities are also available for community
forums such as our recent agricultural summit and an upcoming
forum on the regional site for development of a nanotechnology
center.
We host an executive breakfast which involves business
leaders and key speakers. In May we're featuring SUNY
Chancellor Dr. Nancy Zimpher.
Our college is positioned to enter the next five years with
its strategic plan mapping our future.
If you need to learn more about this, our website is open
and we welcome you to visit it to learn more about our
strategic plan. Thank you.
[The statement of Ms. Murray follows:]
Prepared Statement of Ann Marie Murray, President,
Herkimer County Community College
Background on Herkimer County Community College: Founded in 1966,
Herkimer County Community College (HCCC) is a unit of the State
University of New York system. The College is accredited by the Middle
States Commission on Higher Education, which recently reaffirmed the
College's accreditation for an additional 10 year period. We are a
residential campus with housing for up to 629 students. According to
the Integrated Post-Secondary Educational Data System (IPEDS),
enrollment at HCCC in the fall 2010 semester was 3,774 students.
Students come to us from throughout New York State and the rest of the
nation, as well as from 29 other countries around the world.
HCCC offers more than 40 degree and certificate programs, including
a strong online offering of over 100 courses, 19 degree and four
certificate programs. Key programs at HCCC include: Criminal Justice,
Radio/Television Broadcasting and Physical Therapy Assistant. Newer
programs include Music Industry, Digital Filmmaking and Gender Studies.
HCCC excels in athletics and has earned its reputation as the
``home of the champions,'' as is reflected by our 32 national
championships, 83 regional championships, and 119 conference
championships. With 28 national academic team of the year awards, we
are also extremely proud of the success of our student athletes in the
classroom. Our athletic department also has an outstanding record of
community service projects, including the highly successful ``Adopt a
School Program.''
HCCC maintains vital partnerships with businesses and organizations
in the community in order to fulfill its mission of ``providing high
quality, accessible educational opportunities and services in response
to the needs of the local and regional communities.'' Collaborative
initiatives include joint grant proposals for providing needed
programming in the community and cooperative program implementation
through shared resources.
A recent economic impact study completed by Economic Modeling
Specialists, Inc. (EMSI) of Moscow, Idaho demonstrated that ``the total
economic impact attributable to Herkimer County Community College
amounts to $74.9 million each year or roughly 6.3% of the entire county
economy.''
Initiatives to help current students and graduates find employment
in the local area:
HCCC Career Services helps prepare students to enter the workforce
in a variety of ways including:
paid internship experiences on campus for vocational
majors that allow them to obtain practical experience in their fields;
no-charge access to Optimal Resume, an on-line resume
builder, and to the College Central Network, an on-line resource that
allows students to research employment and internship opportunities
locally and nationally;
an annual Part-Time Job Fair and a Career Fair that
provide opportunities for regional businesses to meet directly with
students to discuss employment opportunities;
individual sessions with the Career Counselor or Employer
Relations Specialist to obtain guidance with job searches; and
presentations and workshops to help students gain strength
in such professional areas as cover letter and resume development,
networking and interview skills, as well as in soft skill sets such as
conflict resolution and business etiquette.
HCCC Career Services is also a founding member of the Central New
York Recruiting Consortium, which was formed by local colleges (HCCC,
MVCC, SUNY IT and Utica College) to allow employers to recruit students
with improved access to all four campuses.
These initiatives are capped by a Graduate Follow-up Study to track
our graduates' progress after they complete their studies at HCCC and
to obtain data that will inform how we develop our programs and
services in the future.
Partnerships with local businesses, workforce development offices,
and/or other institutions of higher education:
HCCC maintains productive partnerships with regional businesses. We
maintain active advisory committees for connecting academic programming
to the business community, and our grant-funded Employer Relations
Specialist meets with regional businesses regularly to determine
staffing needs and skills sets they are looking for in applicants.
Additionally, a part-time Program Specialist at the regional Working
Solutions office assists area job seekers interested in improving their
professional qualifications or learning new careers.
The College partners with regional organizations by maintaining
seats on boards including: Mohawk Valley EDGE, United Way of the Valley
and Greater Utica Area and the Genesis Group. The College also
maintains membership in the County Chamber of Commerce and has a seat
on the board.
HCCC works with regional partners in higher education to bring in
grant funding in support of regional training needs. Examples include
such fields as cybersecurity, green technology and alternative energy,
healthcare and manufacturing.
Current or future programs that the institution has developed to
address the needs of the local community:
HCCC provides a comprehensive offering of credit-bearing degree and
certificate programs that prepare students for careers in regional
industries and helps fill the workforce needs of area employers.
Examples of such programs not mentioned previously include a broad
range of business programs, Computer Network Technician and Support
Specialist programs, Travel and Tourism, Human Services, Emergency
Medical Technician--Paramedic, Medical Coding/Transcriptionist and
Teaching Assistant certificates.
HCCC's Community Education Office provides a full range of non-
credit professional development training opportunities and collaborates
with Herkimer BOCES on delivery of programming to best meet the needs
of community members.
The College provides a variety of venues for local businesses and
non-profit organizations for trainings, meetings, workshops, press
conferences, and special events. The Hummel Corporate Education and
Training Center features meeting/conference rooms with internet access
and full AV capabilities, as well as a 150-seat amphitheater and a
computer lab. The Robert McLaughlin College Center provides ample lobby
space for job fairs and other events, as well as a 350-seat theater.
These facilities are also available for community forums, such as a
recent agricultural summit organized by several county legislators or
an upcoming forum on a regional site for development of a Nanotech
Center.
The College hosts a series of ``Executive Breakfast'' presentations
featuring speakers on topics of importance to the local and regional
business community. The series provides opportunities for regional
business, government, non-profit and educational leaders to come
together to explore current issues. In May, HCCC will host an Executive
Breakfast featuring SUNY Chancellor Dr. Nancy Zimpher as guest speaker.
Dr. Zimpher will speak on economic development in New York State and
the role of SUNY in that process.
______
Chairman Kline. Thank you very much.
Dr. Kirkpatrick.
STATEMENT OF JUDITH KIRKPATRICK, PROVOST,
UTICA COLLEGE
Ms. Kirkpatrick. Chairman Kline and Representative Hanna,
it's my great honor to testify on behalf of the trustees,
faculty, administration, staff, and students at Utica College.
Utica College was founded by Syracuse University in 1946 to
help meet the needs of returning veterans. From its humble
beginnings in makeshift buildings on Oneida Square, Utica
College has grown to be a substantial, independent educational
institution with a mission that focuses on career preparation.
Our commitment to combining liberal and professional studies
ensures that students have the knowledge and skills they will
need to succeed in a rapidly changing work environment.
One of the most important ways that we do this is to
require internships and other field experiences in most of our
professional majors, including education, physical therapy,
criminal justice, nursing, occupational therapy, journalism,
public relations and construction management. These
opportunities are developed through faculty or career center
relationships with appropriate sites.
In addition to hosting a career fair for all students, our
career center actively works with local companies and
organizations to help them create an internship program if they
do not yet have one and has developed a unique extended job
shadow program for our students to introduce them to all
aspects of a particular profession. Hands on experience has
benefited students in a number of ways; on-the-job training, a
chance to provide theories learned in the classroom to the
actual situation, opportunities to be mentored by experienced
professionals, and perhaps most importantly, the chance to
network with prospective employers. Hundreds of U.C. graduates
started with their current employers through internships, co-
ops, practica, and other applied course work.
The college also benefits from industry-supported advisory
groups that ensure that our signature programs remain not only
relevant, but also innovative and forward looking.
Advisory group members keep faculty up to date on industry
trends and help them develop a curriculum that better prepares
students for the profession. Members often collaborate directly
or indirectly with faculty and research. Students benefit from
the relationship with our advisory boards through mentoring and
networking opportunities, as well as internships, and, at
times, scholarship support.
It's difficult to capture in five minutes all that Utica
College offers in job creation and economic growth, but I would
be remiss if I did not highlight U.C.'s fastest growing
signature program, cybersecurity.
Concerns about the security of computer networks are
escalating in both the public and private sectors. Our nation's
critical infrastructures, including financial, oil and gas,
water treatment, nuclear reactors, and air traffic control, are
at risk and need to be secured. Each of these systems is run by
computers and software in complex networks that need to be both
reliable and secure. A successful attack on any of these
systems by an adversary could have devastating effects on the
U.S., its economy and way of life.
The U.S. Government has appointed a White House
cybersecurity coordinator specifically to address issues of
electronic terrorism and espionage. Corporations and other
private sector agencies and organizations are adding
departments and employees to help anticipate and fight
cybercrime, which can cost them millions of dollars per day.
The field has seen a heightened demand for information
technology specialists and computer and information research
scientists, who can create methods of monitoring networks and
devices, as well as to integrate those applications into older
systems.
Each time we hear about breaches in national defense,
municipal infrastructures, or financial systems, it becomes
clearer how critical it is to provide training in detecting and
preventing cybercrime. Our programs in cybersecurity and
information assurance and cybersecurity, intelligence and
forensics, economic crime management, fraud management, and the
certificate in financial crimes investigations provide
undergraduates, graduates, and in-the-field professionals with
a unique and state-of-the-art education in one of our nation's
most rapidly growing and critical technologies.
Utica College graduates are in high demand in law
enforcement, government agencies, banking, finance, and
homeland security. Local companies that have hired U.C.
graduates or interns include ITT, AIS, NYSTEC, KPMG, Northrup
Grumman, Bank of New York, Rollins, Inc., Booz Allen, and The
Air Force Research Lab.
Our commitment to cybersecurity serves to underscore Utica
College's ongoing relationship with the entire business
community. We work closely with leaders in health care,
education, law enforcement, government, journalism, public
relations, not-for-profits, and other sectors that employ
thousands of Utica College alumni. Our conversations focus on
ensuring that U.C.'s academic programs address worker shortages
and anticipate emerging employment trends. Our common goal is
to educate well-prepared individuals who can compete and
contribute anywhere in the world, but especially those that
will want to remain in the Mohawk Valley when they graduate.
Thank you.
[The statement of Ms. Kirkpatrick follows:]
Prepared Statement of Judith Kirkpatrick, Provost, Utica College
Chairman Kline and Congressman Hanna, it is my great honor to
provide testimony on behalf of the trustees, faculty, administration,
staff, and students of Utica College.
Utica College was founded by Syracuse University in 1946 to help
meet the needs of returning veterans. From its humble beginnings in
makeshift buildings on Oneida Square, Utica College has grown to be a
robust, independent educational institution with a mission that focuses
on career preparation. Our commitment to combining liberal and
professional studies ensures that students have the knowledge and
skills they will need to succeed in a rapidly changing work
environment.
One way we accomplish this is by requiring internships and other
field experiences in most of our professional majors, including
education, physical therapy, criminal justice, nursing, occupational
therapy, journalism, public relations, and construction management.
These opportunities are developed through faculty or Career Center
relationships with appropriate sites. In addition to hosting a Career
Fair for all students, our Career Center actively works with local
companies and organizations to help them create an internship program
if they do not yet have one and has developed a unique extended job
shadow program for our students to introduce them to all aspects of a
particular profession. Hands-on experience benefits students in a
number of ways: on-the-job training; a chance to apply theories learned
in the classroom to the real world; opportunities to be mentored by
experienced professionals; and, perhaps most importantly, the chance to
network with prospective employers. Hundreds of UC graduates started
with their current employers through internships, co-ops, practica, and
other applied coursework.
The College also benefits from industry-supported advisory groups
that ensure that our signature programs remain not only relevant, but
also innovative and forward-looking. Advisory group members keep
faculty up to date on industry trends and help them develop a
curriculum that better prepares students for the profession. Members
often collaborate directly or indirectly with faculty in research.
Students benefit from the relationship with our Advisory Boards through
mentoring and networking opportunities, as well as internships and, at
times, scholarship support.
It is difficult to capture in five minutes all that Utica College
offers in job creation and economic growth, but I would be remiss if I
did not highlight one of UC's fastest-growing signature programs,
cybersecurity.
Concerns about the security of computer networks are escalating in
both the public and private sectors. Our nation's critical
infrastructures (including financial, oil and gas, water treatment,
nuclear reactors, and air traffic control) are at risk and need to be
secured. Each of these systems is run by computers and software in
complex networks that need to be both reliable and secure. A successful
attack on any of these systems by an adversary could have devastating
effects on the U.S., its economy, and way of life.
The U.S. Government has appointed a White House Cybersecurity
Coordinator specifically to address issues of electronic terrorism and
espionage. Corporations and other private sector agencies and
organizations are adding departments and employees to help anticipate
and fight cyber crime, which can cost them millions of dollars per day.
The field is seeing heightened demand for information technology
specialists and computer and information research scientists who can
create methods of monitoring and defending networks and devices and
integrate those applications into older systems.
Each time we hear about breaches in national defense, municipal
infrastructures, or financial systems, it becomes clearer how critical
it is to provide training in detecting and preventing cybercrime. Our
programs in Cybersecurity and Information Assurance, Cybersecurity-
Intelligence and Forensics, Economic Crime Management, Fraud
Management, and the certificate in Financial Crimes Investigations
provide undergraduates, graduates, and in-the-field professionals with
a unique and state-of-the-art education in one of our nation's most
rapidly growing and critical technologies.
Utica College graduates are in high demand in law enforcement,
government agencies, banking, finance, and homeland security. Local
companies that have hired UC graduates or interns include:
ITT
AIS
NYSTEC
KPMG
Northrop Grumman
Bank of New York Mellon
Rollins, Inc.
Booz Allen; and
The Air Force Research Lab
Our commitment to Cybersecurity serves to underscore Utica
College's ongoing relationship with the entire business community. We
work closely with leaders in health care, education, law enforcement,
government, journalism, public relations, not-for-profits, and other
sectors that employ thousands of Utica College alumni. Our
conversations focus on ensuring that UC's academic programs address
worker shortages and anticipate emerging employment trends. Our common
goal is to educate well-prepared individuals who can compete and
contribute anywhere in the world, but especially those who will want to
remain in the Mohawk Valley when they graduate.
Thank you.
______
Chairman Kline. Thank you very much, Dr. Kirkpatrick, and
all the panelists.
A couple points. We will move into a discussion now, as you
saw from the previous panel, I've got a couple questions, and
I'll try to limit my speechmaking and have more questions, and
Mr. Hanna will have some questions.
I wanted to start with Dr. Yeigh, because I think you said
that we need to keep college affordable and you were asking for
some federal help, and the overhead plea from colleges and
universities is that we need to fund Pell Grants.
Pell Grants have had pretty strong bipartisan support for
years and years. You probably know by now that we have
increased Pell grant expenses over threefold in just of the
last four or five years, and we are, frankly, on an
unsustainable path right now, where we're borrowing 42 cents on
every dollar that we spend.
So unfortunately, the federal government, like the
government of New York and like your own university, we're
going to be in a position of making tradeoffs and we would like
to keep the Pell program sustainable for the future. I'm afraid
that the course it's on right now is a little bit overpromised.
I think you can have some confidence that the Pell program will
be there, not so much confidence that it's going to keep going
like it has been going.
And I would hope that SUNY IT, and the other colleges and
universities around the country, are looking to ways to lower
the costs of fees and tuition. And I know you've probably read
it, that the cost of college tuition and fees is growing
considerably faster than the cost of living across it is
country, and we can't continue to chase that every increasing
tuition and fees cost with more and more federal dollars that
we don't have.
So I know that leadership like this, you're looking at this
and probably doing something like freezing salaries and
reducing the size of the staff and looking for ways to cut your
own costs so that we can see colleges and universities lowering
the cost of tuition and fees, which would, indeed, help make it
more affordable.
Dr. Kirkpatrick, I am so glad that you are in the
cybersecurity business.
Ms. Kirkpatrick. So are we.
Chairman Kline. The others are thinking here now that--and
also at some point everybody else is thinking that they ought
to be in there, and this becoming a terrifying prospect.
I was in Estonia a couple years ago, and you know and the
focus here is that that they suffered a cyber attack. And the
entire country is entirely dependent upon, to broadly put it,
the internet. Nobody in the entire country writes a check, that
doesn't exist. There is no paper. And so such an attack was
pretty devastating.
And when you think about how vulnerable we are as a nation,
we have stood up in a cyber command (sic) in the Department of
Defense too--so we are glad that you're turning out the
students with the education and skills to address that need.
In general, this will be a question for all of you. Dr.
Kirkpatrick, you spent some time talking about ways that you
help students get employment when they graduate, you have--I
think you have internships and co-ops and so forth. By the way,
I mean, two-thirds of your students don't come from the county,
pretty amazing, plus international students and you have on-
line education.
What about that, if I could ask both of you, in either
order, sort of what you're doing in your college or university
to help plug those graduates into employment, if you keep in
mind the conversation we had with the previous panel.
Ms. Kirkpatrick. We have a program, and as Dr. Bay of the
previous panel mentioned, having those interns, and the
linkages between the employer or the company and the academic
institution is critical. As Dr. Bay mentioned, the company that
he's with, Assured Information Security, has hired alum back in
2001, and since then, when it was a two person organization to
now 100-and-some-odd and still growing at a rate of 25-some-odd
percent, we have placed our graduates into that organization as
interns and then they, in turn, become employees after their
security clearance goes through well, and currently we are
building research based program between AIS and SUNY IT.
Chairman Kline. Can I interrupt for a minute? Those interns
would be typically a senior moving towards graduation.
Mr. Yeigh. Or graduate students. We currently have
undergraduate and graduate information security/information
assurance program here at SUNY IT, which is founded on really
if you want to call it hard sciences of computer science. So
rather than looking at the macro factors, we're really going
down to nuts and bolts or bits and bytes in a cyber world.
So working with these companies and also there are
companies that we're working closely with in the Syracuse area,
our attitude has been rather than just creating a career fair
where you make the matchmaking done no those settings but
rather have their graduate or undergraduate education
experience be directly tied to what they're studying. I agree,
barring some of the conversation that Dr. Bay started in the
last panel, training versus education. I think that education
where we educate our students to be critical thinkers, problem-
solvers, really have those skill sets and the toolbox necessary
to make them successful. I think that's how we are going to go
about connecting industry and actually bringing that relevance
of the field, and the field is always going to change and will
continue to evolve or revolutionize, innovate, all those right
words, but we want to bring that relevance into the classroom,
and that's how we're going about making those linkages, through
internships and practical experience into the classroom.
Chairman Kline. Continuing?
Mr. Yeigh. Yes. We have spoken to some of our tri-partners
and they talk about these entry-level positions, but the skills
they talk about are life skills, get to work, get along, come
back the next day. That doesn't--that requires living skills
that we really work on with our students. And the majority of
these jobs are held by students who some don't even have a two-
year degree, and we know that the greatest growth is going to
be in needing students with two-year degrees, so we bring them
in and we teach them those skills; we teach them how to value
showing up, we teach them how to learn critical thinking, how
to compare things, how to write, how to communicate.
Those basic human skills are critically important for this
nation. And I would say that numbers that are in that area,
that need that kind of training are great.
One of our greatest successes is that we take them from
coming in at that level and bring them to a level where we are
one of the largest transfers to SUNY IT. Our cybersecurity
program began five years ago with a collaboration between Utica
College, it has now grown fivefold, and we are looking to
serving that industry.
So we take them for where they don't think they can go to
where they can go so that they can transfer to these
institutions.
Chairman Kline. Thank you very much. I'll pick this up
again in a minute.
Mr. Hanna.
Mr. Hanna. I'm serious, how do you feel about K through 12,
especially with what you just said to us.
Mr. Yeigh. We do a great amount of developmental work,
reading, writing, and arithmetic, and that is work that should
be completed before they begin college, and yet over 60 percent
of our students are involved in a developmental course.
I have concerns at many levels. From an educational level,
I feel that we really need to work with the curriculum so that
it's seamless and so that our K through 12 partners, we develop
programs that allow students to move through the curriculum
from an educational standpoint.
As a taxpayer, I worry about duplication, you know, we are
funded by the state, we are also funded by our local community
as our K through 12 partners so we want to really maximize the
use of that funding.
The plan K through 12. I think we are--If you look at our
competitors in Asia, in Europe, our standards have fallen, and
that's a great concern. We are trying to catch up at the higher
education level, but often times that is way too late.
We don't make science and technology as fun as say M.T.V.
videos or other popular culture or other things that the
students are interested in, but I think there is some grass
roots efforts that's taking place throughout the United States.
If you haven't seen First Label League or Best Robotics
competition, in fact, SUNY IT is home to the--this region's
First Label League, and we will be sending our winner to the
national--international First Label League, F.L.L.,
championship in St. Louis, Missouri next month. But those are
the type of things that we need to continue to embrace, and
will really make math, science, and engineering.Maybe we might
need a space race or our generation space race, maybe that's
what it's going to take. But, as a techie, as a resident geek
of this campus, science and engineering, it's fun, they're fun,
they're fun stuff.
And I think the--at the federal level continue to support
those initiatives through the National Science Foundation,
through Department of Education and all the other agencies they
really need it if we're going to maintain our--where we have
fallen a little bit to regain the edge that we've always had.
Mr. Hanna. How much remedial work in terms of K through 12,
because people arrive on your campus and my assumption is
they're not as well prepared as you would like them to be. Go
ahead.
Ms. Kirkpatrick. I think I can speak for all of us, we are
doing increasingly more remedial work and trying to work with
the hard--we have a large education department and we are
trying to work very hard with the local schools.
I'll be perfectly honest, in my position right now we are
struggling with how do we--how do we transition students into
college; do we give them the remedial work, do we ask that they
go to the community colleges. It's a struggle for all of us.
I wanted to go back, if I could, to your original question,
and illustrate with something.
I know we're stuck between how we prove accountability at
all levels in our educational system. I'm terribly worried
personally, and as an educator, seeing the issues with the
teaching for the test all the way through K through 12. And
just a quick story to illustrate that. We host at Utica College
the regional science fair for middle school and high school
every year, as a matter of fact it just happens to be this
Saturday.
About three or four years ago I was there and there were
very few students compared to what we had had--we used to have
a 100-plus students, there were probably about 25, 30 students
maybe in the entire science fair. And I, observing, said, what
did we do wrong, are we not in touch, were we not working with
the local school system? And I was told that, no, from a lot of
the educators, from a number of the science educators locally,
they felt that because what they were being judged on whether
there students could pass those exams, they didn't feel that
they needed to have science fairs anymore, they didn't feel
that their time was being rewarded for working with students in
science fairs. I'm not a scientist, but I can't imagine our
students--I can't imagine not learning how to ask a question,
how to form a hypothesis, how to experiment, and how to analyze
your results; and I think this speaks to what was said earlier
about not making science fun.
How can we have scientists if we're not creating that joy,
that excitement in the early years. So that is one of my
concerns.
And teaching to the exam is not teaching to think
creatively, to think critically, to analyze, it's teaching them
how to pass a test. And we're seeing that more and more in our
students coming into Utica College and of their schools across
the country.
Mr. Hanna. I'm going to assume for the moment that your
cybersecurity, you have about 100 percent placement; is that
correct?
Ms. Kirkpatrick. I would say we're probably--Yes.
Mr. Hanna. Okay. Tit for tat.
Chairman Kline. Thank you, Mr. Hanna. I'm not sure which
direction to go here.
You brought up a couple of interesting points and, as you
know, this committee is looking at reauthorizing the Elementary
and Secondary Education Act, No Child Left Behind. And so I
appreciate how you're going to address the accountability
issues, so we appreciate your comments.
I want to go back to where we were a few minutes ago, and
that is this connecting--I'm not trying to turn all colleges
and universities into trade schools, let me be clear about
that, but I do think that we're missing the connection in many
cases between students graduating and what we need in the
workplace.
And we saw that theme in the previous panel. We were
addressing this down in Pennsylvania yesterday, and it does
seem to me that there are several approaches out there,
internships you all mentioned, hard to imagine that all the
students are able to get those internships, but I want to go
back to what you talked about, Dr. Kirkpatrick. You said that
you were using advisory groups, and that's a fairly common
practice, particularly, I think from the career colleges and in
community colleges, but in others, as well.
Who makes up the advisory group and how are they chosen?
Ms. Kirkpatrick. Our economic crime institute is probably
our largest advisory group, it's been in existence for about 20
years, and it's a combination of people that--people that the
institution knows in the industry but often it's networking
once you have a core group of people, it's their networking
that brings other people. And we try--or example, in the
economic crime institute, we try to have a good balance with
people working in government agencies with private sector
banking. And as I said before, it's networking, people who know
other people who want to maintain a balance in all of those
areas.
Chairman Kline. So these advisory groups, and you have more
than one for more than one discipline, is this a formal group;
Are they named or appointed by name or assigned by name and
they know they're on this advisory group for some specific
term?
Ms. Kirkpatrick. Yes, we have committees and we have to ask
people to serve on these and have formal committee meetings,
but that doesn't mean that we don't have individual
relationships with businesses in the community; but a
particular advisory board is set up.
Chairman Kline. And who does the advisory group advise?
Ms. Kirkpatrick. They work particularly with the faculty in
those areas. As I said, they help develop curriculum.
Chairman Kline. Sitting down with faculty.
Ms. Kirkpatrick. Yes.
Chairman Kline. And you're nodding, Dr. Murray, but the
recorder can't see the nods. But I see that you're concurring.
Ms. Murray. Yes, we have formal meetings several times a
year with a set agenda. And often some work groups such as, as
I said we often will have a curriculum group, we will have
internship work groups, and a curriculum work group, and it's a
formal committee. People are named, they serve certain terms
they may roll off the committee very much like a board.
Chairman Kline. Dr. Murray, so we can get it on the record.
Ms. Murray. In exactly the same way, our advisory boards
are assigned for each of our programs, and many of the members
are actually alumni of those programs who are successful in the
field, and so we have businesses, people who run businesses.
For example, in New York City in the fashion industry, to
advise our fashion merchandising program. And our radio and
television broadcasting programming has advisors from the
Syracuse area and the Capital District in communications, so we
look to our alumni. If so, a combination of not just business
partners but also educational partners because so many of our
programs transfer and they meet regularly at least twice a
year, they're formal meetings, and our faculty are present
because we really are looking for what is the standard, what is
the industry standard at this time.
Chairman Kline. And are there portions of your program that
are not current?
Ms. Murray. Our travel and tourism program moved into a
travel tourism and has management at the behest of our advisory
committee.
Chairman Kline. So you are making adjustments to the
programs themselves, perhaps adding to the program?
Ms. Kirkpatrick. Again, the intent of the advisory board,
advisory group is to make that connection with the employers.
And as you say, you have educators as well, but to keep it
relevant and make sure that you are turning out graduates that
have the opportunity to find a place in the workplace so that
their training and education is relevant, I think that is
fairly common, I've just never quite understood how formal it
is.
Chairman Kline. And do you or some individuals with the
college or university, do you have the power to appoint and
remove these people or is there some, dare I say, bureaucratic
process that is involved in that?
And, Dr. Yeigh, you're certainly included in this
conversation if you also utilize such advisory groups and
boards.
Mr. Yeigh. We do. In some parts of our engineering
programs, for example. For example, there are necessary
ingredients, part of the assessment process for accreditation.
So a path for engineering technology, usually they look at the
industry board for guidance on the curriculum development and
the relevancy to which the academics are offered, and that's
sort of the industry that we provide our students, too.
And so--And also our advisory boards, in addition to
industry input, we also have input from students from Mohawk
Valley Community College because we receive our students from
those institution, so it's really a formal and informal network
of practitioners, and the academics in specific the fields they
provide not only in the curriculum, but knock on my door for
additional resources for which a program might need, and so
their role is advising the academic programs faculty and the
department, as well as the institution and how they--we all
come to believe in supporting the academic enterprise that we
have created here.
Chairman Kline. Thank you. I'm going to pick this up in a
minute, but Mr. Hanna is patiently waiting to ask some
questions.
Mr. Hanna. Unfortunately, I'm interested in your
prospective on for-private institutions, whatever that means to
you, because certainly they're growing and mixed opinions, some
mixed reviews perhaps.
Mr. Yeigh. So I'm going to be--I'll voice my personal
opinion about the for-private institutions. When you're private
or public institution for education, although not explicitly
stated, we exist for public good.
And, to me, when the goal of making private standards is in
the way of public good, often that, to me, is a conflict of
interest. So that is my personal position on for-profit
institutions. And that doesn't mean that we're the--the not-
for-profit isn't a business, we are a business. We're in the
business of educating our students. We're in the business of
creating the well-educated workforce for the future. But when
the intent is to make profit, I think that gets in the way of
our core and what we have to do for public good.
Ms. Kirkpatrick. My concern is for the opportunities,
because it's the financial aid and to keep our tuition down,
but it's students coming from a for-profit institution with a
tremendous amount of debt and really no real credential to
speak for.
So I think that the students could be better served in a
public institution.
Mr. Yeigh. I'm going to echo the concerns of my colleagues
here; however, I'm going to perhaps add a slightly different
dimension. I do agree that we need to guarantee that the
students who graduate from these programs have received the
education that they need. We're looking more and more at the
usual forms of funding, as you said we need to keep the costs
down. And yesterday schools such as Utica College and SUNY IT,
who are fairly new institutions, do not have large endowments,
federal funding is drying up given the economic times, fund
raising is difficult, and I think unfortunately or--
unfortunately I think we're going to see more and more for-
profit organizations because the not-for-profits are
struggling, given this environment. So I'm thinking maybe I
have been watching the new legislation with a great deal of
interest, and I think it's going to be a matter of
accountability, but I don't think the for-profits are going to
go away.
Mr. Hanna. But to quickly paraphrase and jump in, you think
there is a fundamental conflict of interest between the for-
profit and not-for-profit schools, the students and their
ability to access resources to get themselves through school
and the outcome.
Mr. Yeigh. I would say yes. And if you read the--there was
a recent article in the Chronicle about education, like
yesterday, concerning some for-profits using the loopholes in
international student recruitment to gain tuition revenue
when--and, in fact, in the State of--in the States of
California and Virginia, those were the two states where there
were more of those schools, maybe accountability through
legislation might be a move to hold those institutions--you
know, maybe under better control.
But, again, that problem didn't exist because we didn't
have rules. The problem exists, at least in my mind, that if
the intent and the objectives of for-profits were put higher
education as to the public good it certainly would be a start.
Chairman Kline. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Hanna.
I did find it interesting that because it's a public good
there shouldn't be profit involved, and it makes me wonder
about farmers providing food which is a public good and maybe
there shouldn't be for-profit grocery stores for providing food
and maybe a not-for-profit in medical doctors, for doctors who
are providing health. That's an ideological discussion here.
I want to go back to how students are made ready to step
into the workforce. I know this sounds like we're beating it
pretty heavy, but we're trying to understand to see if the
federal government is in the way perhaps, or if there is
something they need to do, and one of things we talked about
with those advisory groups or advisory boards that work with
the college or university and the faculty to make sure the that
coursework is relevant to the needs of the workplace, but if
the faculty is prepared and the coursework is relevant but the
students aren't involved in this, they're still not ready to do
it either. By that I mean they may have come to the college or
university and they're studying--I'll just pick on political
science because of the relevance to us, and there is not a big
demand for that in the workplace, then perhaps we're not
meeting the needs of the workplace.
So I think what I'm talking about is genuinely referred to
as student counseling, and it's certainly in the high school
arena. Students are counseled about what jobs are available,
what colleges are available.
How do you address that question of keeping the students
aware of what the opportunities are, or is that not part of
your role? And I just put that out.
Ms. Murray. It is very much part of our role because one of
the main things that we have left to do is make sure the
students are matched in the program of interest that is offered
at our school and that that program will get them to where they
want to go and that is to employment.
We have advisors, we have faculty who work with students as
academic advisors, we have actual career advisement center.
Chairman Kline. Excuse me for interrupting.
But when is the student introduced to such an advisor or
career center; when they walk in the door, senior year?
Ms. Murray. Applications ask what is your area of interest,
and we start that discussion with them immediately before
they're even admitted into the institution because we would not
want a student that was interested in something that we could
not offer them so we make sure that their interests--trying to
keep it as broad as possible because we know they're young, but
at least they will be able to obtain an education in the field
that is connected to that interest.
So immediately before they get here, and then as soon as
they're admitted, they're assigned an economic advisor. There
is a transfer counselor, a career counselor that work with the
students as well.
Chairman Kline. Dr. Kirkpatrick?
Ms. Kirkpatrick. It's very similar. We start with the
students. They have an economic advisor assigned to them as
soon as they're admitted, basically. We do a number of--There
are a number of activities. We have a freshman seminar program,
as I imagine most of the institutions do. And part of that--the
very first semester, part of that is working with career
services, taking courage to take exams if they're unsure about
what they want to do, for their skills and their aptitudes.
Career fairs, we actually have an economic fair--in the fall we
have an economic fair where they can go talk to different
people about different majors and where those majors may lead,
some of them may be involved with people from the community
very early on. We have a program for pre-professionals where in
their freshman year on they're allowed to shadow people in the
community. So a variety of ways.
When student services reaches out, we have a number of
advisors on campus, what we call academic coaching experts, who
work with particularly the freshman in all aspects, whether
it's the life skills that they're lacking, why can't you get up
and make that 8:30 class, what do you really want to do with
your life.
So a small private college, such as Utica College, really
tries to be hands-on, it doesn't try, we succeed at being
hands-on with all our students, that's why they're there.
Mr. Yeigh. I am advising we do mentoring. I wish we would
do more of that, and I wish there was more going on across our
programs. There--the faculty members help students with their
program development, and we try to network our students to
relevant industry contacts wherever necessary. There are
student life skills and sometimes behavioral support that we
provide our students.
Personally, I became an engineer because of one faculty
member who influenced me, and that kind of personal connection,
there isn't clearly a really a regular method, you're either
going to click with that person or you're not. And I wish there
were more of that.
But, again, in a climate of starving resources, there are--
we do more of having to just support our students so that they
get from Point A to Point B. There really isn't a luxury of
really giving that sort of mentoring on a regular basis, other
than when you have that connection with that specific faculty
member, because of either personal interest or professional
interest that just clicked, but it's a good thing to do.
Chairman Kline. I was thinking, Dr. Yeigh, that I did not
become an engineer probably because of differential equations
but that's entirely a different thing.
I want to thank the witnesses very much for your testimony,
for your discussion, for answering the questions and for
engaging. It's been very, very helpful.
On behalf of Mr. Hanna and me, I thank you and all in the
room. And there will be no further business. This hearing is
adjourned.
[Whereupon, at 11:52 a.m., the committee was adjourned.]
REVIVING OUR ECONOMY:
THE ROLE OF HIGHER EDUCATION IN
JOB GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT
----------
Thursday, April 21, 2011
U.S. House of Representatives
Committee on Education and the Workforce
Washington, DC
----------
The committee met, pursuant to call, at 10:01 a.m., in the
Waymon L. Hickman Building, Columbia State Community College,
Columbia, Tennessee, Hon. John Kline [chairman of the
committee] presiding.
Present: Representatives Kline and DesJarlais.
Staff Present: Daniela Gracia, Professional Staff Member;
Jimmy Hopper, Legislative Assistant; and Alex Sollberger,
Communications Director.
Chairman Kline. A quorum being present, the Committee will
come to order.
Administrative announcement--pursuant to Committee Rule
7(c), all Committee members will be permitted to submit written
statements to be included in the permanent hearing record.
Without objection, the hearing record will remain open for
14 days to allow statements, questions for the record and other
extraneous material referenced during the hearing to be
submitted in the official hearing record.
Well, good morning. Welcome to our third field hearing of
the 112th Congress. It is good to be here in Columbia,
Tennessee with Scott DesJarlais. Thank you all for coming. A
special thanks to our witnesses, we will have two panels today.
We appreciate all of you taking the time to be here. It is just
wonderful to be here in Tennessee. Vicky and I, my wife and I,
are here, we came down from Minnesota. It finally stopped
snowing yesterday, so we are very, very happy to be here in
Tennessee where you actually have leaves on trees.
Well, these are tough times, and despite recent
improvements in the national unemployment rate, our economic
recovery remains uncertain. Roughly 13 million workers remain
jobless, including more than 32,000 in Tennessee's Fourth
District. A range of unpopular Washington initiatives enacted
during the last Congress contributed to an atmosphere for
business owners, causing many to shrink their workforce or curb
plans for expansion. As a result, it has become even more
important to ensure young adults have the tools necessary to
stand out in this competitive job market.
As members of the House Committee on Education and the
Workforce, we are keenly aware of how closely related education
is to the strength of the workforce. A student's success in the
classroom will help determine his or her success in the
workplace. The evidence overwhelmingly suggests that
individuals who fail to advance in their education are more
likely to be unemployed and earn lower wages. In fact, today,
workers with a high school diploma have a nearly one in ten
chance of being unemployed, while college students have only a
4.4 percent chance of being unemployed.
As we work to foster our growing economy, hearing directly
from folks who see challenges and opportunities in our schools
and workplaces will help us make sure Washington does not block
the road to growth and prosperity. That is why we are here
today. We want to learn about the policies that may be standing
in the way of job creation right here in Columbia. We want to
hear your thoughts on encouraging academic success in our
classrooms and get your ideas on how we can work together on
the local, state and federal levels to reinvigorate the
American spirit of innovation and prepare the students of today
to succeed in tomorrow's workforce.
Again, we appreciate our panelists' participation in
today's hearing and I am looking forward to getting this
discussion underway.
Let me thank my Committee colleague and friend, Scott
DesJarlais, for his gracious invitation to hold a field hearing
here in his district. And without objection, I now yield to him
for his opening remarks and the introduction of our first panel
of witnesses.
[The statement of Mr. Kline follows:]
Prepared Statement of Hon. John Kline, Chairman, Committee on Education
and the Workforce
A quorum being present, the committee will come to order.
Good morning, and welcome to our third field hearing of the 112th
Congress. It is good to be here in Columbia, Tennessee with
Representative DesJarlais. Thank you all for coming, and special thanks
to our witnesses. We appreciate you taking the time to join us today,
and we look forward to your testimony.
These are tough times, and despite recent improvements in the
national unemployment rate, our economic recovery remains uncertain.
Roughly 13 million workers remain jobless--including more than 32,000
in Tennessee's 4th District. A range of unpopular Washington
initiatives enacted during the last Congress contributed to an
atmosphere of uncertainty for business owners, causing many to shrink
their workforce or curb plans for expansion. As a result, it has become
even more important to ensure young adults have the tools necessary to
stand out in this competitive job market.
As members of the House Committee on Education and the Workforce,
we are keenly aware of how closely related education is to the strength
of the workforce. A student's success in the classroom will help
determine his or her success in the workplace. The evidence
overwhelmingly suggests that individuals who fail to advance in their
education are more likely to be unemployed and earn lower wages. In
fact, today, workers with a high school diploma have a nearly 1 in 10
chance of being unemployed while college graduates have only a 4.4
percent chance of being unemployed.
As we work to foster a growing economy, hearing directly from folks
who see challenges and opportunities in our schools and workplaces will
help us make sure Washington does not block the road to growth and
prosperity. That's why we're here today.
We want to learn about the policies that may be standing in the way
of job creation, right here in Columbia. We want to hear your thoughts
on encouraging academic success in our classrooms, and get your ideas
on how we can work together--on the local, state, and federal levels--
to reinvigorate the American spirit of innovation and prepare the
students of today to succeed in tomorrow's workforce.
Again, we appreciate our panelists' participation in today's
hearing, and I'm looking forward to getting this discussion underway.
Let me also thank my committee colleague Scott DesJarlais for his
gracious invitation to hold a field hearing here in his district, and
without objection, I now yield to him for his opening remarks.
______
Mr. DesJarlais. Thank you, Chairman Kline. It certainly is
an honor and a privilege to have you and the Ed and Workforce
team here. I think I speak on behalf of Columbia State,
Columbia and District 4 when I say we are very honored and
privileged to have you here and it is exciting for us to have
this opportunity.
So good morning, and thank you to Columbia State College
for hosting us today. Thanks also to our distinguished panel of
witnesses and the audience for their interest in getting
Tennessee back to work.
America is facing historically tough economic challenges
and the Fourth District has been hit especially hard. In the
face of these challenges, we need to rethink how we educate our
workforce, especially regarding the role the federal government
should play.
Through this hearing, we hope to learn about the economic
needs of our business community. Employers need a workforce
that is flexible, responsive and highly skilled. To this end,
colleges and universities need the freedom to adapt to the
ever-changing needs of local businesses.
We all know that central Tennessee has experienced the
closure of many coal mines and the loss of factory jobs. And of
course, like the rest of the country, we are still recovering
from the recession. Unemployment in the Fourth District remains
well above the national average. Here in Maury County,
unemployment sits at 14.2 percent. We can and we must change
this. The district is blessed with many colleges and
universities that are partnering with local businesses in an
effort to produce workers that meet the needs of the private
sector. We must continue to encourage these sorts of
partnerships. In fact, right here at Columbia State Community
College, partnerships exist between the school and the private
industries, including the film and medical industries. Also,
Columbia State's Center for Economic and Workforce Development
works with the local community and businesses to provide
Tennessee workers with the type of technical skills and job
training they need to excel in the 21st century economy.
One of my top priorities in Congress is to ensure that our
young people and non-traditional students have access to an
affordable and internationally competitive education.
I look forward to hearing from our distinguished panel of
witnesses as they give their perspectives on education and
workforce issues. So let us get the hearing underway.
We have two distinguished panels of witnesses today and I
would like to begin by introducing the first panel.
Dr. Janet Smith was named President of Columbia State
Community College in November 2007. Dr. Smith has previously
served as President of Rich Mountain Community College; Dean of
Academic Affairs at Hopkinsville Community College; Director of
Extension Services at Dyersburg State Community College; and
Instructor, Department Chair and Division Chair at Isothermal
Community College. Dr. Smith is also Vice President of the
Tennessee College Association and a member of the National
Advisory Board for the Higher Education Research and
Development Institute.
Dr. Ted Brown has served as President of Martin Methodist
College since 1998. His arrival at Martin followed 13 years as
the Vice President for College Advancement at Presbyterian
College in Clinton, South Carolina. During his career, Dr.
Brown has served as a Research Assistant at the United
Methodist Board of Higher Education and Ministry, as Assistant
Dean and Director of Development at Vanderbilt Divinity School
and the Director of Development at Center College.
Mr. Jim Coakley serves as President of Nashville Auto-
Diesel College. Prior to his current position, he recently
served as Campus Director of ITT Technical Institute in
Nashville, Tennessee where he earned District Director of the
Year numerous times. Mr. Coakley's background includes more
than 24 years in the education industry. Mr. Coakley also
serves on the Board of Directors for the Tennessee Association
of Independent Colleges and Schools.
I would now like to turn the mic back over to Chairman
Kline for rules of the hearing.
[The statement of Mr. DesJarlais follows:]
Prepared Statement of Hon. Scott DesJarlais, a Representative in
Congress From the State of Tennessee
Thank you, Mr. Kline.
Good morning and thank you to Columbia State Community College for
having us today. Thanks also to our distinguished panels of witnesses
and the audience for their interest in getting Tennesseans back to
work.
America is facing historically tough economic challenges, and the
4th district has been hit especially hard. In the face of these
challenges, we need to rethink how we educate our workforce, especially
regarding the role the federal government should play.
Through this hearing, we hope to learn about the economic needs of
our business community. Employers need a workforce that is flexible,
responsive and highly skilled. To this end, colleges and universities
need the freedom to adapt to the ever changing needs of local
businesses.
We all know that central Tennessee has experienced the closure of
many coal mines and the loss of factory jobs. And of course, like the
rest of the country, we are still recovering from the recession.
Unemployment in the 4th district remains well above the national
average. Here in Maury County, unemployment sits at 14.2 percent.
We can and we must change this. The district is blessed with many
colleges and universities that are partnering with local businesses in
an effort to produce workers that meet the needs of the private
sector--we must continue to encourage these sorts of partnerships. In
fact, right here at Columbia State Community College, partnerships
exist between the school and private industries including in the film
and medical industries. Also, Columbia State's Center for Economic and
Workforce Development works with the local community and businesses
provide Tennessee workers with the types of technical skills and job
training they need to excel in the 21st century economy.
One of my top priorities in congress is to ensure that our young
people and non-traditional students have access to an affordable and
internationally competitive education. I look forward to hearing from
our distinguished panels of witnesses as they give their local
perspective on education and workforce issues.
So let's get the hearing under way.
______
Chairman Kline. Thank you, Dr. DesJarlais.
We have already had a discussion with the witnesses, but
for everybody's information, we conduct these hearings under
what we optimistically call the five-minute rule. There is a
light that is here in front of the witnesses. We are asking
each of the witnesses to try to limit their testimony to five
minutes, so they have got a little device in front of them that
will show a green light, a yellow light and a red light. I do
not pay a lot of attention to that, but it is a kind of useful
guide and then we will go into questions and try to limit our
questions somewhat as well.
So I think we are ready to go and Dr. Smith, you are
recognized.
STATEMENT OF DR. JANET SMITH, PRESIDENT,
COLUMBIA STATE COMMUNITY COLLEGE
Ms. Smith. Thank you, Chairman Kline and Congressman
DesJarlais. We welcome you to Columbia State. We are pleased
that you selected our campus to hold this hearing. We are
pleased that you are at a community college, because we think
community colleges are the leader in terms of workforce
development throughout our nation and that has been part of our
role and will continue to be part of our role. So thank you for
allowing us to talk about what we do and share with you what is
going on in south-central Tennessee as it relates to education
and workforce development.
As you may know, Columbia State is the first community
college in the state of Tennessee. It has a very strong
heritage and it was established out of the Higher Education
Authorization Act of 1963. So we have a tie back to the federal
government--overall community colleges in general do--in that
you gave us our start. And that start was out to service the
people of the nation and to provide educational opportunities
where there was not access, and now there is access.
Columbia State has four extended campuses. One in Clifton,
one in Lewisburg, Lawrenceburg and one in Williamson, as well
as the campus here in Columbia. We provide credit and non-
credit. Credit being transfer programs and credit being
associate of applied science that allows students to begin
their career opportunities immediately after completing their
associate. The associate of arts and associate of science
degree transfer to our universities and we have wonderful
transfer agreements that allow that to occur.
We have 5600 enrollment. Our full time is around 2600, part
time around 3000. The average age is 24.8. Now our average age
is a little bit younger than some other community colleges
throughout the nation. We have seen the average age begin to
drop throughout the years, but we pull a lot of students that
are first generation college students and our communities are
very rural, so we are entering a lot of students straight out
of high school as well as those who are coming back through our
workforce initiatives. Degree-seeking first generation students
is at 2308, so that gives you an example of the income level
and the abilities of our students when they enter.
We service nine counties, we service Wayne, Perry, Lewis,
Marshall, Giles, Hickman, Lawrence, Williamson, and Maury. And
all of those counties except Williamson are in Labor Market 10.
Labor Market 10 has a 14.2 percent average unemployment, and
that is a very difficult thing for our communities as well as
for our students. With that type of unemployment, it becomes
more important that we have our outreach centers so that our
students have the ability to attend class.
We link to the workforce in several ways. We have
representation on various committees throughout the service
area, various chambers and local government. We work very
directly with our local workforce boards, both here and in
Williamson, and communicate with them constantly. Some of the
ways that we are out and about is through periodic meetings
with clients, clients in our service area, such as Biomimetics
in Franklin. We have had several meetings there looking at
biotech programs, clinical lab programs. We are also working
with the various health agencies throughout our communities in
terms of what their needs are with health information
technology and then with new programs that are dealing again
with the clinical labs and so forth.
We have worked with industries such as GM and others in
providing specific courses for their employees as well as those
of family members.
We participate in monthly breakfast brainstorming sessions
that are held by our local workforce board and these are held
in different locations throughout the service area and it is a
time where the community leaders come together along with
providers and talk about what the needs are and what the
education and training programs are.
We also have focus groups that we pull together. One such
focus group was working with an industry that needed
programmable logic controllers. So we pulled several industries
together to see what the need was, how much training they
needed and how best to go about providing that training. And in
doing that, then we also worked back again with our local
workforce board to see if there is any way that they can assist
the industry if it falls within one of their programs at that
time.
As I mentioned earlier, we participate in community
organizations. We are members of the chamber of commerce, we
are members of the industrial development boards, we are on
various organizations throughout all of our service area. And
then we come together to work in different scenarios. And one
such scenario that is coming up is we have business leaders who
also are very involved in our workforce area. And we have a
meeting next week in Dr. Brown's campus where there is a
regional group of individuals throughout south-central
Tennessee coming together on how do we develop a regional
initiative for workforce development. So we are very excited
about that opportunity coming.
Collaboration, as I mentioned, with the workforce is also
at their career center. Their career center provides
opportunities for some of our students who cannot begin
classes, to go there to brush up on skills as well as there is
a good working relationship in what students are defining as
their skill needs, their programmatic or career needs, and then
referral back to the college.
Community scanning. We think scanning is very important.
Everyone on this campus that is working with Columbia State is
looking at what the needs are in our community, they are
listening in different groups that they are in and they are
providing those needs--bringing those needs back to the campus
and sharing those needs with different offices, and then we
begin to develop programs based upon what we find out.
Advisory committees. All of our career credit programs have
an advisory committee as well as some of the non-credit, but it
is primarily with the career credit. And that is professionals
in the field such as our veterinarian, our nursing or whatever.
We have professionals who come in, they look at our curriculum,
they talk about our graduates and they advise us on changes
that we need, changes that are occurring in the workforce, to
keep our curriculum current.
The type of classes that we have had in the non-credit, to
give you more examples, we have what we call open enrollment
on-ground programs, and that is where we lay a course out and
anyone can come and take that course that needs it. Many of
those are through online training as well as some that are
specifically here at the campus. EMT refresher is one of those
and police in service, hospice. Then our onlines carry
paralegal, pharmacy tech and education and many others. But we
try to broaden what we can provide for our students, both
through the online and in the open enrollment, based upon the
needs that we ascertain from our various group meetings.
We do contract training if a business or industry has
anything that they need in terms of contract training. We sit
down with them, we talk about what it is that they need, we put
together the course. Sometimes, they may use a course that we
have that we need to refine and so forth.
And in terms of overall, I think finally I would like to
say Columbia State, when it was founded, Lady Bird Johnson was
here to do the dedication. And Lady Bird, in her statement,
said, ``There is a new beat and rhythm on our land. When a
community college rises from a once-empty field, the country
expands not outward but upward, forever to the service of the
people and the progress of the nation.''
Chairman Kline, Congressman DesJarlais, our community
colleges were born out of service to provide opportunities and
education for our citizens. And that is our mission, that is
what we are here to do and we thank you for allowing us the
opportunity to share with you.
Chairman Kline. Thank you, Dr. Smith.
Dr. Brown, you are recognized.
[The statement of Dr. Smith follows:]
Prepared Statement of Janet F. Smith, President,
Columbia State Community College
Chairman Kline and Congressman DesJarlais, thank you for this
opportunity to speak to the Role of Higher Education in Job Growth and
Development, particularly as it relates to the mission, programs,
activities, and services of Columbia State Community College. We at
Columbia State are honored that you have selected our college as the
location for this hearing. We believe that community colleges are
central to providing the diverse educational opportunities needed to
meet the growing and ever changing job demands and needs. Please accept
our appreciation for your recognition of the need for continued and
advanced training and education of our citizens, and your selection of
a community college, our College, to solicit information for evaluation
of the role of higher education in reviving our economy.
Columbia State Community College Profile
As Tennessee's first community college, Columbia State builds on
its heritage of excellence thorough innovation in education and
services to foster success and bring distinction and recognition for
the quality and effectiveness of the College. The mission of Columbia
State is to enhance the lives of citizens and the communities of
southern Middle Tennessee through teaching, learning and student
success. That mission and vision are the guiding principles of our
strategic planning process, outcomes, and community outreach.
Columbia State services nine counties (Wayne, Perry, Lewis,
Marshall, Giles, Hickman, Lawrence, Williamson, and Maury) in south
central Tennessee. The service area includes one of the poorest to one
of the wealthiest counties in the state. All of our counties except
Williamson are in Local Workforce Investment Area (LWIA) 10. The
January 2011 preliminary Labor Force Estimates for Unemployment was at
14.2%, an increase of 1.2% over December 2010. We have the unfortunate
distinction of having the highest unemployment rate in the State (the
next closest is 12.2%). Education and training are a must for the
growth and development of our service counties and citizens.
Students are provided educational opportunities through the
Columbia campus and four extended campuses (Clifton, Lewisburg,
Lawrenceburg, and Williamson). Classes are offered via classroom,
hybrid (classroom/on-line blend) and on-line (web based). In addition,
Columbia State students may receive a degree through the College's
participation in the Regents On-line Degree Program.
Fall 2010 College statistics include:
Partnerships with Workforce Agencies, Business, Organizations * * * for
Workforce Development
Columbia State is linked to the workforce needs of its service area
through representation on various workforce boards, chambers of
commerce, local government and civic organizations which inform college
representatives of area education and training needs. These linkages
foster communication and information necessary for community and
workforce development throughout the region. A partnership for
developing grants and sharing resources is another outgrowth of these
linkages. The college periodically conducts town hall meetings in the
counties where it has campus sites to solicit the needs, views, and
desires of these community leaders relative to the types of education,
training, and services that they would like to receive from their
college. These meeting results are incorporated into the College's
strategic plan so that new initiatives reflect the expressed needs of
the communities served by the College.
The President of Columbia State serves as a Board member on the
Local Workforce Investment Board. The Director of Economic Development
is a participant at all meetings. Another important organization is the
area P-16 Council which consists of secondary, post-secondary,
government, workforce officials, and business leaders meeting to
discuss needs, changes, and actions. Also, it is the role of all
College employees to identify needs and forward the information
obtained to the appropriate office(s) for review and follow-up. This
expanded ``ear to the pulse of the community,'' so to speak, cannot be
understated.
Workforce programs are offered through both credit and non-credit
programs and classes. The decision for credit or non-credit is
determined by the demand and education-training needs identified. The
following is an overview of each.
Partnering and Listening as Methods to Identify, Develop, and Monitor
Workforce Relevant Programs
The College has a multi-level training needs assessment process for
identifying and developing programs and training sessions for our
businesses, industries, and citizens. The process includes:
Periodic meetings with key clients to determine training
needs
Through leads or direct interaction with an industry leader,
College representatives establish meetings with existing employers to
develop specialized courses or to introduce the employer to on-going
courses and service packages that could benefit their employees and
their business.
Participation in ``monthly breakfast brainstorm'' sessions
The local South Central TN Workforce Alliance is integral to
determining workforce and training needs. They sponsor a monthly
breakfast brainstorm session that meets in a different county each
month for identification of new/existing training programs, and
training needs. Participation in these sessions has resulted in a
number of customized training events to help our local employers/
workforce.
Focus groups
The College employs the use of focus groups to gather information
on training needs. Such an approach was recently used to measure the
level of need for ``Programmable Logic Controller'' training for
manufacturers in our service area.
Participation in community organizations
College administration and workforce leadership participate in area
Chambers, industry and business group meetings, professional
associations, and other community organizations for obtaining
information on workforce and education needs, as well as to be active
in community leadership. (Primary participants are the President
[Chamber Board Member of Two area Chambers], Dean of Extended Campuses,
Director of Economic Development, Extended Campus Directors, Executive
for Advancement, and Provost) Our recent training courses in Basic and
Intermediate Social Media classes were a direct outcome of this
outreach process and a Strategic Planning class is under development.
Collaborations with career centers
Identification of training needs and offering of courses to meet
those needs and demands is accomplished through access to DOL
statistics and partnering with our local Career Centers. An example of
an outcome of this process was the offering of Medical Coding and
Advanced Medical Coding classes that lead to certifications. Other
medical/healthcare courses are in the process of being arranged now and
will be offered during our summer and fall terms. All of these courses
have a certification exam as well, providing students an opportunity to
prove they have the required knowledge. Another example was an
identified need for Leadership classes. In response to that need, the
College began offering a series of 29 Leadership classes which have
been well received. We also assist employers with applying for
Incumbent Worker funds and encourage them to use those funds when
available to pay for the training we provide.
Community scanning
As noted in the above profile, Columbia State has four extended
campuses with Directors and a Dean that are actively involved in their
communities. That involvement includes activity with community leaders
and businesses for the identification of workforce training and
education needs. Through that identification, courses, programs, and or
curriculum enhancements (credit and non-credit) are identified and
offered.
Advisory committees
Professionals throughout our communities volunteer their time to
serve on advisory committees for meshing curriculum with workforce and
professional needs. These committees are appointed for the development
of both credit and non-credit programs and for the on-going assessment
of credit programs. Standing advisory committees exist for Nursing,
EMT, Film Crew Technology, Respiratory Technology, Veterinary
Technology, Agriculture, Radiologic Technology, Office Systems
Administration, Business Administration, and Commercial Entertainment
programs.
Columbia State offers a wide range of classes to employers, many in
a live lecture format, and others online. In the non-credit
professional development area, we provide customized program services.
They are:
Design non-credit classes to meet the needs of employers
Reevaluate existing non-credit training classes and
customize the content to specific challenges identified by employers.
Part of that customization is to develop quizzes/tests to measure
learning.
Deliver training at one of our five campuses or at an
employer's offices, depending on their preference.
Partnerships with the Local Labor Market Workforce Investment Board
Our partnership with the South Central TN Workforce Alliance has
resulted in positive worker education and training programs for
workforce growth and development. A prime example is the offering of
Entrepreneurship training within our service area. Over 200 people have
taken advantage of this training, resulting in businesses being
started. In other cases, existing business owners have taken the
training, and jobs have been added as a result. This training effort
has also been made even more effective due to a spinoff USDA for
funding of an Entrepreneurship Coaching position to help prospective/
existing business owners write an effective business plan. In fact,
this grant has also allowed us to offer more Entrepreneurship training
in rural counties for 40 individuals. Columbia State is in concert with
the area Technology Centers, and is the lead institution for education
and training programs at the Northfield Center under the current
direction of the local Area Workforce Board.
A service we provide to non-credit continuing education students is
to help identify potential employers. An example of this is a SHOWCASE
event we sponsor along with the South Central TN Workforce Alliance. We
invite a number of Middle Tennessee doctor's offices and hospitals to
send representatives to this event where they can meet trainees who
have recently attained their Certified Professional Coder credential.
The WIA office also has grant funding to provide pay to completers for
the purpose of attending an internship with these employers. This
contains several benefits in that it pays the completers, gives them a
chance to demonstrate their skills to the employer, and gives employers
an opportunity to see the recent completers in action on the job. We
are very excited about this and the potential it represents.
Recently, through the WIA partnership, we began offering special
non-credit classes at their request for displaced workers for re-enter
into the workforce.
In regards to credit programs, the partnership between the College
and the Workforce Board has resulted in student tuition assistance for
Associate Degree and Certificates in Computer Science Technology,
Health Information Technology, Radiologic Technology, Registered
Nursing, Criminal Justice, Business Management, and Office Systems
Technology. More than 55 students have been serviced during this
academic year.
Many of the non-credit programs the College is introducing have a
certification/testing connected with them. An example is the computer
software training we are doing for an employer in our service area. We
are conducting 10 classes for them, each of which contains a quiz at
the end to measure knowledge. Another example is in the area of
Geographic Information Systems. This class is being developed into a
non-credit certificate program. That is, there are four courses in the
series, and a student must take at least three and pass the exams to
get the certificate. Here again, this allows trainees to prove they
have the requisite knowledge in the topic, and, this program can be
moved to a credit certificate if interest and need continues strong.
Programs at Columbia State that Prepare Students for the Workforce
A listing of non-credit programs by primary delivery completed
between July 2010 and this writing are outlined below:
NON-CREDIT WORKFORCE TRAINING
[July 2010 to date]
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Type/examples # Programs Enrollment
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Open Enrollment--On--Ground (classroom)......... 41 589
Police In-Service, Hospice Training, EMT
Refresher, Leadership, Social Media, Computer,
Software, Coding * * *.........................
Open Enrollment--On Line Individualized Contract 112 128
Courses........................................
Medical Coding, Medical Transcription,
Paralegal, Pharmacy Tech, Six Sigma, Creating
an Inclusive Classroom, Get Assertive, Office
Software* * *..................................
Contract Training--WIA/IWT...................... 17 244
Basic Computer, Entrepreneurship, Medical
Coding, Customer Service, AutoCAD * * *........
Spanish Training Grant--Federal Pass Through-- 17 311
Government Highway Safety Grant for Tennessee..
GM Contract for Specialized Classes............. 33 254
Industry Contracts.............................. 4 28
Partnership Training Courses with Area 23 343
Organizations and Businesses ACLS, Pediatric
Advanced Life Support, PALS * * *..............
-----------------------
Total..................................... 247 1897
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Credit programs offered by Columbia State that are career or
workforce entry after completion include five credit-bearing
certificate programs and eight associate in applied science degree
programs. They are:
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Associate in Applied Science
Certificates Degrees
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Business Management Certificate Business Information Technology
Commercial Entertainment Option: Computer Systems
Option: Songwriting Options: Office Systems
Option: Performance Business Management Technology
Early Childhood Certificate Criminal Justice Technology
EMT/Paramedic General Technology
Film Crew Technology Nursing (R.N.)
Radiologic Technology
Respiratory Care Technology
Veterinary Technology
------------------------------------------------------------------------
All of these credit programs have advisory committees comprised of
professionals in the field who offer guidance to assure that the
content is relevant so that graduates will complete with the skills and
knowledge necessary for the current job needs. Many programs require
clinical or observation experiences in the field and area employers are
cooperative in allowing students to gain these experiences. Many
programs have accredited status within their profession which also
requires industry professionals to serve in an advisory capacity to
assure industry standards are met as part of maintaining program
accreditation.
Radiology Technology
The radiography program utilizes 10 clinical affiliates, including
rural hospitals, regional medical centers, free standing imaging
centers and orthopedic clinics. Students rotate through sites from
Franklin to Dickson to Waynesboro to Shelbyville.
Program faculty periodically provides educational programs for area
professionals (access to mandatory continuing education credits).
Brenda Coleman, Program Director, currently serves on the Board of
United Way of Maury County.
Kae Fleming, faculty/Dean, serves as a Site Visitor Chairman for
the national programmatic accrediting agency, Joint Review Committee on
Education in Radiologic Technology (JRCERT). Ms. Fleming also serves on
the Williamson County Schools Career & Technical Education Health
Sciences Advisory Committee and the BioMedical Advisory Committee for
BioTN.
Veterinary Technology
The Vet Tech program has continuously served the veterinary medical
community since initially earning accreditation in 1979 and is one of
only two programs sponsored by TBR/THEC institutions in Tennessee. The
program currently has affiliation agreements with 39 clinical sites.
Students benefit from rotations in specialty practices including two
Equine hospitals (Thompson's Station & Nolensville), two UT Dairy
Educational Research Centers (Spring Hill & Lewisburg), two specialty
referral practices (which include emergency facilities), an Animal
Emergency clinic (Columbia), the Vanderbilt University Division of
Animal Care, a Veterinary Ophthalmology practice (Nashville) and at
least one mixed animal practice (Columbia). The yearlong clinical
component of the educational program rotates students from Lawrenceburg
to Nashville and occasionally Livingston, TN. All students are members
of Columbia State's student chapter of the National Association of
Veterinary Technicians in America.
Nursing
The Nursing program has established clinical relationships with
more than 15 institutions ranging from small, rural hospitals to
metropolitan research institutions to long term care and mental health
facilities. Student learning experiences also occur in area health
departments and community school systems. Students volunteer for
service learning opportunities by assisting area agencies with wellness
clinics and health screenings. Clinical partnerships occur across the
Middle Tennessee area.
Faculty interact with the workforce through volunteer speaking,
involvement with HOSA groups (including contest judges), as well as
hosting both high school and LPN students on campus.
Columbia State partnered with National Healthcare (NHC) and Maury
Regional Medical Center (MRMC) to deliver a contract night/weekend LPN
to RN bridge program (2005/2006). In response to continued pressure for
working LPNs to pursue becoming an RN--the college is exploring
establishing a cohort pathway LPNs could use to complete Nursing's
general education requirements. If interest is sufficient, the College
will request approval from the State Board of Nursing and the
accrediting agency (NLNAC) and attempt to recruit qualified faculty to
design an LPN-RN Bridge cohort.
Area healthcare facilities are invited to utilize equipment on
campus, particularly high fidelity human simulators used by hospitals
to train staff (ACLS & acute care). Other applications include flu
clinics with Williamson Medical Center, MRMC Hospitals, and serving on
leadership of TN Clinical Placement System.
Utilizing physical resources at the Wayne County Technology Center,
Columbia State will offer non-credit Certified Nurse Assistant (CNA)
training in Waynesboro (Summer 2011).
EMS Education
EMS Education has clinical affiliations with approximately 20
hospitals, fire halls, and ambulance services. Students experience
emergency medicine in rural settings and major research institutions
(Vanderbilt University Medical Center). Clinical partnerships occur
across the Middle Tennessee area. EMS lends itself to delivery of
courses to meet the specific needs of a community--examples include
courses we did to train displaced workers in Perry County in 2008 and
2009.
Columbia State is a regional site for ``EMS Night Out''--a bi-
monthly educational program for EMS professionals.
Respiratory Care
The Respiratory Care program clinical affiliations with nine
institutions ranging from small, rural hospitals to metropolitan
research institutions: Vanderbilt University Medical Center, St.
Thomas, Baptist Hospital, Crockett Hospital, Maury Regional, Middle TN
Medical Center, Williamson Medical Center and Monroe Carell Children's
(VUMC). Students also benefit from clinical experiences via Respiratory
Care at Home in Nashville. Clinical partnerships occur across the
Middle Tennessee area. An active advisory committee includes
representation by each clinical site in addition to shared medical
directorship from Maury Regional Medical Center: Jon Freels, MD, Thomas
Quinn, MD, Maura Lipp, MD, and Minerva Covarubius, MD.
The program is classified as an ``Advanced Practice'' (Registry)
program and provides the professional community with graduates eligible
for all three national credentialing examinations to become registered
respiratory therapists, RRT.
Program faculty members are active leaders in their profession.
Roger Major, Clinical Coordinator, represents the profession on the TN
Board of Respiratory Care, and is a member of the Education Committee
for the TN Society. R. David Johnson, Program Director, serves as Chair
of both the Education & Government Affairs Committees for the Tennessee
professional society and is a member of the Health Sciences Advisory
Council for Summertown High School. Both faculty members are
credentialed instructors for ACLS, PALS, and/or BLS, providing
certification opportunities for students, faculty/staff, and the
community.
Business Administration and Information Systems Technology
Professionals in the field review curriculum and often seek
students for placement. The faculty follows the placement of graduates
to assure their effectiveness in meeting employer requirements. Through
a partnership with Trevecca Nazarene University, an Accelerated
Business Administration program is offered. Through this program, a
student can obtain their Associate of Science degree and follow with
their Bachelor's degree in three years. A fourth year is available for
obtaining the Master's degree.
The Information Systems Technology students are given the tools to
enter many computer fields. Many are provided opportunities for
internships, special volunteer assignments, or coops where they obtain
career experience or understandings. Through our information systems
office, students, faculty and staff provide technology support for the
Nashville Film Festival, which is held in April of each year.
Commercial Entertainment
Commercial Entertainment is a one year program that provides
students with skills and knowledge for entry into the recording
industry and entertainment field. Graduates from this program are
working in Nashville, New York, for various cruise lines, and in plenty
of other entertainment/music-focused careers. Students and faculty work
with entertainers in the area to keep the curriculum up to date.
Film Crew Technology
Film Crew is one of our newer programs and involves students with
hands on experience from the first class to the last. The program
provides them the skills to be below-the-line gaffers, grips, camera
operators, sound persons and/or other technicians. Film professionals
from the Nashville area and some from Los Angeles have provided
instructional support and helped mesh our curriculum with latest
techniques to allow outside evaluation of student skills. One goal of
the program is to reinforce the state's crew base with a steady stream
of trained professional technicians. This program boasts a 100%
placement rate. Graduates have worked on every major production in the
State of Tennessee since 2009, and several in Georgia.
The Film Crew students and faculty are involved in the Community.
Each year they complete one or two community projects. Their most
recent project was one for The Shalom Foundation. Two students and the
instructor accompanied a group from the Shalom Foundation to Guatemala
to film the experience and produce a video that provides an overview of
the medical program and its importance.
The Program Director actively develops working relationships
between professional production companies and the Film Crew Program.
Those relationships have resulted in the placement of graduates and
students on the following:
Four music videos
Four feature films
Six short films
24 commercials
Three EPK's (electronic press kits)
Two PSA's (public service announcements)
16 industrial projects
Two international shoots
The more this program works with outside production groups and
entities, the more placements and new production work gets generated.
But this may be scaled back somewhat in the future because the cost of
this ongoing promotion and networking may not be able to be sustained
with current program personnel (one faculty member who is director and
instructor).
Criminal Justice Technology
In the offering and development of this program there is continuous
interaction with our law enforcement agencies for course and curriculum
relevancy. It also serves as a training program for existing law
enforcement personnel who have not obtained a degree.
Of special note is the collaboration with the University of Tulsa
for a Cyber Security NSF/ATE grant. Through the implementation of this
grant the College is developing a Cyber Security specialty for
offering. Dr. Robert Grubbs, Program Director, is actively involved
with local law enforcement agencies for maintaining a current
curriculum as well as involvement of law enforcement professionals in
instruction.
Other Initiatives
Columbia State is collaborating with the Saint Thomas Heart Chest
Pain Network and the Saint Thomas Stroke Network on a three year,
$600,000 Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) grant from
the United States Department of Health and Human Services. This is a
workforce development grant designed to increase the number of
healthcare workers in rural Tennessee. Kae Fleming, Dean of Health
Sciences, serves on the Advisory Board and Bob Trybalski, Instructional
Technology Specialist, provides support for use of ITV resources to
reach rural areas.
Two Technology Centers are located within Columbia State's service
area. The College collaborates with the Centers to provide support for
their program and articulation of their certificate and diploma
programs. An example is a process that was established that allows a
Practical Nursing student a path of entry into our registered nurse
program and diploma students to continue their studies at Columbia
State to obtain an Associate of Applied Science in General Technology.
The College collaborates with the Local Area Workforce Board to
provide leadership for collaboration with state community colleges in
the offering of programs of need that Columbia State is not currently
approved to offer. This collaboration is good for the student and
positively embraced by state and national organizations and leaders,
but traditional evaluation of institutional success and recent
movements towards evaluation and funding based on graduates does not
necessarily promote this type of collaboration.
Associate of Arts and Associate of Science Degrees
The Associate of Arts and Associate of Science Degrees are
sometimes not considered as part of workforce development. At Columbia
State, we view students with majors that lead to one of these degrees
as preparing for a career (workforce), which requires a baccalaureate
for entry. As such we articulate curriculum with professionals in
curriculum areas such as accounting, engineering, business, education
(teaching), etc. The College, through the guidance of the University
Center Office, maintains articulations agreements with four-year
colleges and universities as well as transfer assistance. Universities
partner with Columbia State to offer the baccalaureate requirements for
Elementary Education, Business Administration, and Human Resources
Management on our campuses. In addition there are Master's degree
programs as well as individual courses required for a baccalaureate
offered. We have many students who complete their Associates and the
Bachelor's degree on a Columbia campus.
PROGRAMS IDENTIFIED/REQUESTED BY ORGANIZATIONS/BUSINESSES FOR
EXPLORATION/OFFERING BY COLUMBIA STATE
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Program Certificate/degree
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Electroneurodiagnostic (END) Certificate--AAS in Partnership
with Vanderbilt
Polysomnography (Sleep Disorders) Certificate ``add on'' credential
for Respiratory Therapists or
standalone AAS
MRI, Computed Tomography (CT), and/ Certificate, ``add on'' credentials
or Mammography for registered Radiologic
Technologists
Equine Dentistry Certificate, ``add on'' for
Veterinary Technicians
Health Information Technology/ Certificate and/or Degree track
Health Informatics Technician
Acute Care Paramedic Certificate
Biomedical Instrumentation AAS Degree
Technician
Clinical Research Associate (CRA) AAS Degree
Physical Therapy Assistant (PT-A) AAS Degree
Logistics AAS Degree
Green Technology Certificates--AAS Degree
Industrial Process Control Certificate
Advanced Manufacturing Certificate
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Student Support for Student Success
Providing educational opportunities alone is not an assurance of
success. Research, and what we as educators have known, shows that
student engagement in and out of the classroom is required for student
retention and success. Services such as guidance, advisement, tutoring,
computer access, and financial aid exist at Columbia State as with
other colleges. However to engage students, enhanced services are
needed. The following programs have been added to boost our connection
students:
Retention Advisors
Reorganization was recently completed to transition from an
advising center to retention advisors. A retention advisor will be
located in each instructional area to identify students who are at risk
and to work with faculty in identifying and assisting those students.
This model was drafted by Columbia State and as per the information we
have obtained does not exist in this form at other colleges.
Student Activities
Clubs, Student Government Association, athletics, and academic
societies have existed at Columbia State since its inception. In our
strategic plan for the next five years, the expectation of increasing
student activities and student participation in such was set as a goal.
Through this engagement we envision increased learning and student
retention.
President's Leadership Society
This retention and student development project is open to all
degree seeking students. The purpose is to engage the student, increase
learning through life and workforce relevant workshops, to increase
their awareness of art, civic, and community responsibilities, and
their understanding of cultural differences. One criterion for being a
member of the Society is to graduate. This program is not only one that
engages and develops the student, but it is one that also provides them
with skills and abilities that are important to success in their chosen
career.
Student Ambassador Program
An Ambassador program exists for students to apply and participate
in. The program provides students with the opportunity of working with
various offices across campus and with students for showcasing the
college, giving student tours, or representing the College at community
events or activities.
Campus Learning Spaces
Research states that student retention and engagement are enhanced
through a campus that is attractive and has spaces across it that are
inviting. These spaces, including the hanging of art, are occurring
across campus to promote student gatherings for discussion and a
connection to the college.
Think Graduation
Think Graduation is a national movement that is championed by
faculty and staff in a daylong event where they work and present to
students the value of graduating. They seek to have students sign a
graduation contract.
TRIO
The Columbia State Community College TRIO program was established
to assist 140 first generation low-income students, or students with a
disability, with support for college success and graduation. Student
services provided include tutoring, academic and career counseling,
transfer assistance, cultural enhancement, and study skills workshops
(examples--Time Management, Financial Management, Health Care, College
Study Skills, etc.). Also, Summer Bridge, a three-day intensive
orientation designed to enhance the success of 40 first time Columbia
State students will begin this summer.
Lyceum Events
Musical performances, cultural events, plays, films, lectures,
discussions and more are held almost weekly to enhance student learning
and engagement. These events are organized and run by faculty and
staff.
Career Advising
A career advising center exists but personnel for manning the
center has not been adequate. Through reorganization the College is
moving to provide greater services. The curriculum program coordinators
and faculty provide career advisement as related to the field of the
faculty and sometimes staff member. Career advising is important to the
student's success and workforce development.
Cultural and Diversity Activities
Through our Diversity Office, advising is provided students. A
generational mentoring program composed of mentors throughout the
region and designed to guide students towards successful college
completion is active. Other projects include a scholarship and guidance
program for adults returning to complete a degree that had previously
stopped or dropped out.
Partnership Initiatives for Student Success
Many activities for student success and in support of workforce
development are completed through faculty and staff working in concert
with one another. These programs increase the competence of secondary
and post-secondary students in understanding professions and career
requirements. These activities include:
Student Leadership Conference
County high and unit school students participate in a conference
held on the Columbia campus for increased understandings of workforce
skills and leadership requirements. Local business owners, CFO's,
attorneys, doctors are the speakers.
Summer Math Academy
Local business owners, bankers and contractors give time to fifth,
sixth, and seventh graders attending a Summer Math Academy designed to
improve the basic math skills of students for everyday living. The
Academies are held at five different locations in our service counties.
Mule Town Family Network (system of care for youth and families with
Serious Emotional Disorders)
Students and staff work cooperatively to volunteer time that
provides career development with organizations such as Centerstone, TN
Voices, Department of Human Services, Juvenile Justice, City of
Columbia Police, Sheriff's Department, and Family Center.
ITV and Dual Enrollment Grant
The College received a grant to implement an ITV system in rural
high schools to provide opportunities for dual enrollment and industry
training.
Facilities Use
College facilities are made available for businesses,
organizations, and industries for use in training, annual meetings, or
other activities that supports their business.
COOP Program
Campus staff works with different businesses /organizations,
including the City of Columbia and local businesses, to place students
in COOP experiences.
Mass Communications Conference
Approximately 200 secondary and post-secondary students participate
in a Mass Communication Conference on the Columbia Campus each fall.
The highlight of the conference is a panel of media and marketing
professionals who gives an overview of their field and then takes
questions from the audience for an open discussion speakers--The panel
usually features TV/Radio hosts, newspaper writers, computer web
developers and even music industry marketing professionals.
Statement of Concern and Consideration
We are all concerned for the renewal and growth of our state and
country's economy. We understand that education, partnerships, and
development are central to that renewal and growth. Columbia State, as
with other colleges across the nation, has experienced great reductions
in funding, reductions that have not been recouped through the
increases in tuition. We are concerned with tuition increases and how
such increases tend to close the college door. Yet to continue at
similar levels of access, service, and programs, the tuition increases
are required in our new economic arena.
To maintain its effectiveness, Columbia state completed an in depth
analysis of functions as compared to mission and eliminated functions
that were not evaluated as essential to mission fulfillment. This
process allowed for budget-mission alignment. Yet we are in a dilemma
as to how to respond to the many requests that we have for existing and
emerging programs.
The College is hindered from response due to budgetary resources
for program development personnel, equipment, instructional resources,
and in some instances, facilities. While we seek grants, they are
difficult to obtain due to competition or grant requirements that are
not fully consistent with the needs of our area. Our Colleges are now
very lean and filled with people working at maximum capacity, yet we
are to increase access and graduation numbers.
Most DOL grants are linked to existing labor market needs;
resources are needed to provide for emerging fields such as green
technology, Biotechnology, or state recruiting plans for industries
that will create a labor demand that does not currently exist in the
area. A possible alternative to the current grant allocation process
during these difficult economic times is to provide block grant funds
to community colleges for program development that requires positive
student success results over a four year period or refund of the funds
received.
Another possible area for consideration, that would prove
beneficial, is to provide for a program development specialist at each
community college. Current personnel declines and increased personnel
loads create lag in desired response to the identified need. This
specialist would be the leader responsible for development of and
integrating industry and curriculum requirements for training,
certificate, or degree programs implementation.
As you are so well aware, we have all been proud to acknowledge
education as the great equalizer of the peoples of our great Nation.
Yet, this fall I see the door beginning to close. There is now, in
Tennessee, an ACT standard for entry into remedial and developmental
programs--in applying this new standard to Fall 2010, we anticipate
that 100 students who were admitted last fall would not have been, if
our new standard were in effect. I do not argue with the standard
especially as we move towards being primarily responsible for student
success, but I am greatly concerned that the opportunity to attempt a
post-secondary education may be determined by many intervening
variables that occurred during a student's youth. I am also concerned
that the door is closing for some as tuition increases, yet to maintain
the programs and services in our economic times the tuition is needed.
I believe that education is the great equalizer and that I am a
product: I desire that opportunity for all.
______
STATEMENT OF DR. TED BROWN, PRESIDENT,
MARTIN METHODIST COLLEGE
Mr. Brown. Mr. Chairman, thank you for the opportunity to
speak on behalf of a topic that is important to all of us, but
especially my institution, Martin Methodist College. I
certainly want to say a word of thanks to our Congressman for
the role that he played in my invitation to be here.
Many assume that our public colleges and universities are
the most supportive of workforce initiatives because they are
intrinsically closer to state government and the structures
that support workforce development. But I want to make the
assertion this morning that our private or independent
institutions, especially those like my institution, that are
enrollment driven, are at least as supportive of workforce
development, because we are closer to the market. We have to
be. Our livelihood depends on us being attentive to the market.
Of course, I do not want to suggest that this is some kind of
competition because it is very clear that the more we cooperate
and collaborate together, the stronger our employment situation
in the United States and in our region will be.
Martin Methodist College has always been important to our
local and regional economy. We are among the largest employers
in Giles County, our economic impact is approaching $60 million
per year on the local area. But more important, we attempt to
serve the needs of local industry in terms of the education of
prospective employees, but also in the continuing education of
current employees. Many of our degree programs--I think
specifically of our management information sciences,
accounting, criminal justice and our new baccalaureate nursing
program--were developed largely out of continuing conversation
with local industry and organizations. We were among the first
baccalaureate institutions in the state to develop an evening
college program for working adults. Again, largely in response
to the needs of local industry and business.
I want to focus in on a fairly specific issue that is of
special importance to us right now because our county is very
intentionally shifting away from the old model of economic
development, hunting down large manufacturing organizations, to
a new model that is focused on planning and growing small
businesses, economic gardening, if you will. You hear a lot of
talk about small business being the backbone of our economy. In
Giles County, 48 percent of our businesses are one-person
operations. Across the state of Tennessee, 34 percent are one-
person operations. And if you go to those that are under 10
employees, 92 percent of our businesses in Giles County fit
that bill. Across the state of Tennessee, 84 percent are
smaller than 10-person operations. So you hear a lot of talk
about small business being the backbone of the economy, but
honestly, I see very little public support for movement in that
direction.
The case in point that I want to raise is the Giles County
Small Business Development Center. We began conversations at
least four years ago, perhaps longer--the college, the Economic
Development Commission in our county, the Chamber of Commerce
and Pulaski Electric Service--about a center that could help
establish and grow small businesses. We sought support for the
concept through every state and federal resource we could
identify, and in the end we came up bone dry.
Last year, almost out of desperation, I decided that Martin
Methodist College was just going to move ahead with this
process, and established the Giles County Small Business
Development Center. We funded it internally. The program is now
in place, we have a well-qualified director who was jointly
appointed to a marketing position on our faculty and to the
position of director of the Giles County Small Business
Development Center. He has offices on campus and in our Chamber
of Commerce building down on the Pulaski Square.
One of the critical elements at our college is that we
bring to the table every year a significant number of students,
I would say dozens, who have very imaginative small business
ideas along with a wealth of energy to drive small business
creation and success. And our campus is not different from most
colleges and universities in that respect. What we are missing
is the linkage between students and local resources that enable
and encourage small business development. Our Giles County
Small Business Development Center provides precisely that
linkage, along with a host of resources for those in the
community who want to establish and grow small businesses.
While the Giles County Small Business Development Center is
a fledgling operation that is drastically underfunded--it
continues to be funded almost entirely by Martin Methodist
College--we have proven that this kind of public-private
partnership can work and has the potential to be an economic
engine for our small community. I am convinced that we have
also proven that state and federal workforce resources continue
to be focused on the old manufacturing model and do not take
seriously the importance of establishing and growing small
businesses, especially in our rural and small communities and
counties.
Now I am not here to beg for resources for the Giles County
Small Business Development Center, but I am pleading for those
who have control of workforce development resources to take
seriously what all the statistics very clearly prove, and that
is that small businesses are the key to economic recovery and
to our nation's future financial strength.
Thank you.
Chairman Kline. Thank you, Dr. Brown.
Mr. Coakley, you are recognized.
[The statement of Dr. Brown follows:]
Prepared Statement of Dr. Ted Brown, President, Martin Methodist
College
Mr. Chairman: Thank you for this opportunity to speak on behalf of
a topic that is important to all of us, but especially to my
institution, Martin Methodist College. And I want to say a word of
thanks to Congressman DesJarlais for his role in this invitation as
well.
Many assume that our public colleges and universities are the
central educational resource for workforce initiatives because they are
intrinsically closer to state government and the structures that
support workforce development. But I want to make the assertion that
our private or independent institutions--especially those like my
institution that are enrollment driven--are at least as important to
workforce development because we are closer to the market. We have to
be--our livelihood depends upon. Of course, I am not suggesting that
this is some sort of competition because the truth is the more we
cooperate together the stronger our employment situation in the United
States and in our region will be.
Martin Methodist College has always been important to our local and
regional economy. We are among the largest employers in Giles County,
generating more than $60 million in economic impact each year. At the
same time, we serve the needs of local industry in terms of the
education of prospective employees, as well as the continuing education
of current employees. Many of our degree programs, such as Management
Information Sciences, Accounting and our new baccalaureate Nursing
program were developed largely out of on-going conversation with local
industries and organizations about their needs. We were among the first
institutions in the state to develop an evening college degree program
for working adults, again largely in response to the needs of local
industries and businesses.
I want to focus on one specific issue that is of special importance
to us right now because our county is very intentionally shifting away
from the old model of economic development--hunting down large
manufacturing operations--and moving to a new model that is focused on
planting and growing small businesses. You hear a lot of talk about
small businesses being the backbone of our economy, but I frankly see
very little public support for that notion. The case in point is the
Giles County Small Business Development Center (GCSBDC). We began
conversations more than four years ago--the College, the Economic
Development Commission, the Chamber of Commerce and Pulaski Electric
Service--about a center that could help establish and grow small
businesses. We sought support for the concept through every state and
federal resource we could identify and in the end we came up bone dry.
Last year, almost out of desperation, I decided that Martin
Methodist College would move ahead with establishing the Giles County
Small Business Development Center and fund it internally. The program
is now in place, with a well-qualified director who is jointly
appointed to a small business position on the faculty of our business
school and to the position of Director of the GCSBDC, with offices both
on campus and in the Chamber of Commerce building on the Pulaski
Square. One of the critical elements that our college brings to this
table every year is a significant number of students who have very
imaginative small business ideas along with a wealth of energy to drive
business creation and success. And our campus is not different from
most colleges and universities in that respect. What we are missing is
the linkage between students and local resources that enable and
encourage small business development. Our GCSBDC provides precisely
that linkage, along with a host of resources for those in the community
who want to establish and grow small businesses.
While the GCSBDC is a fledging operation that is drastically
underfunded (it continues to be funded almost entirely by Martin
Methodist College), we have proven that this kind of public-private
partnership can work and has the potential to be an economic engine for
a small community and region. I am convinced that we have also proven
that state and federal workforce resources continue to be focused on
the old manufacturing model and do not take seriously the importance of
establishing and growing small businesses, especially in our rural and
small communities and counties.
I am not here to beg for resources for the GCSBDC, but I am
pleading for those who have control of workforce development resources
to take seriously what all the statistics clearly prove--that small
businesses are the key to economic recovery and to our nation's future
financial strength.
______
STATEMENT OF JIM COAKLEY, PRESIDENT,
NASHVILLE AUTO-DIESEL COLLEGE
Mr. Coakley. Mr. Chairman, my name is Jim Coakley and I am
the President of Nashville Auto-Diesel College located in
Nashville, Tennessee. I would like to thank you and Congressman
DesJarlais for allowing me to testify on behalf of the
students, faculty and staff of Nashville Auto-Diesel College on
the role of higher education in job growth and development. I
believe NADC, as well as other private career colleges in
Tennessee and throughout the United States, play a vital role
in today's economy, and I will provide you with information on
the strengths of our college that help produce well-trained
graduates that are prepared to enter the workforce and provide
an immediate impact on the businesses and communities where
they are employed.
NADC has trained and educated technicians to repair
multiple types of motor vehicles used in the transportation
industry since 1919. The school was founded by H.L. Balls and
owned by the same family until 2003, when it was purchased by
Lincoln Educational Services Corporation. Lincoln also has a
long, storied history in training automotive technicians as it
opened its first campus in 1946 in Newark, New Jersey.
NADC has trained over 53,000 technicians in every segment
of the transportation repair industry. Students who enrolled at
NADC during its infancy literally had to be taught how to drive
a car on our property before they were able to train on how to
repair said automobile. Now, almost 100 years later, our campus
spans almost 300,000 square feet in 21 buildings spread over 19
acres to support our 1500 students and 269 staff and faculty,
where short-term NAFEF-certified programs are offered in
automotive and diesel technology and collision repair and
refinishing. Upon completion of this basic training, students
also have the option to continue in specialties such as high
performance, heavy equipment maintenance, and undercar
specialty or work toward an associate degree through our online
learning delivery system.
Our mission has essentially remained consistent: offer the
best educational training programs to enable graduates to take
the highest level of job knowledge and skills to the
marketplace. This mission is met by a dedicated group of
faculty and staff that has enabled NADC to become a leader in
the automotive field, not only in Tennessee, but nationwide,
with students coming from over 30 different states to the
Nashville area to learn this important trade.
Our college relies on some basic guiding principles that
assist us in meeting our published mission. First, our faculty
and training facilities remain at the core of our educational
process. For example, NADC only hires instructors with
workforce experience and a passion for education, in order to
bring the theory to life in a laboratory environment.
Furthermore, all of our instructors are ASE-certified and I am
proud to tell you that over 69 percent have worked at NADC for
more than five years.
Our students really demand a tremendous amount of hands-on
learning and are often at their best when allowed to physically
work on an automobile component or system. In order to meet
their demands, NADC invests a tremendous amount in acquiring
and maintaining our inventory of vehicles and components. These
training aids, valued at over $5 million, include over 40 late-
model automobiles, 25 Class 8 trucks, 60 live car engines, 60
live truck engines, and over 150 training aids for component
systems.
One of our key strengths is our close working relationships
with industry. At NADC, we have two separate advisory
committees with over 45 industry representatives from a diverse
set of employers, not only from Tennessee, but from states such
as California, North Carolina and Pennsylvania. These advisory
boards meet at least twice per year to discuss our curriculum,
facilities, equipment and outcomes. By instituting a process by
which the advisory board reviews this type of information and
data and actually meets at our campus, the college has the best
possible perspective, knowing that we are providing college
students with current and relevant instruction in automotive,
truck and collision repair fields.
The process by which we hire faculty, develop curriculum
and expose our students to the highest quality learning aids
all ties to our ultimate goal of assisting our graduates in
finding employment. This placement process begins in the first
days of orientation with the college when we bring our Career
Services Department staff to discuss employment opportunities
and expectations from employers. From there, Career Services
provides assistance with resume writing, interviewing
techniques, part time employment assistance during their
enrollment.
NADC hosts two large career days annually where dozens of
employers attend such as U.S. Caterpillar dealers, Covington
Detroit Diesel, Conway Trucking, ABRA Auto Body and Glass and
Travel Centers of America. This dedication by our Career
Services Department has produced excellent results in getting
our students into the workforce, whether it is in Tennessee or
elsewhere in the United States. As a result of their
commitment, over 75 percent of our 2010 graduates have already
initiated their careers in the diesel, automotive or collision
repair industries. Further, 71 of the students who graduated in
2010, and originally came from out of state, ultimately stayed
right here in Tennessee.
Finally, Mr. Chairman, as you know, our sector of higher
education has a tremendous amount of regulatory oversight,
which provides a student with the confidence that our college
provides a quality education. Currently, our college is not
only regulated by the Tennessee Higher Education Commission,
but also a national accreditor, the Accrediting Commission of
Career Colleges and Schools and the United States Department of
Education, as our college is able to participate in the federal
government's student aid programs.
While we are proud of NADC's academic, employment and
fiscal outcomes, including the fact that NADC has consistently
published cohort default rates below 10 percent for the last 10
years, I would be remiss by not letting this Committee know
that some program integrity issues finalized in the regulatory
language by the U.S. Department of Education will have a
negative impact on our college and thus, indirectly, on the
economy of the Nashville metropolitan region at a time when our
nation's automotive industry seems to be regaining its footing.
In conclusion, Mr. Chairman and Congressman DesJarlais, I
hope this written testimony provides you with a perspective as
to the role that NADC plays in job growth and filling a niche
for those students who want to learn a skilled trade from one
of the oldest and most distinguished colleges in this field.
I appreciate the opportunity to testify today, and I look
forward to providing any answers to your questions, not only
today, but any time in the future. Thank you.
[The statement of Mr. Coakley follows:]
Prepared Statement of James Coakley, President,
Nashville Auto-Diesel College
Mr. Chairman, my name is Jim Coakley and I am president of
Nashville-Auto Diesel College located in Nashville, TN. I would like to
thank you and Congressman DesJarlais for allowing me to testify on
behalf of the students, faculty and staff of Nashville Auto-Diesel
College on the role of higher education in job growth and development.
I believe NADC, as well as other private career colleges in Tennessee
and throughout the United States, play a vital role in today's economy
and I will provide you with information on the strengths of our college
that help produce well-trained graduates that are prepared to enter the
workforce and provide an immediate impact on the businesses and
communities where they are employed.
Nashville Auto-Diesel College has trained and educated technicians
to repair multiple types of motor vehicles used in the transportation
industry since 1919. The school was founded by H.O. Balls in 1919 and
owned by the same family until 2003 when it was purchased by Lincoln
Educational Services Corporation. Lincoln also has a long, storied
history in training automotive technicians as it opened its first
campus in 1946 in Newark, New Jersey, and has grown to 45 campuses in
17 states educating approximately 30,000 students as of December 31,
2010, in multiple disciplines and employing over 4,000 staff and
faculty members.
Since opening in 1919, NADC has trained over 53,000 technicians
that have worked in, or are currently employed, in every segment of the
transportation repair industry. Students who enrolled in NADC during
its infancy literally had to be taught how to drive an automobile on
our property before they were able to train on how to repair the
automobile. Now, almost 100 years later, our campus spans almost
300,000 square feet in 21 buildings spread over 19 acres to support our
1,500 students and 269 staff and faculty where short-term, NATEF-
certified programs are offered in automotive and diesel technology and
collision repair and refinishing. Upon completion of this basic
training, students also have the option to continue in specialties such
as high performance, heavy equipment maintenance, and undercar
specialty or work towards an associate's degree through our online
learning delivery system.
While technology in the automotive field has changed significantly
over the past century, our mission has essentially remained consistent:
offer the best educational training programs to enable graduates to
take the highest level of job knowledge and skills to the marketplace.
This mission is met by a dedicated group of faculty and staff that has
enabled NADC to become a leader in the automotive field not only in
Tennessee, but nationwide, with students coming from over 30 different
states to the Nashville area to learn this important trade.
In order to continue being a leader in the automotive training
field, our college relies on some basic guiding principles that assist
us in meeting our published mission. First, our faculty and training
facilities remain at the core of our educational process. For example,
in order to be hired as an instructor, one must have workforce
experience prior to even being considered for faculty appointment.
Students coming to NADC want hands-on training during their enrollment
and thus our faculty need to be able to lead those students in a
laboratory learning environment. Without having years of experience in
the field, there would be no way for our students to gain the knowledge
needed to transition into the workforce. It should also be noted these
77 ASE-certified faculty show their commitment through their
certifications and longevity at the college. That being said, I am
proud to tell you that over 69 percent of these instructors have worked
at NADC for more than 5 years.
Our educational facilities are also a source of pride at our
college and help with preparing our students for an immediate impact
upon hiring. As mentioned earlier, our students really demand a
tremendous amount of hands on learning and often are at their best when
allowed to physically work on an automobile, component or system. In
order to meet their demands, NADC invests a tremendous amount on
acquiring and maintaining our inventory of vehicles and components.
These training aids that we have valued at over $5 million include over
40 late-model automobiles, 25 Class 8 trucks, 60 live car engines, 60
live truck engines, and over 150 training aids for component systems.
Many of the reasons why we have such wonderful training aids comes
from the knowledge brought to us not only by the faculty, but also by
our current advisory board members. At NADC, we have two separate
advisory committees with over 45 persons from a diverse set of
employers not only from Tennessee, but from states such as California,
North Carolina, and Pennsylvania. These advisory boards meet at least
twice per year to discuss our curriculum, facilities, equipment and
outcomes of the program. By instituting a process by which the advisory
board reviews this type of information and data, and actually meets at
our campus, the college has the best possible perspective knowing that
we are providing students with current and relevant instruction in the
automotive, truck and collision repair fields.
The process by which we hire, develop curriculum and expose our
students to the highest quality learning aids all ties into our
ultimate goal of assisting our graduates in finding employment. The
placement process, however, does not start at graduation for our
students, but rather from their first days of orientation with the
college where we bring in our career services department staff to
discuss employment opportunities and the expectation of employers. From
there the career services department provides assistance with resume
writing, interviewing techniques, part-time employment assistance
during their enrollment, hosting two large ``Career Days'' where dozens
of employers attend, and then ultimately establishing job opportunities
by scheduling interviews with employers that NADC has long-standing
relationships, such as U.S. Caterpillar Dealers, from our 90 years in
existence.
The dedication by our career services department has produced
excellent results in getting our students into the workforce no matter
whether it is in Tennessee or elsewhere in the United States. As a
result of their commitment, over 75% of our 2010 graduates have already
initiated their careers in the diesel, automotive or collision repair
industries. Further, 71 of the students who graduated in 2010 and
originally came from out-of-state ultimately stayed right here in
Tennessee when our college found them employment in their field.
In addition to providing quality training to students that attend
our college, I would also like to point out that NADC plays a role in
the transportation sector. Currently, NADC is a national training
center for the National Alternative Fuel Training Consortium based at
the University of West Virginia in Morgantown, WV. Curriculum developed
by the Consortium is used in a train-the-trainer fashion to prepare
instructors to train students and the local community on clean fuels.
Further, on October 15, 2010, NADC hosted Odyssey 2010, a celebration
of clean fuel and energy independence. This successful event included
speeches on the impact that technology vehicles and clean fuels will
have on transportation in the United States by local and state
officials as well as business leaders from the major automotive
companies.
Finally, Mr. Chairman, as you know, our sector of higher education
has a tremendous amount of regulatory oversight of which provides a
student with the sense that our college meets a certain threshold for
quality. Currently, our college is not only regulated by the Tennessee
Higher Education Commission, but also our national accreditor, the
Accrediting Commission of Career Colleges and Schools, and the U.S.
Department of Education as our college is able to participate in the
federal government's student aid programs. While we are proud of the
college's academic, employment, and fiscal outcomes, including the fact
NADC has consistently published a cohort default rate below 10% for the
last 10 years, I would be remiss by not letting this Committee know
that some of the program integrity issues finalized in regulatory
language by the U.S. Department of Education will have a negative
impact on our college and thus indirectly on the economy of the
Nashville metropolitan region at a time when our nation's automotive
industry seems to be regaining its footing.
In conclusion, Mr. Chairman and Congressman DesJarlais, I hope this
written testimony provides you with a perspective as to the role NADC
plays in job growth and filling a niche for those students who want to
learn a skilled trade from one of the oldest and most distinguished
colleges in this field. I appreciate the opportunity to testify today
and I look forward to providing any answers to your questions not only
today, but any time in the future.
______
Chairman Kline. Thank you very much, Mr. Coakley and to all
of our witnesses.
We are going to trade back and forth up here for a little
while in initiating this discussion.
It seems to me that all of you touched on this at one point
or another, and some of you in great length, but there are sort
of two issues here I want to get at. One is what you are doing
to make sure that your curriculum is relevant to the needs of
the workplace--and you all touched on that--and the other is
what steps you may be taking to help your graduates actually
get a job, be placed. And as I say, you have touched on it, but
could we just sort of go through that briefly, what you are
thinking of in your institution about what you are doing to
make sure it is relevant--advisory boards and so forth--and
then what you are doing to help them get a job.
Dr. Smith, we will start with you.
Ms. Smith. I touched on the advisory boards, and we also
have partnerships for all of our programs with different
agencies, such as nursing with the hospitals and health
agencies. Through those opportunities, our students are able to
learn about what is going on in their field, as well as our
faculty then can review what the hospital is employing at that
time, what new technologies they have, and how that comes back
into our curriculum.
In terms of career placement, we have a career center and
we are in the process of upgrading that career center, it is
not at the strength that we feel like it needs to be. But the
faculty within the programs--and since these students stick
with the programs for a number of years, the faculty work with
the students in allowing them to know what job opportunities
are out there, and assisting with placement. We do employ a
follow-up as well as student follow-up, graduate follow-up, to
see how many of our students are placed, and we are required to
submit that as part of our performance funding measures. So we
take that very seriously in that those career students do
obtain a job and that we are following up to see where they are
at. And as I said, we embrace the career center and are working
to improve that center as it exists currently.
Chairman Kline. And that career center would then be
specifically working with individual students, near graduates,
and with employment opportunities, to connect the two.
Ms. Smith. Yes, and it also will work with students on the
front end too, as they are trying to determine what type of
career that they want or if they are in a pre-program for an
associate of science, how to prep for those particular classes
as well.
Chairman Kline. Okay, thank you.
Dr. Brown.
Mr. Brown. We also employ advisory committees in relation
to our academic programs and I would point to professional
development requirements on the part of the college related to
faculty as an important way of connecting with basically the
market in general. But we do require each of our faculty
members each year to engage in professional development that
hopefully will not only further their scholarly interest and
development but also gives them the opportunity to connect with
how their program operates in the marketplace. And I think that
is also an important point, in addition to the advisory
committees that we utilize.
We do as well have a career center on the campus. One new
feature we added this past year in relation to our first year
initiative with students is that all freshmen have to have
basically a counseling session in the career center their first
year, so that they are on the proper path in terms of their
course development related to their chosen career. And
hopefully that is something that continues, it is not just
something that you use the last 40 days that you are on the
campus trying to get a job, but instead it is a continuing
conversation with our career development professionals.
Chairman Kline. Thank you.
Mr. Coakley, could you touch on that again? I know you
covered it in your testimony, but specifically what steps are
you taking to make sure that your students are learning the
right automotive techniques--I guess not a lot of work on Model
T's right now--but I am really interested in what the steps are
that you are taking, I think you said you have about a 75
percent placement rate. What are you doing to help those
students connect with the job?
Mr. Coakley. Our training is set up so that our students
are--I will use the term conditioned from the beginning of
training with regard to wearing a uniform that would be
commensurate with what they would do out in the field once they
are employed. Attendance is a very strong focus with our
program. We take attendance daily, we watch that our students
do not go over--our 13-month program only allows a student to
have a total of six excused absences with a program that runs
five days a week for 13 months. So that is a relatively stiff
measure in terms of what we are looking for. But again, we are
trying to mimic what an employer would look for.
Our students typically work in two to six-member teams as
they are working on their laboratory settings. Just yesterday,
I toured the Caterpillar facility down here in Smyrna and a
gentleman that I encountered--I was toured, first of all, by a
graduate from 1968, who is in charge of the service program
down there, Mr. Philip Welch. And as we walked around, we
engaged with a gentleman who had just come out of a meeting,
one of the vice presidents, and he introduced himself to us and
said that he had just come out of a high level meeting where he
was strained to find technicians. He said, ``I cannot believe
in this day and age with 10 percent unemployment, that I am
having trouble finding skilled technicians.'' And when he was
introduced to us, he said, ``I really want your folks to
understand that it is important that they can communicate well,
that they are able to work in teams, and that they have the
ability to grow as they get in the position.'' So we take that
kind of information, which we garner on a regular basis, and
bring that back to Career Services, bring that back through
presentations in the classroom with our instructors. And truly
it is one day at a time in educating and modeling what it is we
expect from our students.
Chairman Kline. Okay, thank you. One more question before I
yield to Dr. DesJarlais.
Dr. Smith, you specifically mentioned that you have credit
and non-credit programs. And presumably, the non-credit
programs are designed for a specific skill. Is that based on
your work with some particular business or with the workforce
board? Or how does that come about?
Ms. Smith. An example is entrepreneurship training. There
was a need identified for entrepreneurship training and we
worked with the local workforce board to provide that
particular training in one of our outreach counties. So we
provide the non-credit based upon what an industry may come in,
such as the programmable logic controllers, that was industry-
initiated. So we work with them to identify what to offer and
then we work with workforce board in terms of what they see the
needs are from the data that they have within our service area,
and how to provide those.
And then others, such as this broad array of online
classes, we know that there are special needs out there or an
individual may be interested in going into a very specific
field and we cannot offer an on-ground program, but we do it
online so that over a period of time, they can get that
training for that. So it is a combination.
Chairman Kline. Okay, thank you.
Dr. DesJarlais.
Mr. DesJarlais. Thank you, Chairman Kline.
I think I will start with kind of a general question for
the panel as well and maybe let you all respond. In Washington,
we spend an awful lot of time looking at how the federal
government is in the way or is impeding the progress of the
advancement of our colleges and universities. And I guess I
would like to see what thoughts you may have on where the
federal government is in the way, what is taking the most of
your time in terms of burdensome regulations and how much time
are you actually spending on that?
So I guess we will just start left to right, Dr. Smith, if
you have any comments.
Ms. Smith. In terms of impeding, I do not see that there is
a lot, from our perspective. Now we are concerned that if we go
to national standards, that that could really come to a lot of
reporting and things of that nature. We are run through our
regional accrediting body and our regional accrediting body
then works with CHEA and federal regulations that are there. So
most of ours comes through a regional perspective. So we do not
feel like we have anything right now that is impeding us from
moving forward.
Our biggest thing is having funds to take and initiate new
programs. As I mentioned in my written testimony, I would love
to see some avenue where some of the grant funds, instead of
them just being everything competitive, that there is some
funds that come into community colleges to be able to develop
programs to meet the needs that are out there.
An issue I think I do see is all of our grants, federal
grants that come in, are more in terms of what is the need
today as opposed to what is the need tomorrow and what is
emerging. We can train a workforce for what is here today, but
we have a very difficult time of applying for grant funds or
receiving them that are looking at what is going to happen
tomorrow.
Mr. DesJarlais. Dr. Brown, are there any particular federal
regulations that you find are in the way?
Mr. Brown. I would not say anything that is a huge problem
for us. I would say in the area of financial aid reporting that
there is a great deal more reporting that is required now than
there was when I started in my position 14 years ago. And we
have actually added three financial aid professionals, I would
have to say probably one and a half of those positions is
dedicated purely to reporting and that has greatly increased
over the last three, four, five years. And so that is a little
ominous if we have to keep adding professionals who are not
really providing services to students, but are simply
reporting.
And I would certainly echo what my colleague has said and
that is that we are concerned about funding and Pell Grant in
particular for us. We are a campus of 55 percent Pell-enabled
students. And the cut that has been talked about, $845 cut to
Pell, would be nearly a million dollars in our $15 million a
year budget, so we are talking about a very significant impact
on our institution.
Mr. DesJarlais. Mr. Coakley, any comments on that topic?
Mr. Coakley. With regard to gainful employment, I certainly
understand that there are unintended consequences with any kind
of change. I would submit that our sector of higher education
is probably the most highly regulated. I think today--well, I
know what occurs today--if a school's outcomes are not
appropriate, the accrediting body requires us to stop teaching
that program. I believe today that students have access to
information in order for them to make an intelligent decision
on where it is they want to go in terms of what it is they are
seeking. Some of the proposed changes with regard to gainful
employment specifically are, first of all, somewhat gray. And
secondarily, I think personally that I am going to have to move
away from some of the very individuals I am trying to help to
maybe a wealthier level of clientele, just by virtue of the
changes that are being imposed. So I am concerned about being
able to continue to serve the students that I serve today as we
move forward with any kind of changes beyond July 1.
Mr. DesJarlais. I think what I am hearing from both Dr.
Brown and yourself is that--or maybe I am hearing this, let me
ask specifically--are you seeing a change in the demographics
of the students that are applying now versus a few years ago
with the tough economic times we are facing? And I guess we
will just run down the line on that as well.
Ms. Smith. Yes, we are seeing a change. And we are also
seeing a change because we are seeing standards increase. To
me, the community college door is closing a little bit.
Beginning this fall, we go into a new remedial and
developmental standard. If we applied that standard to last
fall's enrollment, there will be 100 students that would not
have been able to attend. So both with standards and then as
well as access from funding perspectives, both tuition cost and
in transportation. Since we are a commuter college and with the
gasoline increases and so forth, that is creating quite a
hardship in our students. And so having the funds to go to
college and the funds to live on as they go is an issue for
many of our students.
Mr. Brown. We have seen a pretty significant rise in first
generation students. We have gone from about 45 percent first
generation to almost 70 percent on our campus, as we have
grown. And those students need special attention in a lot of
different areas; but certainly from a financial perspective,
Pell grant and federal resources are very important to their
attendance at college.
I guess that's the primary concern.
Mr. Coakley. As we talk to families that are considering
our type of training, we encounter more situations where either
one or both parents are laid off. They may very well possess
strong credit to qualify for the loan programs that are out
there, but just by virtue of the fact that they have good
credit, they are guarded about taking on more than they think
they might be able to repay down the road. So I do have
scenarios where even if the funding is there, the parents are
either unable to come out of pocket for any gap in funding
tuition or just guarded about the idea of taking that loan
product on. So the conundrum precipitates, I guess it just
continues along.
Mr. Brown. I would add also, if I might, that we are seeing
more second career and third career people on campus as well.
That is not a role that we have played as much in the past, and
they are mainly place-bound students, who perhaps were out of a
job or who decided this is a good opportunity for them to
retool, go in a different direction. And that has required us
to come up with some new skills in terms of counseling students
like that.
Mr. DesJarlais. Mr. Chairman, if I could have time for one
more?
Chairman Kline. Certainly.
Mr. DesJarlais. Okay. Dr. Brown, you had mentioned that,
not necessarily out of frustration, but just lack of support on
a federal level, you moved forward with the Giles County Small
Business Development Center, something that you kind of
initiated and created. We had a hearing in I guess the past two
or three weeks, where we had four witnesses, one from Oklahoma
and Texas I believe. And it seemed that each of them had done
something similar. They got tired I guess of waiting for
federal intervention and moved forward with great ideas. I
think that kind of sets the stage for a great question. Do you
really feel that you want more federal involvement or less in
moving forward? [Laughter.]
Mr. Brown. To be honest, we are perfectly happy with the
way things stand now. I do not know how long Martin Methodist
College will be able to--you know, it just so happens things
are going very well on our campus and we are able to step up on
this special initiative. You know, if we have a major
adjustment to make related to Pell, then we may have to back
off of that program and the local area will have to step up.
But I think what you are saying is--and I do not disagree--that
this is the way it ought to work. We ought to have local
entities, private entities, stepping up to do these things when
they have a good idea. And we should not expect that there is
federal and state support. But I would have to say that we
would have been in this business three or four years earlier if
we had just had a very small--ten, fifteen thousand dollar--
seed grant to help us get started with some of the basics.
But like I say, I am not begging for that program, but I am
suggesting that there is a role that both state and federal
government can play in moving good ideas forward more quickly.
Mr. DesJarlais. I am not used to having this much time, I
would have been gaveled a long time ago, so I will not get
greedy and I will turn it back over to Chairman Kline.
[Laughter.]
Chairman Kline. I thank the gentleman.
You know, in Washington, because there are many more
members, we try to limit these questions to five minutes and it
moves you pretty rapidly. And that is again one of the reasons
why this is very helpful to us, because we really have a chance
to have a conversation here. So I appreciate your indulgence
and forbearance here.
We have got kind of a representation of the diversity in
higher education sitting right at this table. And I am
interested in what sort of thought you have put into why is it
that students have chosen your college, your university, your
type of school. What are you hearing from the people who are
coming in, why they are coming to Columbia, why they are coming
to Martin Methodist or whatever. Dr. Smith.
Ms. Smith. It is a variety of reasons. Some come because we
are close, it is access, it is about where they can come and
get their education. Others come because we are comfortable, it
is a comfortable place to start. They feel that it is not
threatening to them as say a university would or some other
location. Some come because they want professional programs,
they want the nursing, they want the respiratory care, the vet
tech. So this is a place where they can come and obtain that.
Some are here because they just want some courses to upgrade
what their current occupation is. So they are coming in, taking
a few courses and then they are going out, they are meeting
their need. And some of here because they really do not know
what else to do. This is where they come and they are trying to
figure out what the next job is, where they are going. So it is
an array.
Chairman Kline. Dr. Brown.
Mr. Brown. I would echo those comments as well. We try to
differentiate our offerings in the marketplace pretty carefully
and as a residential institution, you know, we are trying to
sell sort of the intensiveness of living on campus and having a
full time experience on a college campus. Obviously that
differentiates us from Columbia State and other institutions.
But no question that a pretty significant percentage of our
students would come out of convenience, we are close to them,
or they like the program that we have for preparing them for
their career. And so they come to us for that reason.
Chairman Kline. Mr. Coakley.
Mr. Coakley. I would say that my students attend our
program--of course, the heritage has already been mentioned a
number of times, but short-term focus, the idea that we truly
work with them on a more one-on-one basis in terms of support.
When they miss a class, we are literally looking for them. I
too have dormitories, I have 700 students on ground, so I can
literally knock on doors for some of those folks, to see where
they are. I do not have a truancy officer per se, but we can
run them down. [Laughter.]
But I do have a combination of commuters that go along with
that and I have a number of folks that have retooled as well
and are looking for--you know, a person that gets caught with a
hiccup in their career, they need to retool quickly and get
back out there and 13 months fits the bill oftentimes.
Chairman Kline. Well, thank you very much.
Dr. Brown, I feel compelled to address Pell grants for just
a minute, you brought it up a couple of times and I understand
there is a fair amount of interest in this subject out there.
There is no question that as we are looking at ways to
control federal spending, that we are looking at Pell grants.
The program has had pretty strong bipartisan support and
continue to have that, but it has been our observation that
Pell grant money has more than tripled here in just a couple of
years, from $12 billion to over $40 billion. And it is simply
unsustainable at that rate.
So what you would expect coming forward are proposals,
mostly from my side of aisle, I admit, that will put this on a
stream that we think is sustainable so that everybody can count
on it. What we have now is a spike that frankly was, in my
judgment, horribly over-promised and so I know it is causing
consternation. I do not have any magic wands here either, but
that is how we are looking at this, at making the program
sustainable for the long-term, and I am afraid right now the
way it is, it probably is not.
Most of you have addressed the fact that you have people
who are looking for career changes, I think all of you have
mentioned that. And we are seeing that, of course, all over,
because the workplace is changing. You all have some non-
traditional students, probably Dr. Smith and Mr. Coakley even
more than you, Dr. Brown, but I appreciate the work that you
are doing, I want to thank you again for your time here today
and for sharing your thoughts with us and wish you great
success in your institutions and for your graduates as they
step out there.
So thank you very much and we will move to the next panel.
[Pause.]
Chairman Kline. Well, it looks like we are ready for the
second panel. I want to welcome the panel. I am going to yield
in just a moment to Dr. DesJarlais to introduce the panel
members.
You may have noticed that there is a little bit of a
feedback issue with the microphones and so you may find
yourself needing to adjust the range, and that seems to work.
If it is starting to feed back, if you will just back up from
it, it seems to be working pretty well.
So everybody is situated, I will yield now to Dr.
DesJarlais to introduce our witnesses.
Mr. DesJarlais. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
It is now my pleasure to introduce our second distinguished
panel of witnesses.
First, the Honorable Dean Dickey. He serves as Mayor of the
City of Columbia. Prior to being elected Mayor, Mr. Dickey was
a member of the City Council. He spent 48 years in the retail
food industry including 27 years as owner and operator of seven
supermarkets in the middle Tennessee area. He held management
positions for the Tennessee Department of Labor for five years
and he has served as a business service manager at the Maury
County Career Center. And I would like to thank Mr. Dickey, who
also served in the U.S. Army during the Korean Conflict.
Our next witness is Ms. Susan Marlow, she is the founder
and CEO of Smart Data Strategies. She is known and respected as
a pioneer in land records management. Smart Data Strategies has
used an innovative approach to the development of procedures
and processes to ensure client satisfaction and has gained
considerable experience by successfully completing mapping
programs. Ms. Marlow also serves as Chairman of the Management
Association for Private Photogrammetric Surveyors, Federal
Cadastral Task Force and the Chairman of the Institute for GIS
Studies.
Ms. Jan McKeel is the Executive Director of the South
Central Tennessee Workforce Alliance, a non-profit that works
to develop the workforce through efforts in economic
development, education and employment. The company was most
recently recognized as one of 24 best-of-the-best non-profits
in middle Tennessee by the Nashville Business Journal. She
previously worked in the soft drink industry before returning
to the college classroom as a faculty member at colleges in
Illinois and Kentucky.
Ms. Margaret Prater is the Executive Director of Workforce
Development for Dyersburg State Community College. She has
worked with employment and training programs for the past 27
years and is currently administering the Workforce Investment
Act funds under the guidance of the Northwest Tennessee
Workforce Board. She supervises career center operations for a
seven county rural area providing education, employment and
training for youth and dislocated workers.
Chairman Kline. Thank you, Dr. DesJarlais.
Just a reminder to the witnesses, there is a little light
box there. Mayor Dickey, you will find that it is hard for you
to see. I have not used the gavel yet today and do not expect
to. A reminder that all of your testimony will be included in
the record.
And so, Mayor Dickey, you are recognized.
STATEMENT OF HON. DEAN DICKEY, MAYOR,
CITY OF COLUMBIA
Mayor Dickey. Good morning, Chairman Kline and
Representative DesJarlais and other in attendance today. My
name is Dean Dickey, and I have the honor to serve the people
of the City of Columbia as their mayor. I wish to welcome you
today and thank you for hearing our testimony and allowing us
in the City of Columbia and Maury County to be heard. As the
Mayor since 2010, City Council member for two years prior, and
former Business Service Manager at the Tennessee Career Center,
I have a strong background in helping people find employment
and realizing the effects that the economy plays.
As a business owner who served on the workforce board in
the 1990s, I have worked with the Tennessee Department of
Labor/Workforce and was involved with consolidation and
relocation for the Workforce Investment Act. I have worked with
employers and local elected officials across the state to
understand their needs and what it takes to hire a skilled
workforce. I also have been involved in developing financial
incentives to help them succeed through job creation.
For eight years, I served as Employer Service Manager for
the Workforce Alliance in the Workforce Area 10. The Workforce
Alliance serves eight counties, and our office was involved in
many projects resulting in several thousand dollars of state
and federal assistance. These projects led to the creation of
new jobs and retention of existing jobs.
In order for the economic development of our city and
county to succeed, the workforce agencies and colleges in our
area are key components in developing a workforce for our
future. College students need to be aware of the expectations
of the working environment as well as an obligation to meet
high standards through their learning process. Columbia State
Community College, as well as other colleges and universities
that are attended outside of our immediate area, urges
graduates to use the information provided through job placement
services such as job search, job fairs, resume writing,
interviewing opportunities and provide resources to help assist
these students in order for them to be successful in moving
into their career fields. Mentoring is also available to
students who request it. However, it is the student's
obligation to seek career opportunities, and as leader of the
City of Columbia, I want to be instrumental in helping to meet
the needs of our employers and employees. It is my desire for
employees to have the needed training in order to carry out
their tasks and perform well in their duties, but in order to
do that, I further expect our colleges and training facilities
to meet the current expectations of the students and the
employers.
Several partnerships have been developed within our local
business community. One partnership that comes to mind was a
new company that located in our area several years ago. Those
of us on the local level looked at the economic potential when
this company located in our area. We realized that we needed to
develop partnerships in our area that could reach the full
potential for growth, whether we had one or twenty employees in
our area. The partnership developed through that process
included the Workforce Investment Board, the TVA, State
Department of Labor, Department of Economic Development,
Columbia State, the Technology Centers and the Career Center.
Columbia State Community College looked at this as an
opportunity to increase our region's training capacity. The
entire partnership was committed to developing the workforce in
our area and we were successful because every organization
spent the time and put forth the effort needed for the process.
Another important partnership that exists is our Maury
Alliance, our economic development organization. In the past
year, we have restructured the organization to be better
equipped to attract new jobs in our area. We have just
completed a partnership with the business community which
included a fundraising campaign. And we received pledges of
$2.5 million that will be used for new recruiting
opportunities, to update websites and other marketing
opportunities specific to our area.
We have developed partnerships into positive working
relationships with the business sector of the City of Columbia,
City of Mount Pleasant, City of Spring Hill, Maury County
government as well as the business community. The City of
Columbia has a tax incentive plan that is part of the Maury
County Industrial Development Board. This incentive plan was
put into place to attract prospects that are interested in
locating in our area and allow us to be more competitive.
At the last report from the Tennessee Department of Labor,
the unemployment rate for the City of Columbia was 16 percent.
That is the highest rate for cities in the state of Tennessee.
The unemployment rate for Maury County, at the last report, was
14.2. These are not positive numbers and are indicative of our
struggling economy. There is not an abundance of quality jobs
in our local area for job seekers. Those searching for
employment oftentimes end up taking a lesser paying job and
therefore becoming under-employed. Others drive miles to find
quality employment and even worse, leave our community
permanently for employment.
We are living in revolutionary times where we know the
importance of education and maximizing the skills of our
workers. The Workforce Area 10 economy must adapt to global
economic change and demographic shifts creating urgent needs to
upgrade workforce preparation for all segments of our
population. We are no longer able to be content with the skill
sets of our parents and grandparents. We no longer have the
luxury of training for a career with the expectations that the
training will serve us a lifetime and provide adequately for
our future. We no longer can remain comfortable in the belief
that current businesses and industries in our area will remain
viable in the future. Our future depends on our ability to
renew ourselves and retrain ourselves. Our future depends on
not only retaining a current population of skilled workers, but
also providing a business climate and community environment
that is attractive to business and industries that may not even
exist today.
I appreciate all the efforts of this Committee and
understand it is not an easy task to designate funds to improve
job opportunities. I also realize that the government cannot
create jobs, only the private sector can accomplish this.
Thank you for allowing me to be here today.
Chairman Kline. Thank you, Mr. Mayor.
Ms. Marlow, you are recognized.
[The statement of Mayor Dickey follows:]
Prepared Statement of Hon. Dean Dickey, Mayor, City of Columbia
Good morning, Chairman Kline, Representative DesJarlais, and all
others in attendance today. My name is Dean Dickey, and I have the
honor to serve the people of the City of Columbia as their Mayor. I
wish to welcome you today and thank you for hearing our testimony and
allowing us in the City of Columbia and Maury County to be heard. As
the Mayor, since 2010, City Council Member for two years prior, and
former Business Service Manager at the Tennessee Career Center, I have
a strong background in helping people find employment and realizing the
effects our economy plays in that role.
As a business owner who served on the workforce board in the late
'90's, I have worked with the Tennessee Department of Labor/Workforce
and was involved with consolidation and relocation for the Workforce
Investment Act (WIA). I have worked with employers and local elected
officials across the state to understand their needs and what it takes
to hire skilled workforce. I have also been involved in developing
financial incentives to help them succeed through this job creation.
For eight years, I served as Employer Services Manager for the
Workforce Alliance in the Workforce Area 10. The Workforce Alliance
serves eight counties, and our office was involved in many projects
resulting in several thousand dollars of state and federal assistance.
These projects led to the creation of new jobs and the retention of
existing jobs.
In order for the economic development of our city and county to
succeed, the workforce agencies and colleges in our area are key
components in developing the workforce of our future. College students
need to be aware of the expectations of the working environment as well
as their obligation to meet high standards through their learning
process. Columbia State Community College as well as other colleges/
universities that are attended outside of our immediate area urges
graduates to use the information provided through job placement
services such as job search and job fairs. Students are also briefed on
interviewing opportunities and provided resources to help assist these
students in order for them to successfully move into their career
fields. Mentoring is also available to students who request it;
however, it is the students' obligation to seek career opportunities.
As a leader of the City of Columbia, I want to be instrumental in
helping to meet the needs of our employers and employees. It is my
desire for employees to have the needed training in order to carry out
their tasks and perform well in their duties, but in order to do that,
I further expect our colleges and training facilities to meet the
current expectations of the students and employers.
Several partnerships have developed within our local business
community. One partnership that comes to mind is when Johnson's
Controls located to our area several years ago. Those of us on the
local level looked at the economic potential when this company located
to our area. We realized that we needed to develop a partnership so
that our area could reach its full potential for growth, whether we had
one or twenty employers in our area. The partnership developed through
that process included the Workforce Alliance, Workforce Investment
Board, Tennessee Valley Authority, Tennessee State Department of Labor,
Tennessee Department of Economic Development Council, Columbia State
Community College, the Tennessee Technology Centers, and the Tennessee
Career Center. Columbia State Community College looked at this as an
opportunity to increase our region's training capacity. The entire
partnership was committed to developing the workforce for our area, and
we were successful, because every organization spent the time and put
forth the effort needed on the process.
Another important partnership that exists is with Maury Alliance,
our local economic development organization. In the past year, we have
restructured the organization to be better equipped to attract new jobs
into our area. We have also just completed a partnership with the
business community which included a fundraising campaign. We received
pledges of $2.5 million that will be used for new recruiting
opportunities and to update the website information with other
marketing opportunities specific to our area.
We have developed partnerships into positive working relationships
with the business sector of the City of Columbia, City of Mt. Pleasant,
City of Spring Hill, and Maury County governments as well. Our local
governments are unified in our efforts to create new job opportunities
for our citizens. The City of Columbia has a tax incentive plan that is
part of the Maury County Industrial Development Board. The incentive
plan was put into place to attract prospects that are interested in
locating to our area and allow us to be more competitive.
At the last report from the Tennessee Department of Labor, the
unemployment rate for the City of Columbia was 16%. This is the highest
rate for cities in the state of Tennessee. The unemployment rate for
Maury County, at the last report, was 14.2%. These are not positive
numbers and are indicative of our struggling economy. There is not an
abundance of quality jobs in our local area for the job seekers. Those
searching for employment often times end up taking a lesser paying job
and thereby becoming underemployed. Others drive many miles to find
quality employment and even worst, still leave the area permanently for
employment.
We are living in revolutionary times where we know the importance
of education and maximizing the skills of the workers we have. The
Workforce Area 10 economy must also adapt to global economic changes
and a demographic shift creating urgent needs to upgrade workforce
preparation for all segments of our population. We are no longer able
to be content with the skill sets of our parents and grandparents. We
no longer have the luxury of training for a career with the
expectations that the training will serve us a lifetime and provide
adequately for our future. We no longer can remain comfortable in the
belief that current businesses and industries in our area will remain
viable into the future. Our future depends upon our ability to renew
ourselves and retrain ourselves. Our future depends upon not only
retaining a current population of skilled workers but also providing a
business climate and community environment that is attractive to
business and industries that may not now exist.
I appreciate all the efforts of this committee and understand it is
not an easy task to designate federal funds to improve our job
opportunities. I also realize that the government cannot create jobs--
only the private sector can accomplish this. Thank you again for
allowing us to be heard today, and I will be glad to answer any
questions you might have.
______
STATEMENT OF SUSAN MARLOW, PRESIDENT AND CEO, SMART DATA
STRATEGIES
Ms. Marlow. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, Dr. DesJarlais. My
name is Susan Marlow and I am the CEO and owner of Smart Data
Strategies, a small business in Franklin, Tennessee. And I am
also Chairman of the Board of the Institute for GIS Studies, a
501(c)(3).
Smart Data Strategies provides a variety of geospatial
software and services for state and local government, federal
agencies and private sector clients. It is an honor to be here
today to discuss the critical need for a coordinated strategic
approach to workforce development in the geospatial procession.
The term ``geospatial'' refers to location-based
technology, commonly referred to as mapping. This technology
has experienced a rapid adoption rate, partly due to the
introduction of Google Earth and Microsoft Bing Maps as well as
the disasters of 9/11 and hurricane Katrina.
Today, geospatial technology provides decision-makers more
complete information and a visual perspective that helps them
make critical decisions. From the family planning the route to
its summer vacation, to McDonald's determining the best sites
for its next restaurants, to local government needing to know
who owns what land and who is paying taxes and who is not,
geospatial information is an exploding field. As a result of
this growing demand, the geospatial community has been
identified by the U.S. Department of Labor as one of the high
growth workforces in the United States.
The State of Tennessee recognized the importance of
geospatial data when they invested $28 million in a base
mapping program, which included statewide aerial imagery and
standardized property information. Our firm performed all of
the property mapping for this program. This means that
geospatial data is available to every county, city and state
agency throughout Tennessee. While the state has invested
heavily in this data creation, we have not seen this level of
investment in geospatial technology education.
There is a critical need for a strategic and inter-sector
partnership approach to meeting the demand for a trained,
qualified and productive workforce in this expanding field. I
would like to address these challenges and offer some
solutions.
First of all, I would like to point out the need for
geography education at the K through 12 level. If we were able
to create a totally successful inter-sector partnership at the
university and college level, it will not matter unless we have
a pool of students interested in this profession. In March of
2010, Tennessee was one of two states awarded Race to the Top
grant money during the first phase of the competition. This
announcement set the stage for Tennessee to be a national
leader in raising the bar for education in the United States.
Research has shown that the use of geospatial technologies in
curriculum can be one of those creative new ways to connect the
classroom to the real world and get students excited about
learning. It allows students to see how what they are learning
today is relevant to the world around them and their future
within it. Most importantly, it helps get young people excited
and inquisitive about geography, thus stimulating their
interest in this field as a career.
Many public schools do not even teach geography, and if
they do, many make it a small part of a history or social
studies class. According to a 2006 National Geographic Society
survey of Americans aged 18 to 24, less than four in ten can
identify Iraq on a map of the Middle East; one-third of young
Americans cannot calculate time zone differences. Even after
hurricane Katrina, two-thirds could not find Louisiana on a
U.S. map and two in ten amazingly cannot point to the Pacific
Ocean on a world map. We need to have a much stronger link to
education, workforce development and the private sector job
market.
As Chairman of the Board for IGIS, I was heavily involved
in a program that promoted geospatial education and workforce
development. We were awarded a $2 million grant that was
successful in creating geospatial curriculum for Roane State
Community College and Central Piedmont Community College in
North Carolina. In addition, we created technology to manage a
remote workforce called a Virtual Business Hub. The curriculum
and the virtual business hub were both delivered to the
Department of Labor as part of our grant, yet to my knowledge,
the virtual business hub technology is sitting on a shelf in
Washington and the universities are no longer teaching the
classes.
We spend a lot of our tax dollars on research, workforce
development and education, but I question how much value we get
for the money we spend. When we were working on the Department
of Labor grant, I saw a lot of disconnect with the colleges,
workforce development boards and the private sector. In
addition, I see multiple federal and state geospatial education
programs created that duplicate and overlap one another. For
the sake of time, I will not address all of these, but they are
included in my written testimony.
I urge the Committee to take a comprehensive look at
geospatial workforce development. This growing and critically
important profession can contribute immensely to the quality of
life and economic wellbeing of the nation for decades to come.
As we transition to a knowledge-based economy, geospatial data
will become the underpinning for billions of dollars in
commerce as well as efficiency in the delivery of government
programs.
Lastly, I would also request that you review the section of
my written testimony that deals with unfair competition from
universities. We are seeing universities and community colleges
entering into the private sector mapping and remote sensing by
selling services in the commercial marketplace. This is unfair
competition to private companies and it needs to be stopped.
I thank you very much for your time and attention.
Chairman Kline. I thank you, Ms. Marlow.
Ms. McKeel, you are recognized.
[The statement of Ms. Marlow follows:]
------
STATEMENT OF JAN McKEEL, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR,
SOUTH CENTRAL TENNESSEE WORKFORCE ALLIANCE
Ms. McKeel. Thank you, good morning, Chairman Kline,
Representative DesJarlais and all in attendance today. Thank
you on behalf of the South Central Tennessee Workforce
Alliance, our corporate board of directors and Workforce Board
for the honor of presenting our efforts to build a world class
workforce in the middle Tennessee region.
The counties in our local workforce investment area--Maury,
Giles, Lawrence, Lewis, Hickman, Marshall, Perry, and Wayne--
have experienced tremendous job loss. With the highest
unemployment rate in Tennessee for 36 of the past 38 months,
our unemployment stands at 14.2 percent, more than 47 percent
above the state rate of 9.6 percent, and almost two-thirds
higher than the U.S. rate of 8.9 percent. This represents over
14,000 people in our region alone--mothers, fathers,
grandparents, sons and daughters--who want to work and provide
the best for their families. Through our Tennessee career
centers, funded primarily through Workforce Investment Act
formula funds, we partner with key organizations to leverage
our funding to provide advice, guidance and resources to job
seekers, whether in an effort to locate a better paying job or
to simply find a job when the crisis of job loss hits close to
home.
In January of 2010, when our economic crisis resulted in 17
percent unemployment regionally, our foot traffic averaged 1120
people daily in our eight counties, an increase of almost 300
percent over the previous year alone. Gratefully, we have well
established career centers with talented professional staffs
that serve the 700-plus that continue to visit each day, to tap
the tools we and our partners offer to assist job seekers in
their quest to end their personal crisis of unemployment.
Our region has excelled in manufacturing, the sector
amongst the hardest hit in the economic downturn. Over two-
thirds of our manufacturing jobs have been lost in the past
decade. Although beginning to rebound, we are not likely to
ever reach the manufacturing employment levels once
experienced. In addition, the manufacturing jobs that are
returning look vastly different than those of the past.
Assembly type jobs have been replaced by more skilled
positions, for example, robotics and electrical technicians.
However, we also expect significant job growth to come from
occupations outside of manufacturing, as we witness a shift to
other sectors, including healthcare, information technology and
business management and supervision.
Our workforce board is charged with providing oversight to
the investment of local Workforce Investment Act funding. To
make the best Workforce Investment decisions, a study was
conducted in partnership with the Nashville Chamber of Commerce
and our workforce board colleagues--the Nashville Career
Advancement Center and Workforce Essentials. The study looked
at jobs, the projected growth or decline in the labor market
for the ten-county region surrounding Nashville. Most training
programs in which we invest are taught by Columbia State
Community College or the Tennessee Technology Centers and
include programs such as nursing, information technology, green
jobs and solar photovoltaic technology. Since July of 2010, we
have provided scholarship and/or support to over 470
individuals, most being dislocated workers from closed
manufacturing companies, providing them the skills needed to
transition into new careers. And I might add that I am happy to
say that all three institutions that were represented in the
previous panel have had students that we have helped support.
Lives are changed when adults, regardless of their age or
years in the workforce, gain additional education and skills.
An idea to increase workforce and economic development
opportunities in the region has been discussed by local
business, community and education leaders for many years. A
framework, driven by employers, would allow technical training
and workforce development activities to be expanded. Adults
could focus on technical training without traveling almost an
hour, providing a more realistic opportunity to work and train
part time. Incumbent worker training would become increasingly
available to employers and internships for those in training
would add experiential opportunities complementing classroom
training.
Now, through a $5 million state-funded grant, the Workforce
Development and Conference Center at Northfield has been
established in the former Saturn corporate and training
headquarters. Ten public and private partners are already
participating with projects including additional training
programs, business incubation, entrepreneurship training,
incumbent worker training and paid internships. Dual enrollment
for high school students and business mentorship programs are
also planned. And now the recent award of $8.3 million in U.S.
DOL National Emergency Grant funding will support these efforts
for our many dislocated workers.
In closing, I appreciate the tremendous work this Committee
is charged with performing and understand the difficulty in
prioritizing where federal funds are spent. However, training
and education, workforce success and personal income are
positively correlated. Economic landscapes will periodically
change and the strength of individual sectors will come and go.
Yet the strengths of our communities will remain correlated to
our ability to attract, retain and grow jobs.
Please continue to recognize the importance of the public-
private partnerships fostered by our workforce investment
boards. We recognize our responsibility to convene business and
industry, education, community-based organization and public
sector agencies as our primary duty. This infrastructure
designed in the Workforce Investment Act provides support,
guidance, and resources to so many, both job seekers and
employers and promotes the regionalism and leveraging of funds
required to grow our workforce skills.
My sincerest thanks, and I will be happy to address any
questions you might have.
Chairman Kline. Thank you, Ms. McKeel.
Ms. Prater, you are recognized.
[The statement of Ms. McKeel follows:]
Prepared Statement of Jan McKeel, Executive Director,
South Central Tennessee Workforce Alliance
Good morning, Chairman Kline, Representative DesJarlais, and all in
attendance today. On behalf of the South Central Tennessee Workforce
Alliance, our Corporate Board of Directors, and Workforce Board, I
thank you for the honor of presenting our efforts to build a world
class workforce in the Middle Tennessee region through private and
public partnerships. My focus today will be on our partnerships with
those in higher education that provide the training and education
needed by our workforce to succeed in obtaining jobs, maintaining jobs,
and growing their careers.
As Executive Director of the South Central Tennessee Workforce
Alliance since its incorporation 8 years ago as a 501c3, and for an
additional 6 years prior when we were a division of Columbia State
Community College, I have been privileged to witness firsthand the
incredible results when adults, regardless of their age or years in the
workforce, gain additional education and skills. Unfortunately, the
eight counties in our Local Workforce Investment Area--Maury, Giles,
Lawrence, Lewis, Hickman, Marshall, Perry, and Wayne--have experienced
tremendous job loss, particularly in the last 3 years. In fact, our
region has led the state with the highest regional unemployment rate
for 36 of the past 38 months. According to the most recent unemployment
analysis, our area unemployment stands at over 14.2%, more than 47%
above the Tennessee rate of 9.6%, and almost two thirds higher than the
United State rate of 8.9%. We must always remember that this rate is
actually made up of over 14,000 people in our region alone--mothers,
fathers, grandparents, sons, and daughters--who want to work and
provide the best for their families. And, this unemployment rate does
not represent the thousands of individuals who are underemployed--
either because they are working in jobs below their skill level, or
because they are not working as many hours as they would like. Through
our Tennessee Career Center system, with 9 located in our region and
funded primarily through Workforce Investment Act formula funds, we
partner with key organizations and agencies in each community to bring
together the resources and personnel to provide advice, guidance and
resources to those looking for new jobs, whether in an effort to locate
a better paying job, or to simply find a job when the crisis of a
layoff or closure hits close to home.
In early 2009, our daily foot traffic averaged just over 400 job
seekers daily. In January 2010, at the height of our unemployment
crisis with a rate of 17% unemployment, our foot traffic averaged 1,120
people daily--an increase of almost 300%! Gratefully we are established
in each of our counties with Career Centers and talented professional
staffs that serve the 700+ that continue to visit each day to tap the
resources we and our partners offer to assist jobseekers in their quest
to end their personal crisis of unemployment by finding jobs that
maximize their skills and pay good wages.
For decades we have exceled in manufacturing, providing families an
excellent source of income and ability to provide for their families.
Yet, manufacturing has been amongst the hardest hit industries during
the economic crisis our nation has experienced. We have lost over
14,000 jobs in manufacturing alone, and although this industry is
beginning to rebound, a full economic recovery may take until 2014, and
it is not likely we will ever reach the manufacturing employment levels
of the 1990's. In addition, the manufacturing jobs that are returning
look vastly different than those of the past. Assembly type jobs have
been replaced by more skilled positions--for example robotics
technicians, machinists, and electrical technicians. However, we also
expect significant job growth to come from occupations outside of
manufacturing. As in most areas of the United States, we are witnessing
a shift from the manufacturing sector to other sectors including
healthcare, information technology, and business management and
supervision. The South Central Tennessee Workforce Alliance through our
Workforce Board is charged with providing oversight to the investment
of Workforce Investment Act dollars for this region.
To make the best decisions, we have participated in two labor
market studies in the past 5 years. Most recently, in partnership with
the Nashville Chamber of Commerce, and our workforce board colleagues--
the Nashville Career Advancement Center and Workforce Essentials--a
study, ``Leveraging the Labor Force for Economic Growth'', was
conducted in 2010. This study looks at jobs, the projected growth or
decline and the labor market for the 10 county area surrounding
Nashville, which is the economic engine of our region. This study,
along with labor market information provided by the Tennessee
Department of Labor & Workforce Development, is the foundation for our
training investment decisions. The majority of programs in which we
invest are programs taught by Columbia State Community College or the
Tennessee Technology Centers, and include programs in Nursing, Health
Information Technology, Computer Information Systems, Residential
Wiring & Plumbing, Automotive Technology, Green Jobs Technology and
Solar Photovoltaic Technology. Since July 2010, we have provided
scholarship and/or support to over 470 individuals in need of skills
upgrades. The majority of these individuals are dislocated workers from
closed manufacturing companies, and the additional education and
training will provide the skills needed to move into new careers.
For the past 7 years, an idea to bring additional training
opportunities to the area has been discussed by business, community,
and education leaders. The dream was to provide a framework, driven by
employers, where educational providers could come and provide the
desired credentialed training and skills. Area high school students
would have the opportunity to dual enroll in programs and earn credit
toward a post-secondary degree. Adults could focus on technical
training without traveling almost an hour, providing a more realistic
opportunity to work and train part time. Business and industry could
assist in planning desired training for their workforce, and provide
opportunities for internships for those in training to add experiential
opportunities. These ideas and plans are now coming to fruition through
a partnership between the Tennessee Department of Economic and
Community Development, the Tennessee Department of Labor & Workforce
Development, the United States Department of Labor, local city and
county governments, Columbia State Community College and sister
institutions, the Tennessee Technology Centers, University of Tennessee
Industrial Services, Spring Hill GM Manufacturing, and the South
Central Tennessee Workforce Alliance. Through a $5 million state funded
grant through TDECD, the Workforce Development and Conference Center at
Northfield has been established in the former Saturn corporate &
training headquarters--a 320,000 square foot building built as a
corporate office and training center.
Training provider partners at Northfield are providing training and
economic development opportunities for the region. Approximately one-
third of the building will be devoted to training, with fixed costs
covered by the rent generated from the two-thirds of the building
available for lease. The building is being marketed as a potential site
for a call center or corporate support back offices, and can support
approximately 700 workers. Based on our knowledge of the labor market,
we are making progress in the establishment of training in at least 5
areas: 1) Healthcare; 2) Public Safety; 3) Advanced Manufacturing and
Sustainable Technologies; 4) Hospitality and Culinary Arts; and 5)
Information Technology. The recent award of $8.3 million in National
Emergency Grant funding through the USDOL will allow training efforts
to be supported at this facility, and will provide for 1,500
individuals laid off from General Motors and its suppliers, along with
others affected by these layoffs in the region.
A business incubator will allow new and start-up businesses who
meet acceptance criteria to be established and nurtured with access to
resources and expertise needed to strengthen and grow into larger,
profitable companies who will choose to stay in our community. We are
working to finalize the first company accepted into our incubator--a
green technology start-up which, with a mix of funding including a
grant from the Tennessee Solar Institute, will begin later this summer
with an initial workforce of 10 employees, several trained through
classes already completed in green technologies at Northfield. The plan
is to host several more start-ups on this unique training and work
campus.
In closing, I appreciate the tremendous work this Committee is
charged with performing, and understand the difficulty in prioritizing
where federal funds are spent. I can, however, sincerely share with you
that training and education, workforce success, and personal income are
positively correlated. Economic landscapes will periodically change,
and the strength of individual sectors will come and go. Yet the
strength of our communities, especially in more rural settings, will
remain correlated to our ability to attract, retain, and grow jobs.
Please continue to recognize the importance of the public private
partnerships fostered by our Workforce Investment Boards, and that we
take this responsibility to convene business and industry, education,
community based organizations, and public sector agencies as our main
duty. This infrastructure designed in the Workforce Investment Act
provides support, guidance, and resources to so many, both jobseekers
and employers, and promotes the regionalism and leveraging of funds
required to grow our workforce skills, both immediate and in the
future. My sincerest thanks, and I will be happy to address any
questions you may have.
______
STATEMENT OF MARGARET PRATER, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, NORTHWEST
TENNESSEE WORKFORCE BOARD
Ms. Prater. Thank you. Good morning.
On behalf of Dyersburg State Community College and the
Northwest Tennessee Workforce Board, I appreciate the
opportunity to speak to the role of higher education in job
growth and development. My perspective is from a dual role
since Dyersburg State serves as both administrative entity and
a training provider for the Workforce Investment Act programs.
My primary responsibility is to convene leaders of business
and industry, education, organized labor, economic development,
community organizations, labor and workforce development and
human services that form the Northwest Tennessee Workforce
Board. Our guiding principles include being private sector
driven, responsible and competitive and customer-focused
through use of our Tennessee One-Stop Career Centers.
The One-Stop Career Centers in our area have seen services
increase by 67 percent since 2008. More and more job seekers
are attending workshops, earning skill credentials such as the
National Career Readiness Certificate and making informed
career choices. But many need more than job search assistance.
Although we are a one-stop center, we are not a one-size-
fits-all. Over 24 percent of adults age 25 and over in our
region have less than a high school diploma. We work with our
adult education partner to promote GED attainment, but have
taken further steps to stop the flow of dropouts, including
coordinating a very successful peer tutoring program in local
high schools. Only 16 percent of individuals age 25 and over
have an associate's degree or higher, as compared to almost 35
percent in the United States. These low education levels leave
many of our job seekers without the necessary skills employers
require. Fortunately, our community colleges have the expertise
in providing training for high tech, high demand occupations.
This will be vital as our economy begins to recover and
employers look to hire skilled workers.
We recently received the devastating news that Goodyear
Tire & Rubber--the largest manufacturer in northwest
Tennessee--will be closing. In my written testimony, I ask you
to imagine that on February 10 at 7:36 a.m., you received a
text message stating ``Goodyear is closing by year end.'' I
take you through various individuals who may have received that
text, including a Goodyear worker, his wife, a supplier, a
retail employee, two professionals, the mayor, the community
college president, and finally myself, the actual recipient of
the text message. I realize this may be an unorthodox way to
approach this testimony; however, in order for you to
understand how important your role is in this process, I need
you to put yourself in their shoes. I need you to feel what
those people felt on that February morning. I need you to have
the passion that I and so many other workforce development
professionals have.
Please understand that nearly 2,000 Goodyear workers and
1,400 more employees of local suppliers and retailers will lose
their jobs. They do not have jobs to go to. How do I know this?
It is pretty simple math. Our average unemployment rate is 12.9
percent. When multiplied by the labor force, that is 13,150
individuals who are unemployed in our area. This does not
include the under-employed or the discouraged workers and does
not include these Goodyear workers. In order for these workers
to become gainfully employed, we must attract new business and
industry to our area. In order to do that, we must have a world
class labor force.
The National Association of State Workforce Board Chairs
published a paper entitled ``The Competitive Challenge:
Building a World Class Workforce,'' and stated, ``For the
United States to remain competitive in a knowledge-based global
economy, it is critical that we create and maintain a world
class education system that prepares our workforce with world
class skills.''
Over the past few years, our board has commissioned a
workforce study, a healthcare sector analysis, and an advanced
manufacturing sector analysis to identify critical skill
shortages. The studies concluded that there would be jobs in
healthcare and manufacturing. However, they will require higher
skill levels. Unfortunately, Goodyear did not practice advanced
manufacturing; therefore, these workers will require retraining
to fill skill gaps.
Again, community colleges have the expertise to provide the
training, but due to other dislocations, classes are at
capacity and funding is not available to expand offerings.
Over 1,800 surveys were completed by Goodyear workers and
family members indicating their occupational needs. These were
combined with skill shortage data to determine the need for 37
classes in high skilled demand occupations such as nursing and
advanced manufacturing. Due to the prolonged recession and the
nearly 1,500 job seekers in training this year, WIA budgets are
already strained as we prepare for the recent cuts. Without
approval of the national emergency grant, Goodyear workers
cannot receive the education and training needed to re-enter
the workforce.
In closing, I would like to ask that you also consider my
written testimony regarding the following:
With regard to Pell grants, coordination can be flawed. WIA
pays unmet need after Pell. If Pell is reduced, WIA costs
increase, although our WIA budgets are also being reduced.
Timing is everything. A 10 percent budget cut over 12
months is manageable. The same 10 percent budget cut over three
months is effectively a 40 percent cut and extremely
challenging.
And third, the GAO report recognized that the current
workforce system has merit. States like Tennessee could serve
as a role model for the many recommendations.
I appreciate the hard choices that you have and will make
to secure our future. And thank you for the opportunity to
share my thoughts.
[The statement of Ms. Prater follows:]
Prepared Statement of Margaret W. Prater, Executive Director, Dyersburg
State Community College--Northwest Tennessee Workforce Board
It is an honor and privilege for me to represent the American
Association of Community Colleges, Dyersburg State Community College,
and the Northwest Tennessee Workforce Board at this hearing on
``Reviving our Economy: The Role of Higher Education and Job Growth and
Development.'' As the Executive Director of the Northwest Tennessee
Workforce Board, I have a rather unique perspective on this topic,
since I am also an employee of Dyersburg State Community College, the
administrative entity for the Workforce Investment Act programs. For
the past 27 years, Dyersburg State has served as administrative entity
for federal workforce programs, including the Job Training Partnership
Act (JTPA) and Workforce Investment Act (WIA). This public/private
partnership has proven to be beneficial to both entities, but mostly to
the unemployed adults, dislocated workers, and disadvantaged youth of
northwest Tennessee. I consider it a privilege to have witnessed the
way thousands of people have changed their lives through education and
training over the years of my service. At the retirement of my
predecessor last July, I presented him with a plaque stating that under
his leadership we had provided education and training to over 66,000
individuals, a number large enough to fill the Titans football stadium
in Nashville.
Since 2008, due to the recession, our focus has been on the
dislocated worker. The seven (7) counties in Local Workforce Investment
Area (LWIA) 12--Crockett, Dyer, Gibson, Lake, Lauderdale, Obion and
Tipton--have lost over 3,500 ``reported'' jobs, mostly in
manufacturing. The term ``reported'', means those employers who are
required to report layoffs in excess of 50 individuals. This does not
include the countless number of employees who are laid off from ``mom
and pop shops'', small businesses that make up a significant part of
the workforce. The Tennessee Department of Labor provides our LWIA with
a weekly list of new claimants for unemployment insurance. Since early
2008, we have mailed 9,726 letters to new claimants advising these
unemployed workers of the services available to them in the Tennessee
One-Stop Career Centers and through WIA. In late 2009, one of our
counties, Lauderdale, hovered at nearly 20% unemployment for months. In
fact, due to this county's statistics, a news crew from 60 Minutes
spent three (3) days investigating what was referred to as the
``99ers'', those who had exhausted regular unemployment benefits and
the multiple extensions equating to ninety-nine (99) weeks. Lauderdale
County unemployment is now down to 15.9%, lowering our overall area
unemployment rate to 12.9% which is definitely an improvement; however,
this still equates to 13,150 individuals looking for work. Some of
these live in Lake County, which has the 12th highest poverty rate in
the nation.
My primary responsibility as Executive Director is to convene
business and industry leaders, representatives of education, economic
development professionals, community organization advocates, organized
labor representatives and state departments of Labor and Workforce
Development and Human Services to form the Northwest Tennessee
Workforce Board (NTWB).
Our mission is to create a workforce system that fully utilizes the
experience and innovative resources of the public sector in an
efficient, responsible, integrated system that provides services to the
citizens and employers of northwest Tennessee, which fosters a
competitive economic environment and a high quality of life. Our
guiding principles include being private sector driven, responsible and
competitive, and customer focused through the use of our Tennessee One-
stop Career Centers.
LWIA 12 has a Tennessee One-stop Career Center located in each of
our seven (7) rural counties, where we partner with vital agencies and
organizations to provide the personnel and resources needed to help job
seekers find gainful employment. Since the recession began in 2008, our
services have increased tremendously. In March 2008, the One-Stop
Career Centers provided 52,104 in various services such as unemployment
insurance, WIA, and Veteran Services. By March 2009, that number had
increased by 38% to 72,003. The number of services continued to rise in
March 2010, up another 21% to 82,790. As of last month, March 2011,
services reached an all time high of 86,920, making a total increase
since 2008 of 67%. Continuing this level of service becomes
increasingly difficult from a manpower and budgetary standpoint. The
prolonged recession has taken a toll on the One-stop Career Center
Staff. In addition to the massive increase in the numbers of services
requested daily, they deal with the hopelessness, depression and
anxiety of more and more customers every day and face the reality their
job performance depends on these customers getting a job in a depressed
economy. One-stop Career Center staff work extra hours without extra
pay, and have not had a salary increase in nearly five (5) years. They
are aware of the national budget issues, and as they see what their
customers are going through, they know they too may be laid off, adding
to the rolls of dislocated workers.
It is important to recognize education and training services will
vary by state, local area, one-stop center and even by individual. It
is not ``one-size fits all'' system. Sometimes a customer simply needs
help constructing a resume' or to register to take the National Career
Readiness Certificate (ACTs WorkKeys portable skills credential that
many employers require) or be referred to a job interview. Others need
more intensive services. Staff conduct various assessments to determine
skill levels and assist the job seeker with using labor market
information to make informed decisions on a career choice. More often
than not, we find the unemployed adults and recently dislocated workers
lack the job skills employers require, so training is required. Once a
plan is developed, staff arrange for payment of fees, books and
supportive services, such as transportation. But their job is not over.
They follow the progress of the customer, developing a rapport lasting
in some cases for years to come. It is not unusual for staff to meet a
customer at the grocery store or a restaurant and receive an update on
how their individual experience through the One-stop Career Center and
WIA has changed their life. We have countless success stories.
Our area will show a particularly high incidence of skills training
compared to others in the State and probably the Nation due to the lack
of technical skills. Demographics for persons 25 or over in the area
show that 24.4% of adults in the region have less than a high school
diploma compared to 15.4% in the U.S. Only 16.2% have an Associate
Degree or higher compared to 34.9% in the U.S. With employers requiring
higher skills to compete in a global economy, a large percentage of the
workforce is unprepared to meet their needs. Since July 1, 2010, we
have funded training and/or support services so participants can attend
training for 1,488 adults, dislocated workers, and youth to equip them
with the skills needed to help their perspective employer better
compete in a local and global economy. It is important to note that WIA
funds are what we refer to as ``last dollar scholarships'', only
providing funding after coordination with state and federal financial
aid, such as Pell Grants. We were pleased to hear that federal Pell
Grants were retained at the current level, rather than being cut as
originally recommended. This would have been what we refer to as a
``double whammy'' for workforce development since WIA only funds the
customer's unmet need after Pell Grant payments are calculated. It
would be unfortunate to take a cut in WIA funding, then also have an
increase customer need due to our partners budget being cut as well. As
a Board, we embraced the paper published by the National Association of
State Workforce Board Chairs a few years ago entitled The Competitive
Challenge: Building a World-Class Workforce. Excerpts from the
Executive Summary are included below:
For the United States to remain competitive in the knowledge-based
global economy, it is critical that we create and maintain a world-
class education system that prepares our workforce with world-class
skills. The workforce development system of the 21st century must be
innovative, business-driven, customer-oriented, and performance-based.
Ultimately, it must add value and increase the productivity of our
nation's economy. To become a world-class system, it must be agile
enough to adapt to rapid changes in the economy and be responsive to
its customers.
The personal prosperity of our citizens and the economic security
of our nation will require uniting our education, economic development,
and workforce development strategies in a common effort to equip our
citizens with higher skills and supply our businesses with qualified
workers.
The community college, and other institutions of higher education,
can provide the expertise needed to train a world-class workforce. As
an employee of Dyersburg State Community College (DSCC), I am certainly
an advocate for the education and training we provide the citizens of
our region. But, I can also attest to this as an end-user, in more than
one way. I am a product of the community college system. After
graduating high school, I had no intention of attending college. Five
years later, I found myself desiring to improve my skills to advance in
the world of finance. By this time I was married and working full-time,
so I attended at night. By the time I graduated nine (9) years later, I
had two children, and actually worked for the college. My experience
does not stop there. Both my daughters attended DSCC. They started
their college careers while still in high school, earning enough
credits to be classified as sophomores in college when they graduated
from high school. One became a teacher and one a nurse. My
grandchildren now attend ``College for Kids'' as I have started early
on to impress upon them the need for life-long learning. I have also
seen firsthand the innovation and adaptability that DSCC has as a
training provider for WIA. One such program is a fast-track LPN to RN
program that was funded to meet the demand for Registered Nurses at
local hospitals. As the Administrative Entity for WIA, DSCC has
provided ample financial and personnel systems, professional
development for staff and an established partnership with business and
industry.
LWIA 12 has been a leader in identifying strategies for long-term
growth. In 2004, the Board and partners, a local chamber of commerce,
and industrial association, commissioned a study of the local
workforce. Findings concluded that the ``study area is largely
unprepared for future growth due to the lack of a well-educated and
trained workforce'' and ``only about 13% of jobs in short supply are
available to workers with less than a high school diploma''. Finding
six of the ten fastest growing occupations would be in the Healthcare
Industry; LWIA 12 conducted a Healthcare Sector Analysis. The analysis
included building a career pathway model presented by healthcare
professionals to students in middle and high school. This year, LWIA 12
along with 17 public and private partners commissioned a nineteen (19)
county regional Advanced Manufacturing Sector Analysis. It identified
companies, job titles, wage information, job openings, projected
growth, and sectors including green jobs. A career pathway model is
also available to give jobseekers insight into the knowledge, skills,
and training required to have a career in Advanced Manufacturing. This
work of the Board reinforces the premise that workforce development
systems be locally controlled. It is vital for local areas to have the
ability to adapt to economic needs and prepare to meet those needs
based on local trends.
It is easy to see the Board and its partners subscribe to the
``power of e-3'' theory--the linkage of education, employment and
economic development. This is a key component for communities
developing strategies to help workers from a plant closure or mass
layoff.
Consider for a moment you received the following text message at
7:36 a.m. on February 10, 2011:
``Goodyear is closing by year end.''
This may seem like an unusual way to present a testimony, but I
would like for you to take a moment to think about how you would feel
having received this message. First, consider you are one of the 1,983
employees who work at Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company. You are likely
a 44-year old, white male and a tire builder. You have been with the
company for over twelve (12) years, but worked in a similar job for
eleven (11) years before finally getting a job at the largest and best
paying manufacturing company in northwest Tennessee. You are a member
of the United Steel Workers of America. Your hourly rate of pay is $24,
although you only have a GED. You work first shift, six (6) days a
week, so you make $65,000 annually, without working extra overtime. You
have a mortgage on your home, and a truck and two car payments. You
have a wife and two children, one just started college. You are
considered to be rich in the eyes of your neighbors who only have an
average household income of $46,338.
Now consider that you are the wife of a Goodyear employee. You have
not had to work in years, but you decided to get a part-time job for
``fun'' money. If your husband finds a job it will likely pay about
$12-13 per hour, roughly half of what he makes now. You will need to
work full-time to make up the difference; however, you have no real
skills only completing a few college courses before you married and
dropped out. At best you will find a minimum wage job which will not be
enough to make up the difference. Will you lose your house and
vehicles? Will you have to rely on government assistance? What about
health insurance? How will you pay college tuition for your child? How
will you hold your family together?
Maybe the text went to the owner of the local trucking company
whose sole contract is with Goodyear to move product to storage. Can
you get out of your building lease? Can you sell the trucks in this
economy? Will you have to claim bankruptcy? What do you tell the twelve
(12) employees who will lose their jobs? What do you tell your wife and
kids?
Or maybe you are a teenager, working as a cashier at the
convenience store across the road from Goodyear. You work part-time and
go to school. You have heard the rumors before. Everyone said if
Goodyear ever closed, this store was history. Where will you get
another job? How are you going to pay for school expenses?
Consider you are a school teacher or a nurse, working in two of the
highest demand occupations in northwest Tennessee. You feel sorry for
the people losing their job. In fact you know several. Wait, you
remember some saying they would have to move away if Goodyear ever
closed. If families start moving away that would mean less children in
school, less people coming to the hospital. Could this affect your job?
Now consider you are the mayor or the industrial board chairman and
you received this text. Everyone will blame you. Could you have done
something to keep Goodyear here? How are you going to recruit a company
to hire these 2,000 people? What did the study you commissioned a
couple of years ago say about the impact of Goodyear in the region? Was
it another 1,400 indirect jobs in addition to the direct jobs? Was it
almost $5 million in tax revenues that will be lost?
Imagine you are the local community college president. You know
that a high number of adults in the area do not have a high school
diploma and the percentage that have an Associate Degree or higher is
less than half of the percent nationwide. With employers requiring
higher skill sets to compete in a global economy, a large percentage of
the workforce is unprepared to meet their needs. But, your college has
grown by over 1,000 students in the last two years and your funding has
remained flat for the last decade. Your only recourse has been to
increase fees, but students are being hit from all sides with higher
book costs, higher gas prices to get to school and now there is talk
about reducing the Pell grant amount that helps low income students
afford college. Your college works very hard to increase outside funds
for scholarships, but the recession has affected fundraising as well.
How are you going to handle the additional students when you are
already near capacity? What about high demand training programs the
college does not offer? Where will you get the start-up funds?
Finally, consider you are the Executive Director of the Workforce
Board. You are the person responsible for bringing together partners in
employment and training programs to assist dislocated workers,
unemployed adults, and disadvantaged youth in the seven (7) county
rural area that is home to Goodyear. Your primary focus, since the
recession began in 2008, has been dislocated workers since unemployment
rates have been as high as 20% for one county and currently averages
13% for all counties. This is already a total of 13,150 people without
the additional 3,400 direct and indirect Goodyear affected employees.
Your local One-stop Centers are offering more services than ever, up
67% since 2008. Your staff works extra hours to meet the demand without
extra pay and without a raise in nearly 5 years. They see countless
people everyday who are hopeless and depressed because they cannot find
a job. They offer encouragement and career guidance, knowing all along
that their own job may be in jeopardy due to national budget issues.
You will have to pull some of these overworked staff from other
counties to meet with Goodyear employees, but what can you tell them?
You have one of the smallest annual allocations in the State and funds
are already obligated to other dislocated workers. With the recent 800
employees laid off from World Color and the other employees affected by
closure/mass layoff in your area totaling over 3,500 since 2008, the
State has already provided extra funds to help. You can apply for a
National Emergency Grant, but you have heard that these may be
eliminated in the budget battle. What will you do?
Although any of these individuals could have received this text and
did receive a similar message by some means of communication, it was I
who received this particular message from my union representative on
the Workforce Board. The statistics in the examples are taken from
1,806 Needs Surveys of Goodyear employees and family members, and local
demographic information.
In order to understand how important your role is in this process,
I need you to put yourself in their shoes, I need you to feel what
these people felt, I need you to have the passion that I and so many
others in workforce development have. Please understand nearly 2,000
Goodyear workers and potentially 1,400 more with local suppliers and
retailers will lose their jobs and do not have jobs to go to. The
average unemployment rate for our seven (7) county rural area is 12.9%,
with 13,150 individuals looking for work. There is no way current
employers can accommodate this number of workers, plus those affected
by Goodyear. We must attract new business and industry to the area. In
order to do this, we must have a world class labor force.
With the help of many partners, we put together a National
Emergency Grant application to provide employment and training services
to Goodyear workers and their families from twenty-two (22) counties in
Tennessee and Kentucky. The first step to retraining Goodyear employees
was to conduct a Needs Survey. LWIA 12 staff worked around-the-clock
shifts in the plant, distributing and collecting surveys and meeting
with workers to answer their questions and hear their concerns.
Over 1,800 surveys were collected and analyzed, providing a clear
picture of the Goodyear situation. Only two percent (2%) of employees
indicated they did not plan to return to the workforce.
Over sixty-seven percent (67%) of employees indicated a need for
job search assistance. Almost fifty-six percent (56%) indicated a need
for personal assistance, such as educational financial aid. When asked
``Do you believe additional training/education would help you become
more employable?'' 97.5% answered ``yes'', with over 60% indicating
they would participate in either vocational training or academic
training at a college. To handle the masses of employees affected by
the Goodyear closing, we have secured a building rent-free to provide
career and training services locally.
A crucial aspect of the survey was to match local demand
occupations with customer interest. A major obstacle in meeting the
long-term training needs for business expansion and high-growth
occupational employment is lack of capacity within the training and
education system and lack of funding to implement new programs. Thirty-
seven (37) classes were identified that are either currently not
offered or are already at capacity, prohibiting enrollment of Goodyear
workers. Unfortunately, we have expended all FY 2009 and FY 2010 funds,
with very little FY11 funds remaining unobligated. These classes cannot
be offered to the Goodyear workers without approval of the National
Emergency Grant application.
As the details of the FY 11 funding agreement, HR 1473, to keep the
government running for the rest of the fiscal year were released I was
particularly interested in the effect on WIA budgets. I viewed the
final agreement of a $307 million cut to WIA formula programs as
relatively good news when compared to the House passed FY 11 CR bill,
HR 1, which proposed the elimination of all WIA formula funding and
included cuts to job training programs totaling $3.6 billion.
The Northwest Tennessee Workforce Board has historically been a
leader in Tennessee for tracking expenditures and obligations using our
electronic State system. Because of this, we have been proactive in
making adjustments before we have budget issues. We have also been able
to secure additional funds from the State to serve additional
customers.
Each year, it is particularly challenging to balance expenditures
during the first quarter of the program year--July through September.
Local areas receive approximately 22% of annual allocations the first
quarter. Of course, 25% of annual operations, such as salaries,
benefits, rent, etc. must be paid from this amount. The challenge comes
with paying direct participant costs for education and training. For a
participant attending a technology center, we must pay \1/3\ of their
annual cost due to a trimester schedule. For a participant attending a
community college or university, we must pay \1/2\ of their annual cost
due to a semester schedule. For participants attending short-term
private training, we generally pay 100%. All of this must come from 22%
of annual allocation. The logical solution would be to carryover funds
to meet these additional needs. This is what we try to do, but it
becomes complicated. Although we have two years to spend our
allocation, we must spend 70% by first year ending June 30, only
leaving 30% to carryover. In order to spend the 70%, you must have a
significant number of individuals in training, who may also require
funds during that first quarter.
It is our understanding this July will have additional challenges
as the cuts to WIA formula funds will be taken out of this same period
(July--September) versus being applied to the entire year allocation.
Based on our current expenditure levels as of March 31 and the
projected cuts, we will be required to make additional cuts in our
program to continue to serve our customers. This will include laying
off several staff members at a time when we need everyone possible to
meet the needs of customers and contributing to the abundance of
dislocated workers currently looking for work.
I understand the budget situation for our nation is at a crisis
level and I greatly appreciate Congress and the Administration for
reinforcing the local workforce system as the primary delivery
mechanism for workforce funding. Your job is not an easy one. I also
understand that you must evaluate programs such as WIA, not from just
what advocates say, but also from third party concerns.
I want to offer the following comments on the U.S. Government
Accountability Office (GAO) report Opportunities to Reduce Potential
Duplication in Government Programs, Save Tax Dollars, and Enhance
Revenue:
First, let me say that I was pleased to see that WIA is obviously
not the ``smoking gun'' when it comes to wasteful programs! In fact, in
the first sentence, GAO states ``Federally funded employment and
training programs play an important role in helping job seekers obtain
employment.'' It goes on to talk about how some programs overlap with
at least one other program in that they provide one similar service to
a similar population. It states, ``Even when programs overlap, they may
have meaningful differences in their eligibility criteria or
objectives, or they may provide similar types of services in different
ways.'' From my many years in the employment and training business, I
can tell you this is true ``one size does not fit all''.
One of the main focuses of the GAO report seems to be co-locating
services. This was a surprise to me. I know Tennessee is a leader in
the nation in workforce development for performance, expenditure of
funds, etc. But I assumed everyone co-located workforce services since
Tennessee and our local area has been doing this even before the
Workforce Investment Act (WIA), under the Job Training Partnership Act
(JTPA). In five (5) of our seven (7) counties, WIA is co-located in the
Employment Services offices. Just as the report mentions, the only
reason TANF is not also co-located is due to limited office space. In
our other 2 counties, there are no Employment Services offices, so WIA
facilitates this service via technology and the TANF employment and
training service is co-located with us.
Another statement in the report which really rang true for us was,
``Agency officials acknowledged that greater efficiencies could be
achieved in delivering services through these programs, but said
factors such as the number of clients that any One-stop Center can
serve and One-stop Centers' proximity to clients, particularly in rural
areas, could warrant having multiple entities provide the same
services.'' Depending on budget cuts, I may be required to close our
offices in our two smallest counties, Lake and Crockett. I would hope
to ``borrow'' space from another agency to place a part-time staff
person a couple of days a week, but we would not have the computer labs
and technology to provide on-site services and facilitate the
Employment Service role. I do not know where our TANF partner would go.
This would be like taking two steps backwards. If budgets are cut so
much that we cannot employ part-time staff, this means unemployed
adults and dislocated workers would be forced to drive 25-30 miles for
services. I know in some areas in Tennessee, the commute would be even
greater.
The final statement I found interesting in the GAO report about
Employment and Training programs was the last sentence under Actions
Needed and Potential Financial or Other Benefits that states
``Depending on the reduction in administrative costs associated with
co-location and consolidation, these funds could be used to train
potentially hundreds or thousands of additional individuals.'' As
previously noted, since 2008, our area has experienced reported
dislocations of over 3,500 employees, and with Goodyear Tire and Rubber
closing this will add another 2,000 direct and 1,400 indirect layoffs.
Costs savings from co-location and consolidation could be used to
provide employment and training services to this growing number.
In closing, I hope someday employers will be able to hire all the
qualified workers they need; every individual who wants to work will
have a job; and our tax dollars will not be needed to subsidize the
effort. Unfortunately, today is not that day.
______
Chairman Kline. Thank you very much. Thanks to all the
witnesses.
As we did with the previous panel, Dr. DesJarlais and I
will sort of take turns here and ask some questions.
Ms. Prater, I think all of us--certainly most of us--have
seen the same sort of impact that you are talking about. In my
district, Lockheed-Eagan is shutting down and going away, so we
have almost 2000 employees there. When Northwest Airlines
merged with Delta, that means the headquarters operation went
away. So we are seeing that repeated many, many places. The
workplace is changing. And that is part of what is behind our
whole effort here in these hearings, is to get a first-hand
report on what is happening in the workplace locally, and from
our perspective as the Education and Workforce Committee, to
see how those two pieces are coming together--education and
needs of the workforce. Hence your presence here today. And
thank you very much for being here.
Mayor Dickey, you said that--I am sorry, wrong page of
notes here--that these institutions must meet the expectations
of students and the employers--institutions being the community
colleges and so forth. Without picking on anyone particularly,
do you feel that that is happening?
Mayor Dickey. No, we do not see that. We have a lot of
programs in place but somehow our educated job seekers do not
realize the potential of that. Example, roughly 25 percent of
our high school students drop out, so we have to deal with that
situation. And whether it is GED or whatever it is, it is a
serious problem. In the state of Tennessee, only 29 percent of
the students graduate from high school.
So with that said, we need to prepare earlier, whether
students want to be involved in the academic challenges that
are ahead or the vocational opportunities that they might
prefer themselves. When you go further with the education, you
know, 50 percent of the students roughly that go to college,
drop out the first semester, and in Maury County's situation,
we have 17 percent of our students who have college four-year
degrees.
So to me, we have talked about education, we have talked
about training programs and all these things, but it seems like
our efforts are stagnant and we are getting the same results
over and over.
Chairman Kline. Thank you. Boy, the high school dropout
rate even nationwide is pretty staggering. It almost seems to
us, and probably everybody in this room, that everybody knows
that if you do not graduate from high school, you are starting
way, way behind. And probably everybody in this room
understands that if you do not have an associate's degree or
some specialized training or a college degree that you are
going to suffer. Yet, we still have these high dropout rates.
Kind of another part of our job on this committee is we are
looking at the Elementary and Secondary Education Act and what
might be done there, but it is always a little bit distressing
to me.
It is clear that here, perhaps maybe even more than other
places, the workplace is changing as you are losing
manufacturing jobs and moving to other areas. And Ms. Marlow,
you have found such an area.
I found it interesting, Ms. Prater, that you pointed out
that the community colleges are full. We did not develop that
notion with the other panel. Is this principally--I am back to
you right now--is this principally, the maximum capacity
issue--do you think this is mostly people looking for specific
changes in careers, or is this a normal compilation of high
school graduates just wanting to go to college, or is it driven
by the need for a new sort of career change?
Ms. Prater. I think it is primarily the dislocations that
we have had and the high unemployment, that people recognize
that there are not jobs there and so they have to prepare
themselves for where the jobs are. I know that this year,
Dyersburg State is graduating almost twice as many as last
year. We are a very small college, but 400 students are
graduating. I know we increased by over 1,000 students in like
a two-year period. But I do believe that it has to do with the
whole economic situation and I think we will--as jobs come
back, I think we will see people leave, probably before they
get their degree--part of the dropout that Mr. Dickey was
referring to, of where they do not finish college. I think once
they feel that they have enough skills and they can get back
into the workforce, we will see that happening as well.
Chairman Kline. Thank you. Let me ask one more question
before I yield to Dr. DesJarlais.
I was struck, Ms. McKeel, you talked about providing
scholarships. What is the source of that money?
Ms. McKeel. They are actual individual training accounts,
ITAs through the Workforce Investment Act. In our area, folks
did not seem to know what an ITA was, so we decided to rename
that, it meant a lot more. And the other piece of that is that
an ITA almost had the attitude that ``I am entitled to that''
where a scholarship is earned. And we very much require our
scholarships to be earned. So we just sort of changed our
terminology on that.
Chairman Kline. That makes it a lot easier now, I
understand what you are talking about.
Ms. Prater. And we use the term, it is ITA.
Chairman Kline. Good choice.
Dr. Desjarlais.
Mr. DesJarlais. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Mayor Dickey, I think I will start with you. I know the
challenges you face here in the city, we have talked about
these and certainly you have your work cut out for you, as do
we all.
What workforce initiatives is the city office working on
now?
Mayor Dickey. We have partnered with the Workforce Alliance
on the programs that might be available such as the youth
program. Last year, I think we employed some 16 workers from
that program. And also job training dollars that are available
for certain positions, police and fire, those kinds of things.
Mr. DesJarlais. Do you have any tax incentive plans to
attract new businesses?
Mayor Dickey. We do. We have just put this in place, we
have not used it as of this date, but it is there for the
future, to make us more competitive in recruiting new jobs.
Mr. DesJarlais. Ms. McKeel, do you feel that individuals
looking for employment are accessing the programs at the local
institutions for training?
Ms. McKeel. Yes, and I think one of the things especially,
I know it has certainly affected us at the career center level
and I am sure at the community college level and other
institutions as well is that for a long time we felt like maybe
we were a best-kept secret. And one of the things that the
recession did, as I mentioned in my numbers, that just foot
traffic alone had increased 300 percent over the last year. We
are not a secret any more and the resources that we offer to
folks are available. And included in those resources is
information on the different training institutions. So again,
we are in a bit of a crisis situation or have been over the
last 18 months to two years and if you want to look for
positive things that come from that, is that folks understand
the resources and know where to go.
Mr. DesJarlais. Do you have any suggestions--you mentioned
some--for how businesses and institutions of higher education
can work a little better together?
Ms. McKeel. My favorite tool, and I was actually hoping you
might ask that question, but my favorite tool is paid
internships and that partnership. The sooner we can get
individuals into a workplace--classroom is great, but the more
you can get them into the workplace, that makes it relevant. I
mean internships are great, paid or unpaid, but paid even takes
it up a step.
Mr. DesJarlais. And I will direct this to you, but Mayor
Dickey first, what areas are you expecting to see job growth or
job creation in the next year or two in the area?
Mayor Dickey. Well, Congressman, of course, we know we are
in a changing work environment. Manufacturing is vanishing, but
yet our community is equipped for manufacturing jobs. So we
have to try to recruit, for a quick fix, manufacturing jobs.
And then somehow, we have to see the big picture and get into
solar, green jobs, somewhere down the road there.
Mr. DesJarlais. Ms. McKeel, do you have anything to add?
Ms. McKeel. In fact, I was trying to jot it down so I did
not leave anything out here on it.
There is basically--and I go back to the report that we
coordinated on with Nashville Chamber and our Workforce
Investment partners, and it looked at the 10-county area, but
that is the economic engine for our entire middle Tennessee
region. And then we looked at adapting a little more
specifically to our southern counties, but there are basically
five sectors that we are looking at growth in, they are very
broad, as they should be--advanced manufacturing and green
technologies, healthcare, public safety, hospitality and
culinary arts, as well as information technology, which the IT
piece crosses into every one of those categories. So those are
the basic five that we are currently looking at, but then of
course you get into logistics and distribution that fits into
the manufacturing, so there are many sub-sectors of that as
well.
Mr. DesJarlais. Thank you.
Ms. Marlow, in your testimony, I was fascinated by the
growth in your industry. What do you expect will be the
employment demand moving forward?
Ms. Marlow. There is a very high demand. While it seems to
be a very niche market, it is a very high demand. If you think
about location-based technology, it is expected to grow and
create billions of dollars in revenue and if you look at the
numbers, even from the Department of Labor, they expect that it
is going to grow just immensely. And if you think about even
the whole Google--every database that has an address has the
ability to be visually seen on a map. So if you think about
just enabling any kind of database to have an address,
location-based technology, the growth potential is enormous.
Mr. DesJarlais. Are you or others in your industry working
closely with the educational system to make sure that they are
developing programs to help fulfill the needs of your industry?
Ms. Marlow. We have but again, I would like to stress that
K through 12 geography and the use of geospatial technology in
those classrooms. Because many students--I mean some of the
reasons that some of these classes are not being taught is
because there is not a demand at the student level. So they are
not aware of the profession. So I would again point to that K
through 12 education as really important.
Mr. DesJarlais. I hate to use time to tell stories, but
when you were talking about the lack of education in basic
geography, I could not help but think of a story--and my wife
Amy will probably remember this. We were talking to a
substitute teacher, and I have actually talked to several
younger people too, and I thought that I heard them mention the
island of Alaska. [Laughter.]
And I had to stop and think a little bit, and I actually
asked this substitute teacher to show me Alaska on a map and
she could not because all the maps in the classroom showed the
United States with Hawaii and Alaska next to it out in the
ocean. And when I told her where it actually was, she said
well, that makes a lot more sense because I did not understand
why one was so warm and the other was so cold, if they were so
close to each other. [Laughter.]
You might just test that. But it was a shock to me
because--I will not say who it is in case they listen to this.
But I would concur that we need to do better, based on that one
story alone.
Ms. Marlow. There you go.
Mr. DesJarlais. I will turn it back to the Chairman.
Chairman Kline. You mean it is not an island? [Laughter.]
Ms. Marlow, I have sympathy certainly. It is always
appalling to me when people cannot find things on a map.
Probably going to be resistant to the federal government
getting into the curriculum business. By law right now, the
federal government is prohibited from doing that and it is
probably a pretty good law, but since I am in your district,
Scott, I will nevertheless fearlessly step out and encourage
the people in Tennessee to put a little geography in the
curriculum.
I think, Ms. Marlow, you are sort of the exact example that
we are looking at here where we have got very, very high
unemployment nationwide, and extremely high here. We have heard
some very high percentages--12, 14, 16 percent unemployment--
and you have a manufacturing base that is diminished, to say
the least. And you have got a relatively new field and it is
sort of a high tech field and it is a new opportunity. You talk
about billions of dollars of opportunity. And absent the
stirring interest in K-12, what are you doing, how are you
trying to interact with the colleges that were already here
before, with the workforce boards, to try to get people who are
qualified to come work for you?
Ms. Marlow. Well, actually that is the reason I founded the
Institute for GIS studies, was really to try to make the
connection. We have a lot of these jobs that are being sent to
India, China, because they have focused on the information
technology and have focused on those fields. So the way that we
connect is through the chamber and things like that, as well
as--I mean I am here today to connect, you know, just to try to
reach out and say, look, this is something that is growing and
we have data here in Tennessee, that is the thing. Even if you
had somebody who had a great interest in it, you have to have
data to actually interact and to make it work. So the State of
Tennessee has made a huge investment so every county and every
city has geospatial data available.
I just believe that that is a great field and I would like
to raise the level of interest in it.
Chairman Kline. I think you are doing that.
We talked about various mechanisms of connecting colleges
and the workplace and the future workforce, and there are
advisory boards, for example. I think all three of the
institutions of higher education talked about advisory boards.
Do you or others in your industry participate in any of those
boards?
Ms. Marlow. We do. Most of what I have been doing, quite
frankly, has been at a national level just because a lot of my
work is done outside of the state of Tennessee, meaning we work
for a lot of other governments that are not, you know, in
Tennessee. So a lot of my work has been done at the national
level. But a lot of the people in our industry are very active
in many different boards and advisory boards and things like
that.
Chairman Kline. Do you have interns?
Ms. Marlow. Actually, I have two openings this summer for
interns. [Laughter.]
So I thought I would mention that.
Chairman Kline. We are trying to perform a service here.
Ms. Marlow. Make the truth in action.
Chairman Kline. Ms. McKeel and Ms. Prater, you both talked
about increase in traffic, numbers of people coming, foot
traffic--a lot of different terms, 700 each day and so forth.
Are you involved in tracking what happens to those people? I
mean it is one thing to measure how many people are walking in
and asking for advice on how to produce a resume, it is another
to see where they end up in that process. Can both of you, each
of you, address that?
Ms. McKeel. I will start. Yes, the answer is yes. The
metrics, of course, there are certain metrics that we are
required to follow because of the Workforce Investment Act, but
we have almost a report card. But the ones that we follow, of
course, are the ones that receive more intensive services. You
are right, there are 700 that walk in a day, some of them
getting very basic information and going on their way. But we
very much watch very closely for a year after they are finished
with our services to find out--especially those that go into
training--did they go to work in the field in which we trained
them in, what were their wages, and are they staying on the
job.
Ms. Prater. Yes, we do the same thing. As she said, with
those individuals who needadditional, more intensive services,
we provide scholarships. That is where I think I mentioned we
have almost 1,500 individuals whoare receiving scholarships or
support services right now. We have monthly contact with those
individuals while they are in their classes, while they are in
their training or we do quite a bit of on-the-job training with
employers as well. Then, once they exit the program and are
employed--or if they are not immediately employed, we continue
to follow up with them for at least a year to make sure--and
sometimes we will find that they were employed and something
has happened and they need additional services and we will
bring them back in and work with them.
Ms. McKeel. I might add to that, especially in the training
piece of it, that our workforce board looks at that every
quarter as part of the reporting, to see if the monies that are
invested in those training programs are resulting, first of
all, in work, but specifically in work in that field in which
they were trained. And decisions are made based on those
results coming back, whether that should continue to be an
allowable training field that folks are allowed to invest their
scholarships in.
Ms. Prater. And we also provide that information to
potential students who are planning to go. And we have a report
card that we let them know how many students went to Dyersburg
State in business systems technology or nursing and what the
graduation rate was and what the placement rate in jobs within
that field were. And we use that to make decisions on funding
as well.
Chairman Kline. Great, thank you.
Dr. Desjarlais.
Mr. DesJarlais. Nothing further.
Chairman Kline. Okay. We have filled up pages and pages of
notes here and many questions.
Yes, Mayor Dickey, sure.
Mayor Dickey. Two categories of our workforce are not
mentioned very often--the under-employed. And to me, you know,
we get pages of reports, but that group is not included. And I
think before we come out of this slump that we are in, that is
going to have to be addressed, because those folks are going to
have to get back on a level where they are qualified and
earning a decent wage, rather than a survival wage, is the way
I put it.
And then the other group is older folks who have had good
work history, lost their job through no fault of their own. And
those folks are not always retrainable. So economic development
folks and their interest, somehow we have got to recruit to
have jobs for those folks, because it is a long time from the
middle 50s to the early 60s before you draw your social
security.
Chairman Kline. Dr. DesJarlais, do you have any further
questions?
Mr. DesJarlais. I might just augment briefly what Mayor
Dickey just mentioned. As we move forward, and if anyone has
been following the budget debates, and I am sure some of you
have, one of the issues facing us is the aging population, the
baby boomers entering Medicare at the rate of 10,000 per day
and I think you bring up a very valid point that we need to
look at; is that not only people who have lost work later in
life are going to be facing hardships, but the reality moving
forward with the population living on average 10 years longer
than they did just in the 1970s--and that is a good thing--but
I think that that does point to the fact that we are going to
be working longer and in many cases beyond the age of 65.
So I would just expound upon that to say that I think that
is very insightful and we definitely need to pay close
attention to that because that is going to be an issue that is
going to get bigger, not smaller.
Chairman Kline. Again, I want to thank the panelists. For
all of you, but particularly the ladies on the end, we will be
looking at WIA, the Workforce Investment Act. Another thing we
have got to look at, we are very concerned about the number of
job training programs, the number of agencies that are
involved. I am certainly not shocked, you may not be either,
that the government sometimes does not do things efficiently
and we really need a lot of work there to clean that up and
make it do the job that it is supposed to do.
But thank all of you for the work that you are doing out
there to help people find jobs, to create jobs. We appreciate
that and thank you again for your attendance here today.
There being no further business, the committee stands
adjourned.
[The statement of Mr. Miller follows:]
Prepared Statement of Hon. George Miller, Senior Democratic Member,
Committee on Education and the Workforce
For most Americans, a college education is the pathway to the
middle class. In the current economy, this pathway can be uphill. For
many, it may seem steeper than ever. But smart investments today, both
nationally and locally, will ensure a strong and growing middle class
tomorrow.
In communities like Columbia, just as in other communities across
Tennessee and across this country, local economies rely on an educated
and well-trained workforce.
A recent study warned that demand for workers with college
educations will outpace supply by 300,000 per year. At this rate, by
2018, our colleges will have produced 3 million fewer graduates than
are demanded.
This cannot continue. In a country as great as ours, there is no
excuse for anything less than a talented and fully qualified workforce.
For years, we've heard this key complaint from business leaders:
they weren't getting enough workers with the skills for their specific
industries.
When Democrats took control of the Congress in 2006, we took on
this challenge by making college more affordable and student loans more
manageable.
We started by raising the Pell Grant award to its highest level in
history. Starting in 2014, the Pell will be indexed to inflation so it
does not lose value over time.
We made it easier to pay back college loans with programs like
public service loan forgiveness. Now, college graduates who become
teachers, nurses, public defenders or police officers can have their
loans completely forgiven after 10 years of on-time payments.
We also made loan payments more affordable. Using the Income Based
Repayment program, graduates only have to pay up to 15 percent of their
discretionary income toward their loan payment. New borrowers beginning
in 2014 will only have to pay10 percent and after 25 years, their
remaining balance is forgiven.
And we made unprecedented investments in our community colleges to
build a 21st century workforce by fueling partnerships between
community colleges, businesses and training programs.
We did all of this at no new expense to taxpayers by getting rid of
wasteful subsidies that went to big banks and using that $60 billion in
savings to invest in students and pay down the national debt.
Our economy will be stronger if we are able to prepare more
Americans, whether younger students or unemployed workers, for the jobs
of the future.
In the fall of 2009, 92,226 students were enrolled at Tennessee's
public community colleges, up from 80,157 in 2008. And more than 50,000
of these students relied on a Pell Grant scholarship to help them
afford college.
These smart and ambitious Tennesseans are on a path forward. They
know that they will have a more fiscally secure future than those with
only a high school degree.
Unfortunately, Republicans in Congress are threatening the
aspirations of these students by proposing to cut their Pell Grant
scholarship by $2,500, the lowest level since 1998.
This is not the time to move backwards if we want to help our
workers, our students and our country get ahead.
At a hearing today in Columbia, witnesses will testify about the
critical role higher education plays to help spur job growth and
community colleges help accomplish this task.
Not only are community colleges providing educational
opportunities, they're also meeting workforce needs by offering a range
of core and training services from resume counseling to job training
all afforded through the Workforce Investment Act.
But Republicans have outlined plans to cut job training programs
and eliminate many of these services. Their initial proposal for this
year's funding bill effectively zeroed out these vital workforce
investment programs. I believe this is irresponsible, short sighted and
dangerous for American families.
We have to do everything we can to continue to spur economic growth
and prepare our workforce for the 21st century. We have the hardest
working people in the world in this country--let's help them achieve,
let's help them get on or stay on the pathway to the middle class not
take away their opportunities for job training and career growth.
Together, we can rebuild our economy so that it's strong,
innovative, and once again sets an example for the rest of the world.
______
[Whereupon, at 11:50 a.m., the committee was adjourned.]
REVIVING OUR ECONOMY:
THE ROLE OF HIGHER EDUCATION IN
JOB GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT
----------
Tuesday, August 16, 2011
U.S. House of Representatives
Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Training,
Committee on Education and the Workforce
Washington, DC
----------
The subcommittee met, pursuant to call, at 1:04 p.m. at
Clemson University International Center for Automotive Research
(CU-ICAR), 5 Research Drive, Greenville, South Carolina, Hon.
Joe Wilson [member of the subcommittee] presiding.
Present: Representatives Wilson and Gowdy.
Staff Present: Jennifer Allen, Press Secretary; Amy Raaf
Jones, Education Policy Counsel and Senior Advisor; Brian
Melnyk, Legislative Assistant; Meredith Regine, Minority Labor
Policy Associate.
Mr. Wilson. Ladies and gentlemen, a quorum being present,
the subcommittee will come to order.
In the tradition of the U.S. House of Representatives, we
will begin with a prayer.
Our Father, we thank Thee as educators and legislators for
the privilege and opportunity to serve the people of South
Carolina. We ask Thy guidance and direction as we seek to
promote jobs for our younger citizens.
We are grateful for predecessors such as Armed Services
Committee Chairman Floyd Spence who died 10 years ago today,
setting an example of service above self.
We ask Your protection of our troops who today make it
possible for us to assemble and speak freely with the
inspiration of Marine Major Julian Dusenbury, Princeton Class
of 1942, who was awarded the Navy Cross for his service at
Okinawa; and Congressional Medal of Honor recipient, Colonel
Chuck Murray of Columbia, who will be recognized tomorrow with
funeral services at the First Presbyterian Church.
In the name of Jesus, amen.
Thank you for attending this important hearing on promoting
the creation of jobs and the role higher education and job
growth initiatives will play in creating jobs. I appreciate
your efforts in conducting this hearing, and I am very happy
that it is being held in our home State of South Carolina in a
very dynamic part of South Carolina, the upstate.
I would also like to thank Dr. James Barker, the president
of the university, for hosting us here at Clemson University's
International Center for Automotive Research, CU-ICAR. We
appreciate President Barker and his wife, Marsha.
I know firsthand of the excellence of the leadership at
Clemson with President Jim Barker and Board Chairman David
Wilkins, in that our youngest son, Hunter, received a degree
here in May at Clemson in industrial engineering and another
son graduated from Clemson several years ago and is now very
successful in commercial real estate in Columbia, thanks to his
Clemson background.
Spread across 250 acres, the CU-ICAR Center is located in a
state-of-the-art $45 million facility here in Greenville. It is
a research-oriented campus that combines the best of the public
and private sectors. It provides an opportunity for today's
innovators to develop tools for the automotive needs of
tomorrow. It has fast become a hub for the nation's automotive
industry, as it is a main area to design, test, and manufacture
vehicles available to the industry. It is very appropriate for
it to be located in this community because Greenville County
has one of the largest concentrations of over 10,000 engineers,
more per capita than many communities in the world, and is now
known as one of the main engineering hubs of the Southeast.
Anchored by the Carroll Campbell Graduate Engineering
Center, CU-ICAR offers both a master's and Ph.D. program in
automotive engineering. In addition, the Research Center is co-
anchored by the BMW Information Technology Research Center and
the Timkens Research Center. These partnerships with local
companies provide a great sense of cross-industry
collaboration. Furthermore, companies such as Michelin sponsor
many events at the Center that promote innovation in the
automotive industry.
I am very happy to see that both BMW and Michelin are
involved with Clemson at the CU-ICAR Center. Both companies
were brought to the State by previous Governors of South
Carolina. The late Governor Karl Campbell was instrumental in
recruiting BMW to the upcountry with the late Roger Milliken.
Since opening its first manufacturing facility in Greer, South
Carolina, BMW has shipped over 1 million cars made in the
Palmetto State to the rest of the world.
Thousands of jobs were created by BMW and its suppliers
across South Carolina, building world-class vehicles, including
all X5, X6, Z3, and Z4 models in the world, with the new
addition of X3. This year, the plant will produce more than
260,000 vehicles for over 130 markets around the world. Sales
of the vehicles produced at the plant have met with continued
high demand. In October, the plant will begin operating on a 6-
day production schedule to meet this global demand. This will
also create new jobs for production associates.
In addition, Governor Campbell's predecessor, Dr. Jim
Edwards, played a vital role in recruiting the Michelin Tire
Corporation, North American headquarters and manufacturing
facilities, to South Carolina. Since 1979, Michelin has
invested well over $1 billion in its multiple South Carolina
plants. Recently, Michelin announced it would be expanding
operations with an additional $200 million commitment for the
plant in Lexington that will add 270 jobs. With the North
American headquarters in Greenville, there are now seven
manufacturing plants across South Carolina.
As you can see, CU-ICAR has become a premier site of our
nation's automotive expertise. It provides students with the
challenging environment that incorporates cutting-edge
technology and fosters a sense of innovation and collaboration.
I look forward to hearing what you all have to say and how
we can move forward to focus on creating a climate that
promotes innovation and job growth.
I now recognize Mr. Gowdy for any opening remarks he may
wish to make.
[The statement of Mr. Wilson follows:]
Prepared Statement of Hon. Joe Wilson, a Representative in Congress
From the State of South Carolina
A quorum being present, the subcommittee will come to order.
Thank you all for attending this important hearing on reviving our
economy and the role higher education and job growth initiatives will
play in doing so. I appreciate your efforts in conducting this hearing
and am very happy it is being held in my home state of South Carolina.
I would also like to thank Dr. James Barker, President of Clemson
University, for hosting us here at Clemson University's International
Center for Automotive Research (CU-ICAR).
Spread across 250 acres, the CU-ICAR center is located in a state
of the art $45 million facility here in Greenville. It is a research
oriented campus that combines the best of the public and private
sectors. It provides an opportunity for today's innovators to develop
tools for the automotive needs of tomorrow. It has fast become a hub
for the nation's automotive industry as it is a main area to design,
test, and manufacture vehicles available to the industry.
Anchored by the Carroll Campbell Graduate Engineering Center, CU-
ICAR offers both a masters and Ph. D program in Automotive Engineering.
In addition, the research center is co-anchored by the BMW information
technology research center and the Timkens research center. These
partnerships with local companies provides a great sense of cross
industry collaboration. Furthermore, companies such as Michelin sponsor
many events at the center that promote innovation in the automotive
industry.
I am very happy to see both BMW and Michelin involved with Clemson
at the CU-ICAR center. Both companies were brought to the state by
previous governors of South Carolina. Governor Carroll Campbell was
instrumental in recruiting BMW to the upstate. Since opening its first
U.S. manufacturing facility in Greer, South Carolina, BMW has shipped
over one million cars made in the Palmetto state to the rest of the
world. Thousands of jobs were created by BMW and its suppliers across
South Carolina by building world class vehicles including all X3, X5,
Z3, and Z4 models in the world.
In addition, Governor Campbell's predecessor, Dr. Jim Edwards
played a vital role in recruiting the Michelin Tire Corporation, North
American headquarters and manufacturing facilities to South Carolina.
Since 1979, Michelin has invested over $1 billion in its two South
Carolina plants. Recently, Michelin announced it will be expanding
operations with an additional $200 million commitment for a plan in
Lexington that will add 270 new jobs. With the North American
headquarters in Greenville, there are now seven manufacturing plants
across the state.
As you can see, CU-ICAR has become a premiere site of our nation's
automotive expertise. Its proximity to industry leading companies
provides students with a challenging environment that incorporates
cutting edge technology and fosters a sense of innovation and
collaboration.
I look forward to hearing what you all have to say on how we can
move forward to focus on creating a climate that promotes innovation
and job growth. I now recognize Mr. Gowdy for any opening remarks he
wishes to make.
______
Mr. Gowdy. I thank my distinguished colleague.
I personally want to thank Representative Dr. Virginia Foxx
for her willingness to hold this higher education subcommittee
field hearing in the Fourth Congressional District of South
Carolina. I also want to thank Congressman Wilson. And I know
you join me in thanking all of the members of the South
Carolina delegation for helping us highlight the wonderful
assets and attributes of this State.
I also want to thank Clemson University's ICAR for hosting
us today. It has been a remarkable day so far, and I feel like
we are just getting started. ICAR is a splendid model of how
partnerships between institutions of higher education and the
communities they serve can spark measurable job growth and
economic development. ICAR has generated nearly $250 million in
new investments, with another $500 million currently in
development, and has announced the creation of more than 2,300
new high-wage jobs. And in an economy that is starving for
jobs, that is laudable and commendable.
Finally, thank you to our distinguished panel of witnesses.
I have only been there 7 months, but I can tell you, in my 7
months, each you individually would make a phenomenal panel.
The fact that we have the four of you in this eclectic,
wonderful amalgamation of talent and insight is really, truly a
credit to the upstate of South Carolina. So I thank this panel
of witnesses and the next, as well.
The Fourth District has seen a distinctive shift in the
economic drivers in our area. We now boast one of the largest
concentrations of high-skilled manufacturing in the country,
with almost 20 percent of the employees in the district working
in the manufacturing industry and more than 140 auto-related
companies calling this area home.
Milliken, a specialty chemical and fabrics company
headquartered in Spartanburg, holds over 2,200 patents and is
also the home to the largest textile research center in the
world. This region is also home to other phenomenal industries
such as BMW, GE, Michelin, and Lockheed Martin, just to name a
few.
As employers' needs have changed, so have the offerings of
the institutions of higher learning in our district. Employers
are working with our area technical schools to engage in
curriculum planning and matriculation, employers like Jason
Premo, co-owner of ADEX Machining.
I recently visited ADEX, a company which produces parts for
the aerospace, defense, and energy power generation industries.
Jason told me how he utilized South Carolina's apprenticeship
system and worked with Greenville Tech's established machine
tool technology program to cultivate workers with the high-
level skills necessary to operate ADEX's precision machining.
Because of their effective use of resources, ADEX was chosen to
participate in Boeing's competitive mentor-protege program, a
partnership that will potentially allow ADEX to serve as a
certified supplier to Boeing.
It is this sort of leveraging that has enabled the
upstate's economy to respond to changing economic demands and
become a hub of domestic and international business development
and technological innovation.
The many technical schools, colleges, and universities in
the Fourth District serve a myriad of interests, but their
reach extends beyond just high school graduates. Spartanburg
Community College just received a large grant from the Timken
Foundation, allowing them to purchase robotic toolkits, a pilot
program in which engineers and college faculty will introduce
elementary and middle school in Cherokee County, which is part
of Congressman Mick Mulvaney's district, to robotics.
USC Union offers a concurrent degree program for students
from Union County High School and other area high schools to
enroll for college credit beginning in their junior year.
Through their program, students can graduate from high school
with 24 hours of college credit. In a State with a 59 percent
high school graduation rate, it is essential to engage students
early and educate them on the opportunities available after
high school careers.
By increasing the number of students seeking higher
education, we can begin the process of decreasing our
unacceptable, nearly 10 percent unemployment rate in this
State. We are here today to examine the successful
relationships between higher education and business and
industry partners that have fueled job creation, with the hope
of furthering these efforts and expanding their influence.
And I would be remiss if I did not mention the political
and local leaders from the upstate whose foresight and courage,
Representative Wilson, some of which precedes by a lot our
service--most of it does. In fact, their foresight and courage
allows us to tell the story of success today.
One of those leaders is with us today, Mayor Knox White.
And I think he would be the first to tell you that we are a
team, and we have partnered to showcase the attributes of this
wonderful region. And Congressman Wilson called the names of
others, and the afternoon is not long enough for me to name
them all. But this is an incredible, phenomenal place that we
call home.
And, Mayor White, thank you for your leadership of note,
and I know that you would be the first to share that with
others who have partnered with you.
The Fourth Congressional District has a depth and breadth
of resources to not only be a statewide or regional leader but
a national leader in economic development and job growth, and I
hope to work with each of our witnesses today to make sure that
comes true.
Thank you, Mr. Wilson.
[The statement of Mr. Gowdy follows:]
Prepared Statement of Hon. Trey Gowdy, a Representative in Congress
From the State of South Carolina
First I want to thank the Committee for holding this Higher
Education and Workforce Training Subcommittee field hearing in the 4th
District of South Carolina.
Thank you also to Clemson University's I-CAR for hosting us today.
I-CAR is a solid model of how partnerships between institutions of
higher education and the community they serve can spark tremendous job
growth and economic development. I-CAR has generated nearly $250
million in new investments, with another $500 million currently in
development, and has announced the creation of more than 2,300 new high
wage jobs.
And finally, thank you to our distinguished panel of witnesses. I
look forward to hearing your insights.
The Fourth District has seen a distinctive shift in the economic
drivers at play in our area--now boasting one of the largest
concentrations of high-skilled manufacturing in the country, with
almost 20% of employees in the District working in the manufacturing
industry and more than 140 auto-related companies calling our area
home. Milliken, a specialty chemical and fabrics company located in
Spartanburg, holds over 2200 patents and is also the home to the
largest textile research center in the world. The region is also one of
the top five metros in the world for engineering talent per capita. The
location of industry leaders in the Upstate such as BMW, GE, Michelin
and Lockheed Martin presents wonderful employment opportunities to
workers in our District--but with those opportunities also come
requirements of targeted training and high-level experience.
As employers' needs have changed, so have the offerings of the
institutions of higher learning in our district. Employers are working
with our area technical schools to engage in curriculum planning and
matriculation--employers like Jason Premo, co-owner of ADEX Machining.
I recently visited ADEX, a company that produces parts for the
aerospace, defense and energy-power generation industries. Jason told
me how he utilized South Carolina's apprenticeship system and worked
with Greenville Tech's established machine tool technology program to
cultivate workers with the high-level skills necessary to operate
ADEX's precision machining. Because of their effective use of
resources, ADEX was chosen to participate in Boeing's competitive
mentor-protege program, a partnership that will potentially allow ADEX
to serve as a certified supplier to Boeing.
It is this sort of leveraging that has enabled the Upstate's
economy to respond to changing economic demands and become a hub of
domestic and international business development and technological
innovation.
The many technical schools, colleges and universities in the 4th
District serve a myriad of interest. But their reach extends beyond
just high school graduates. Spartanburg Community College just received
a large grant from the TIMKEN Foundation allowing them to purchase
robotic tool kits and pilot a program in which engineers and college
faculty will introduce elementary and middle school students in
Cherokee County, part of Congressman Mick Mulvaney's district, to
robotics.
USC Union offers a concurrent degree program for students from
Union County High School and other area high schools to enroll for
college credit, beginning in their junior year. Through their program,
students can graduate from high school with 24 hours of college credit.
In a state with a 59% high school graduation rate, it is essential to
engage students early and educate them on the opportunities available
after their high school careers. By increasing the number of students
seeking higher education, we can begin the process of decreasing our
unacceptable 10% unemployment rate.
We are here today to examine the successful relationships between
higher ed and business and industry partners that have fueled job
creation, with the hope of furthering these efforts and expanding their
influence. The 4th Congressional District has the depth and breadth of
resources to be not only a statewide or regional leader, but a national
leader in economic development and job growth, and I hope to work with
each of our witnesses today in this endeavor.
______
Mr. Wilson. Thank you very much, Congressman Gowdy.
Pursuant to Committee Rule 7(c), all subcommittee members
are permitted to submit written statements to be included in
the permanent hearing record. And, without objection, the
hearing record will remain open for 14 days to allow
statements, questions for the record, and other extraneous
material referenced during the hearing to be submitted to the
official hearing record.
[The information follows:]
Prepared Statement of Hon. Virginia Foxx, Chairwoman,
Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Training
Good morning everyone. First, allow me to take a moment to thank
our witnesses for being with us today. We recognize you all have busy
schedules, and we appreciate the opportunity to hear your thoughts and
learn from your experiences on the very important topic of higher
education and job growth. Second, I would like to thank Clemson
University and the people of Greenville, South Carolina for their
hospitality and for hosting the first field hearing of the Subcommittee
on Higher Education and Workforce Training.
We are here this morning to examine the mutually beneficial
relationship between higher education, businesses and local
communities. During tough economic times, it is especially important
that businesses and institutions of higher education work together to
educate interested students for the jobs needed in the local economy.
One of my favorite points to make in meetings with institutions is
that all education is career education. I do not know very many
individuals who are attending college and paying tuition simply to
contemplate their navels. The goal of almost every student I've ever
met is to find a job--and they believe their chances of one day landing
that job are improved by earning a college degree.
Today we're examining a unique program that matches Clemson
University with the needs of area businesses. The International Center
for Automotive Research Campus illustrates how educators can create
job-creating synergy with programs where students pursue a degree that
that is tailor made to pair highly skilled graduates with the local
businesses' need for a skilled workforce. This partnership benefits
students, businesses and the city of Greenville.
As a former community college president and university
administrator, I understand how important it is to forge partnerships
between businesses, local communities and institutions of higher
education. When I was at the community college, I worked with business
and community leaders to collaborate on how we could meet area needs.
These collaborative relationships ensure that local businesses have the
skilled workforce they need while also providing opportunities for
students to further their education.
Because I believe that local communities, institutions of higher
education and businesses should be able to work together in the most
beneficial way possible for all parties involved, my subcommittee
remains focused on examining the federal footprint in higher education.
The taxpayers of this country spend a lot of money on higher education
at the federal level and the taxpayers expect and deserve
accountability. We also want to ensure that the long arm of federal
regulations do not hinder innovative local solutions.
It is my pleasure to be with you all today and I look forward to
hearing the testimony of our distinguished witnesses. I now recognize
Mr. Gowdy for any opening remarks he wishes to make.
______
Mr. Wilson. I also would like to introduce Ms. Amy Jones.
Amy is the education policy counsel and senior advisor of the
Committee on Education and the Workforce, and I am very
grateful that she is going to be joining us here at the table.
And I know I want to join with Congressman Gowdy; we are
very sorry that our chairwoman, Virginia Foxx, is not here.
She, herself, has been a community college president in
Grandfather Mountain, North Carolina. She is a dynamic lady,
and I know that she was looking forward to being here with us.
And I just know we will get her back here sometime because of
her fondness, particularly for Congressman Gowdy at this time--
who is so beloved in Washington.
At this time, I would like to yield to Representative Gowdy
for the remainder of the hearing.
Representative Gowdy, if you could now take it from here
and introduce our first panel of witnesses.
Mr. Gowdy [presiding]. It will be my pleasure,
Representative Wilson. First, I will introduce them from my
left to right, your right to left.
The Honorable Knox White has served as mayor of Greenville
since December 1995. During his time serving Greenville, Mayor
White has emphasized neighborhood revitalization, economic
development, and many transformational projects downtown. Mayor
White is a native of Greenville, graduated from Wake Forest
University and University of South Carolina School of Law. He
is a partner in the law firm of Hainesville, Sinker and Boyd,
and is married with two children.
Mr. Werner Eikenbusch is section manager for associate
development and training at BMW Manufacturing Corporation. He
joined BMW Manufacturing in 1998 and has held various
management positions with BMW Manufacturing, in their human
resources department. Before joining BMW, Mr. Eikenbusch worked
as a human resources manager for BMW North America. Mr.
Eikenbusch holds a master's degree in engineering management
from New Jersey Institute of Technology.
Ms. Laura Harmon serves as project director for Greenville
Works, a partnership of 12 education workforce development and
economic development organizations focused on implementing
long-term economic and workforce development strategies based
on industry input. Ms. Harmon has over 13 years' experience in
the public and private sectors and has held leadership
positions in workforce development, career development, fund
development, and human resources. She is also a member of the
Greenville Society for Human Resource Management and serves on
their strategic planning committee and workforce readiness
panel.
Ms. Brenda Thames joined the Greenville Hospital System in
2007 as the vice president of academic development. Dr. Thames
is responsible for providing academic strategic direction and
leadership for initiatives designed to advance patient care
through education and research. She also works with local
colleges and universities to develop collaborative
relationships that are focused on health care. Prior to joining
Greenville Hospital System, Dr. Thames served as associate dean
for research and graduate studies at the College of Health,
Education, and Human Development at Clemson University.
Having just read your CVs, you do not need me to tell you
what the green, yellow, and red lights mean. I will say this
more for the benefit of Congressman Wilson and myself. Green
means go. Yellow means speed up and get through the
intersection as quickly as you can. No, I think yellow means
you have about a minute left. And red just means, if you are on
the final thought--but as I told you upstairs, you all are here
as a courtesy to us, and we are here to listen to you. So if
you need a little bit of extra time, I am sure that Congressman
Wilson will gladly grant you that.
With that, Mayor White, we will ask you to start with your
opening 5 minutes, and we will move down the dais.
STATEMENT OF HON. KNOX WHITE, MAYOR,
CITY OF GREENVILLE
Mr. White. Okay. Thank you, Congressman Gowdy. Thank you
for your opening comments, and Chairman Wilson, welcome back to
Greenville and to this amazing place, CU-ICAR.
On behalf of the city of Greenville, welcome to Clemson
University's International Center for Automative Research, also
known as noted as CU-ICAR. We greatly appreciate your choice in
Greenville for this hearing.
Greenville is widely known as a community that builds
partnerships, and we take partnerships very seriously. CU-ICAR
is a remarkable example of what those partnerships can create.
It all begins with a good partner. In this case, the city of
Greenville had the best partner in the world in Clemson
University and the visionary leadership of Dr. Jim Barker.
Thirty years ago, Greenville was a much different place. In
a region historically and chiefly known for textiles, the
Greenville-area leaders looked to a future and made a very
intentional decision to pursue a more diversified economy. And
they did this at a time when they didn't have to do it, but
they began to actively recruit other kinds of industries to
this area, including giants like General Electric, Michelin,
and then, a decade later, BMW. And with those kinds of
diversified businesses, the whole world changed for this
upstate of South Carolina.
In this decade, another layer was added to this commitment
of economic diversification in which there was a greater
recognition for the enhanced role that higher education could
play in building a local economy. This was when Clemson
University, in seeking to commercialize on important research
being done there, began exploring the development of a wind
tunnel with the help of a private partner.
Clemson officials approached BMW to see if they would be
interested in purchasing time on a wind tunnel, but BMW said
that function was already being handled in Germany. However,
BMW was interested in helping build a local knowledge-based
workforce that could help support its global operations while
also supporting the rapidly growing automotive cluster in this
area. They needed a level of engineering talent that was not
currently being offered by any program in the United States.
Subsequently, Clemson embarked on a quest to build a new
master's and Ph.D. program that would be part of a unique
concept of a research campus built around a particular niche in
the marketplace, one dedicated to transportation and mobility
technology. BMW and others also funded endowed professorships
for this new program, showing their full commitment to it.
What began less than 10 years ago as an initial idea of a
wind tunnel on 250 wooded acres along the interstate has grown
into an international campus that is driven by innovation and
collaboration. We sit on the campus today that in such a short
time period has already generated more than $250 million in
investment. This includes $12 million provided by the city of
Greenville, in cooperation with the South Carolina Department
of Transportation, to construct roads and first-class
infrastructure necessary to serve this campus. Here, more than
100 graduate students from around the world learn about
automotive technology and how to implement tomorrow's ideas
today. The school leads the Nation in the systems engineering
approach to vehicle engineering.
CU-ICAR is founded on the idea that successful economic
development and world-class academics can be enhanced by
building relationships. Those relationships can be seen on this
campus with the BMW Information Technology Research Center and
the Koyo Bearings USA, JTEK Group research, and many others.
The campus is also home to the new Center for Emerging
Technologies and Mobility in Clean Energy, or CET, the newest
addition here, by the way. The CET is a 60,000-square-foot
office and lab facility built in partnership with Clemson's
Foundation and the Economic Development Administration of the
U.S. Department of Commerce. Opening this fall, the facility is
almost 100 percent pre-leased and includes the new world
headquarters for Sage Automotive Interiors, along with more
than a dozen other companies developing the latest technology
and software.
Off campus--because there is more to ICAR than what you are
seeing here--off campus, there are many more partnerships in
the works. These include Proterra, a leading innovator of zero-
emission buses. Proterra is building their own EcoRide BE-35,
they call it, a line of next-generation buses, with FastFill
charging stations that enable 100 percent recharge in less than
10 minutes with a 30-mile range.
When Proterra was investigating relocation opportunities
for this cutting-edge technology, CU-ICAR was what made the
difference in choosing South Carolina for its relocation. The
CU-ICAR folks said basically, ``What do you need? Let us build
a program around your needs to help you accelerate your
technology,'' instead of simply saying, ``This is what we do.''
In the future, Proterra has plans for developing its
manufacturing facility on the CU campus and employing more than
1,000 people.
There are other programs as well. Also based on this campus
are other exciting initiatives such as Deep Project Orange,
from the ICAR campus, which allows students to learn about the
wants and needs of the future customer and translate this into
engineering solution and product. Working with specialists from
various industry partners, students learn firsthand what it
takes to deliver a mobility product to market. In so many
words, they make a car and other cutting-edge technologies.
Without talent, technology, investment, and infrastructure,
we as a community cannot succeed. Clemson University, along
with the private sector, has proven that collaboration between
universities and the private sector in today's economy can
drive innovation, push young minds to look at problems
differently, and can create new jobs to innovation in our
communities.
Thank you.
[The statement of Mr. White follows:]
Prepared Statement of Hon. Knox White, Mayor, City of Greenville
Good afternoon, and welcome to Chairwoman Foxx from our neighboring
state of North Carolina, and to Congressmen Gowdy and Wilson, both
hailing from South Carolina. On behalf of the City of Greenville,
welcome to Clemson University's International Center for Automotive
Research, also known as CU-ICAR. We greatly appreciate your choice of
Greenville for this hearing.
Greenville is known as a community that builds partnerships. CU-
ICAR is a remarkable example of what those partnerships can create.
Thirty years ago, Greenville was a much different place. In a
region historically and chiefly known for agriculture and textiles,
Greenville area leaders looked to the future and made an intentional
decision to pursue a more diversified economy, actively recruiting
industry giants like GE, Michelin, and then, a decade later, BMW.
And in this decade, another layer was added to this commitment of
economic diversification, in which there was a greater recognition for
the enhanced role that higher education could play in building a local
economy. This was when Clemson University, in seeking to commercialize
on important research being conducted there, began exploring the
development of a wind tunnel with the help of a private partner.
Clemson officials approached BMW to see if it would be interested
in purchasing time in that wind tunnel, but BMW said that was a
function already handled in Germany. However, BMW was interested in
helping build a local, knowledge-based workforce that could help
support its global operations while also supporting the rapidly growing
automotive cluster. They needed a level of engineering talent that was
not currently being offered by any program in the United States.
Subsequently, Clemson embarked on a quest to build a new Masters and
PHD degree program that would be part of a unique concept of a research
campus built a around a particular nice in the marketplace--one
dedicated to transportation and mobility technology. BMW and others
also funded endowed professorships in the new program.
What began less than 10 years ago as an initial idea for a wind
tunnel on 250 wooded acres has grown into an international campus that
is driven by innovation and collaboration. We sit on a campus today
that has generated more than $250 million in investment. This includes
$12 million provided by the City, in cooperation with the South
Carolina Department of Transportation, to construct the roads and
infrastructure necessary to serve this campus. Here, more than 100
graduate students from around the world, learn about automotive
technology and how to implement tomorrow's ideas today. The school
leads the nation in their systems engineering approach to vehicle
engineering.
CU-ICAR was founded on the idea that successful economic
development and world-class academics can be enhanced by building
relationships. Those relationships can be seen on the campus with the
BMW Information Technology Research Center and the Koyo Bearings USA,
JTEK Group research and development facility. The Campus is also home
to the new Center for Emerging Technologies in Mobility and Clean
Energy, or CET. The CET is a 60,000-square-foot office and lab
facility, built in partnership with Clemson's Foundation and the
Economic Development Administration of the US Department of Commerce.
Opening this Fall, the facility is almost 100 percent pre-leased and
includes the new world headquarters for Sage Automotive Interiors,
along with more than a dozen companies developing the latest
technologies and software.
Off campus, there are many more partnerships. These include
Proterra, a leading innovator of zero-emission, commercial vehicle
solutions. Proterra is building the EcoRide BE-35, a line of next-
generation buses with FastFill charging stations that enable 100%
recharge in less than 10 minutes with a 30-mile range. When Proterra
was investigating relocation opportunities, CU-ICAR was what made the
difference in its choosing South Carolina for its relocation. CU-ICAR
said, ``What do you need? Let us build a program around your needs to
help you accelerate your technology,'' rather than ``Here is what we
can do.'' In the future, Proterra has plans on developing its
manufacturing facility on the CU-ICAR Campus, employing more than 1,000
people.
Also based out of this Campus are several other exciting programs
and projects. Deep Project Orange allows students to learn about the
wants and needs of their future customer and translate this into an
engineering solution and product. Working with specialists from various
industry partners, students learn first-hand what it takes to delivery
a mobility product to market.
Another exciting project for Greenville that ties in with the
City's initiatives on the Greening of Greenville is Project Green, a
joint economic development initiative between CU-ICAR and the SC
Technology and Aviation Center for creating unique testing and R&D
capabilities for public and private in sustainable mobility and
connected transportation systems.
Without talent, technology, investment and infrastructure, we as a
community cannot succeed. Clemson University, along with the private
sector, has proven that collaboration between universities and the
private sector can drive innovation, push young minds to look at
problems differently, and can create new jobs and innovation.
______
Mr. Gowdy. Thank you, Mr. Mayor.
Mr. Wilson. Mr. Eikenbusch?
STATEMENT OF WERNER EIKENBUSCH, SECTION MANAGER, ASSOCIATE
DEVELOPMENT AND TRAINING, BMW MANUFACTURING CO.
Mr. Eikenbusch. Thank you, Chairman Wilson, Congressman
Gowdy. Good afternoon. I am pleased to be speaking with you
today about BMW's workforce recruitment and higher education
partnerships.
Workforce development was one of the primary factors in
BMW's decision where to locate its first plant outside of
Germany. A strong technical infrastructure, as well as a
skilled manufacturing workforce, was essential to BMW's 1992
announcement that guaranteed originally 2,000 jobs. The upstate
of South Carolina offered a workforce that had deep roots in
manufacturing. While they had never built automobiles, the
existing technical college system ensured that the right
training could be arranged and deployed.
Now, here we are almost 2 decades and nearly 2 million
vehicles later, with a workforce of more than 7,000 people and
statewide education partnerships that have consistently
delivered sustainable solutions. We are guaranteeing that BMW
in South Carolina is well-prepared for the future.
All along the way, our partnerships with 2-year technical
and 4-year engineering colleges and universities have been
outstanding. In the early days, BMW was a new organization that
still relied heavily on Germany for support. The plant
partnered with local technical colleges for support of
recruitment and onboarding training. At that time, the central
process of recruiting and training production associates on
automobile manufacturing fundamentals was our main priority.
While the basic need remains, we have proven ourselves as a
major contributor to the worldwide BMW Group production
network. We have evolved into an economic force for the
automotive industry in the Southeast and find ourselves with a
great opportunity to develop unique programs that integrate the
academic world with workplace functions.
Currently, we are involved with several recruiting
partnerships that deliver 2-year, 4-year, and graduate school
employment candidates. To start with, we recently announced a
brand-new partnership with Spartanburg Community College,
Greenville Technical College, and Tri-County Technical College.
We call it the BMW Scholars Program. For students enrolled in
various 2-year career paths related to manufacturing
technology, it offers the workplace benefits of a traditional
apprentice program that you would find in Germany with the
additional advantage of tuition and book assistance. We believe
this great example of collaboration between the educational and
manufacturing sector can lead to employment and far better
outcomes and opportunities for our next generation.
Similarly, we have used collaboration models to partner
with UTI, Universal Technical Institute, and AMTEC, Automotive
Manufacturing Technical Education Collaborative. The beauty of
these partnerships is that they enable us to extract the
modules of their programs that most benefit our recruitment
requirements. We leverage UTI for our BMW service technician
program to develop the highest-quality service technicians to
support our BMW centers or dealerships in North America. And we
leverage AMTEC services as they deliver flexible options for
additional training to support advancement of our maintenance
workforce.
To summarize, programs like Scholars, UTI, and AMTEC are
vital to our goal of supplementing education theory with real-
world workplace application.
Of course, our most public partnership was announced in
2004 when BMW pledged $10 million to provide endowment for
professors at this facility, CU-ICAR. This program, a
partnership with the State of South Carolina and Clemson
University, celebrated their first automotive engineering
graduates in 2009. Today, this is an active partnership with
three main objectives: one, continued postgraduate curriculum
development; two, collaboration and research projects; and
three, recruitment of graduates.
Students from across the U.S. and from abroad are now
enrolled in Clemson's graduate engineering program. BMW has
hired several of their graduates, and many of them place within
our supplier network. Success for these kinds of programs
requires that higher education institutions across the nation
continue to receive the proper investment to enable vital
research. Ensuring flexibility and curriculum development to
effectively respond to the needs of the employers is equally as
important.
Other successful programs include our Engineering and
Operations Management Development Program. This program was
formulated in conjunction with several 4-year universities to
develop a pipeline to recruit the best and brightest
engineering and business graduates from around the nation. The
goal is to establish a pool of broadly skilled specialists
beyond their specific field of study. To support the
professional recruitment, we make domestic and international
intern and co-op positions available to highly skilled students
who have demonstrated an interest in international careers in
automotive manufacturing.
Several significant opportunities exist for these programs.
One, we need for our national public school system to support
manufacturing as a viable career option beginning at the high
school level and earlier. And, two, we must begin to invest in
aspects of education that foster an international mindset in
terms of culture and secondary language develop. Many qualified
students find their way into our organization; however, it
takes another 2 to 3 years to teach them another language and
culture--in our case, German. Our objective is to build a
channel to find engineering and management prospects with these
qualifications within the existing marketplace of graduates.
BMW's plant here in South Carolina can look back on 20
years of experience in developing diverse solutions around
sustainable recruitment and training partnerships. Other
programs mentioned today are critically needed to ensure we
guarantee a skilled automotive engineering manufacturing
workforce now and for the future.
What we should all focus on is the importance of
collaboration between academia and industry to guarantee that
the course of study in terms of mindset, knowledge, and skills
meets industry needs and is effectively transferred to the
workplace. As our plant in South Carolina becomes an even
greater contributor, these requirements become even more
necessary to maintain a sustainable organization.
Thank you for taking the time to explore such an important
topic for our State, our nation, and for our industry.
[The statement of Mr. Eikenbusch follows:]
Prepared Statement of Werner Eikenbusch, Manager,
Associate Development and Training, BMW
Ladies and Gentlemen of the Congressional Delegation, Good
Afternoon.
I have been working with BMW for 23 years, 13 of which have been
dedicated to HR matters at our South Carolina Plant.
I am pleased to be speaking with you today about BMW's workforce
recruitment and higher education partnerships. Workforce development
was one of the primary factors in BMW's decision where to locate its
first plant outside of Germany. A strong, technical college
infrastructure, as well as a skilled manufacturing workforce was
essential to BMW's 1992 announcement that guaranteed 2,000 jobs.
The upstate of South Carolina offered a workforce that had deep
roots in manufacturing. While they had never built automobiles, the
existing technical college system ensured that the right training could
be arranged and deployed.
Now, here we are, almost 2 decades and nearly 2 million vehicles
later. With a workforce of more than 7,000 people and state-wide
education partnerships that have consistently delivered sustainable
solutions, we are guaranteeing that BMW in South Carolina is well-
prepared for the future.
All along the way, our partnerships with 2-year technical and 4-
year engineering colleges and universities have been outstanding.
In the early days, BMW Manufacturing was a new organization that
still relied heavily on Germany for support. The plant partnered with
local, technical colleges for support of recruitment and onboarding
training. At that time, the central process of recruiting and training
production associates on automobile manufacturing fundamentals was our
main priority. While that basic need remains, we have proven ourselves
as a major contributor to the world-wide BMW Group production network.
We have evolved into an economic force for the automotive industry in
the Southeast and find ourselves with a great opportunity to develop
unique programs that integrate the academic world with workplace
functions.
Currently, we are involved with several recruiting partnerships
that deliver 2-year, 4-year and graduate school employment candidates.
To start with, we recently announced a brand new partnership with
Spartanburg Community College, Greenville Technical College and Tri-
County Technical College. We call it the BMW Scholars program. For
students enrolled in various 2 year career paths related to
manufacturing technology, it offers the workplace benefits of a
traditional apprentice program that you would find in Germany with the
additional advantage of tuition and book assistance. We believe this is
a great example of how collaboration between the educational and
manufacturing sector can lead to employment and far better outcomes and
opportunities for our next generation.
Similarly, we have used collaboration models to partner with UTI,
Universal Technical Institute, and AMTEC, Automotive Manufacturing
Technical Education Collaborative. The real beauty of these
partnerships is that they enable us to extract the modules of their
programs that most benefit our recruitment requirements. We leverage
UTI for our BMW Service Technician Program to develop the highest-
quality service technicians to support our BMW Centers or Dealerships
in North America. We leverage AMTEC's services as they deliver flexible
options for additional training to support advancement of our
maintenance workforce. To summarize, programs like Scholars, UTI and
AMTEC are vital to our goal of supplementing education theory with
real-world workplace application.
Of course, our most public partnership was announced in 2004, when
BMW pledged 10 million dollars to provide endowments for professors at
this facility (Clemson University's International Center for Automotive
Research (CU-ICAR). This program, a partnership with the state of South
Carolina and Clemson University, celebrated their first automotive
engineering graduates in 2009. Today, this is an active partnership
with three main objectives: continued post-graduate curriculum
development, collaboration on research projects, and recruitment of
graduates. Students from across the U.S. and from abroad are now
enrolled in Clemson's graduate engineering program. BMW has hired
several of their graduates and many have been placed within our
supplier network. Success for these kinds of programs requires that
higher education institutions across the nation continue to receive the
proper investment to enable viable research. Ensuring flexibility in
curriculum development to effectively respond to the needs of the
employers is equally as important.
Other successful programs include our Engineering and Operations
Management Development Program. This program was formulated in
conjunction with several 4-year universities to develop a pipeline to
recruit the best and brightest engineering and business graduates from
around the nation. The goal is to establish a pool of broadly skilled
specialists beyond their specific field of study. To support the
professional recruitment, we make domestic and International Intern and
Co-op positions available to highly-skilled students who have
demonstrated an interest in international careers in automotive
manufacturing. Several significant opportunities exist for these
programs: 1) we need for our national, public school system to support
manufacturing as a viable career option beginning at the high-school
level and earlier, and 2) we must begin to invest in aspects of
education that foster an International mindset in terms of culture and
secondary language development. Many qualified students find their way
into our organization; however it takes another 2-3 years to teach them
another language (in our case: German). Our objective is to build a
channel to find engineering and management prospects with these
qualifications within the existing marketplace of graduates.
BMW's plant here in South Carolina can look back on twenty years of
experience in developing diverse solutions around sustainable
recruitment and training partnerships. All the programs mentioned today
are critically needed to ensure we guarantee a skilled, automotive
engineering and manufacturing workforce now and for the future. What we
should all focus on is the importance of collaboration between academia
and industry to guarantee that the course of study--in terms of
mindset, knowledge and skills--meets industry needs and is effectively
transferred to the workplace. As our plant in South Carolina becomes an
even greater contributor to the global automotive manufacturing
industry, these requirements become even more necessary to maintain a
sustainable organization.
Thank you for taking the time to explore such an important topic
for our state, our nation and for our industry.
______
Mr. Gowdy. Thank you, Mr. Eikenbusch.
Ms. Harmon?
STATEMENT OF LAURA HARMON, PROJECT DIRECTOR, GREENVILLE WORKS
Ms. Harmon. Chairman Wilson, Congressman Gowdy, and
distinguished members of the House Subcommittee on Higher
Education and Workforce Training, thank you for inviting me to
testify on behalf of Greenville Works, whose 12 members and
many more partners provide a wide range of services to the
business community and to Greenville County's workforce.
I want to share with you a few points we have learned
through our collective experience on the ground in economic
development, workforce development, and education.
Any economic development or workforce development effort
that creates jobs and gets people back to work must start with
a solid relationship with business. You have to understand the
employer's perspective, what is important to them. You have to
learn the nature of their jobs, their future outlook, and the
workers' skill sets that they need to be productive. And you
have to know what is important to them so that you can fully
and effectively leverage the community's services. We can't
afford to waste time and money on efforts that we hope will get
people working.
Greenville Works operates a Business Retention and
Expansion Program that calls on business in several industries,
including manufacturing and headquarter operations. By going to
them, Greenville Works learns through relationship-building
about employers' issues and the local economic landscape. Then
we coordinate our collective response through our 12 economic
development, workforce development, and education members and
our many other partners.
We are able to respond quickly and with quality services
that help business and the local economy, as well as workers.
In fact, most of the businesses that we talk to cite workforce
issues as the major concern. Worker skills have not kept pace
with the needs of industries critical to our region, like the
increasingly technical transportation and manufacturing sector.
Now, there are several effective ways that Greenville Works
has responded. Greenville Works organized industry cluster
meetings between companies in similar industries. Last year,
the aviation and aerospace industry cluster secured a cross-
company incumbent worker training grant in blueprint reading.
The resulting increase in worker skills contributed to job
retention and to productivity.
Greenville Works also launched an initiative to lessen the
skills gap by supporting worker attainment of the WorkKeys-
based Career Readiness Certificate. Coupled by increased
employer recognition of that certificate, we are now up to 80
upstate employers that officially recognize that certificate.
As a result, over 20 organizations are now coordinating to
assist students and job seekers in earning the WorkKeys
certificate. The certificate is the first step in the National
Association of Manufacturers' national skills standards system,
which feeds in to some of the other programs that these
educational groups are supporting.
Greenville Works operates several working groups that turn
the Business Retention and Expansion Program feedback into real
action. Since February, 17 organizations have worked together
to produce a workforce readiness competency guide. The guide,
which is going to be used by case managers and job coaches,
clearly outlines the competencies that job seekers need to be
ready for work.
Through the efforts of Greenville Works and the United Way
of Greenville County, our area was just selected for a
competitive National Fund for Workforce Solutions grant. We
assembled a group of public and private organizations that
contribute to a manufacturing skills program for unemployed and
underemployed adults. We assembled an industry cluster of
employers who define the curriculum, which, again, aligns with
the National Association of Manufacturers' skilled
certification system. With the support of job coaches, students
will complete this training and progress to on-the-job
training, additional education, apprenticeships, and/or
straight to employment.
A flexible public and private funding structure allows us
to provide the comprehensive, holistic approach to training
that results in successful employment, retention, advancement,
and productivity gains.
Now, though we have accomplished a lot in the last 4 years,
we continually face challenges. Insufficient funding is a
continuous threat to the Business Retention and Expansion
Program operation and the systems change efforts that emerge as
a result.
The second issue involves political boundaries. While our
work is focused in Greenville County, industry operates across
county lines. We need to be able to work across county lines to
provide consistent, quality services.
The third issue is the reduction in funding for training,
such as the elimination of the Incumbent Worker Training Grant
and de-funding of the State WorkKeys-based Career Readiness
Certificate.
Workforce issues are extremely complex. Improving workforce
systems involves significant changes in the behavior of
students, job seekers, workers, industry, government,
nonprofits, and many, many others. It involves changes in
policy. It involves relationship-building and extensive
collaboration. These challenges are not quick fixes that can be
addressed with a few 2-year grants. These challenges require
sustained levels of committed funding, effort, and leadership
in order to realize long-term results.
In order to make meaningful workforce gains, we recommend
supporting business calling programs. Any program or initiative
that seeks to impact job creation, job retention or education,
and training for jobs must include a good business calling
program. We recommend support for sector-based regional
industry partnership, career pathway development, and entry-
level skills programming that has local industry support. We
recommend funding innovative strategies that can be replicated
and expanded and that involve flexible funding and partnerships
across organizations. We recommend support for backbone
organizations like Greenville Works that facilitate sensible
solutions tailored to the regional economy.
On behalf of the Greenville Works Board, I sincerely
appreciate the opportunity to speak with you today about our
work in supporting local business and the workforce.
[The statement of Ms. Harmon follows:]
Prepared Statement of Laura Harmon, Project Director, Greenville Works
My name is Laura Harmon, and I serve as the Project Director for
Greenville Works in Greenville, South Carolina. Before I get started, I
would like to thank Representatives Virginia Foxx and Trey Gowdy for
allowing me to testify on behalf of Greenville Works before the
Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Training field hearing.
I was asked by the Subcommittee to speak about the innovative and
strategic work that we have initiated to address important workforce-
related issues. I am pleased to do so. This work is led by twelve
Greenville Works member organizations, which include the major economic
development, workforce development, and educational institutions in our
area. Through its partners, Greenville Works provides a wide range of
services to the business community and to Greenville County's
workforce. As a partnership, Greenville Works provides overall
strategic direction for long term integration of workforce development
and economic growth activities. It also involves the input of nearly
twenty other organizations that have a hand in assisting youth and
adults with employment. It involves the support of funders who seek to
provide workforce opportunity and strengthen workforce quality through
their investments. And, most critically, it involves the ongoing
feedback of almost 300 businesses that employ citizens in jobs
throughout Greenville County.
In addition to speaking about the accomplishments of Greenville
Works and its many partners, I will also touch on the strategies that
fuel our accomplishments, the challenges that we face, and the actions
we recommend to support and expand this work.
Accomplishments
BREP. Greenville Works established and operates a county-wide
Business Retention and Expansion Program (BREP) to establish
communication with existing businesses, learn about their challenges
and plans, and respond efficiently to their needs with coordinated
services. Through the BREP program, Greenville Works' staff calls on
the largest employers in the county down to small businesses with
particular attention to the manufacturing, logistics, headquarters and
administrative operations, health care, and customer service
industries. Since these visits began in 2007, we have heard from
businesses concerning supply chain issues, infrastructure issues, and
public policy issues. But the overwhelming set of issues concerning
Greenville businesses are workforce related issues. In fact, 67% of the
businesses visited by Greenville Works named workforce concerns more
than any other issue by a wide margin.
The dialogue we have directly with local businesses, in an ongoing
fashion, is fundamental to a quick and appropriate response by
Greenville Works and its partners. It allows for a better understanding
of the real issues at hand. Though labor market data is important to
understanding the overall economic landscape, direct contact and
relationship building on a local or regional basis is a requisite to
any effective workforce response. For example, if we were to rely on
labor market data alone, we would believe that licensed practical
nurses, or LPNs, are a growing field and that we should expand training
opportunities for LPNs to meet the projected demand. Yet, through the
BREP program, we found that health care organizations in our
geographical area use a combination of medical assistants and
registered nurses, or RNs, rather than LPNs. We might also believe
that, according to labor market data, employment in manufacturing is
rapidly declining. For our area of Upstate South Carolina, this is
clearly not the case. Manufacturers are doing things differently than
many had before the recession. For example: 1) They are relying more
heavily on temporary and contingent staffing; 2) They have higher skill
requirements and demand for technical skills; and 3) They require
flexible workers who can handle multiple responsibilities and solve
problems ``on the floor.'' We know this from one-on-one conversations
with local employers.
So what do we do with this knowledge? We share it with our members
and partners. We review BREP findings during monthly Greenville Works
board meetings and during regularly scheduled meetings with job
developers and educators working on the front lines. We share it to
avoid duplicate visits that confuse employers and waste time. We share
it to gain a common understanding of our economic landscape. And we
share it to coordinate and improve the quality of our collective
response. My point is that there is no substitute for direct, regular
communication with the business community. Any program or initiative
that seeks to impact job creation, job retention, or education and
training for jobs, must include an effective business calling program
from the onset.
Industry Clusters. One of the points Greenville Works learned
through the BREP was that businesses are sometimes isolated from each
other, with limited communication between businesses in the same
industry sector. This can impede their ability, particularly in the
smaller organizations, to secure business related incentives, establish
local supply chain relationships, or share best practices. So,
Greenville Works organized industry cluster meetings to help facilitate
cross-communication between businesses. Last year, the Aviation and
Aerospace Industry Cluster came together to secure an incumbent worker
training grant provided through Workforce Investment Act (WIA) funds to
train workers from several businesses in blue print reading. The Life
Sciences Industry Cluster did the same and provided a shared
supervisory training program. The resulting increase in workers skills
contributed to job retention and productivity. This type of training
incentive and shared strategy can even result in the addition of new
jobs. This year, the Chemicals Industry Cluster identified a shared
need for Chemical Operator Training. Though South Carolina eliminated
the incumbent worker training program due to WIA funding reductions, we
hope to find an alternate solution so that this training need can be
realized.
WorkKeys@ based Career Readiness Certificate. I mentioned earlier
that manufacturing businesses now require more skills than in the past.
This holds true for many industries. Yet, we know from our state's high
unemployment rate, our relatively low educational attainment levels,
and the local BREP employer feedback that worker skills have not kept
pace. Greenville Works launched an initiative to lessen this skills gap
by supporting student and adult attainment of the WorkKeys(r)-based
Career Readiness Certificate, coupled by increased recognition of the
Certificate by employers. This Certificate program, which is the first
step in the National Association of Manufacturer (NAM) Skills
Certification System, assesses work-based skill levels in applied
mathematics, reading for information, and locating information (such as
interpreting graphs and tables). Not only does this Certificate give
employers in any industry a verified, unbiased assessment of workers'
skills in applied math, reading and graphs, it gives the students and
adults who earn it a means to prove their work related skills to
employers. Through this initiative, Greenville Works educates job
seekers and incumbent workers on the importance of advanced preparation
before taking the assessment so that they may achieve high scores. Now,
in addition to free self-directed online study software provided
through the State, assessment takers in Greenville County can prepare
by enrolling in free or extremely low cost classes tailored to their
needs. This effort to encourage existing and future workers to prepare
for and take the WorkKeys-based Career Readiness Certificate involves
more than twenty public, non-profit, community-based, and faith-based
organizations, all of the high school career centers and three high
schools, the Greenville Society for Human Resource Management, and 80
Upstate area employers who have each agreed to recognize, request, or
require the Certificate within their hiring process. The buy-in and
participation of employers cannot be underestimated, because the real
motivator that results in job seekers preparing for and taking the
WorkKeys assessment is not Greenville Works' message that it is a smart
thing to do. It is the employers who ask, ``Have you earned your
WorkKeys Certificate?'' In fact, many companies such as Michelin, N.A.
require the Certificate as part of hiring for certain positions.
Because of employers' use, backed by the education, workforce, and
economic development communities' support at the state and local level,
we have seen a 30% annual increase in the number of Greenville County
job seekers, students, and incumbent workers earning the Certificate.
We anticipate an even higher percentage increase going forward due as
prominent organizations like the United Way of Greenville County,
Greenville Technical College, and Greenville County Schools expand
their support for WorkKeys, and as state legislators consider measures
to link the Certificate to secondary education.
Working Groups. Working groups allow Greenville Works the means to
turn the BREP findings into action. The Employer Incentive Working
Group produced and maintains a comprehensive guide of 29 workforce-
related incentives provided by 17 different public and non-profit
organizations. This past February, another set of 17 organizations
collaborated in a working group to produce the soon-to-be-released
Workforce Readiness Competency Guide. This guide outlines the many
competencies that job seekers should develop in order to be ready for
work. The guide will help front line staff of helping organizations
tailor their assistance to the individual needs of their job seeking
clients. The Greenville Society for Human Resource Management, through
their Workforce Readiness Council, will evaluate the Guide to ensure it
accurately reflects local business needs. In the words spoken just last
Thursday by Quiwanna James, one of SHARE LADDER employment program's
most dedicated and effective case managers, ``In my ten years of
working with clients, I have never seen anything like [the Guide]. This
will help me do my job better, [which is] to help people get back to
work and be successful.''
National Fund for Workforce Solutions: Advanced Manufacturing
Workforce Partnership. The combined efforts of Greenville Works and the
United Way of Greenville County over the last 4 years resulted in the
competitive selection of our area for a National Fund for Workforce
Solutions (NFWS) grant through the Social Innovation Fund. The NFWS
supports innovative work in 31 communities throughout the country, with
ours being the only site in South or North Carolina. Greenville Works
assembled a funder collaborative of public and private organizations
(including the Greenville County Workforce Investment Board) that
pooled and aligned money to fund a bridge training program. The program
teaches the foundational skills necessary to work and advance in the
manufacturing industry. The program is provided at no cost to low and
moderate income job seekers who are selected for the training. To
ensure alignment with industry needs, Greenville Works assembled a
Transportation Fabrication Industry Cluster comprised of several
leading manufacturers. Together these employers defined the skills
necessary to succeed in entry level employment with their companies.
Their work formed the basis of a new manufacturing training program
that is tailored to real, local employment. This group of industry
partners is also comparing notes to identify the career pathways that
manufacturing job seekers and workers can take to advance in
manufacturing careers. And they are sharing information about their
hiring processes. Educators have taken this information and developed
an accelerated, contextualized job training curriculum that includes
both technical and soft skills, as well as two certifications that are
in line with the NAM Skills Certification System. Job coaches are
preparing to identify, refer, and support unemployed or underemployed
citizens that, with this training, will meet employer needs and
expectations. And as the marketing takes place, interested job seekers
will begin to apply for the training by taking the first step: earning
the WorkKeys-based Certificate. Those that complete this bridge program
will progress to on-the-job training, continued education,
apprenticeships, and/or employment. What makes this project unique is
the collaboration between public and private organizations to share
strategic goals, align systems, and provide flexible funding. We have
found that flexible public funding serves as a catalyst to attract and
involve private funding. When working with lower income job seekers,
flexible funding is absolutely necessary to provide the comprehensive,
holistic training and support that results in high levels of successful
employment, retention, advancement, and productivity gains.
Challenges
Though Greenville Works has accomplished a tremendous amount in
four short years, we continually face a number of challenges.
Insufficient funding is a continuous threat to the BREP operation and
the systems change efforts that emerge as a result. We operate with two
staff members. Funding for one staff member will expire in December.
Outside of the National Fund for Workforce Solutions project, there is
no funding to implement initiatives. We must have committed and ongoing
financial support in order to continue our strategic work with business
and the workforce. It must be noted that workforce issues are extremely
complex. Improving workforce systems involves significant changes in
the behavior of students, job seekers, workers, industry, government,
non-profits, and many others. It involves changes in policy. It
involves relationship building and extensive collaboration. These
challenges are not ``quick fixes'' that can be addressed by a two year
grant. These challenges require sustained levels of committed funding,
effort, and leadership in order to realize long-term results.
The second issue involves political boundaries. While our work is
focused on Greenville County, industry operates across county lines in
a regional fashion to meet business needs, including the recruitment
and training of workers. For example, BMW Manufacturing Co., LLC
attracts workers from a range of counties within driving distance. We
hope to expand our collaboration beyond Greenville County so that the
industry and workforce we serve is not deterred from receiving
consistent, quality services by county lines.
The third is the reduction in funding for training programs,
including training for incumbent workers and training for unemployed
and underemployed workers. I mentioned earlier the elimination of the
state's incumbent worker training program. Here is another example:
beginning September 1st, the South Carolina Department of Employment
and Workforce will no longer fund the printing and mailing of WorkKeys-
based Career Readiness Certificates. This decision removes an important
incentive that contributes to the quality of our workforce.
Recommended Action
Greenville Works recommends the following actions to support
meaningful improvement in workforce issues:
1) Find ways to support ``backbone'' organizations, like Greenville
Works, that leverage the collective impact of many. High performance
backbone organizations facilitate solutions that make sense for the
regional economy. They form lasting relationships with public and
private organizations--a must for effective workforce initiatives. They
find ways to leverage stakeholders' strengths and hold them
accountable. They move beyond assumptions and policy constraints to
accomplish real, meaningful results.
2) Support sector-based regional industry partnership development,
career pathway development, and entry-level bridge programs that have
strong support from local industry. Place workforce readiness and
industry-recognized credentialing as high priorities when creating or
refining workforce policy.
3) Fund the replication and expansion of innovative strategies that
communities such as those involved with the National Fund for Workforce
Solutions have developed. These strategies involve dual customers
(employers and workers), flexible funding, partnerships across
organizations, and backbone organizations that facilitate the process.
Conclusion
Despite our challenges and buoyed by our accomplishments,
Greenville Works remains focused on implementing long-term economic and
workforce development strategies in Greenville County. On behalf of the
Greenville Works Board, I sincerely appreciate the opportunity to speak
with you today about our work to support local business and the local
workforce.
______
Mr. Gowdy. Thank you, Ms. Harmon.
Mr. Wilson. Dr. Thames?
STATEMENT OF BRENDA THAMES, VICE PRESIDENT OF ACADEMIC
DEVELOPMENT, GREENVILLE HEALTH SYSTEM
Ms. Thames. Good afternoon, Chairman Wilson, Congressman
Gowdy. First, on behalf of the Greenville Hospital System
University Medical Center, I want to thank you for this
opportunity to testify this afternoon and, first and foremost,
to exemplify the fact that on behalf of the GHS families, over
10,000 employees, we have a tremendous relationship with our
higher education partners. And I want to share a little bit of
that with you this afternoon.
Institutions that educate the nation's future health-care
professionals must work together to devise innovative solutions
to the myriad of challenges that we face. Education and
training initiatives that successfully transform health care
will have to do the following three things: number one, address
health-care workforce shortages in the clinical and nonclinical
setting; number two, to train and retool the practicing
professionals in areas where the need exists; number three, and
foremost, probably more important, is to educate and train the
future workforce utilizing innovative models, not relying on
what has worked in the past.
The workforce needs facing GHS and other health-care
systems, we believe, are the following: physicians. There is a
tremendous physician shortage but also physician extenders.
These are nurse practitioners or physician assistants
themselves. But, however, as we work with our educational
partners, we must realize that often these areas are driven by
specialty. So, again, paying attention to where in the area of
health-care education and training needs to be revamped.
Registered nurses are going to be a tremendous need,
particularly at the baccalaureate's and master's level. The
current oversupply of nurses will not last long, as baby-boomer
nurses retire and the U.S. population continues to age. As
technology advances, we need highly skilled nurses.
Strong presence in other clinical areas such as pharmacy,
the therapies, be it physical therapy, occupational therapy,
speech therapy, will be a tremendous need. Mental health
counseling and social work--social problems contribute greatly
to the health status of our families and communities. Wellness,
more focus on prevention, especially nutrition, smoker
cessation, and exercise, all will be critical in training of
the next generation of health-care professionals.
Overall, we need to prepare for an aging America. Helping
individuals to stay independent by getting supportive services
without necessarily being admitted to a hospital or long-term-
care setting will be absolutely critical.
The key qualities that graduates need to excel in the local
workforce, especially in the health field, include both hard
and soft skills. Those hard skills--students need to come with
strong STEM education--science, technology, engineering, and
mathematics--at the undergraduate level. For positions
requiring graduate education, rigorous clinical training at the
undergraduate and graduate level, depending on the profession,
will absolutely be critical as well.
But while hard skills are critical, soft skills are
critical in health care as well. And when I say soft skills, I
mean issues like conflict resolution or conflict management,
critical thinking, team building, leadership, and
communication. Our students must be equipped with these skills
as well.
The partnerships or the pipeline programs at the Greenville
Hospital System have developed with local K-12 education and
with our higher-education partners. To address these workforce
needs that we see for the future, we feel it absolutely
critical to engage with our academic partners beginning at K-12
and continuing throughout higher education.
GHS's newest pipeline program is what we call the Medical
Experience, or MedEx, Academy. I mention this to you this
afternoon because we feel it is critical to create the pipeline
to meet the diverse needs that we are going to need for our
workforce going forth in the future.
We launched MedEx Academy last summer, summer 2010, through
which GHS collaborates with our academic institutions. And our
focus here is to provide clinical and nonclinical experiences
for these students who are interested in a career in health
care. The pipeline is absolutely critical in health care as a
component of the expanded University of South Carolina School
of Medicine Greenville campus.
There are four points that I would like to make relative to
the pipeline. Number one, we have through the MedEx Academy
created a program, working with our K-12 institutions, to
enhance student career decision-making through real-life
experiences. It targets high school seniors and college
undergraduates as well.
Secondly, we feel it critical as we reach out to our
colleges and universities to create real pipeline partners--
pipeline partners who are working with us from day one. To give
an example of some of those institutions, in alphabetical
order, that we are already working strongly with, they include:
Anderson University; Claflin University, a historical black
college and university in the lower part of the State; Clemson
University is our huge partner in both education and research;
ECPI College of Technology; Thurman University; Greenville
Technical College; South Carolina State University, another
historical black college; and University of South Carolina.
The pipeline runs broad and deep, so we also have other
academic partners engaged as well. Students must realize also,
or recognize, that there are opportunities for them within the
health-care arena that we, as the GHS family, are looking to
partner with our academic partners to give them real-life
experiences.
And, finally, I will say that one of our major focuses is
on educating and retaining the talents in the State of South
Carolina.
Thank you for your time.
[The statement of Ms. Thames follows:]
Prepared Statement of Brenda J. Thames, Ed.D., Vice President--Academic
Development, Greenville Hospital System, University Medical Center
Institutions that educate the nation's future healthcare
professionals must work together to devise innovative solutions to the
myriad of challenges we face.
Education and training initiatives that successfully transform
health care will do the following:
Address healthcare workforce shortages in clinical and
non-clinical areas.
Train and retool practicing professionals in areas where
the need exists.
Educate and train the future workforce utilizing
innovative models.
The workforce needs facing GHS:
Physician and physician extenders, i.e., physician
assistants and nurse practitioners. Needs vary by specialty.
Registered nurses, particularly at the baccalaureate and
masters level. The current oversupply of nurses will not last long as
baby boomer nurses retire and the U.S. population ages. As technology
advances, we need highly skilled nurses.
Strong programs in other clinical areas--pharmacy,
therapies (physical, occupational, speech), mental health counseling
and social work (social problems contribute greatly to health status),
wellness (prevention)--especially nutrition, smoking cessation and
exercise.
Overall, we need to prepare for an aging America--helping
individuals stay independent by getting supportive services without
necessarily being admitted to a hospital or long-term care setting.
The key qualities that graduates need to excel in the local
workforce, especially the health field:
``Hard skills''--strong STEM education (science,
technology, engineering and mathematics) at the undergraduate level for
positions requiring graduate education. Rigorous clinical training at
the undergraduate or graduate level (depending on the profession).
``Soft skills,'' such as conflict management, critical
thinking, team building, leadership and communication.
The partnerships/pipeline programs GHS has developed with local K-
12 and institutions of higher education to address these workforce
needs:
GHS' newest pipeline program is the Medical Experience
(MedEx) Academy, which launched summer 2010 and through which GHS
collaborates with academic institutions to provide clinical and non-
clinical experiences for students interested in careers in health care.
The pipeline is a critical component of the expanded University of
South Carolina School of Medicine-Greenville campus.
The program works with K-12 and higher education to
enhance student career decision-making through ``real life''
experiences. It targets high school seniors and college undergraduates.
College-level pipeline partners include but not limited to
the following: Anderson University, Claflin University, Clemson
University, ECPI College of Technology, Furman University, Greenville
Technical College, South Carolina State University and University of
South Carolina.
The pipeline runs broad and deep; it also includes AHEC
Minority Council, Boy Scouts of America, GHS Minority Council,
Greenville County Schools, the Governors School for Science & Math,
S.C. Alliance of Black School Educators, Upstate AHEC and Upstate
Coalition.
Student support includes potential scholarships, academic
development and financial assistance
______
Mr. Gowdy. Thank you, Dr. Thames.
I will recognize myself now for 5 minutes of questions, and
then the distinguished gentleman from South Carolina will go
after me.
Mr. Mayor, I don't want you to tip your hand too much as I
ask you this question, but the upstate generally, in Greenville
specifically, has done a marvelous job of attracting
international business. What lessons can you share with others
that you haven't copyrighted or trademarked that other
communities might be able to steal your ideas? What can you
share with us as a formula for success, given how successful
you and this area have been?
Mr. White. Well, I think it still starts with some
fundamentals that we all recognize and we all value, and
certainly you do, and that is, having the reputation and the
reality of a very pro-business climate in terms of your taxes,
in terms of your open-door attitude toward business. That is
still absolutely important. We sometimes take it for granted
here, but it is very different from other parts of the country.
More and more beyond that, though, we see that the quality
of life that we have here, again, some things we often take for
granted, become very, very important. So it is not just the
economics and the taxes; it is also the quality of life, to be
able to move a business here, to move your executive officers
here. As they come here and look around and they see a
wonderful downtown that looks like something they would always
enjoy, a place they would want to live, as they see the wider
area in proximity to the mountains and the many amenities we
have in this area.
So more and more, it is the whole package folks are looking
for. And I think there is recognition on our part that we are
in a competitive gain here. We are in competition with the
entire rest of the country, indeed the world, and understanding
these attributes we have and acknowledging them, enhancing
them, building them up is still extremely important.
We show well. We check off--we help them check these things
off their list, if you will, and that is why I think, more and
more, we are seeing folks attracted to the upstate of South
Carolina.
Mr. Gowdy. Mr. Eikenbusch, when you or BMW suppliers have
needs or your needs have changed with respect to what the
workforce can provide, walk us through how you would approach
either the technical schools or Clemson or any of the schools
of higher education and lay out for them that your needs have
changed and you need a differently educated workforce. How
would that happen?
Mr. Eikenbusch. I can give you two examples. The first
would be CU-ICAR. When we started our partnership, I was
actually on a committee representing BMW's interests as we were
talking with Clemson about putting together the curriculum that
would be taught at CU-ICAR. So there was a lot of input and a
lot of discussion about the ideas that Clemson had on the one
hand, the ideas that BMW had on the other hand, to make sure
that ultimately the program and undergraduates would have the
skills that would meet our needs.
Elements of that, for example, was to make sure that
interpersonal skills training, to what Ms. Thames just said,
are part of the program because we said, not only do we need an
engineer that can think technically, we also need an engineer
that is competent in interpersonal interactions. That committee
is still very active. We meet almost every other month, and we
talk about the curriculum but also about research projects and
recruiting elements.
The second example that I would give would be on the
technical college side. I mentioned earlier the addition of the
BMW Scholars program. This was really something that was pushed
very hard by both our German colleagues and also our president
here, realizing that since we didn't have a formal
apprenticeship system like in Germany, we would need to create
some system that would ensure a pipeline of talent that would
meet our needs.
So we met with the three colleges and really saw open doors
in really leveraging current curricula that they had but also
adding a new curriculum that we put together that specifically
was addressing high-skilled manufacturing skills that we were
looking for.
So that would be the process, or the two examples.
Mr. Gowdy. Thank you.
Ms. Harmon, in terms of fiscal austerity which we find
ourselves in, what recommendations would you give to government
to work smaller or more efficiently in advancing worker
placement, worker retraining? What can we do, given the
financial circumstances that we find ourselves in, which are
pretty bleak, what can we do smarter, better, more efficiently?
Ms. Harmon. I think there are a couple of things.
The first is to ensure that any training program that gets
funded has, at the very lead, at the very front, that
relationship with business. Don't fund a training program that
isn't led by business. And that does happen, and it usually
does not come out with the level of success to meet the
investment.
So I would definitely say, you know, that employer
involvement on the front end, most likely in an industry
cluster, so that you can leverage the involvement of several
like employers together, that is a really critical piece. They
know what they need. They can help us to make sure that the
curriculum involves all of the pieces that are important to
them, and then you build your training program back from that.
And that is going to be a much more--you are going to get a
much more successful outcome with people getting employed and
then people staying employed and able to move up, because, you
know, they get their foot in the door, but they need to be able
to continue to use those skills and move up.
So I think the industry piece is really important for any
training program. And most of the time, workforce training
programs tend to be led by the worker side: What does this
person want to do with their career? How can we help them to
get the education they need? And then, you know, good luck, go
out there into the world, and get a job. It really needs to go
the other way around, from where is your business strength and
then the training follows that.
The second thing is a regional approach. I know that
conversation has taken place in South Carolina about how to
regionalize the investment. That is very important, and it is
important because business doesn't operate within a certain
county. And, you know, that is going to make us more effective.
Mr. Gowdy. Thank you.
Dr. Thames, I was talking to a physician friend of mine
this morning. He is a primary care physician. And, in the
interest of full disclosure, my father is, too. I used to tell
everyone that I grew up poor, and then they found out my father
was a doctor and they didn't believe that that was true, but it
can be true.
Ms. Thames. It can be.
Mr. Gowdy. It wasn't in my case, but it can be because they
are saddled with several hundred thousand dollars' worth of
debt coming out, and, for whatever reason, our culture pays
specialists more than they do primary care physicians.
So, all of that as a lead-in, I believe Greenville Hospital
System is starting a medical school, partnering with Medical
University of South Carolina or University of South Carolina.
Tell us about that and the challenges that you have seen in
medicine going forward and how you think Greenville Hospital
System is well-equipped to help us solve some of those
challenges.
Ms. Thames. Well, first and foremost, as I mentioned
before, I think all of us would agree that there is a
tremendous need for increasing that physician pool, absolutely,
and definitely in the area of primary care but other areas, as
well.
We also recognize that there is a huge debt that comes
along with that. So we are paying very close attention to that
and looking at how we can address that as we go forward with
recruiting students into the medical school. One of the
challenges that any medical student faces is that debt, and so
we are constantly looking at how we reduce that.
The unique partnership between the Greenville Hospital
System and University of South Carolina for the medical school
provides us a unique revenue stream, as well. And one of the
points I want to make about the medical school is that a
component of that, that we have to realize, is that students
who come to go into medical school, there is a tremendous
amount of learning that is beyond what they may learn that you
may typically think of in the medical school.
So, not to address the debt per se, Congressman Gowdy, but
the reality is, how do we pay attention to that and look for
other sources of funding to offset some of that cost? And
coupled with that is, how do we ensure those physicians get the
kind of training so that they can come out and be successful
and have a revenue that will allow them to repay the debt that
they have incurred?
As we go forward with the medical school, we are looking at
it from a perspective--we are a huge clinical enterprise, and
so we have a lot of resources already in place. But coupled
with that, since this is higher education testimony here, we
are looking at our academic partners, too, as to how we go
forward with other components of the medical school, be it
research or emergency medical training that we are working with
Greenville Technical College on.
And that doesn't address the debt per se, but what we are
seeing is that we know that that is an issue; that is going to
be an issue as we try to attract a diverse physician pool. And
so we are looking at ways that we can reduce that debt as much
as we possibly can. But I don't think we can allow that issue
to totally stop us in our tracks from the real problem, which
is a shortage of physicians.
Mr. Gowdy. Thank you, Dr. Thames.
I would now recognize my distinguished colleague from South
Carolina, Mr. Wilson.
Mr. Wilson. Thank you very much, Mr. Gowdy.
And, ladies and gentlemen, it is an honor for me to be here
right on I-85. This is the I-85 corridor. I want everybody in
the world to know, this is one of the great megalopolises of
the world, Charlotte to Atlanta. And what extraordinary Members
of Congress represent here, with Trey Gowdy right in the
center, and then to the south we have Jeff Duncan; to the
north, Mick Mulvaney. Both U.S. Senators of South Carolina,
Lindsay Graham and Jim DeMint, live in this region. The upstate
of South Carolina is one of the world's leading manufacturing,
banking, and academic communities. And so the mayor is correct;
it is quality of life. That is why people live here. It has
been an extraordinary opportunity for me to return.
As I am here, I particularly am happy to see the mayor. I
knew him in high school. I worked with him at that time. And I
wasn't in high school; he was. And so I am really proud of his
success, but I can remember his work ethic, his vision. And
people should really visit downtown Greenville. It is a world-
class city, so changed from what it used to be.
And so, Mayor, thank you.
In fact, I would be really interested in knowing what
resources do you find, as you are recruiting jobs for the
region, what resources have you found most effective in
education?
Mr. White. Well, thank you. I do remember you being much
older than me, though, back in those days, Congressman.
I do want to say one thing about ICAR. I want to make the
panel aware of something. 2009 was a tough year, terrible year
for all of us. Our Greenville Chamber of Commerce, Upstate
Alliance, all our economic groups--it was a tough year
recruiting business in the depths of the recession.
For Greenville, at least, we have this amazing shining
light during 2009, which was Clemson ICAR, and we all talked
about it. We are all very aware of it, that somehow and
another, in the depths of the worst time, we were still finding
prospects showing up at our door, we were still working
projects, new businesses coming to this area, new people coming
to this area. And overwhelmingly, it emanated from Clemson
ICAR.
It allowed us to, in effect, charge through the recession
in an amazing way. And some truly, truly amazing people and
amazing businesses, automotive-related for the most part but
also green technology businesses of all kind, still kept coming
through in 2009 and 2010. It was a remarkable thing to see. So
that is why we are such believers in this.
So this whole connection, to get to your question about
connecting higher education and what higher education can do
for business, especially at the time of recession, especially
when businesses are looking for a way forward, if you will, was
a remarkable thing to see. And we saw it here playing out again
and again and again.
We used to sit around in 2009, 2010, and talk about, if we
are doing this well in 2009, what is it going to be like when
this recession is over? And, indeed, 2011, in this sort of in-
between state we are in, has been a remarkable year. We are now
seeing projects that were kind of stuck in the pipeline or
slowly moving just popping out left and right, both in terms of
downtown development projects as well as new businesses.
But it was our ability to work in partnership with Clemson
and see this facility get up and going--thank goodness--get up
and going before the recession that really got us through it
and just tells us how important this is for the 21st century.
Mr. Wilson. Thank you very much.
And, Dr. Thames, I appreciate you pointing out that the
Greenville Health System employs 10,000 people. I represent the
midlands and the low country, and the largest employer
throughout South Carolina is the health-care industry. And it
is a great opportunity for young people to get jobs.
What has been your experience here in upstate, upcountry,
of working with institutions of higher learning to help train
people to work at Greenville Health System?
Ms. Thames. We have had a tremendous experience with all of
our academic partners, some of those that I listed in my
testimony. So we have had students coming into the system far
before I joined the Greenville Hospital System, or coming in
for internship or shadowing or just coming in to see what was
going on in the OR, different areas in the hospital.
However, what we are looking to do now is to be more
strategic about that. So we have worked with Clemson University
some and Greenville Tech and other academic partners to take a
look at students interested in a career in health care, but,
more importantly, to expose those young people to the many
opportunities--many of us only know--we hear doctors, nurses,
therapists, a few of the career opportunities, but there are a
lot of nonclinical areas--I am a good example of that--that
students don't know about. So we are on a journey to work with
our academic partners to give young people more exposure, more
real-life, hands-on experience. So if you think you want to be
a physical therapist, come into the system and see what the day
in the life of a physical therapist is really like.
What we are finding through the MedEx Academy is that some
students are learning what they don't want to do. They think
they want to be in health care, so we work with our academic
partners, even starting, as I mentioned, at K-12. And we are
deliberately piloting initiatives at MedEx Academy Tier 3 next
year with Clemson University. We get a volume of students who
are interested in coming in to shadow or whatever. A lot of
those students get in by who they know. And so, what we want to
do is be more strategic about it and give more young people
that exposure and opportunity.
And so we are working with our academic partners to say,
why can't students get academic credit for this? So we are well
on our way to looking at academic credits that the student
experiences with us. So Tier 1, which is our K-12, students
receive a half credit toward their high school graduation. We
are working with Clemson and Furman to pilot Tiers 2 and 3, and
we are looking at 4 credit hours.
So, again, back to the connection of the real world to
their academic learning, while they are on their academic
journey, we think we, as a health system, can give them a
tremendous amount of exposure to not only learn what they want
to do but what they don't want to do.
Mr. Wilson. Thank you very much.
And, Mr. Eikenbusch, I really believe that BMW is a model
of success of where people who are hardworking in South
Carolina can be very successful. I was very honored to be
present with Senator Verne Smith for the groundbreaking of BMW.
I was with Senator John Russell for the dedication of the
building. I came back for the unveiling of the first G3 in the
world. And so I am just in awe of the opportunities you provide
and the jobs that you provide.
What has been your experience of working with institutions
of higher education here in South Carolina? Has that been a
part of your success?
Mr. Eikenbusch. Absolutely, yes. And as I mentioned in my
statements before, really on both levels. I mean, we really
need the 2-year educational system to work with us, as well as
the 4-year educational system. So, in both cases, our
experiences have been very good.
Examples, as I mentioned, in the original, early days,
onboarding and training, these were the basics of really
industrial high-tech manufacturing skills. Right now, on the 2-
year level, it is like BMW Scholars program. These would be
initiatives where we can leverage the theory that the technical
colleges provide with hands-on experience that we provide, like
you mentioned before, as well, Dr. Thames, because it is
important that you merge the theory with the hands-on
experience.
So very good models there, very open-minded college system
that works with us in response to our needs. And the same as I
mentioned before on the 4-year level.
The one thing that I would like to point out that I think
is very, very important and successful is this whole idea of
internships and co-op opportunities at the 4-year level. We
have very good examples here with Clemson, very active, but it
also goes into North Carolina. I know Dr. Foxx is not here--a
very good example with NC State.
We have, at any point, probably 100 to 150 engineering and
management students at BMW that spend either a summer or a full
semester and come back on rotations. And it is the same kind of
idea; they get an opportunity to look at the jobs to see if it
is a fit for me, and we get an opportunity to see the
individual and see if it is a fit for us.
So I am really happy to say that these opportunities are
really growing. More and more institutions are embracing these
co-ops and internships. And from an industry perspective, I
think that is a big opportunity and advantage, both for the
employers but also for the students.
Mr. Wilson. Thank you.
Now, my time is up, but I do want to thank Ms. Harmon. I
was going to ask you about how organizations can work together,
but you answered the question before I could ask it.
I yield back to the current chairman.
Mr. Gowdy. Chairman Wilson, given the fact that we have
such an amazing panel and another one coming right behind it,
would you be amenable to what we call a lightning round up in
Washington? Would you be willing for me to ask a couple of
really quick questions.
Mr. Wilson. I am in Trey Gowdy country. I will do whatever
Trey says.
Mr. Gowdy. I just wanted to maybe ask a quick question with
a quick response, because you and I are not accustomed to
having panels this distinguished----
Mr. Wilson. This is amazing.
Mr. Gowdy [continuing]. When we are not in recess. So with
Chairman Wilson's permission, let me start with you, Mr.
Eikenbusch.
If you were king for a day, and you were charged with
raising educational achievement and attainment with math and
science in this country, what would you do?
Mr. Eikenbusch. Oh, that is a difficult question. I think I
would demonstrate to the student how what they are learning in
theory really translates into value added in their life and in
society. I think that is--I have a 17-year-old daughter who
often comes to me and says, why I am learning this, and I think
that is a missing gap. You are learning a lot, but you are
really not learning how this will benefit you.
Mr. Gowdy. Well said.
Mayor White, same question, king for a day, you can do
three things that will spur this economy with respect to job
creation. What would you do? And you don't have to get it
through a fractious Congress; you can just do it yourself.
Mr. White. Well, I think not necessarily in the area of
math and science, but just overall I think you are here for a
reason at Clemson ICAR, and I do think this is an extremely
helpful model. The economy is changing so quickly. It is all
about higher-tech, higher-knowledge jobs and such. So I think
collaborations between education at all levels, including
higher education, is extremely important.
I don't see how industry can march to the same tune as it
has in the past. I think you have got to tie the two together.
They need the expertise that higher education can bring to
them, and higher education needs the practical experience that
these kind of entities offer.
Mr. Gowdy. Dr. Thames, Congressman Wilson wanted to ask
this question because it is more relevant to him than it is to
me, but with an aging population, with baby boomers----
Mr. Wilson. Wonderful people.
Mr. Gowdy. Yes, they are wonderful people--what would you
say--if you were queen for a day, what would you say to the
institutions of higher learning to help prepare for what is
going to be a large number of folks hitting that age in the
not-too-distant future? How would you tell them to change their
curriculum to help you as a hospital system that I presume--I
go to hospital systems. Medicare is probably a pretty good
customer. How would you help them prepare from an educational
standpoint?
Ms. Thames. I just echo what the two gentlemen said before.
I mean, I think that is huge for us, and I think we are well on
our way in this State of better connecting students to the real
world. I think that is absolutely critical.
Relative to the aging population, I think in those areas
where you are training students to go into health care, there
is going to be a tremendous need. Sometimes people are not even
exposed to elderly people, much less going into a career where
they are going to be working with that population or serving
that population. So I think, again, better connection to what
is happening in the real world with the aging population and
don't think of a 70-year-old as being old because 70-year-olds,
their bodies and their minds are telling them that they are
still sharp, they can still run, they can do whatever they want
to do.
And so I think educating young people on--when we say the
aging population, let's know what that really means because I
have physicians talking all the time about, Congressman Wilson,
much older than you, but people coming in but really their
minds are telling them they are still vibrant, they can still
do these things. So they are wanting that hip replacement or
they are wanting that care. So, again, I go back to, while
students are in their academic learning, let's expose them to
the people that they are possibly going to be serving when they
get into the real world.
For us, it is a tremendous cost saving when we can get
individuals ready to walk into the workplace, ready to hit the
ground rolling, because so often on-the-job training is
expensive, and I think that is another real value here what is
going on in South Carolina about us really connecting to our
higher education partners.
Mr. Gowdy. If you run into anyone else who has not met a
senior citizen or someone they perceive to be old, let
Congressman Wilson and I know so we can walk them to the United
States Senate where they will meet lots of them.
Ms. Harmon, last question--and thank you for your
indulgence, Mr. Chairman--if you were queen for a day, the
model right now is to pay unemployment earnings directly to the
unemployed person. Would you consider a model that paid a BMW
or a Milliken or a Tietex or a Michelin the money instead of
the individual, with the understanding they hired the person,
the money doesn't go to the individual to look for work or stay
at home; it goes to a company that can either retrain or put
the person to work? Our model--I think we are to the point in
our country where we probably need to kind of fundamentally
look at different models. Is that one you would be willing to
consider?
Ms. Harmon. I would like to explore that, but I really
can't provide a response that says yes or no at this particular
moment, but I would definitely like to talk about it and find
out more.
Correct, the unemployment system has a lot of problems.
There are people that are incentivized to stay on unemployment
rather than go to work, but there is a whole--the issue is so
complex that you really have to examine all of the pieces that
go into that person's decision to stay on unemployment or not
to find another, you know--their workforce readiness, the state
of being workforce ready, is very complex. There are a lot of
factors that go into it. There are housing issues. There are
basic academic issues. There are the soft skills. There is
knowing how to use a computer so that you can actually find a
job and apply on line, and we have a lot of adults that are not
work ready in that aspect and in many aspects that involve
barriers like on having transportation.
So, yes, I would say let us look at unemployment and find a
different way to do it that is more efficient, but I can't say
right now.
Mr. Gowdy. I caught you cold. Lawyers do that. So forgive
me and----
Ms. Harmon. Can I mention one other thing?
Mr. Gowdy. Sure.
Ms. Harmon. You had asked about what would I recommend for
training. We have so many of the solutions already. We have so
many resources that are already here. It is getting people to
collaborate effectively to align their services that I think is
going to be the key, especially in lean times.
So I think we can do a lot more with the funding that we
have, but we need to, you know, put it in the right place and
make sure that folks in the agencies are working together, and
really, that is what Greenville Works is all about. We are
trying to bring different types of organizations together and
have them to align their services so that, you know, we can be
more effective.
Mr. Gowdy. Well, on behalf of Congressman Wilson and
myself, I thank our first panel for sharing your perspective,
your insights, your wisdom with us. It has been a remarkable
panel, and we will come thank you personally, and we will take
a couple-minute recess if that is okay with Chairman Wilson.
Mr. Wilson. Whatever the current chairman says.
Mr. Gowdy. And we will prepare for the second panel. So we
will be temporarily in recess. Thank you.
[Recess. ]
Mr. Wilson. Ladies and gentlemen, I would like to call back
to order the special subcommittee meeting of the Committee on
Education and the Workforce. We will now begin with the second
panel.
Before we begin, I would like to thank the staff people. I
have already mentioned Amy Jones. She is our attorney and a
very capable young lady who has been so helpful to the
committee, and someone Congressman Gowdy and I greatly depend
upon.
We are very pleased that Brian Melnyk is here from the
committee, and also Melinda Walker, who is a House reporter.
Melinda has just been a really hard worker on behalf of the
people of our country, and I appreciate that.
And then I do need to point out, I have a staff person
here, Melissa Chandler of Greenwood, who is a graduate of
another upstate college, very famous, Wofford College, and so
Melissa is the Deputy Chief of Staff of the Second District of
South Carolina.
And at this time, I will now defer back to Congressman
Gowdy.
Mr. Gowdy. Thank you, Chairman Wilson.
I want to welcome our second panel. I will be introducing
you shortly, but it really is a testament to the upstate when
you can have as a second panel folks of this caliber. I guess
it is kind of like having Babe Ruth bat third and fourth for
you. Nobody here is old enough to remember Babe Ruth, are they?
I guess I should say somebody else, Congressman Wilson.
I am going to introduce you, and we will do it just like
last time. You will have 5 minutes to give your opening
statement, and if it lasts longer than that, that is fine, too.
The lights mean what they traditionally mean.
It is my pleasure to introduce Mr. Jim Barker, who was made
president of Clemson University in 1999. Since his arrival, Mr.
Barker has been devoted to transforming Clemson into one of the
nation's finest universities. Enrollment and student
achievement at Clemson have soared during Mr. Barker's tenure,
and he continues to focus on improvement for the future. In
addition to his career at Clemson University, President Barker
served as chair of the NCAA Division I board of directors and
chair of the Commission on Colleges and the Southern
Association of Colleges and Schools. And it is a pleasure to
have you here. And a point of personal indulgence, President
Barker, your staff and everyone connected to Clemson has been
absolutely phenomenal putting this on. So, if you would give
them a heartfelt thanks on behalf of Congressman Wilson and
myself.
Dr. Thomas Moore began serving as chancellor of the
University of South Carolina Upstate on August 1, 2011. I saw
you I guess it was Monday. Welcome, again. Delighted to have
you. Dr. Moore has an extensive background in higher education,
knowledge of the State, and commitment to excellence as a
professor and administrator. Prior to being named chancellor,
Dr. Moore served as vice president for academic affairs and
dean of faculty at Winthrop University, and on committees of
the National Collegiate Athletic Association, the Southern
Association of Colleges and Schools and the Association of
Graduate Liberal Studies Programs. Welcome, Dr. Moore.
Dr. Keith Miller became the second president of Greenville
Technical College in 2008. He brought experienced leadership to
the position, having spent 12 years as a college president in
Illinois, first for Spoon River College and later for Black
Hawk College. In addition, Dr. Miller served as chairman of the
board for the American Association of Community Colleges in
2008 and 2009. He currently serves on the board of directors
for the American Council of Education and is chairman of the
National Steering Committee for Development of the Voluntary
Framework for Accountability. You have been a guest of ours in
Washington, which we very much enjoyed, and Ms. Hogue does a
phenomenal job for you, as I know you are aware.
Ms. Amy Hickman was named campus president of ECPI
University in Greenville, South Carolina, in March 2009. Prior
to serving as campus president, Ms. Hickman served as campus
provost and English instructor and an associate dean of arts
and sciences at ECPI in Greenville. Ms. Hickman also taught and
served as the department chair for general education at Collins
College in Tempe, Arizona. Ms. Hickman holds a master's degree
in creative writing from the University of Florida and a
bachelor's degree from Goucher College.
With that, welcome, each of you. We will start with you,
President Barker. Make your opening statement. We will go from
my left to right, your right to left. President Barker.
STATEMENT OF JAMES F. BARKER, PRESIDENT,
CLEMSON UNIVERSITY
Mr. Barker. Good afternoon, Chairman Wilson and Congressman
Gowdy. We are very much appreciative of the opportunity to
speak to you regarding the role of higher education in job
growth and workforce development, and we thank you also on
behalf of our faculty and staff and students at Clemson
University.
This is a timely topic. Today, more than ever, higher
education needs to work closely with government and private
industry to ensure that our graduates are well prepared for the
immediate job market, as well as their future roles as leaders
in the companies and in our communities. In other words, it
will be a loss to graduate such well-prepared students if there
were no positions for them waiting, and it would be an equal
loss if companies had the positions for our graduates, but the
graduates weren't prepared to go into those positions. So
simply stated, we have got to do both, and that is what these
hearings are about.
Clemson University was founded in 1899 through a bequest
from Thomas Green Clemson, who was a Philadelphian, an engineer
and a diplomat, who married John C. Calhoun's daughter and
wisely settled in South Carolina for the rest of his life. Mr.
Clemson believed that the way to rebuild his adopted State's
war-ravaged economy was through scientific education. So he
left his home and his fortune to the State in his bequest to
establish the institution that now bears his name.
His will eloquently described his twofold purpose: number
one, to establish what he called a high seminary of learning;
number two, to develop the material resources of the State. So
we are responsible for both learning and prosperity in the
State of South Carolina. So this dual responsibility has been a
part of our mission directly from our founder from day one. So
you are looking at CU-ICAR as the direct manifestation of both
those things from the 19th century to the 21st century.
So Clemson was specifically established to support economic
development. Mr. Clemson understood that the surest path to
prosperity was education. It is appropriate that we are at CU-
ICAR given our mission and our collaboration that has occurred
among the universities, federal and State and local government,
as well as the private sector, which has resulted in an
economic transformation of our State.
Three critical ingredients in CU-ICAR's success were these:
number one, a research university that was willing to listen, a
key factor, and then respond to industry needs; a government
investment; and a physical campus. Each ingredient was
essential.
CU-ICAR evolved from conversations between Clemson and BMW,
as you heard from BMW, about what the State's automotive
cluster needed in order to remain competitive. They said they
needed a new kind of engineer, an engineer that understood how
to bring together mechanical, electrical, and computer systems
in our modern automobile today.
Clemson's faculty listened. They responded and created a
new curriculum focused on systems integration. Financial
resources were provided through the State and legislative
incentives that funded endowed chairs, research infrastructure,
and innovation campuses. Often these funds required a private-
sector match, which, by the way, we believe is the truest
measure of accountability. If you can't find the match, then
you have got no business doing the idea. City and county
government helped fund infrastructure, as you heard from Mayor
White, and support services and federal funds were used to help
build the Center for Emerging Technologies right next door
through that glass that we are seeing right beside us.
The third critical ingredient was 250 acres, enough land to
develop with large companies or small start-ups and landing
parties alongside the academic programs, and state-of-the-art
research and testing equipment, all on the campus, deliberately
designed to foster collaboration. We believe this project is so
dense because economic development is a contact sport. You have
got to bump into people to generate the ideas.
What distinguishes Clemson's automotive engineering program
is the blend of a rigorous academic program, combined with
daily interaction with industry leaders and, finally, with a
structured hands-on learning opportunity which we call Deep
Orange, which transforms the Campbell Graduate Engineering
Center into an original automotive equipment manufacturer and
supplier by building these cars. That is what we learn.
Students, faculty, and industrial partners actually produce a
new vehicle prototype each year, which gives students
experience in vehicle design, development and production, and
prepares them to be in leadership in the automotive workforce
in the future.
CU-ICAR'S results speak for themselves: 19 corporate
partners, 30 research partners, 500 jobs created, and another
1,700 announced, $230 million in public and private investment,
America's first doctoral degree in automotive engineering, and
100 percent employment rate for its graduates.
The CU-ICAR model works. It is one that we followed in
developing two other innovation campuses, which I need to
mention. First, the Clemson University Restoration Institute in
North Charleston will soon house a unique wind turbine testing
facility funded by a $35 million U.S. Department of Energy
grant and matched by State support and private support, and
that will make South Carolina the hub of the wind energy
industry. IMO, a German manufacturer group, they produce wind
tunnel components and wind turbine components, and they will
locate in this facility with 190 jobs in Charleston, driven to
a great extent by Clemson's presence there with this new
facility. Like CU-ICAR, the campus will focus on industry
collaboration. Executives from 90 percent of the world's
turbine manufacturers serve on its advisory board.
The second campus, the Clemson University Advanced
Materials Center in Anderson County, boasts one of the world's
most advanced electron microscope facilities and a cyber
infrastructure that places Clemson in the top five among all
U.S. academic institutions in supercomputing. This advanced
materials campus concentrates on small business that move
technology innovation into the marketplace, often based on
licensing of Clemson research and intellectual properties,
which has generated more than $28 million in revenues and
created 15 start-up companies in the past decade. An example:
Tetramer Technologies was founded in 2001 as a faculty start-up
company and now is a tier one supplier to General Motors.
Each of these three research campuses is as unique as its
region and as the economic cluster it serves, but each is
anchored in academics, because the greatest contribution we
make to economic development is a well-prepared Clemson
graduate. That is why the cornerstone of our newest strategic
plan is student engagement. We want to give every undergraduate
and graduate student the kind of relevant, hands-on, problem-
solving experience that Deep Orange has created here at CU-
ICAR.
I have outlined examples of engagement programs in my
written testimony, and these programs often involve interaction
with industry and will give Clemson students the tools to
become leaders, thinkers, and entrepreneurs as well as global
citizens. In short, we believe that it will be a powerful 21st
century workforce.
Let me thank you again for this opportunity on behalf of
Clemson and thank you for your service to our nation.
Mr. Gowdy. Thank you, President Barker.
[The statement of Mr. Barker follows:]
Prepared Statement of James F. Barker, President, Clemson University
Good afternoon, Chairwoman Foxx and Members of the Subcommittee. My
name is Jim Barker, and I am President of Clemson University. We
appreciate the opportunity to host this subcommittee field hearing at
our CU-ICAR campus and to testify before the subcommittee today
regarding the role of higher education in job growth and workforce
development.
We believe this is a timely topic given the changing landscape of
higher education and the economic conditions facing our state and
nation. Today more than ever, institutions of higher education need to
work closely with government and private industry to ensure that our
graduates are well prepared both for the immediate job market and for
their future roles as leaders of our companies and our communities.
Clemson University is ready and eager to accept this challenge. In
fact, it's what we were founded to do.
For those of you who are not familiar with Clemson, I'm pleased to
provide some background information.
Ranked #23 among national public universities, Clemson University
is a land-grant, science- and engineering-oriented research university
that maintains a strong commitment to teaching and student success.
Clemson is a student-centered community characterized by high academic
standards, a culture of collaboration, school spirit, and a competitive
drive to excel.
It has recently been ranked #9 among ``up and coming''
universities, and #12 among national universities--public and private--
with a strong commitment to undergraduate teaching, according to US
News & World Report. Princeton Review rates us #1 in town-gown
relations and #2 in the category of ``happiest students.''
Clemson scores well above its peers on the National Survey on
Student Engagement. More than 92 percent of seniors would choose
Clemson again if they could start over--compared to a national average
of 83 percent. Clemson also is the number one choice of Palmetto
Fellows, the state's top high school graduates, and more than half of
Clemson's incoming freshmen rank in the top 10 percent of their high
school class.
The university was founded in 1889 through a bequest from Thomas
Green Clemson, a Philadelphia-born, European-educated engineer,
musician and artist who married John C. Calhoun's daughter, Anna, and
settled at her family estate in South Carolina. Clemson believed that
the way to rebuild his adopted state's war-ravaged economy was through
scientific education, so he left his home and fortune to the state of
South Carolina to create the institution that bears his name. His last
will and testament eloquently described a two-fold purpose: To
establish a ``high seminary of learning'' and to ``develop the material
resources of the state.''
Therefore, Clemson was specifically and purposefully established to
support economic development--initially in agriculture, later adding
support for manufacturing and now those industries plus a growing
knowledge-based economic sector. Mr. Clemson understood that the surest
path to prosperity was education. It remains so today.
Over the past decade, Clemson has substantially grown its economic
development capabilities. We have followed the land-grant model of
going where the industries are rather than expecting them to come to
us, and we sought out best practices from research parks in neighboring
states, such as North Carolina's Research Triangle Park, Centennial
Campus and the Piedmont Triad Research Park in Congresswoman Foxx's
home district.
It is appropriate that this hearing is being held at the Clemson
University International Center for Automotive Research--or CU-ICAR--
given the mission of this campus and the collaboration that has
occurred among the university, federal, state, and local government in
partnership with the private companies involved, which has resulted in
an economic transformation for our state.
CU-ICAR is a 250-acre automotive and motorsports ``technopolis'' in
Greenville that has created more than 500 jobs, with another 1,700
announced. Named the 2009 Emerging Technology Park of the Year by the
Association of University Research Parks, CU-ICAR represents a new
model for university research-driven economic development.
Three critical ingredients in CU-ICAR's success were (1) a research
university that was willing to listen and respond to industry needs;
(2) government investment, and (3) a physical campus.
Each ingredient was essential. Back when this location was an empty
field, there were conversations between Clemson and BMW about what the
state's automotive cluster needed in order to remain competitive in the
21st century. They didn't talk about what kind of research they wanted
us to do or what kind of test facilities they needed. They talked about
the kind of engineers they needed to hire--a new kind of engineer who
understood how all of the various mechanical, electrical and computer
systems in a modern automobile work together. Clemson faculty responded
and created an entirely new curriculum focused on systems integration--
and they continue to meet annually with industry advisors to ensure
that the program remains relevant.
Critical financial resources were provided through a series of
state legislative initiatives that funded endowed chairs, research
infrastructure and innovation centers at the state's three research
universities. Often, those funds required a private-sector match, which
provided the ultimate measure of accountability. Our corporate partners
did not invest in CU-ICAR out of a sense of philanthropy; they invested
because what we are doing is relevant for their business and their
future.
City and county government helped fund infrastructure and support
services, and federal funds are helping build the 60,000-square-foot
Center for Emerging Technologies, where dozens of emerging or
established companies can expand and develop technologies that
complement research of Clemson faculty and students.
The 250-acre physical campus gave us the third critical
ingredient--adequate land to accommodate large companies, small start-
ups and landing parties alongside academic programs and state-of-the-
art research and testing equipment, all on a campus deliberately
designed to foster formal and informal interaction and collaboration.
Students and faculty move seamlessly from the classrooms and
laboratories across the plaza to the assembly-line floor working side-
by-side with BMW engineers at their plant in Greer.
What truly distinguishes Clemson's automotive engineering program
is the blend of rigorous academic curriculum, daily interaction with
industry leaders and a structured, hands-on learning opportunity we
call Deep Orange.
Housed just across the plaza at the Carroll A. Campbell Graduate
Engineering Center, Deep Orange transforms the facility into an
original automotive equipment manufacturer and supplier. Students,
faculty and industry partners actually produce a new vehicle prototype
each year, giving students experience in vehicle design, development
and production planning from their entry into the program until
graduation. Through this initiative, the students will understand
clearly how to innovate and develop automotive projects, which prepares
them to be the leadership work force of the future.
CU-ICAR's results speak for themselves: 19 corporate partners, 30
research partners, 760,000 constructed square feet, $230 million in
public and private investment, America's first doctoral program in
automotive engineering (launched in 2006), and a 100 percent employment
rate for its seven Ph.D. and 25 Master's degree graduates.
The CU-ICAR model works, and it's one we are continuing to follow
as we develop innovation campuses focused on restoration, conservation
and energy in North Charleston, and advanced materials, optoelectronics
and high-performance computing in Anderson County.
The Clemson University Restoration Institute, being developed on an
27-acre tract of land in North Charleston, promises to make South
Carolina a magnet for the restoration economy. It will soon house a
major wind-turbine testing facility--funded by a $45 million U.S.
Department of Energy grant--which could make South Carolina the hub of
the wind energy industry. Already, IMO Group--a German manufacturer of
wind-turbine components--announced that it would locate a facility,
with 190 jobs, in Charleston partly because of Clemson's testing
capability.
Like CU-ICAR, the campus will focus on industry collaboration.
Executives from 90 percent of the world's turbine manufacturers serve
on technical and industrial advisory boards. They provide input into
the design of testing facilities and development of educational
programs, ranging from certifications in wind energy to entirely new
degree programs in power engineering. These close-hand relationships
mean the university can deliver a one-of-a-kind advanced testing
facility tailored to the industry's specific needs.
The Clemson University Advanced Materials Center boasts state-of-
the-art equipment including one of the nation's most advanced electron
microscope facilities and a high-performance computing infrastructure
that places Clemson in the top five among academic institutions for
supercomputing.
This campus concentrates on small businesses with an
entrepreneurial spirit to move technology and innovations into the
marketplace. Often these are start-up companies spun out from licensing
of Clemson research and intellectual properties, which has generated
more than $28 million in revenues and created 15 start-up companies
over the past decade. In the past five years, the number of technology
disclosures submitted by Clemson faculty, staff, and students has
doubled, with a record 124 disclosures this past fiscal year.
Tetramer Technologies in Pendleton, S.C., for example, was founded
in 2001 as a faculty start-up company commercializing high value
optical polymer research activities pursued at Clemson. Today, Tetramer
is a thriving company with 26 employees that serves as a tier-one
supplier to General Motors.
Each of these research campuses is as unique as the regions and
economic clusters it serves. But each is anchored in academics, because
the greatest contribution we make to economic development in South
Carolina is a well-prepared Clemson graduate.
That's why the cornerstone of our new, 10-year strategic plan--the
Clemson 2020 Road Map--is a goal of providing all students with
engagement opportunities, which means structured, hands-on, problem-
solving experiences inside and outside of the classroom. In other
words, we want to give every undergraduate and graduate student the
kind of relevant, creative experience that Deep Orange provides here at
CU-ICAR.
The best way to illustrate how Clemson approaches student
engagement is through examples of four innovative programs. Some have
been around for decades, and some are just getting started. I've
outline these programs in the written testimony I submitted to the
Committee.
Creative Inquiry
A national publication called Creative Inquiry ``a small-group
learning experience for 14,000 undergraduates.'' A combination of
engaged learning and undergraduate research unique to Clemson, Creative
Inquiry pairs small teams with a faculty mentor who guides them in
exploring their own questions, not the teacher's. Projects typically
span three to four semesters and are often interdisciplinary. In recent
years, Creative Inquiry teams have focused on:
designing a tire that allows lunar rovers to efficiently
travel across the moon's surface,
developing clean water systems for Haiti,
designing buildings to reduce energy consumption,
finding ways to use neural signals to control machines,
developing a campus tour app for the iPhone
and even writing and producing an original play and
publishing a collection of slave narratives.
Immersion semester
Developed by faculty in parks, recreation and tourism management,
the immersion semester enrolls all majors in a common curriculum during
their sophomore year--and that curriculum rarely include lectures.
Instead, students work in teams on special projects, take field trips,
and attend seminars run by leaders in the field who offer first-hand
insights about what is needed to succeed in the recreation and tourism
industries.
One student wrote this on her year-end evaluation: ``When I applied
for internships (as an events planner), I explained to employers and
organizations what the Immersion Semester consisted of and how we were
getting hands-on experience with professionals in our field and
planning and implementing an actual event. They looked at my degree
with a whole new level of respect.''
Internal co-ops
Engineering students have long seen the value of cooperative
education--a program that puts them at work for a full semester in a
field related to their academic discipline. The experience is mutually
beneficial for both the students and the employers.
We're currently developing a new ``internal co-op'' program in
which students will help run the university machine. Like external co-
op experiences, the idea is to give students practical, hands-on,
professional experience--not routine office jobs--that is directly
related to their academic fields.
We will have financial management majors working side by side with
the CFO, graphic communication majors designing university
publications, and engineering majors working on real capital
improvement projects.
Residential study centers
Clemson University is a beautiful campus with many historic
buildings, located in what is probably the best college town in
America. However, after four years, architecture students have probably
soaked up as much as they can from the physical environment, and they
need to see new perspectives. The Clemson Architecture Center at
Charleston and residential programs in Genoa, Italy, and Barcelona,
Spain, put students in a learning environment that is squarely in the
middle of some of the finest architecture in the world and gives them
direct access to leading experts in architecture, urban planning and
historic preservation.
These kinds of engagement opportunities, often involving direct
interaction with industry experts, will give Clemson students the tools
to become leaders, thinkers, entrepreneurs and global citizens--in
short, to be the kind of workforce needed in the 21st century economy.
In conclusion, I'd like to once again thank the Committee for this
opportunity to speak on behalf of Clemson University--and, more
importantly, I want to thank you for your service to this nation.
______
Mr. Gowdy. Dr. Moore.
STATEMENT OF THOMAS F. MOORE, CHANCELLOR, UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH
CAROLINA UPSTATE
Mr. Moore. Thank you, Congressman Gowdy, Chairman Wilson,
Ms. Jones. It is a pleasure for me to be here and represent an
institution that I am learning much about at a very rapid pace
and am very proud to be a part of.
USC Upstate is the senior campus of the USC University of
South Carolina system. We are a metropolitan university serving
the I-85 corridor from Greenville to beyond Spartanburg. We
have just under 6,000 students in 3 locations, a major 300-acre
residential campus just north of Spartanburg, the George Dean
Johnson College of Business and Economics in downtown
Spartanburg, and we deliver degree-completion programs, open-
vision courses, at the University Center in Greenville.
Our priorities in the institution are remaining accessible,
affordable, and accountable for the people of our State and the
country in delivering high-quality educational programs. We
work closely with junior colleges, technical colleges, and
community colleges. We bring in more than 800 transfer
students, most from those type schools, each year, and we award
a higher percentage of our studentsr degrees every year than
any other institution in the State.
Fifty-one percent of degree completers, associate degree
completers at Greenville Tech who go on to complete a
bachelor's degree do so at USC Upstate. We have wonderful
relationships with them. We have just established over the last
couple of years a program we call Direct Connect with community
and technical colleges where we have hard articulation
agreements, automatic admissions upon completion of an
associate's degree, and transfer of all of those credits toward
a degree at USC Upstate. We have that with three institutions
now, Greenville Tech, Spartanburg Community College, and Tri-
County Technical College. We are working on such agreements
with additional community and technical colleges across the
State.
We have programs toward workforce development across the
board. We were founded in 1967 to educate nurses in
Spartanburg, South Carolina. Nursing continues to be a major
part of what we do. We graduate more bachelor of science in
nursing student degrees than any other institution in South
Carolina. For the last 3 years, we have averaged right at 255
such degree completions, and last year we had 264 bachelor of
science in nursing degrees awarded. Ninety-five percent of
those BSN degree completers remain in South Carolina and go to
work in health care in South Carolina.
We have strong education programs and teacher preparation
across the board and a couple of master's degrees in education.
Our business program, now housed in the George Dean Johnson
School of Business Administration and Economics in downtown
Spartanburg, is a major example of the kind of community
institutional partnerships we are interested in establishing
and have a record of doing so. This facility, more than $13
million raised in private money. Not a single dollar of State
appropriation or bond money went into the construction of this
building. It puts our college of business administration and
economics in downtown Spartanburg to build connections with
students and faculty and area businesses and business leaders,
to provide speakers for classes and interactions with the
business community, internship and work opportunities for our
students. We have segmented space devoted to business
incubation and development that brings student and faculty
interest and expertise to the issues of business start-up and
providing that expertise, continuing education and executive
education for business people in downtown Spartanburg.
And this summer we had a very successful cooperative camp
with BMW for advanced science and math students in Spartanburg
schools to look at the application of science and math in the
industrial world, a kind of connection that the former panel
spoke to across the board, and the importance of engaging
people and how this applies in the world of work as you study
it in school and become interested in going to college.
Another example of this collaboration is our University
Readiness Center, which is the headquarters for the local
National Guard unit. We built it on campus. That local Guard
occupies one-fourth of that structure all the time. Their
headquarters are there. The other 75 percent of the building
are classrooms and multifunctional space that the university
uses during the week. The Guard uses the entire facility two
weekends a month for their regular scheduled drills. We house--
our soccer stadium is directly behind the University Readiness
Center, and some of that space is devoted to men's and women's
dressing and locker rooms and training facilities. It is a
wonderful collaboration of county, federal, State, and local
government and an institution combining to create a multiuse
facility that benefits everybody.
I have several other things. We have out of private fund-
raising and industrial investment a wonderful robotics
laboratory. This is used in education and research. We have a
summer camp for area school students who come in, 40 per year,
and get hands-on experience in this major robotics facility,
more than $500,000 worth of equipment that was all either
donated by area industries, or funds were donated and we
purchased that equipment.
We have an engineering technology management degree that is
in its third or fourth year, very successful; associate's
degrees in engineering technology, go to work at BMW or
Michelin or wherever. They are in that job for a while, and
they need a bachelor's degree in management training to move up
and advance in that organization, they come to us and in 2
years complete an engineering technology management degree, and
they are prepared with that management credential to move up in
that organization, the kind of career development that we need.
We have many more programs that produce graduates across
the board and work in the upstate and contribute to economic
development.
Let me close by reemphasizing the metropolitan mission of
USC Upstate to educate people in our part of the world for
productive employment and meaningful life, and to enhance the
quality of life for all citizens of this part of the world. I
am grateful for this opportunity. Thank you very much.
Mr. Gowdy. Thank you, Dr. Moore.
[The statement of Mr. Moore follows:]
Prepared Statement of Tom Moore, Chancellor, USC Upstate
USC Upstate is a Metropolitan University serving the Upstate of
South Carolina. The University currently consists of a main residential
campus on I-85 just north of Spartanburg, a downtown campus in
Spartanburg, housing the George Dean Johnson, Jr. College of Business
and Economics, and a campus operation in Greenville, providing degree
completion programs, primarily with Greenville Technical College
transfers and working adults. With enrollment approaching 6000
students, USC Upstate has been the fastest growing public institution
in South Carolina for most of the last 10-12 years and has the fourth
largest enrollment of South Carolina resident students in the State.
Enrollment consists of 92% in-State residents with 80% coming from
five surrounding counties. Minorities make up 32% of enrollment and 71
different countries are represented on the campus. There are 1100
students in University-owned housing and another 1100 students in
privatized housing that touches the campus boundary.
Programmatically, USC Upstate is comprised of the School of
Education, the Mary Black School of Nursing, The George Dean Johnson,
Jr. College of Business and Economics, and the College of Arts and
Sciences. All schools and programs are fully accredited by their
respective agencies.
An economic impact study completed in the last year by the
Metropolitan Studies Institute demonstrates that the total economic
impact attributable to USC Upstate amounts to $240 million with 850
employees, including full and part-time employment.
Major Initiatives and Partnerships That Impact Job Growth And
Development
``The George'' (George Dean Johnson, Jr. College of Business and
Economics) opened one year ago in the downtown business district. This
project represents the pinnacle partnership achievement of the
University's ``metropolitan mission,'' providing a magnificent resource
for the University's continuing growth and a major investment in the
economic development future of Spartanburg. Locating the business
school in the heart of downtown Spartanburg will facilitate internship
opportunities with downtown businesses, offer easier access to
community and business leaders willing to share their knowledge and
experience as guest lecturers, and provide a location for seeding and
incubating entrepreneurial ideas.
The three story, 60,000 square foot building is a high-tech, modern
facility with classrooms, computer labs (including a simulation stock
trading room), distance education capacity, seminar rooms, and
conference rooms. ``The George'' is truly a public/private partnership
involving the University, the State of South Carolina, the City of
Spartanburg, and the private business community. The City donated land
for the building, a parking deck, and infrastructure surrounding the
project. The private sector donated $13 million for building
construction and the State provided the University with funds to lease
the building.
``The George'' is rapidly becoming a centerpiece for economic
development, educational opportunities, and outreach in the region.
Partnership activities and programs include the following:
Spartanburg County Economic Futures Group is the local
community-wide economic development organization. The by-laws mandate
that the USC Upstate Chancellor, the President of Spartanburg Community
College and the Dean of the Johnson College of Business serve as board
members. We are full partners and it is valued in both directions.
Recently, a memorandum of understanding was executed
between the Spartanburg Chamber, USC Upstate and Spartanburg Community
College to collaborate on entrepreneurship. This program is part of a
local focus on job creation and entrepreneurial success. Johnson
College will be hosting a forum in the fall to bring the local support
network together. The network will include mentoring for entrepreneurs
and collaboration to launch Spartanburg based Venture Capital support.
The George has allocated space where business start-ups
can work with students as they develop their businesses. Undergraduate
classes can work on business or marketing plans to help establish the
business. This fall the first external company will move in. Student
business support is also offered and the space will be fully utilized
this fall.
Johnson College hosts the BMW camp for high performing
students in Math and Applied Sciences within business. This program
matches emphasis on connections between sciences and careers. By
jointly teaching these students there is promotion of business careers
while building their understanding of applied math and science.
Traditional internship programs are enhanced with ``The
George'' in the central business district. There are numerous
relationships with companies in the Upstate where students can develop
an internship. Many turn into full time jobs.
The George Dean Johnson, Jr. College of Business and
Economics offers Executive Education programs in partnership with
business and professional constituencies in the upstate metropolitan
region. The programs are offered at the new business school building in
downtown Spartanburg, and at the University Center Greenville. Three
types of programs are offered: certificate programs, custom programs,
and open enrollment programs.
1. Certificate Programs
Executive education certificate programs present the option of
multiple areas of study, covering the topics that are most critical to
managers. As with all programs at the Johnson College of Business and
Economics, certificate programs present the chance for professionals to
build their knowledge and skills in one or more areas of focus in a
timely and cost-effective manner. For example, our retail management
certificate program includes four sections of study to enhance
managerial competence at retail: retail management, retail accounting/
financial analysis, communication theory and practice, and
communicative Spanish for retail personnel.
2. Custom Programs
Building upon a long-standing dedication to premium educational
experiences, core strengths lie in providing timely, innovative,
partner-driven learning options that are designed with the client in
mind, and individualized accordingly.
3. Open Enrollment Programs
There is a broad choice of open enrollment programs, generally
lasting two days. Past subjects have included ``How to Export from the
Upstate,'' and an overview of the ``Six Sigma Quality Process.''
``Direct Connect'': Initiatives promoting accessibility, affordability
and degree-completion
In 2009, a Spartanburg Chamber of Commerce committee on college
attainment established the fact that only 19% of the local population
over age 25 has a baccalaureate degree or higher. The local population
falls far below the 24% state average and the 26% national average of
baccalaureate degree attainment. High performing cities and regions
have baccalaureate educated populations in the high 30%s up to 50%. For
our region to compete for jobs and companies we must have an educated
workforce. In response to this message and because of our mission, this
University has developed several programs focusing on degree
completion, accessibility, and affordability of higher education.
Direct Connect is a degree completion program involving
articulation agreements with several community colleges in the region.
Academic personnel have worked together to establish program
requirements that can be transferred automatically and seamlessly from
the community college to the University. Signing up for Direct Connect
insures automatic acceptance at USC Upstate (only one application) when
the program curriculum is followed at the community college. We
currently have these agreements with Spartanburg Community College,
Greenville Technical College and Tri-County Technical College. Several
more are being developed.
This program is an aid to affordability of college as the averaged
four year costs are lower when taking the first two years at the lower
tuition technical/community colleges. Accessibility is enhanced through
the USC Upstate campus in Greenville as well as multiple sites at the
two year colleges and the availability of online classes offered at the
two-year programs and at USC Upstate.
Another degree-completion program is called ``Track Two''. This
program in the new IDS (Interdisciplinary Studies) program is designed
as an option for students who have accumulated many undergraduate hours
but have no degree.
Other Partnerships
Various departments and offices at the University partner with many
community organizations that impact and are involved with economic
development/quality of life/workforce development issues. These include
the following:
City of Spartanburg
City of Greenville
Spartanburg County
Spartanburg Housing Authority
South Carolina National Guard
Chambers of Commerce (Greenville, Spartanburg, Greer)
Upstate Alliance
Ten@The Top
Urban League of the Upstate
United Way of the Piedmont
Market Driven Programs in Response to Community Needs
USC Upstate is obligated by our Metropolitan Mission to collaborate
with area businesses and industry and respond to their needs. In recent
years, the University has established numerous degree programs and
minors/concentrations in this response that provide jobs and economic
development in the region. Included are:
Robotics: Private industry has donated $500,000 in
equipment and resources to equip and establish a robotics lab on
campus. Research efforts have led to 10 peer-reviewed robotics-related
research articles published in Journals or Conference Proceedings since
2006. Three courses are taught in the lab: industrial robotics,
artificial intelligence, and computer vision. A focus area in
``Automation'' in the Computer Information Systems degree was recently
developed in partnership with the Business and Engineering Technology
Management program. The robotics lab is also utilized for several
community engagement activities. Since 2009, approximately 40 students
each summer have participated in robotics summer camps where they learn
how to operate and program the machines in a fun, hands-on environment.
Engineering Technology Management: The Bachelor of Science
degree in Engineering Technology Management (ETM), accredited by the
Technology Accreditation Commission (TAC) of ABET, builds on the
technical foundation of an ABET accredited Engineering Technology
Associate's Degree, which students can earn from Greenville,
Spartanburg, Piedmont, York, or other technical colleges. Most ETM
students are non-traditional students looking to increase opportunities
by adding a Bachelor's Degree to their Associate's Degree in
Engineering Technology. Current students and graduates work for local
companies such as Avery Dennison, Baldor, BMW, CH2MHill, Fitesa
Fiberweb, Fluor, Hubbell Lighting, KTM Solutions, Michelin, TieTex, and
USC Upstate.
Child Advocacy Studies: The Psychology Department is the
home of the Child Advocacy Studies minor. This interdisciplinary minor
prepares students to work with abused and neglected children. Courses
in the program focus on child maltreatment, system responses to child
maltreatment, and intervention strategies. An internship experience in
an agency dealing with child maltreatment is available in the program.
The Psychology Department also maintains an active internship program
where students are placed in different agencies in the community and
get direct experience with the populations that psychologists serve.
RN to BSN Nursing: The Mary Black School of Nursing is the
largest deliverer of BSN degrees in South Carolina. Partnering with the
large hospitals, Mary Black SON offers nursing education to working RNs
on their days off. This program helps the immediate need for BSN nurses
in area hospitals.
BS in health sciences: To meet demands of healthcare
providers and jobs beyond nursing, Mary Black School of Nursing is
pursuing a health sciences program. This program can prepare many
students for the workforce who could not all get into the Nursing
program or want to prepare for other jobs in this region.
MSN with a concentration in Clinical Nurse Leader: Mary
Black School of Nursing is also pursuing a Master's Degree program.
Hospitals are very desirous of Master's level nurses and have been very
helpful in the University being approved for this program. Most
employed nurses cannot leave employment to go off to get this degree.
There is a large demand for this offering locally.
Graphic Design: Another market-driven program, it was one
of the first BA degrees in the State in graphic design. It was designed
10 years ago to be the upper division for the two year graphic design
program at Greenville Technical College. This popular program places
graduates across the Upstate in business and industry. Recent graduates
were employed at the Palladian Group, Erwin-Penland, Bounce-Greenville
and Michelin.
Information Management and Systems: The IM&S degree is a
multi-disciplinary degree comprised of courses in computer programming,
relational database design and utilization, computer networking, social
networking, business informatics, business theory, information
resources management, and communication. Each student completes either
a minor in another domain or one of four application areas: healthcare,
business, education, or communication. The IM&S program is available
through USC Upstate's Greenville campus as well as our Spartanburg
campus. Students routinely transfer a significant percentage of the
required 120 hours from other institutions and we have special
articulation agreements with several community and technical colleges.
Much of the IM&S is available online. The entire healthcare application
area can be completed online. The Bachelor of Arts in Information
Management & Systems/Health Information Management (IMS/HIM) is the
only degree program of its kind in South Carolina.
Metropolitan Studies Institute: The MSI supports research
efforts between USC Upstate and the community, enhancing relationships,
promoting the reciprocal flow of information and ideas, assisting
community and economic development, and increasing the strategic use of
the University's scholarship and outreach capabilities.
Teacher-To-Teacher Partnership: A partnership with
Spartanburg District 6, this internship program recognizes the need to
retain promising teachers in the profession. Through an extended
supportive relationship, the partners provide ongoing mentoring in
early clinical experiences and student teaching which continue through
the induction contract year.
Evening Program in Early Childhood and Elementary: Our
early childhood and elementary education program is offered in the
evenings at UCG (Greenville) in order to accommodate currently employed
Teacher Assistants in Greenville County Schools. These persons would
otherwise not be able to attend college as they cannot afford to give
up employment in order to attend school during the day. Students are
able to complete their student teacher requirement in the schools where
they are already employed.
Visual Impairment Program: The School of Education offers
the only Master of Education in Visual Impairment Program in South
Carolina. The comprehensive and culturally responsive program of study
includes a strong emphasis on braille, assistive technology, and
teaching reading and mathematics skills and concepts to students with
visual impairment. Throughout the coursework, candidates simultaneously
participate in a variety of different clinical experiences at schools
to apply what they are concurrently learning under ``real life''
conditions. One of the truly unique aspects of Visual Impairment
Program is the collaboration with the South Carolina School for the
Deaf and the Blind (SCSDB) to maximize program effectiveness.
The School of Education received a grant for $746,956 from the U.S.
Department of Education to significantly increase the number of highly
qualified, certified teachers of students with visual impairments in
South Carolina. We are on target to train an additional 48 teachers by
the end of the grant. This is especially critical as an estimated 50
percent of certified teachers of students with visual impairments are
expected to retire within the next three to five years.
Non-Profit Management: Including churches, there are over
700 non-profit organizations in Spartanburg County alone. This program
was initiated (when started it was the first program in South Carolina)
from a need to enhance an educated workforce for non-profits. The
curriculum is designed to help students fulfill their requirements for
national certification (Nonprofit Leadership Alliance--NLA based in
Kansas City). They are required to have 18 hours of nonprofit courses,
and 300 hours of internship experience.
______
Mr. Gowdy. Dr. Miller.
STATEMENT OF KEITH MILLER, PRESIDENT,
GREENVILLE TECHNICAL COLLEGE
Mr. Miller. Chairman Wilson, Congressman Gowdy, thank you
very much for the opportunity to testify this afternoon.
Before I get into my formal comments, I want to point out
that some of what you are going to hear me say you have already
heard, and I point that out because that shows the level of
integration you see in this area already, and, of course, we
are working to deepen that, but it does illustrate the level of
partnership that is there already. That certainly is positive.
Greenville Tech is a comprehensive 2-year college. We serve
about 15,000 students a year in degree and certificate programs
and another 20,000 students a year in some sort of workforce
training, continuing education programs. This is across 4
campuses with 160 programs. The student body has an average age
of 26, and I point that out because it illustrates who our
students are, and they are not students right out of high
school. They are the middle-age adult that maybe has a part-
time job and family responsibilities. They are students that
sometimes come back to us from the universities to change
careers, to upgrade a skill. So we do have a mixture of
students on campus, which provides for a unique experience for
everyone.
Greenville and the upstate are fortunate to attract new
firms and to see existing businesses expand. Greenville
Technical College has played an important role in this success.
Our job now is to work with employers to bridge the skills gap
that exists in manufacturing, health care, IT, and other
industries. The revival of our economy requires a continued
partnership of education and employers.
As an example, projections are that there will be several
thousand jobs will be available in the advanced manufacturing
sector just in the upstate of South Carolina in the next 3 to 5
years. Yet thousands of unemployed people are largely
unqualified unless they get additional training and education.
Greenville Tech is a part of a regional approach to address
this issue by helping form and be an active partner in the
Advanced Manufacturing Consortium, which is essentially
colleges and the private sector coming together to address the
need that is there.
And you heard an example up here during your first panel
from your BMW representative when he announced the BMW Scholars
program. That program takes individuals that probably would not
be able to afford to quit a job to go back to school full time
because of family and other responsibilities, but because of
BMW's stepping up to the plate, they not only provide that
scholarship while they are getting their education at
Greenville Tech or Spartanburg Community College or Tri-County
Tech, but then for I believe it is 20 hours a week, they are
actually on site getting the hands-on experience while getting
paid a salary. That program would not work just by Greenville
Tech being there. It would not work just by BMW being there.
But it is a perfect example of what we can do together and more
of what we are working on together.
To attract the nation's best and brightest to manufacturing
careers where they will fill the shoes of retiring workers, we
are also part of the National Association of Manufacturers'
Dream It and Do It program, essentially to help market and
promote a manufacturing career to the young individual. You
know, when we started the conversation with BMW in what has
resulted in what is the Scholars program, my conversation with
the president of BMW, he asked me, he said, how can we get more
people, more young people, interested in the manufacturing
sector, a career in manufacturing? The Dream It and Do It
program is one of those programs. It is to enlighten us, you
might say, about the high-tech environment in manufacturing,
how it has changed over the years, and the wide range of
careers that are available, and we are heavily involved in that
program.
Greenville Tech is part of an upstate effort, which you
have heard a little bit about, called the National Fund for
Workforce Solutions. The purpose of this is to work with
employers to reduce training and recruitment costs.
A unique program that the college has to connect the
individual with education and the workforce is what we call
Quick Jobs. Quick Jobs is 90 days' worth of training, and it
can be in manufacturing, it can be in health care. The idea is
an individual may not be able to quit their job and go back to
school because they can't afford to do that. So the 90 days'
worth of training gives them very basic skills, hopefully, to
get an entry-level job and go back to work and earn a salary,
and then start working at a certificate and a degree program.
Some of the tools that are important for us: Workforce
Investment Act. This act has funded many Quick Jobs programs.
Unfortunately, that number has decreased by 20 percent due to
the reduction of funds in that area. As well, the Workforce
Investment Act has been very supportive of Greenville Works,
the consortium of economic development entities that you heard
about earlier. That is certainly important.
How we make the connection with other parts of education:
We work with area career centers in the K-12 system, bringing
in 500 students at least a semester through our dual enrollment
program.
And finally, some of the other critical federally funded
federalprograms that are very important to us: a TRIO program.
There is a lot of staff and students from TRIO, which is a
federally supported program that helps provide support for
students by developing family connections and helping them
overcome a number of different barriers.
And the other program that is very important is the Pell
grant. Approximately 50 percent of our students benefit from
Pell grants. That is over 7,400 students a year receiving over
$33 million a year. So think about how many students would not
receive a higher education if it wasn't for the Pell grant. So
we commend Congress for coming together with the recent debt
limit extension legislation of $17 billion over 2 years to
shore up the finances of the Pell grant, because it does touch
a lot of lives, and it certainly has a positive impact on this
economy.
Thank you.
Mr. Gowdy. Thank you, Dr. Miller.
[The statement of Mr. Miller follows:]
Prepared Statement of Dr. Keith Miller, President,
Greenville Technical College
Education drives economic growth, but not just any education. When
employers and colleges work together to grow a skilled workforce, the
individual, the company, and the economy prosper. Greenville and
Upstate South Carolina are fortunate to attract new firms and to see
existing businesses expand. Greenville Technical College has played an
important role in this success. Our job now is to work with employers
to bridge the skills gaps that exist in manufacturing, healthcare, IT
and other industries. The revival of our economy requires the continued
partnership of education and employers.
Making the Jobs Connection
A gap exists between the skills employers need and what
workers bring to the table. Several thousand jobs will be available in
the advanced manufacturing sector in Upstate South Carolina in the next
three to five years, yet thousands of unemployed people are largely
unqualified unless they get additional training and education.
Greenville Tech is part of a regional approach addressing
this issue. The Upstate Advanced Manufacturing Consortium will work to
equip enough people with advanced manufacturing skills to support
companies that locate and expand in the Upstate.
The list of companies with manufacturing operations in
this region reads like a who's who of industry, including BMW,
BorgWarner, Bosch, General Electric, Gestamp, Milliken, Michelin,
Nestle, and Timken. These companies and other provide a diverse array
of manufacturing sectors with automotive, wind and gas turbines, tire
and rubber, aerospace, plastics, metalworking, textiles, advanced
materials, and consumer products represented.
The transportation sector continues to grow. BMW leads the
way, now the largest exporter of cars in the United States. BMW
recently announced the company's new BMW Scholars program, an
opportunity for Greenville Tech, Spartanburg Community College, and
Tri-County Tech to help the company grow its workforce.
To attract the nation's best and brightest to
manufacturing careers where they will fill the shoes of retiring
workers, Greenville Tech works with the National Association of
Manufacturers on the Dream It. Do It. effort that invites young people
to find and follow a passion into a manufacturing career.
Greenville Tech is part of the Upstate effort to create an
innovative workforce development project, made possible by the National
Fund for Workforce Solutions. The purpose is to work with employers to
reduce training and recruitment costs while helping people become
qualified for higher skilled jobs that earn higher pay.
Helping People Re-enter the Workforce
More than 230 nurses have re-entered the workforce after
taking time away thanks to an online nurse re-entry option for RNs and
LPNs. These are people like Diane Stewart, who completed the course in
November 2010 and was sponsored by WIA through Trident Technical
College. Stewart reactivated her lapsed nursing license and is now
employed.
The Quick Jobs with a Future program was developed in 2001
to give displaced workers and those going through occupational
transition a way to gain relevant skills and enter the workforce in 90
days or less. Over the past ten years, Quick Jobs has helped 12,000
people. The program has been so successful that it went statewide in
2009 when the State Workforce Investment Board and State Tech partnered
to use American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) funding to support
Quick Jobs training and get people back to work.
Quick Jobs training has helped to write many success
stories. For example, the woman who came to Greenville Tech when a
layoff ended her 23-year career in a low-skilled manufacturing job.
Sponsored by WIA, she completed the Physician Practice Health
Information program and now works for a local hospital in medical
records. Or the man who lost his job at a local plant when a fire
closed it down. He completed a series of environmental courses,
freelanced for local environmental consulting firms, and eventually
became an employer himself, opening a company and hiring several
people.
WIA Funding Makes a Difference
Since many Quick Jobs programs are skill based but do not
award college credit, those enrolled can't often qualify for financial
aid. Workforce Investment Act (WIA) funding was critical in allowing
students to use Quick Jobs to get back on their feet.
With ARRA money exhausted and WIA funding reduced, we are
now serving less than 20% of the number of the Quick Jobs clients we
served with ARRA support.
WIA funded incumbent worker training (IWT) grants have
provided valuable assistance to companies to keep them and their
employees viable and to reduce the risk of downsizing. Greenville Tech
conducted IWT training for the life sciences and advanced manufacturing
sectors last year. The chemical sector applied this year, but there is
no funding for IWT at this time.
WIA has also been very supportive of Greenville Works, a
coalition of local economic development and educational groups. WIA's
ability to continue to fund this strategic initiative has been
diminished this year.
Making the Education Connection
Over 500 students each semester from Greenville County
Schools Career Centers earn dual credits, which count toward high
school graduation and college, in programs including automotive
technician, auto body, building construction, culinary arts, aircraft
maintenance, AutoCAD, and welding.
Our Early College project allows juniors and seniors to
earn college credit and experience college work, saving them time and
money.
Greenville Tech works closely with all major four-year
colleges and universities in the state. We have joint admission
agreements, bridge programs, articulation agreements and a close
collaboration with USC Upstate through Upstate Direct Connect.
Greenville Tech is a partner in the University Center of
Greenville, a consortium of higher education institutions working
together to bring the people of Greenville greater access to
educational opportunities.
Pell Grants are Critical
Without Pell grants, the single mother who struggles to
provide for her family, the first generation college student hoping to
raise his standard of living, and the unemployed individual who needs
updated technical skills to qualify for one of today's jobs would not
have the means to attend Greenville Tech.
Approximately 50% of our students benefit from Pell
grants. That means 7,412 Pell grant recipients receiving
$33,457,407.66.
Steep cuts in Pell would leave these students with a much
heavier dependence on student loans, a large loan debt upon graduation,
the possibility of greater dependence on Lottery Tuition Assistance
that might trigger reductions in awards, and ultimately, fewer students
enrolling, an effect that would impact employers who need a steady
supply of well-trained workers.
We commend Congress for putting into the recent debt limit
extension legislation $17 billion over two years to shore up the
finances of the Pell Grant program. This action will ensure that all
eligible students can continue to receive the $5,550 maximum grant.
This support for Pell was bi-partisan and we urge Congress to continue
to act to keep this critical program whole.
State Funding Has Declined Dramatically
State funding for our students has decreased dramatically.
For the 1999-2000 academic year, the state provided Greenville Tech
with $1,473 per student. By 2010-2011, that amount had been reduced to
$677.
Tuition and fees make up a greater portion of our
operating revenue than they once did. In 1990, tuition and fees were
only 5.8% of the operating revenue, but in 2010, this source of funds
was 52.7% of the total. When we have to raise tuition and fees to
continue to meet our goals of providing high quality opportunities for
learning, we impact the people who can benefit from what we offer.
______
Mr. Gowdy. Ms. Hickman.
STATEMENT OF AMY HICKMAN, CAMPUS PRESIDENT,
ECPI COLLEGE OF TECHNOLOGY
Ms. Hickman. Chairman Wilson, Representative Gowdy, thank
you for holding this field hearing.
America and South Carolina are facing tough economic times.
We have already alluded to the high unemployment rate in the
United States, as well as in South Carolina. Creating jobs is
imperative for the U.S. to maintain its standing in the world.
The South Carolina upstate, home to ECPI's Greenville
campus, has a long history of tailoring education to the needs
of local industry, which we have heard a lot about today. That
once meant textiles. Now it means high-tech manufacturing and a
diverse industry driven by population growth.
ECPI University is a strong part of the community of public
and private institutions that train the local workforce.
Accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools,
its 13 campuses offer programs focused on skill-based,
employer-driven education. Our 3 South Carolina campuses,
Greenville, Columbia, and Charleston, employ 160 South
Carolinians. In 2010, ECPI generated over $15 million in
taxable revenue to the State. This is a public-private
partnership that yields positive results, workforce training,
and revenue for local government.
Established in 2000, the Greenville campus has an annual
enrollment of over 500. We offer a variety of programs from
diploma to bachelor's degrees in nursing, allied health,
technology, and business. Our associate's degree can be
completed in 18 months, a bachelor's degree in 30. Adult
students know that completing a program that quickly with a
convenient schedule has value as they can enter the job market
with new skills faster.
As the upstate job market has changed, the quality of jobs
and incomes have risen. For example, Concentrix is able to
provide high-level technical customer service from a hub in
Greenville because they can recruit students such as those from
our network security program. Colleges like ECPI also play an
important role in retraining workers displaced by the recent
recession. My written testimony contains examples of our
graduates' successes, as well as our strong graduation and
placement rates.
Our graduates play a vital role in meeting the changing
health care needs of the region. The Greenville campus has
doubled our practical nursing program in the last 2 years to
nearly 100 current students. Many graduates staff the growing
number of assisted-living facilities in the areas that serve
our aging population.
It is not by accident that we provide the skills that
employers most need. Twice a year employers examine our
programs to evaluate whether they address the changing trends
in their industries, and we revise and refocus our curriculum
based on their recommendations.
Our attendance at events sponsored by organizations like
InnoVenture, sometimes on this campus, helps us remain in tune
with trends and developments in the business community. For
every program that we launch, we survey employers to determine
their needs and to seek externship sites, which all of our
students are required to complete.
Based on their recommendations, last year we launched
programs in database programming and health care
administration. We are now looking to address the needs of an
increasingly mechanized manufacturing industry and a quickly
digitizing health care system.
Employers who relocate to the upstate have said repeatedly
that a skilled workforce is a key factor in their decision.
Even so, I have yet to hear from any that they have a surplus
of highly qualified applicants.
The vision for Greenville's future will make us a model of
environmentally sound community planning and technological
breakthroughs, requiring an increasingly skilled pool of labor.
To satisfy that need, it is vital that students have a wide
range of educational choices available, and ECPI offers a
strong option among those choices.
Our career services department works directly with
employers to match graduates to their particular needs, which
is why companies like Draexlmaier and Windstream return to us
again and again. Our strong reputation and quality of education
are equipping graduates with the skills to succeed in the
workforce and to help companies grow.
I hope the subcommittee has learned new information from us
about the vital connection between higher education and filling
jobs, and I look forward to your questions on how higher
education plays a critical role in getting America back to
work.
Mr. Gowdy. Thank you, Ms. Hickman.
[The statement of Ms. Hickman follows:]
Prepared Statement of Amy Hickman, Campus President,
ECPI Greenville, South Carolina Campus
Chairwoman Foxx, Representative Gowdy, and other distinguished
Subcommittee Members, my name is Amy Hickman and I am the Campus
Director for ECPI University's Greenville, South Carolina Campus. Thank
you for holding this field hearing and for the opportunity to share my
thoughts with you on the topic of ``Reviving our Economy: The Role of
Higher Education in Job Growth and Development.'' America and South
Carolina are facing tough economic times. The national unemployment
level is 9.1 percent and South Carolina's unemployment rate is over 10
percent. Creating jobs is imperative for the United States to maintain
its standing in the world. I commend you on holding this hearing and
exploring the essential role of higher education in a national job
creation agenda.
The region we call the South Carolina ``Upstate,'' home to ECPI's
Greenville campus, has a long history of providing education tailored
to the needs of local industry. That once meant textiles, now it more
often means high-tech automotive manufacturing and the diverse
technology-focused support industries driven by the population growth
we have been fortunate to see over the last two decades. The Greenville
area has become a popular relocation destination for retirees, but also
for working families looking for a strong job market and a relatively
low cost of living. ECPI University is a strong part of the Upstate
higher education community of public and private institutions that
train students who become part of the local workforce. ECPI's 13-campus
system offers programs that focus on skills-based, employer-driven
education and includes three South Carolina campuses: Greenville,
Columbia, and Charleston. Currently, ECPI employs 160 South
Carolinians, all whom are dedicated to ensuring our students succeed.
As a tax-paying corporation, ECPI generated over $15 million in taxable
revenue in 2010 to both the federal government and the State of South
Carolina. This is a public-private partnership that yields positive
results: workforce training, jobs filled, employer demands met, and
revenue for the local government.
Established in 2000, the Greenville campus has an annual enrollment
of over 500. Many of these students came to us after having attended
other colleges but found that they fit at ECPI because of its career-
readiness focus and condensed, flexible programs. We offer a variety of
programs at our Greenville campus. Our School of Technology offers an
associate's program in Electronics Engineering Technology and
bachelor's programs in Network Security, Web Development, and Database
Programming. We also offer Business Administration programs with a
unique technology focus. At our School of Health Sciences on campus, we
offer programs in Medical Assisting, Medical Administration, Practical
Nursing and Healthcare Administration and we plan to increase the
programs we offer in the health fields on our campus.
A real advantage for ECPI students is that our associate's degree
can be completed in 18 months and a bachelor's degree in 30 months.
Adult students know that completing a program quickly with a convenient
schedule has value in their lives as they can get into the job market
with new skills faster. The typical student at ECPI is ``non-
traditional''--adult, independent, working, and often a parent and/or
first-generation college student. At ECPI Greenville, we have an
overall cohort graduation rate of 61%, which is well above the
graduation rate at other colleges serving a similar student population.
ECPI's selective admissions process, smaller class sizes, and work-like
environment allow our students to succeed at high rates. We attribute
our students' graduation success not only to our academic advising and
tutoring, but also to our mandatory attendance policy and proactive
approach to student success, which allows many to excel when they had
struggled before. ECPI also has successful employment rates: our 2010
graduates range from over 70% placement to nearly 100% in some
programs, with an overall average of 80% placement.
The programs ECPI offers are purposely focused on the technology
and health care fields where there is consistent and growing demand for
skilled workers in the Upstate region. As the Upstate job market has
changed, the quality of jobs and incomes have risen. For example,
companies like Concentrix provide high-level technical customer
service. They are able to operate a major hub in Greenville because
they can recruit students such as those from our Network Security
Management program. Over the last eight years in Greenville, we have
graduated 775 students with degrees in computer science, as part of a
University system that is second in the nation in the number of
computer science associates degrees awarded last year, according to
Community College Week. The fact that our students apply the knowledge
they learn, both in the classroom and on externship, means they enter
the workforce highly prepared. As an example of that, an Electronics
Engineering Technology graduate from ECPI recently hired by Kemet, a
global high-tech company based in Greenville, South Carolina, was told
by Kemet that they typically keep employees on contract for over a year
before making a permanent hire. Our graduate, however, spent only two
months as a contractor before being permanently hired. Her success has
been truly life-changing: she attended school under the GI bill and
persisted despite mounting medical bills from a child's sickness and a
divorce. Her success story demonstrates ECPI's ability to offer
quality, flexible education that prepares workers and meets employers'
needs for qualified workers in the region.
Colleges like ECPI also play an important role in retraining
workers displaced by the recent recession and in need of career re-
direction and re-training. As an example, one student came to us after
having been laid off from Timken and believed attending ECPI was his
best option for obtaining higher education. He is now about to graduate
with a degree in Electronics Engineering Technology and has been re-
hired by Timken and promoted into their engineering department.
Our graduates also play a vital role in meeting the changing
healthcare needs of Greenville's population. One of our graduates
entered our medical assisting program after having moved from job to
job for years with little stability. Shortly after graduation, she
began working in a doctor's office. Once she became certified as an
RMA, she was hired, like many of our graduates, by the Greenville
Hospital System and now has a stable career. It is important to note
that as other schools that are dependent on public funds have limited
or closed their practical nursing programs, ECPI has doubled our
nursing program in the last two years to nearly a hundred current
students. Most often, our graduates staff the increasing number of
assisted living facilities in the area that will meet the needs of a
growing population of retirees. With over 23% of our population age 55
or older, these graduates will be crucial to providing the care needed
for our aging population, particularly as Greenville continues as a
popular retirement destination.
It has not been by accident that we provide the skills our
employers most need. Twice a year, our employers examine our programs
to evaluate whether they address the changing trends in their
industries. We revise and refocus our curriculum based on the
recommendations of those in the industry for which our students are
preparing. We look to design programs the Upstate will need as we move
into a future that requires more technical and health-focused skills
from its workforce. For example, to meet demand we recently applied for
and the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools recently approved
our request to offer a master's degree in computer science, which we
hope to offer in the near future. Our attendance at events sponsored by
organizations such as InnoVenture and the Greenville-Spartanburg-
Anderson Technology Council helps us remain in tune with trends and
developments in the business community. For every program that we
launch, we survey employers to determine their needs and seek
externship sites. Employers are eager for our students to serve as
externs, both as a way to complete projects and as a testing ground for
future employees. Based on employer recommendations, in the last year
we have launched new programs in database programming and healthcare
administration. We are currently planning programs that will address
the needs of an increasingly mechanized manufacturing industry and a
quickly digitizing healthcare system. We hear again and again from
employers who relocate to the Upstate that a skilled workforce is a key
factor in their decision. Even so, I have yet to hear from any of them
that they have a surplus of highly qualified applicants. The vision for
Greenville's future will make us a model of environmentally sound
community planning and technological breakthroughs, requiring an
increasingly skilled pool of labor. To satisfy that need, it is vital
that students have a wide range of educational choices available, and
ECPI offers a strong alternative choice.
Finally, our training is not limited to technical skills our
graduates need for a career field. Our focus on attendance and a
required professional dress day are an additional important part of how
we provide students with the soft skills employers increasingly seek.
Our general education courses focus on communication skills and
critical thinking, areas employers generally find lacking in many other
college graduates. No matter the program, our students are well
prepared for a paperless workplace, having been instructed in a
virtually paperless classroom. We train students on resume-building and
interview skills. And we don't stop assessing how well our students are
prepared when they graduate: when our students are hired, we survey our
employers for additional feedback as to their performance.
Our customer service surveys consistently reflect the good job we
are doing, with 95% of our students indicating they would recommend the
school to a friend and 21% of enrollments referred to ECPI by students
and graduates. Historically, our graduates progress quickly in their
careers and frequently become employers of future graduates. Our career
services department routinely works directly with employers to match
our graduates to their particular needs, which is why companies like
Draexlmaier and Windstream return to us again and again to fill their
openings in information technology. Even graduates who relocate
maintain their ties with us and generate referrals, for instance, an
alumnus working as a systems architect consultant for the FBI who has
directed recruiters our way. Our strong reputation and quality of
education are equipping graduates with the skills they need to succeed
in the workforce at a time when these skills are most needed to help
companies grow. I hope the Subcommittee has learned new information
from us about the vital connection between higher education and filling
jobs. I look forward to your questions on how higher education plays a
critical role in getting America back to work.
______
Mr. Gowdy. I will recognize myself and then recognize the
distinguished gentleman from the Midlands, who also is a
subcommittee chairman on Armed Services and serves in Congress
with great distinction, and it is a pleasure to serve with.
President Barker, you indicated in your statement Clemson
has developed several initiatives with regard to student
engagement, as I underlined that phraseology a couple of
different times. Can you elaborate on that and why you think
that is so important?
Mr. Barker. Yes. Let me mention two programs and give a
couple of quick examples. The first would be what we call
internal co-ops. We want our students to have co-op
opportunities off campus with BMW and Michelin and GE in the
typical co-op, but we also believe we have the opportunity to
create internal co-ops, and our goal is 500 of those co-ops in
which students not only--we teach architecture, and we also
build buildings. We teach finance, and we also do finance
projects to make things happen. Why not bridge the two
together? Instead of having one thing that is in the classroom
and one thing that is in the administration, if you would, why
not bridge them together? So we have created the opportunity
for that to happen, and our target is 500 engaged students in
that layer of depth in their education.
The second is creative inquiry. This is a 3- to 4-semester
experience when students in groups of about 10 tackle a project
that the students themselves are particularly interested in. It
has resulted in some examples that I would illustrate:
designing a tire that allows lunar rovers to efficiently travel
across the nation's surface. We did that with Michelin. It gave
us an opportunity to engage again in that level. Developing a
clean water system for the country of Haiti. Designing
buildings to reduce energy consumption. Developing a campus
tour app for iPhone so you can travel across our campus from an
app on your iPhone. And writing and producing an original play.
And publishing a collection of slave narratives as a book
publication. Gives you an idea of two ways in which we engage
students outside the traditional learning environment,
oftentimes engaging with industry and others outside of campus
that creates a richer environment for students.
Mr. Gowdy. Thank you, Mr. President.
Dr. Moore, I noted in your opening statement you used
``accessible, affordable, accountable.'' You also mentioned
transfers. Can you tell us a little bit about the demographics
of your school and how that may or may not impact curriculum,
and connect it up with higher education, if you can.
Mr. Moore. As I said, we are educating the population of
this part of the State of South Carolina, and our demographics
reflect that almost exactly. We are right at 60 percent
Caucasian, 26 percent African American, and a mix--the rest of
the students are a mix of Hispanic and Asian and other
ethnicities. It makes for a vibrant educational community.
I am convinced out of some reading--there is a good bit of
research--that meaningful education experiences demand frequent
and ongoing encounter with the different. It is when we
encounter something that is fundamentally different from the
way we have known things to be or understand things, and that
ethnic diversity creates a kind of environment where you have
very different backgrounds, very different perspectives, a rich
and vital educational environment for this part of the people
of South Carolina, and that is the world they will be living
and working in the rest of their lives. So they are
encountering that where they are, and it really does enrich our
community and our educational experience.
Mr. Gowdy. Thank you, Dr. Moore.
Dr. Miller, you may study Antigone. You may spend some time
with the musings of the Danish existentialist Soren
Kierkegaard. That probably is not going to help you get a job
this day and age; although it is fascinating to read. How do
you see the balance between that critical thinking that would
come from reading either/or or Antigone and the practicalities
of the modern-day workforce?
Mr. Miller. I will answer that with an example. Fifteen
years ago, an employer would say to me, I need people trained
to be able to do something with electronics or somebody trained
to be able to do something technical, and that was the end of
it. And today what I hear from employers is, I need somebody
trained to do this thing that is something with electronics,
but they need to be able to think for themselves and work as a
team. And that is a significant difference.
And so I guess what I am saying is while Greenville Tech
provides a lot of the occupational training education, what you
have seen over the years at the 2-year level is we have also
incorporated the liberal arts education, and that is where even
a strong partnership between the 2-year colleges and the
universities is absolutely critical because we can provide a
lot of that hands-on occupational education, and, of course,
the universities can take that a step further, but in addition
the liberal part of that, to provide the critical thinking
skills and so on.
So, equally as important, I think the first panel referred
to it as soft skills. Same thing; be able to think for yourself
and work as a team is critical.
Mr. Gowdy. Thank you, Dr. Miller.
Ms. Hickman, you mentioned surveys that are sent out, I
imagine, before you make changes in your curriculum. I also
noted that you receive feedback on a consistent basis from
employers who hire your graduates. What are you hearing in both
your surveys and your feedback that others could benefit from?
Ms. Hickman. Well, probably the most common remark and one
that we like the best is how many more just like that can you
send us and----
Mr. Gowdy. Neither of us hear that very often. Can you say
that again? Never heard it before.
Ms. Hickman. They ask us, if you had 10 more just like
that, we would take every one of them. And, in fact, we have--
of late, some of our employers are not even waiting until our
students graduate, so that we have students who are hired with
the understanding that they will, for instance, pass a CCNA
certification. It does sometimes mean we lose them from our in-
seat classes, and they have to complete their degree on line,
which they are able to do depending on their work schedule.
But overwhelmingly the feedback from our employers is
positive, and I think a lot of that is because we do take great
care to match the graduate to the position. We don't send out
blanket groups of resumes every time there is a job opening
from one of our employers. We look at the skill set of each
individual student, we look at what that student's ultimate
career goals are, and we look at the needs of that employer,
and we really try to send candidates to each employer who are
going to be a good fit for that particular job.
Mr. Gowdy. Thank you.
I will now recognize my distinguished colleague Congressman
Wilson.
Mr. Wilson. Thank you, Congressman Gowdy.
And President Barker, I want to thank you, First Lady
Marsha Barker for your service. You have helped elevate Clemson
to be one of the finest universities in the United States.
I also am grateful for Clemson, one of your graduates,
Senator Strom Thurmond. I had the privilege of being an intern
in his office several years ago. My wife Roxanne was an intern.
Our two oldest sons were interns in his office. And he taught
us that every person that we represent is important, and I am
sure that he learned that as being a cadet at Clemson College.
With that, tens of millions of people drive by every year
the International Center for Automotive Research, ICAR. When
they look at this, I want them to think of what we are doing
today, which is promoting job development. Can you tell us,
again, some specific examples of how, due to the research here,
that jobs have been created across our country?
Mr. Barker. Well, if you think about the automobile, it is
an extremely sophisticated platform of technology. In it, we
deal with energy conservation. We deal with power train
engines, drive trains. We deal with aesthetic issues of all
types, you know, what color, what style, all those kinds of
things. And so you have in an automobile some of the most
sophisticated computer equipment, some of the most
sophisticated seats. Just a seat in an automobile, how many
times it moves back and forth, what it does to your back,
whether it is heated or cooled or both, and that is a powerful
piece of technology that is every day having options not just
for the automobile, but the discoveries that are happening
regarding energy conservation or power trains or, for that
matter, furniture.
So it is an extremely effective piece of technology, and
the bits and pieces apply a lot of different parts of our
economy. And it benefits from technical advances in terms of
tier one suppliers, for example, which we work with, too,
people that produce and manufacture some of the component parts
that get assembled at BMW, and that is an important component
of it as well.
Mr. Wilson. And actually I saw that firsthand in visiting
BMW a number of years ago. I was startled to find out that the
paint on the vehicles is water-based, environmentally sound. I
would have never imagined that it would be environmentally
sound, water-based paint on vehicles.
And, Dr. Miller, South Carolina has been a pioneer in
technical and community colleges. Actually it was a committee
like this that met 50 years ago with U.S. Senator Fritz
Hollings and Congressman Floyd Spence, and they came up with
the early pioneering view of creating institutions that would
help train persons to be able to work immediately in
manufacturing. Can you tell us how that is being done today?
Mr. Miller. Certainly. And actually, the 50th anniversary
of Greenville Tech is September 2012. So we are coming up on
that anniversary, but how we do that, of course, has changed
over the years dramatically, and there is not one way that it
happens, which is important, because the needs of manufacturers
tend to vary. There are a lot of similarities, but a lot of
differences, too.
But I will point out the most important component, which I
believe that representatives of BMW also pointed out, too, and
that is the apprenticeship model, the hands-on model. We
certainly know from years of experience in higher education
that what happens in the classroom is absolutely critical, but
we now know that for that student to retain that, it has to be
applied, and that is the importance of the apprenticeship model
and the applied model, which is essentially the same.
So we see that evolving not just with large manufacturers,
such as BMW or Michelin, but even small businesses that we are
about trying to set up consortia of small businesses where that
same applied approach can be addressed. And I believe President
Barker addressed that a little bit, too, because that is a
critical aspect that helps with that retention of what happens
in the classroom.
Mr. Wilson. It just provides such opportunities for the
people of our State, young people in particular.
And, Dr. Moore, I am very grateful for the original
campuses of USC. I represent Aiken, Buford, Salkehatchie, and
so I know how important your regional campuses are. And can you
tell--have any suggestions on how businesses and institutions
can work better together to develop jobs?
Mr. Moore. Oh, goodness. It is the whole subject of the
hearing here, and it takes a partnership. It takes
communication. It takes sitting at the table together and
looking at the skills you need, and as Dr. Miller pointed out,
those--what someone referred to as soft skills, being able to
work in teams, critical thinking, analytical thinking, ability
to solve problems in a way that is not more complex than
historically has been the need, and identifying that; and the
business people communicating directly with faculty and not
just chancellors and presidents about what they need those
people to have when they come out and go to work. We need more
connection between the on-the-ground work of the institution,
the classroom and laboratory education of students, and the
business and industrial community.
Mr. Wilson. And I know what you have done to provide an
entry for young people to be able to begin higher education.
I want to conclude. Ms. Hickman, the strong diversity of
American higher education is one of our nation's greatest
assets. Do you have any sense from your students how they
selected your institution?
Ms. Hickman. I think that probably the majority of them
have been looking for something that they didn't find at more
traditional institutions, and oftentimes for them that is a
personal connection, a personal touch that keeps them connected
to every faculty member, every staff person, every
administrator that they encounter. Some of the students in our
education system that we fail, we fail because they don't feel
cared about, and they get shuffled away and lost. And so
institutions like ours make a great effort to cater to those
students who had previously perhaps been lost and to find that
connection that is going to keep them coming to class where
previously they might have given up and just stayed home.
Mr. Wilson. You, again, provide a great opportunity. Thank
you very much, and I return to the current chairman.
Mr. Gowdy. Congressman Wilson, would you be amenable to me
doing what I did last time, which is asking----
Mr. Wilson. Actually, hey, I am so grateful to be in Trey
Gowdy's district. Listen, I truly want to defer back, and,
again, I am just so proud of you.
Mr. Gowdy. Can I interpret that as a yes, that you would
allow me a lightning round understanding----
Mr. Wilson. Yes, please.
Mr. Gowdy. Dr. Barker, I remember the first time you came
to Congress because you did not ask for a single solitary
thing, which puts you in a very small group of people, and I
kept waiting the entire time, the entire time, what is he going
to ask for, what he is going to ask for. And then 30 minutes
after you had gone, it finally dawned on me he really is not
going to ask for anything, and you didn't.
So let me ask you, what does government do well, what does
it do poorly, how can we do a better job at the federal level?
Acknowledging there is a robust debate over where the
responsibility for education lies, how can we do a better job?
Mr. Barker. Let me make one suggestion here that may seem
odd, but one thing you can do is measure the return on
investment, measure the amount of tuition paid by a student
with what their salary turns out to be 4 years out of school, 5
years out of school, whatever your ratio you want to use. I
think that kind of question about return on investment is one
which I have seen some analysis done recently, and I wouldn't
suggest this if Clemson didn't figure pretty well in it. We
were number 6 in the United States ahead of all the Ivy League
schools, I might mention, in terms of return on investment.
That is a suggestion I would make.
Mr. Gowdy. Thank you.
Dr. Moore, you mentioned that University of South Carolina
Upstate had its origins in nursing. I think you also mentioned
in your testimony the number of your graduates that tend to
stay in the area.
Mr. Moore. Correct.
Mr. Gowdy. Given the health challenges that we have in this
country and the need for more physicians and presumably more
nurses, what are you doing to meet that, and how can we help?
Mr. Moore. Nursing education is very expensive. It is a
very small student-to-faculty ratio, which is required by the
accrediting bodies. We are up for accreditation this fall. We
will have a site visit. Nursing is an area where I think the
acknowledgment that higher education is a public good, not just
a private good, is important. There are areas of life where the
absence of people educated in certain ways are a huge detriment
to that part of the world.
So as we think about how we think about funding higher
education, particularly in certain areas, to keep before us the
fact that this education really is a public good and a
necessity for the well-being in that community; being
accessible and affordable; remaining affordable in nursing
education; enabling people of less than great means to pursue a
career in health care, a very meaningful career, and pursuing
it; Pell grants, need-based aid, ways for those people to be
able to afford the high cost, public and private, individual
and collective, of educating in those particularly high-demand,
high-needs, high-tech areas. It matters.
Mr. Gowdy. Thank you.
I am going to ask the same question of Dr. Miller and Ms.
Hickman. Can you give us an example of perhaps a well-intended
regulation in the educational realm that wound up having an
unwittingly pernicious impact on education? I know how Pell
grants would impact the various institutions, but are there
other regulations, because from time to time they get proposed
to us on E&W. Is there one that leaps to your head, I know what
you all were thinking, but if you had been thinking right, you
never would have done this?
Mr. Miller. Certainly. I mentioned briefly the Workforce
Investment Act, and that, as I saw, when that first came to the
surface some years ago, the intent was to bring together the
private sector and higher education partnership, which
absolutely needs to happen, but I think over the years, and as
it flowed through the federal government, through the State
governments, we lost focus on that. And actually the most
critical part now in how do those partners come together and
identify the training and deliver the training almost seems
secondary, and the primary thing is how do we function with the
system, a lot of overhead and that type of thing.
So I think the concept is still good, and the intent is
still good, but I think we need to step back and readdress that
a little bit.
And then if I could mention one more thing. This isn't a
regulation per se. There might be some regulations that prevent
this, but I think if there was one big thing that the federal
government could do to help promote more of what we are doing,
and that is the economic development, the workforce training.
When we think of education, we think of the K-12 sector.
Then we have the 2-year colleges and 4-year colleges and
universities, public and private, all along that sector. But
quite often in this country, we think of them as three
different components. I think what is more workable today is
that we look at them as one total component, and I am not
saying get rid of one of those components. I am just saying
bring them together, reduce the gaps in between. So, if the
federal government could ever incentivize us to that. There are
wonderful partnerships here that exist already, but to
incentivize that and take that a step further, I think we would
see a lot of positive results out of that.
Mr. Gowdy. Yes, sir.
Ms. Hickman.
Ms. Hickman. Well, as Mr. Barker alluded to legislation
that might measure return on investment, and there certainly is
legislation that has attempted to do that. Unfortunately, it
has only been applied to one sector of the educational
spectrum, and I think that any legislation that reduces the
range of educational choices that are available to students is
poor legislation. Certainly we do want our students to get
their money's worth when they are paying tuition, but if we are
going to set that as a standard for measuring an institution,
we should measure all institutions that way.
Mr. Gowdy. On behalf of Congressman Wilson and myself; and
Chairman John Kline from Minnesota, who I hope each of you will
have an opportunity to meet, a delightful Congressman, former
Marine if I am not mistaken; Representative Wilson; Virginia
Foxx from North Carolina, very grateful to them for allowing us
to have--yes, sir.
Mr. Wilson. And one bit of history you need to be aware.
This subcommittee meeting today is the only subcommittee
meeting on the issue of jobs this week, possibly this month,
and so it is a real testament to Congressman Gowdy, to this
community, our country certainly. We have 14 million Americans
without jobs, and so we need to be focused on this issue, and I
would just want to thank, as you have already done, our
Chairman John Kline for authorizing this. Chairwoman Virginia
Foxx. We have got people like Trey Gowdy who are sincerely
interested in trying to help people get jobs.
I know that next week--I am looking forward--every year I
do a bus tour, week-long bus tour, around the district that I
represent to thank educators, employers for helping create
jobs, and, again, I am grateful to be here today, and thank you
for your leadership, Congressman Gowdy.
Mr. Gowdy. Thank you, Congressman Wilson, and I want to
echo your words of thanks for the E&W Committee, who--I always
smile when I see on television that we are on vacation this
month. Let the record reflect there is at least 1 day where
they got a little bit of work out of us. But for the folks who
don't live in this area who traveled to help us put this
hearing on, and especially the folks at CU-ICAR for their
hospitality, and everything could not have been better handled
and better run.
And our panel of witnesses, again, I know I said it with
the first panel. You are each worthy of a panel of your own. So
thank you for sharing your perspective and visiting with us.
With that, I am going to thank you personally and try to be
a good steward of your time, and, Congressman Wilson, I look
forward to seeing you very soon. And with that, I believe we
are in recess.
[Whereupon, at 3:22 p.m., the subcommittee was adjourned.]