Initiative creates collaborative workforce development

Southwestern Oregon Community College is working with community business leaders and K-12 education entities to create a more seamless, collaborative approach to workforce training.

The Collaborative Relevant Education and Applied Training for Economic Development initiative is well under way after a series of meetings between Southwestern and its partners in K-12 education and the local business community. The groups discussed the workforce needs of the South Coast and how to meet those needs under the current model of education.

They came up with four areas for workforce development that will be keys to the future of the area – Construction Technology, Metals Technology, Information Technology and Project Management – and identified methods for training workers in those fields. Under the new model, K-12 and higher education will collaborate on those programs so that local high school students can begin their curriculum in one of those areas and transition seamlessly into similar, more advanced, programs at Southwestern. The schools and college also would share some facilities for instruction.

“We saw that one or more of us were offering something in construction and metals,” Southwestern Vice President of Instruction and Student Services Dr. Stephen Schoonmaker said. “This Wednesday we’re getting together with the high school folks to design curriculum to prepare the workforce based on what we’ve heard from individual business leaders who need workers.”

Currently, the College is working with Marshfield and North Bend high schools on this initiative, but future efforts will include expanding the number of participating high schools. Currently, the College and its partners plan to unveil CREATED curriculum in Construction Technology and Metals Technology – scheduled to begin in Fall of 2007 – at the annual Skills Day on April 26. Programs in Information Technology and Project Management will be rolled out in Fall of 2008.

Press Release Date: February 26, 2007