Statement of Need The project being developed is focused at the Rock Valley College (RVC) District made up of the counties of Winnebago and Boone Counties, Illinois. The total population served is over 340,000. The needs-assessment information collected is based on data gathered from the following local, state and federal organizations: Illinois Department of Employment Security (IDES), Rockford Area Economic Development Council, Illinois Workforce Connection Rockford Office, Institutional Research RVC, U.S. Department of Labor and Heartland Alliance, Social Impact Research Center. i. Impact of Foreign Trade in Community to be Served Currently there are 10 companies that are covered by the TAA Certification determinations listed by the U.S. Department of Labor on their website. These companies have been listed since July 28, 2008. The most recent companies are: Grupo Antolin, Belvidere, Illinois: In June 2010, Criterion I was met because employment declined by at least 5% during the period under review. Criterion II was met because workers of the company produce and sold door trim modules to a firm that employed a TAA-certified worker group, and Criterion III because 20% of the production or sales of the company was to a TAA-certified worker group. Arvin Meritor, Belvidere, Illinois: In June of 2010, certification was granted based on the following criteria. Criterion I was approved because a significant proportion of the workers in the company were totally or partially separated or are threatened to become totally or partially separated. Criterion II was met because the workers firm is a supplier 1
of component parts that at least 20% of the production or sales are to a company with TAA worker groups. Criterion III was met because of the loss of business to the company which contains TAA- approved workers. Syncreon USA, Belvidere, Illinois: In March of 2010 this company was certified because of the following criterion. Criterion I was met because of a significant number of workers was separated during the relevant period. Criterion II was met because the services provided by the company were sold to a company with a TAA-worker group. Criterion III was met because at 20% of the sales and production of the company were to a company with a TAA-worker group. Other companies that have certified worker groups are Android Industries, Belvidere, IL; Ventra-Belvidere, Belvidere, IL; CLARCORE Air Filtration, Rockford, IL; SA Industries, Inc., Rockford, IL; PGI Manufacturing, Rockford, IL; Pentair Residential Filtration, Rockford, IL; and Oakley Industries Sub Assembly Division, Inc. ii. Targeted Population in Community to Be Served Information provided by the Illinois WorkNet shows that currently in the greater Rockford community there are 642 eligible TAA participants. At this time 355 are in training. These workers have been certified and come from the ten companies outlined above and reside within Boone/ Winnebago Counties (LWIA -3). According to the Heartland Alliance, Social Impact Research Center report published in September 2010 the poverty rate in Winnebago County has increased from 14% in 1999 to 26.9% in 2009. In 2009 the Winnebago County community had a total of 41,302 people living in poverty. This 26.9% poverty rate for Rockford compares to a 12.2% rate for the entire state of 2
Illinois during this same period of time. The median household income in 2009 for residents of the Rockford area is $43,746 a major decline from the household income of $56,494 in 1999. The certified workgroups making up the targeted populations were employed by suppliers to the automobile industry. A sample of the occupations is included in the table below. The following table shows the current jobs openings projected through 2014 for the targeted Precision Machine Industry. Table 1: Job Descriptions, Openings, Educational Requirements, and Compensations Job Status Job Descriptions Annual Openings (LWIA-3) through 2018 Education Requirements Compensation Median Income for Position Electric Motor Repair 19 Vocational education $42, 238 Machine Feeders & Offbearers 3 High School $20,070 Lost Labors & Freight stock, or other 175 High School $24,802 Jobs material movers Team Assemblers 81 High School $32,948 Electrical & Electronic Equipment Assemblers 5 High School $28,121 Maintenance Workers 3 High School $41,734 Lathe & Turning Machine Tool 6 High School $31,561 Setters, Operators, & Tenders Computer Controlled Machine 20 High School $35, 869 Tool Operators, Metal and Plastic New Industrial Machinery Mechanics 9 Vocational School Jobs Training $47, 209 Machinists 30 Vocational School $38,965 Training Maintenance and Repair Workers 32 Vocational School Training $36,532 Data supplied by the Illinois Department of Employment Security, The current level of skills and educational attainment of the targeted population is a high school graduate or individual that has attained a GED. The higher paying jobs in the Precision Machine Industry require vocational school training. Data collected from testing done at Rock Valley College of high school graduates entering into the community college indicate that just fewer than 14% would be ready to take college level courses across disciplines. That means that 3
86% of the students would need to participate in at least one developmental course in English, reading or mathematics, with the largest percentage showing readiness deficiencies in mathematics. Furthermore, of the 15,985 students attending Rock Valley College during the spring of, 12% or 1,946 students are enrolled in at least one developmental course in English, reading or mathematics. These data suggest that a high percentage of the individuals currently looking for employment do not have the basic skills needed to help them qualify for placement into jobs, even those that require a basic high school degree. Table 2 reports companies contacted and data on their employment needs during the next 3 years that they projected for RVC. Of the 221 jobs that are projected for each year through 2018 in the Precision Machine Industry in Boone and Winnebago Counties over 64% will require vocational education training to qualify for the positions available. These positions include industrial machinery mechanics, machinists, and maintenance and repair workers. The positions outlined in this proposal require high school through vocational training of 2 years or less. Table 2: Projected Employment Needs of Regional Companies in the Precision Machine Industry Rockford Precision Machine Companies Projected Employment Needs/Yr Needs/3 yrs Woodward, Inc 50 150 Rockford Acromatic Products Company 6 18 Gunnite Corporation 2 6 Rockford Products 50 150 GE Aviation System 20 60 Ingersoll Machine Company 30 90 Energy Dynamics, Inc 15 45 Superior Joining Technologies 3 9 Tool Kraft, Inc 25 75 Haldex Hydraulic Systems 20 60 Data collected by RVC, Spring 4
iv. Gaps in Existing Educational and Career Training Programs The Manufacturing Engineering and Technology (MET) program was designed and created as a consolidation of three previous discipline areas in Engineering and Technology. The MET AAS degree and the curriculum therein were selected through advisory committee meetings and survey findings. The survey findings were then weighed against the body of knowledge required to pass the Certified Manufacturing Technologist exam, as well as local industry software and hardware needs. Since 2006, headcount has risen from 129 to 251. The number peaked in 2009. Credit hours show an even more significant rise from 489 to 1,530. These increased numbers have been met by a decrease in faculty from 5 to 2 over the past seven years. One of the two remaining faculty members is teaching much of his time in another area of the college. This leaves one faculty member with the majority of the MET teaching load (Program Review, ). The number of Adjunct Faculty has largely increased along with turnover of this group of faculty members. This has created difficulty with maintenance and standards of lab equipment as well as consistency and learning in the classroom on courses that are key prerequisites to 200 level courses. The academic rigor necessary cannot consistently be met by employing adjuncts in many of courses. Currently the program has limited opening based on small and faculty availability. When reviewing a half dozen similar Illinois Colleges and their related degrees, it can be surmised that our MET degree falls somewhere near the middle with regard to the amount of courses and curriculum offered. RVC s degree holds the root components from all of the college manufacturing course degrees and offerings reviewed. 5
Students entering the program have a number of problems that contribute to their inability to complete higher educational programs. Tracking done by Illinois WorkNet Center and released April 13, reports the following: Reading level at the 9 th grade level 34.5% Math level at the 9 th grade 52.8% A total of 53.9% were found to have basic skills defiant issues. Number of certified workers without a high school degree 5.7% Number of certified workers with limited English language skills 5.4% Project Work Plan i. Evidence-based Design and Overview of Proposed Strategy Priorities that will be included in this proposal are: 1. Accelerate Progress for Low-Skilled and Other Workers: The College will use WorkKeys to help place workers into a learning environment that will help them to succeed and build their basic skills for entry level positions. This will form the basic structure for the development of a pathway to better paying jobs. Since the WorkKeys program has been developed with data collected from positions within the manufacturing community, the College will have a better understanding of the individual training needs of each individual worker which will increase the efficiency of preparing each worker for new positions. 2. Improve Retention and Achievement Rates to Reduce Time to Completion: A major objective of this project will be to have workers enter the work field through internships or lower level positions as soon as possible. The College will work with the workers to keep building their skills so that they can move into higher paying jobs as they become available. Since the pathways to success will have both entrance and exits at different points. Workers 6
will be able to see how moving forward with their education will allow them to gain higher paying jobs and will prepare them with new jobs as old ones disappear. Retention will improve as workers experience new levels of success and are taught how to continue to grow within their industries. 3. Build Programs That Meet Industry Needs, Including Developing Career Pathways: The College will develop its advisory committee, which will be made-up of companies, RVC staff and area organizations that are interested in developing the Precision Machine Industry. Information developed through these resources will be used to continue to build the College s educational program at a much faster pace. Updated knowledge related to industry needs will also be used by counselors working with workers involved in the program to help them stay ahead of the transitions that companies are making. 4. Veteran Priority: RVC agrees to meet the requirements of the ETA Training and Employment Guidance Letter (TEGL) No. 10-09 which outlines the priority of service for veterans and their spouses related to ETA funded projects. The Project will develop a special focus on this group of participants by developing special marketing materials and working with local veteran organizations to recruit veterans for the program. The Project will integrate this project with other on-campus veteran programs to make sure that all resources available to veterans are made available to veteran student participants. ii. Project Work Plan Table 3 outlines the project through December of. It includes the start-up of the project and the completion of one year worth of classes from January of through December of. 7
Priorities Start Date End Date Rock Valley College - TAACCCT Grant Proposal Table 3: One-year Work Plan for Proposed TAACCCT Project TAACCCT Work Plan Strategies Implementer Cost Associate Vice President College 3 Develop Project Team Members 3 Purchase Equipment, Supplies and set-up space for project 3 Fine Tune Process for Project and plan first training programs 3 Establishe On-line Services, D & B, TechStar Network, KeyTrain 2/4 Develop Marketing Materials for Project with a special focus towards veterans 2/4 Develop MOU s with Veteran Groups to assist in recruiting veterans into the program 2 Using material developed above develop MOU s with local non-profit outreach groups 2 Become a FastTrac Member Organization & purchase material Executive Director EIGERlab and Seed Manager Manager Seed Accelerator Assoc Dean of Eng & Tech Seed Manager/staff Director/ College Public Relations Director Project Director & Seed Accelerator Director Seed Accelerator Director $306,500 July $34,000 $20,000 $20,555 $10,000 $45,000 $36,000 $8,000 $9,000 $25,000 $4,000 Aug Oct Oct $25,000 Oct $23,700 Cost per student: $355 Nov Nov Nov Sept Oct Oct Nov Nov Dec Dec Nov Deliverables Hire Directors and Staff for project Set-up office space for staff and entrepreneurs Process completed for first set of participants in the program On-line resources: D&B Tech Star Key Train Brochures, website development and radio, newspaper advertising prepared Develop at least one MOU with a non-profit Veteran Organization in Boone and Winnebago Counties Develop two to three MOU agreements with local outreach programs such as veteran groups, minority organizations and other outreach programs Join organization and share project information with other members 8
Priorities Start Date End Date Rock Valley College - TAACCCT Grant Proposal Table 3: One-year Work Plan for Proposed TAACCCT Project (cont.) TAACCCT Work Plan 1/4 Test first set of participants with WorkKeys. Preassessment 3/4 Enroll First Set of Manufacturing Entrepreneurs in Strategies Implementer Cost Testing Center Training Program 3/4 Enroll 1 st set of manufacturing students 3 Evaluate entrepreneurs for financial and marketing services 3 Evaluate Entrepreneurs for advanced services to offered to them based on product potential 3 Evaluate Program and participants after each stage of the program for satisfaction and success. 3 Evaluation studied and used to improve process and program 1/4 Test second set of participants with WorkKeys. Preassessment 3/4 Enroll second set of students in Entrepreneur Programs 3 Evaluate entrepreneurs for financial and marketing services Director/ Admin Asst. Assoc Dean of Eng & Tech Marketing and financial staff members Project Staff Director, Project Consultants Internal/ External Evaluators Directors, Advisory Group Evaluator Testing Center Director Seed Accelerator. Marketing and financial staff members $1,430 Cost per student: $22.00 $19,000 Cost per student: $950 $13,635 Cost per student $303 $8,500 Cost per student $425 $8,500 Cost per student: $425 $25,000 Cost per student $308 Jan Jan Jan Mar Apr Qtr. Jan Mar May Open Open Deliverables 65 participants tested. Results used to provide a base line for each student. Estimated enrollment 20 participants 45 participants Track the cost of services compared with the final results services provided Development of an evaluation tool that can be used to help identify potential successful entrepreneurs Evaluation reports shared with advisory group plus submitted to the federal government $20,000 Qtr. Project Guide Book developed with case studies included $440 Cost per student: $22.00 $19,000 Cost per student: $950 $8,500 Cost per student $425 Feb Mar Mar Feb May Open 20 participants tested. Results used to provide a base line for each student. Estimated enrollment 20 participants Track the cost of services compared with the final results services provided 9
Priorities Start Date End Date Rock Valley College - TAACCCT Grant Proposal Table 3: One-year Work Plan for Proposed TAACCCT Project (cont.) TAACCCT Work Plan Strategies Implementer Cost Project Staff $8,500 Director, Cost per Project student: Consultants $425 3 Evaluate Entrepreneurs for advanced services to offered to them based on product potential 1/4 Test third set of participants with WorkKeys. Preassessment 3/4 Start Enrollment of Second Manufacturing Training Classes 3 Start Enrollment of Third Entrepreneurship Class 3 Develop first year Manufacturing Study based on data collected from Project. 3/4 Local Future of Precision Machining Annual Conf. Develop special break-out sessions for veterans. Testing Center Assoc. Dean of Eng & Tech Director Staff RVC IR Department Project Director/staff $435.00 Cost per student: $22.00 $9,090 Cost Per Student: $303 $19,000 Cost per student: $950 Apr Aug Aug Sept $25,000 Dec $11,788 Sept Open Aug Dec Nov Feb 2013 Feb 2013 Deliverables Development of an evaluation tool that can be used to help identify potential successful entrepreneurs 65 participants tested. Results used to provide a base line for each student. Enrollment of 30 students in training program Estimated enrollment 20 participants Share result through journals or presentations at conferences focused towards entrepreneurship Share with local community project plus updated information on the industry related to workers and entrepreneurship opportunities Costs outlined in the table above are outlined in the budget narrative and include tuition, testing and other costs that will be paid by the students or other programs in which they are enrolled. Table 3 outlines a strong evaluation component which will be used to provide on-going project evaluation, as well as data collected from this project will be used to develop 10
presentations and studies that will be shared with other educational organizations that are interested in developing a strong entrepreneurship program. Project Concept: The proposed project, Retooling Rockford, is built around WorkKeys, a job skills assessment system developed by ACT to measure applied, work-place skills. Program participants will be assessed with WorkKeys, along with ACCUPLACER tests already administered at the College, to help drive informed placement decisions for participants in the proposed project. Accurate placement into the pathways of Retooling Rockford will be critical to developing a model of efficient programming to help participants succeed in the regional workforce. Results of placement assessment will be used to determine the initial pathway of student participants Foundations to Readiness, Pathways to High Paying Jobs, or Pathways to Creating More Jobs. Students that do not score into a college readiness level on ACCUPLACER and do not score into a defined level of career readiness certification will start in the Foundations to Readiness pathway. Students in this pathway will be targeted into a program of study that will build essential skills (e.g., GED Program, ESL/ELL Program, or Basic Developmental Skills). Career readiness materials will be layered into the curricula of these programs so that student participants at this level will gain both critical academic and foundational workplace skills at the same time. Students that score into college readiness and into a defined level of career readiness certification will start in Pathways to High Paying Jobs and/or Pathways to Creating More Jobs, which have been aligned to the designated levels of the National Career Readiness Certification (NCRC). Based on their preliminary WorkKeys assessment results, students will be directed to either the Bronze, Silver, or Gold/Platinum levels of Pathways to High Paying Jobs and/or 11
Pathways to Creating More Jobs. The following outlines key elements of training defined by each of the levels: Bronze: initial career readiness training program (e.g., KeyTrain and coaching); Continuing Professional Education Credit Courses (e.g., technology, automation skills CNC machinist, industrial maintenance non-transfer certificate, or integrated systems technology program); Bronze-level (Level 3) NCRC; initial GEM training with part-time on-the-job training; initial FastTrac Training, coaching and networking from the SEED Accelerator Center (SAC). Silver: intermediate career readiness training program (e.g., KeyTrain, coaching, work-site mentoring/apprenticeship); Continuing Professional Education Credit Courses (see list above) or Certificate Programs (engineering careers or apprenticeship programs); Silver-level (Level 4) NCRC; intermediate GEM training with part-time on-the-job training; initial FastTrac Training, coaching and networking, and product development resources from the SEED Accelerator Center (SAC). Gold/Platinum: advanced career readiness training program (e.g., KeyTrain, coaching, worksite mentoring/internship); Certificate Programs (see list above) or AAS Degree Programs (e.g., engineering careers); Gold or Platinum-level (Level or 6) NCRC; intermediate or advanced GEM training with increased part-time on-thejob training; advanced FastTrac Training, coaching and networking, product development and exposure to financial resources from the SEED Accelerator Center (SAC). 12
Integrated throughout this program will be the opportunity with partner companies to participate in an on-the-job training program for student participants. The goal of the project will be to get student participants into a moderate to high paying job as early as possible, keeping the door open to more training so that they can grow within the manufacturing field as jobs evolve and become more complex. Key Project Elements: ACT, an internationally recognized leader in assessment and research, is a non-profit organization supporting schools, businesses, professional associations, and governmental agencies in education and workforce development. As part of their mission to help people achieve educational and workplace success, ACT has developed the National Career Readiness Certificate (NCRC) to provide a evidence-based credential measuring workplace skills and providing a reliable predictor of workplace success. The certificate structure has been designed for use across sectors, including the Precision Machine Industry, to provide a measure of applied basic skills, problem solving, and critical thinking. WorkKeys, the ACT measure used to inform NCRC, will be used within the project to identify targeted pathways for learning and development within the proposed project. The WorkKeys Readiness Indicator, along with WorkKeys Applied Mathematics, Locating Information, and Reading for Information measures, will be used to determine levels of career readiness and additional educational and workplace training needs aligned with NCRC levels and situated along the career pathways of the proposed project. The goals of developing a NCRC workforce are as follows: Develop a more highly trained and trainable workforce in the Rockford region to support regional industry needs. 13
Provide pathways of opportunity for individuals to develop dynamic skills for continued growth and success in the workplace. To help dislocated workers, veterans, members of the minority community and women have greater access and success within Precision Machining career pathways or entrepreneurial endeavors supportive of that industry. The Seed Accelerator Center (SAC) will provide participants with training, collaboration, coaching, marketing research, and exposure to financial resources to develop the next generation of new manufacturing companies for the Rockford region. The goals of the SAC are as follows: Develop new high paying employment to dislocated workers in the Rockford region by developing a larger more diversified industry base. Provide an opportunity for individuals to develop and commercialize new product ideas that can be used by the area s current manufacturing base. To help dislocated workers, veterans, members of the minority community and women with a new career pathway in entrepreneurship currently out of their reach. The one to two-year educational program will use the Kauffman Foundation s FastTrac TechVenture and NewVenture curricula as the foundation for building this project. FastTrac is designed to help entrepreneurs hone the skills needed to create, manage and/or grow successful businesses. Participants work on their own business ideas or ventures throughout the program, moving their venture from idea to reality or new levels of growth. FastTrac programs are resources for entrepreneurs that have been developed by and with hundreds of successful entrepreneurs who have shared their knowledge, insights, and stories so that others might learn from them. In 1998, FastTrac won the Small Business Administration's 14
Model of Excellence Award for Entrepreneurial Education. More than 95,000 participants have completed FastTrac classes in the United States since 1993. Kauffman Foundation s CEO Carl Schramm is a founding board member of the White House new initiative Start-up America Partnership. This partnership will focus on the development of innovative, high-growth U.S. firms. A study of the Kauffman FastTrac program offered in New York City provides an understanding of their success rate. The New York program enrolled 823 participants and had an 82% completion rate as of March 2010. Within three months following graduation of their most recent class, 36.9% of the graduates started a new business, 49.5% of the participants completed market research and 38.8% completed a business plan. Added to this strong and successful foundation program will be the following: Coaches assigned from the private business community to provide continuous feedback to entrepreneurs; Student Interns to assist participants in developing their business plans; Development of an entrepreneurship community by connecting entrepreneurs with seasoned CEOs and entrepreneurship teams made up of members of economic development organizations, government support agencies, and other support agencies; Feasibility studies completed by the Wisconsin Innovation Service Center, located at the University of Wisconsin Whitewater; Prototypes development provided by the EIGERlab; Access to the TechStar Network and the D & B Data Base; and Assistance in exploring venture capital and other funding sources that can help in moving projects forward. 15
iii. Project Management The proposed project will be overseen by the Associate Vice President of RVC, Michael Mastroianni. He directs 8 divisions including Human Resources and over 100 employees. Formerly, he was Dean of Community Outreach and before that the director of the Management Institute where he was responsible for the training and consulting efforts of the college. Previously, he was a principal partner with Management Resource Group, a full service Human Resource consulting firm. In addition to his national speaking and consulting experience, Mr. Mastroianni also served as VP of Human Resources for an educational association and has held key positions in health care human resources. His most recent book, co-authored with Norm Dasenbrook, MS, LCPC, is Harnessing the Power of Conflict: Leading, Living and Learning. Mr. Mastroianni is on the Chamber of Commerce Board, the Manufacturing Advisory Council, the Goodwill Board, Family Counseling Services Board, and the Rockford Health Council Board. He consults for business, industry and health care on leadership, dispute resolution, team building, interviewing and selection techniques, and other topics for employee and management development. Figure 1 represents the Mr. Mastroianni s position, as well as that of the TAACCCT project, within the RVC organizational structure. Figure 1: Organizational Chart for RVC Implementation of TAACCCT Project 16
The TAACCCT Project Director will report directly to the Associate Vice President and oversee the entire project. The director will be hired within the first three months of the project being funded and represent the College with the business and other community partners. Table 4 outlines the qualifications and responsibilities of the TAACCCT Project Director. The TAACCCT Project Director and other project staff (see Figure 2) will have the support of one administrative assistant to provide support to the project participants and in appropriate aspects of project implementation. Table 4: Qualifications and Responsibilities of the TAACCCT Project Director Qualifications Responsibilities Master s degree in education, counseling, Determine the learning needs of certified manufacturing, entrepreneurship, administration, participants. or related field. Experience working with manufacturing programs. Demonstrated experience and sensitivity to the needs of economically and educationally disadvantaged workers and students. Three years experience planning and implementing instructional programs appropriate for adult learners, veterans and other returning student populations. Competent computer skills. Demonstrated ability to give attention to detail while developing a big picture concept. Work with College Directors and managers to develop a sustainable plan for adult workers. Oversee the design of project curriculum and integration of Work Keys program. Work with 3 rd party and internal evaluators to track participants and their progress in the program. Maintain and monitor TAACCCT budget. Plan and coordinate manufacturing advisory group. Work with the EIGERlab and the Rockford Area Economic Development Council to develop the entrepreneurship component. Documented ability to relate to students of various ethnic backgrounds and abilities. Experience in development of specialized projects across the entire College community. Participate in meetings as appropriate and inform community organizations about the needs and developments of TAACCCT participants. Ensure that the information and records necessary for the operation and evaluation of the project are collected and maintained, monitor expenditures, and prepare TAACCCT reports. Create a learning environment which promotes understanding and support for diversity. 17
Figure 2: Organization of the TAACCCT Project Work Team at RVC A Manager of the SEED Accelerator Services will be hired to oversee the entrepreneurship module of this project. Under the direction of the Director of the TAACCCT Program, the Manager will create programs and activities that support the growth of regional entrepreneurial development with a focus towards manufacturing businesses. The Manager will collaborate with other economic development entities, including, but not limited to, the local Chamber of Commerce Offices, Rockford Area Economic Development Council, and Workforce Development Boards. Minimum qualifications for the Manager position include the following: Bachelor s degree from an accredited college/university, preferably with a major in business, marketing or a related field. Four years experience in business management as an owner or at the management level of a corporation with budget oversight and decision making responsibility. Demonstrated sensitivity to and understanding of the diverse academic, socioeconomic, cultural, ethnic, and disability backgrounds of business owners and employees in the region. Knowledge related to entrepreneurship education programs and start-up development services available to entrepreneurs. 18
Experience with grant development, management, and reporting requirements for both federal and state funding agencies. The SEED Accelerator will hire two part-time consultants to work with the TAACCCT Project Director, SEED Accelerator Manager, and participant entrepreneurs. One consultant will have a strong background in finance and help entrepreneurs to develop funding options for their projects. The second consultant will provide counseling assistance in marketing and sales. A part-time Testing Specialist will be hired to work with the TAACCCT Project Director. Specifically, this Testing Specialist will coordinate and administer WorkKeys assessments, which will be used to determine placement within the Pathways to Foundations or Pathways to Careers, as well as determine qualification for related levels of National Career Readiness Certification. This individual will also assist the College s Testing Center in coordinating ACCUPLACER testing as required by the College for participants entering into credit bearing programs. Administrators, faculty, and division specialists in the College s Outreach and Planning Division (e.g., Business & Planning Institute, Continuing Education, and Dislocated Workers Program) will collaborate to develop and implement the proposed project with a focus to certified workers in Boone and Winnebago Counties through Pathways to Higher Paying Jobs. The design team will develop and implement, with the help of the Precision Machine Industry, training and services to help participants develop a career pathway in this field. Additional support from the EIGERlab staff, Rockford Area Economic Development Council, financial institutions, successful entrepreneurs, Wisconsin Innovation Center and other specialists will focus on the entrepreneurship module being developed to increase the communities manufacturing base through Pathways to Creating More Jobs. 19
Under the Illinois Administrative Code, Chapter 110 of the Illinois School Code exists as the Public Community College Act. All competitive bids for contracts involving expenditure in excess of $25,000 must be sealed by the bidder and must be opened by Director of Business Service and/or designee at a public bid opening at which the contents of the bids must be announced. Bidders will receive at least 3 days notice of the time and place of the bid opening. Three public notices will appear in Rockford Register Star in a ten (10) day period prior to the bid date. RVC staff met with the leadership of companies outlined in this proposal, Illinois Workforce Connection, Illinois Department of Employment Security, Rockford Area Economic Development Council, and the EIGERlab to develop this proposal. RVC will continue to meet with these resources to further develop and implement this project upon receiving funding. Major partners are: The EIGERlab: a non-profit state of the art, mixed-use incubator. It serves the Rockford region with leading edge business and engineering support services. The service develops entrepreneurial culture through the collaboration of education, business and government. Rockford Area Economic Development Council: The Council has been active in development of this proposal and will be a partner providing support with local manufacturing and in the development of new entrepreneurial businesses in the region. Illinois Department of Employment Security (IDES): The IDES has provided, with the help of a local labor market economist, data and information used to survey the needs of the industry in the greater Rockford community. 20
The Workforce Connection: The Connection will work with the College to assist with the Work Keys program which will be provided to participants at the Connection s location and at a RVC testing office affiliated with the main campus Testing Center but located at the EIGERlab. Local area companies listed earlier in this proposal have provided data and have indicated an interested in working with RVC to develop this project. This project will be focused at the Precision Machine Industry. The College will work with these organizations throughout the project to provide input and resources to the student population receiving services under this proposal. To this specific end, a TAACCCT Advisory Council has been developed. The Council, chaired by the Associate Vice President and TAACCCT Project Director, will be comprised of members of the business, non-profit and state organizations involved in project planning. It will meet on a quarterly basis to monitor project progress and collect ideas and concerns related to the project. The following individuals have been identified to participate in the Council: Angel Rodriquez, Human Resource Director, GE - Aviation; Teresa Beach-Shelow, Owner, Superior Joining Technologies; Jeff Anderson, Tool Design Leader, Woodward; Mark Podemski, Vice President of Development, Rockford Area Economic Development; Ted Duckett, Business Account Manager, Workforce Investment Board; Patrick Bye, President, Energy Dynamics; Russ Dennis, Vice President, Leading Edge Hydraulics; Representative of Veteran Organization, Dr. Belinda Wholeben, External Evaluator; and Lisa Mehlig, Executive Director, Institutional Research, Rock Valley College. The external evaluator, Dr. Belinda Wholeben, will be hired as the external evaluator to coordinate the evaluation of all project goals, objectives, and activities. The external evaluator will work closely with the internal evaluation team to implement the evaluation plan. Dr. 21
Wholeben will provide expertise and support in evaluation design, development of data collection instruments, collection of data, data analysis, interpretation of findings, reporting of formative and summative evaluation results, and communication of results to stakeholders. In addition, she will increase College capacity by providing support and guidance to the internal evaluation team (and other College personnel) in effective program evaluation. Dr. Wholeben is a member of the American Evaluation Association and will adhere to the American Evaluation Association Guiding Principles for Evaluators and the Program Evaluation Standards issued by the Joint Commission on Standards for Educational Evaluation. The internal evaluator for the proposed project, Lisa Mehlig, Executive Director of Institutional Research (IR) at RVC, will coordinate efforts with the external evaluator, Dr. Belinda Wholeben. Ms Mehlig has worked as a private sector consultant providing direction and expertise in research, assessment and program evaluation for public and higher education projects. Her more than fifteen years of experience in the field of educational research, includes directing the Office of Assessment, Research and Grants in Rockford Public Schools and serving as a research associate in the Office of Research, Evaluation, and Policy Studies (REPS) in the College of Education and Northern Illinois University. Ms Mehlig works with the College Leadership Team at RVC and oversees an office with five staff members. Work completed by the IR Department will provide on-going, formative assessment for the project and its staff. The accounting policies of Rock Valley College conform to accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America as applicable to colleges and universities as well as those prescribed by the Illinois Community College Board (ICCB). The College reports are based on all applicable Government Accounting Standards Board (GASB) pronouncements. 22
iv. Sustainability This project will develop several long range approaches to continuation of the project beyond the projects three year term. The worker training module will be integrated into the general college program. This process will begin with the projects development. Courses, faculty, and the pathway to success will become a part of the College s long term training structure. As the project develops a stronger relationship with area companies and our partners our institution will be able to pay for the demands of the program through tuition and custom training programs developed for our local companies. The entrepreneurship module is being developed so that the SEED Accelerator will take a 6% ownership stake in the growth of each of its seed clients. Services will be provided to clients at 50% of the market rate here in Rockford. This cost recovery system and the ownership stake in client s companies will help the Accelerator over time become self supporting. Measurement of Progress and Outcomes Both internal and external evaluation teams will evaluate the proposed project. The internal evaluation, managed by the Office of Institutional Research at RVC will focus on the collection and analysis of data to inform on-going formative assessment. This formative assessment will be designed so that the project manager and advisory committee will have information to monitor the implementation and impact of the proposed project. The external evaluator will use data collected by the internal evaluation team, as well as independent measures, to develop the proposed project s summative assessment. The external evaluator will provide a bias-free 23
perspective of project data and achievement toward goals through this summative assessment, which will be reported to the project s stakeholders. i. Progress and Implementation Measures The proposed project will be evaluated in terms of progress of implementation, as well as identified outcome measures. Implementation measures, which have been identified within the Deliverables presented in Table 3 of this document, will be monitored on an on-going basis and reported quarterly to the TAACCCT Advisory Council through internal evaluation. The external evaluator will monitor this evaluation in collaboration with internal evaluation and participation on the advisory council; the external evaluator will also report out on the progress of implementation through annual summary reports to stakeholders. The progress of the proposed project will be monitored to provide formative information for improved implementation by the internal evaluator and summative information of overall effectiveness for distribution to stakeholders by the external evaluator. Outcome measures identified in Table 5 will be used to inform the progress and effectiveness of the proposed project. Quantitative and qualitative data will be used to inform the overall evaluation of the proposed project. Quantitative measures will include tracking data geared to monitor progress of the project priorities. These data include the following: enrollment, persistence, retention, completion, and graduation rates of participants. To inform the effectiveness of the proposed program, these data will be benchmarked as indicated in the Abstract. In addition, these data will be monitored across the grant funding period to identify emerging trends, as well as compared annually to overall College rates. Qualitative measures will include surveys and focus 24
group interviews of student participants, College faculty and staff, and regional employers, specifically partner employers to assess satisfaction and meeting of needs. These data will be used to assist with data triangulation in monitoring the effectiveness of the implementation model of the proposed project. Table 5 provides details of the quantitative and qualitative measures to be used to evaluate the impact of the proposed project. ii. Outcome Measures The outcome measures informing the evaluation of the proposed project are closely aligned to the previously identified priorities (i.e., (1) Accelerate Progress for Low-skilled and Other Workers, (2) Improve Retention and Achievement Rates to Reduce Time to Completion, (3) Build Programs That Meet Industry Needs, Including Developing Career Pathways, and (4) Veteran Priority). Table 5 outlines the metrics and outcome measures to be used to determine the degree to which elements of the proposed project are successful in addressing these priorities. All outcome measures will be analyzed in the aggregate of participants, as well as disaggregated by participants Veteran status. Table 5: Evaluation Structure Evaluation Question: To what extent does the proposed project accelerate progress for low-skilled and other workers? Priority Outcome Measures Measures Timeframe 1, 4 For those placed in Pathways to High Paying Jobs or Pathways to Creating More Jobs, increase the annual number and percentage of students completing credit hours within 1 st year of program. 1, 4 For those placed in Pathways to High Paying Jobs or Pathways to Creating More Jobs, increase the number and percentage of individuals that attain a certificate in less than one year. Course completion rates Certificate completion rates Biannually, within 3 months after Spring and Fall term completion Reported: Mid- and end-ofyear reports, Annual Summary Report, Annual project conference 25
Table 5: Evaluation Structure (cont.) Priority Outcome Measures Measures Timeframe 1, 4 For those placed in Foundations to Readiness, increase the annual number and percentage of students moving from developmental to college courses within the 1 st year of program. Course completion rates; Transition to College rates. 1, 4 For all participants, a higher degree of satisfaction with program pacing and quality as compared to students in parallel programs of the College. Student and College faculty and staff surveys, focus groups Biannually, at the end of Spring and Fall terms Reported: Mid- and end-ofyear reports, Annual Summary Report, Annual project conference Evaluation Questions: To what extent does the proposed project improve retention? To what extent does the proposed project reduce time to completion? Priority Outcome Measures Measures Timeframe 2, 4 For all participants, increase the persistence and retention rates. 2, 4 For all participants, increase the number and percentage of individuals who complete a certificate in more than one year. 2, 4 For all participants, increase the number and percentage of all individuals who complete a degree within 150 percent of the program s normal completion time. Persistence and retention rates Certification completion rates Time to completion rates Biannually, within 3 months after Spring and Fall term completion Reported: Mid- and end-ofyear reports, Annual Summary Report, Annual project conference 2,4 For all participants, a higher reported commitment to program completion as compared to students in parallel programs of the College. Student and College faculty and staff surveys, focus groups Biannually, at the end of Spring and Fall terms Reported: Mid- and end-ofyear reports, Annual Summary Report, Annual project conference 26
Table 5: Evaluation Structure (cont.) Evaluation Question: To what extent does the proposed project meet regional industry workforce needs? Priority Outcome Measures Measures Timeframe 3, 4 For all participants, increase the percentage of participants employed within one quarter 1 after exiting program. 3, 4 For all participants, increase the percentage of participants employed within 2 nd and 3 rd quarter after exiting program. 3, 4 For all participants, increase the percentage Average Gross earnings of those employed in 1 st,2 nd, or 3 rd quarter Job placement data Job placement data; follow-up survey Job placement data; follow-up survey (as applicable) Biannually, within 3 months after Spring and Fall term completion Reported: Mid- and end-ofyear reports, Annual Summary Report, Annual project conference 3, 4 Partner employers (and other regional companies if applicable) in the precision machine industry report a higher degree of satisfaction in hired program participants as compared to other employees in similar jobs. Employer survey, focus group interviews Annually, within 3 months of completion of Spring term Reported: End-ofyear/Annual Summary Report, Annual project conference 1 For the purpose of this evaluation, one quarter will equal a 3-month period. 27