Dr. Michael E. Harris - Piedmont Community College

Dr. Michael E. Harris

Forsyth Tech Community College Skilled Worker’s Model

(A Comprehensive Workforce and Social Model)

1. Key points for the model presented during workshop:
a. Model is an accumulation of processes defined within the North Carolina Community College
System known as, “best practices.”
b) Forsyth Tech model is multi-dimensional in delivery. The model has been delivered on a
County/City scale. This is due to its common threads, tools, and products. This presentation is
the first in a series to the scaling of the model--through the college service area.
c) The model programs and processes which supports accountability and data collections are
reliable and strengthen all stakeholders utilizing the model.
d) The Model was developed from Forsyth Tech involvement through the NCCCS initiative
known as “Breaking Through” partnership with Jobs for the Future
http://www.jff.org/publications/breaking-through-practice-guide.
e) Forsyth Tech is sharing the model and welcomes all to duplicate the model’s processes and
practices with no restrictions
f) Forsyth Tech workforce partners are willing to assist community colleges in sharing their role
and processes with like or similar agencies, in developing a skilled workforce

The Practice Guide has four components, each devoted to a “high leverage strategy” that community
colleges and other programs can adopt to increase their success with low-skilled younger and older
adults.

 Accelerated learning
 Comprehensive support services
 Labor market payoffs
 Aligning programs for low-skilled adults

NOTE: Forsyth Tech, and its workforce partnerships, welcome the opportunity to foster a partnership
with your college and community workforce partnerships; to develop your skilled worker model for
your region.

2. The Model embraces:
 NCCCS Align4NCWorks Strategic Plan 2015-18
 NC Works Commission 2014-2016 Strategic Plan
 U.S. Department of Education Office of Career, Technical, and Adult Education –
 Making Skills Everyone’s Business: Report -

http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ovae/pi/AdultEd/making-skills.pdf

3. Items Numbers 2 through 4 were shared at the Performance Summit, College and Career Readiness
Directors Institute by Barbara Boyce, Associate Vice Presidents, Workforce Development, Continuing
Education.
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Dr. Michael E. Harris
Forsyth Tech Community College Skilled Worker’s Model

(A Comprehensive Workforce and Social Model)

4. Forsyth Tech Skilled Worker’s Model best practices:

a) A paradigm shift in the culture; validates educational achievement of practical skills needed by
employers. It further supports self-sufficiency involving non-credit pathways to credit degrees.

b) A basic template for all stakeholders in the community to grasp in understanding educational and
technical skill sets.

c) A model from an educational perspective, which supports social and economic growth; due to the
tools and products that are available in the college and with partners.

d) A model of awareness which supports the Social Indicators identified by Forsyth Tech; derived from
the collaboration of partnerships and sharing of information.

e) A model that is a roadmap on connectivity in terms of language among all stakeholders, as it relates
to common practices which exist in agencies for all populations.

f) A model which addresses the social issues to learning and workforce recruitment and retention.

g) A model which supports the need for scholarship funding of non-credit pathways to credit degrees.

h) A model that supports recruitment and retention through agency referrals and case management.

i) This presentation is a first in the series of the Skilled Worker Model. For more information, please
contact Dr. Michael Harris at the information listed below.

Contact: Dr. Michael E. Harris
Dean, College and Career Readiness
Economic and Workforce Development
Forsyth Technical Community College
2100 Silas Creek Parkway
Winston Salem, NC 27103
Phone: (336) 734-7764
Fax: (336) 734-7752
Email: [email protected]

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Forsyth Tech’s Skilled Worker Model Overview

A comprehensive workforce and social model focused on:
 building skilled workers through a core approach based on community collaboration, case management,
and tracking of students served, helping low skilled workers become college ready.

Core Components that identify a Skilled Worker
 Academics (training), Computer Skills, Soft Skills, and Technical Skills.
 Programs are pathways with the focus on pathways between non-credit (short-term) and credit programs
 Centralize similar best program practices throughout the community. The threads of the model that unite the
community are:
o Awareness, Advising, Assessment, Academics, Soft Skills Training, Certification (Career Readiness
Certificate) transcending generations to achieve self-sufficiency.
Sample Population served:
o Credit students, Non-Credit students, limited ability in the English language, mentally handicapped
o Correctional or other immured groups, low-income adults, single parents, displaced homemakers
o Parents, youth (16 to 26), workers and professionals in transition.

Model has been adapted by the following:
 Baptist Hospital, Winston-Salem Chamber of Commerce, Goodwill, Employment Security Commission
 Northwest Piedmont Council of Government, Forsyth County Detention Center, Winton-Salem Urban League

Model has been used by:
 RJR Reynolds to match the right person to the right job
 Winston-Salem Forsyth County Schools to help with retention of potential high school dropouts and assist with
their transition.
 Forsyth Futures, a community collaborative supported by the leading employers and non-profits agency for
social and economic prosperity of Winston-Salem, NC.

Forsyth Tech Community College
 The Skilled Worker model is administered through division of Economic and Workforce Development (EWD).
The model is implemented through Forsyth Tech Educational Career Center and NC Works satellite center
located at Forsyth Tech West Campus. The model is incorporated within the EWD programs and partnership
with community agencies and employers.

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 The Skilled Worker Model consist of accelerated training programs that aim to give students the skills needed
for available jobs in 90 days or less, and transition through select programs into credit programs. Also, this
short-term training helps individuals to enhance their skills for further training into the workforce, retention in
the workforce and further education towards a two year credit degree with the outcome for credentialing.

 The core of the program is based on a tracking system of students’ academic progression, social and economical
factors which are maintained in a portfolio for each student.

 The tracking process provides support for the student’s career path to insure student success in transitioning
within Forsyth Tech and the obtainment of the National Career Readiness Certificate.

Forsyth Skilled Worker Model Points of Entrance:

 The Skilled Worker Model consist of accelerated training programs that aim to give students the skills needed
for available jobs in 90 days of less, and transition through select programs into credit programs. Also, this
short-term training helps individuals to enhance their skills for further training into the workforce, retention in
the workforce and further education towards a two year credit degree with the outcome for credentialing.

 The Skilled worker points of entrance are through varies agencies. The model serves as an umbrella of
partnering agencies who work together to assist the whole person in moving forward to self-sufficiency.

 Each agency recognizes their role in the community to avoid duplication of services and to work together
collectively as a community. Forsyth Tech workforce partners are: Consumer Credit, Department of Correction,
Experiment in Self Reliance, Employment Security Commission, Forsyth Futures, Goodwill Industries, Housing
Authority of Winston-Salem, Forsyth County Department of Social Services, Forsyth County Detention Center,
Forsyth County Library, Piedmont Regional Triad Council, Regional Consolidated Services, Winston-Salem
Chamber of Commerce, Winston-Salem Forsyth County Schools and Winston-Salem Urban League.

Skilled Worker Model Concept

 The five *A’s Concept: *Awareness,* Assessment, *Advising, *Academics plus Soft Skill training (HRD)

 Encompassing the *Achievement with the Career Readiness Certificate (CRC) and a credential

 Validation from your local workforce development providers, helping a person transition into the work place
and further training.

Customized Models: Baptist Hospital, Consumer Information, Goodwill Industries, NCCCS Jobs NOW, Forsyth County
Detention Center, the Military, Weatherization, and Winston-Salem Chamber of Commerce program: “Graduate it
Pays”.

Contact: Dr. Michael E. Harris
Dean, College and Career Readiness
Economic and Workforce Development
Forsyth Technical Community College
2100 Silas Creek Parkway
Winston Salem, NC 27103
Phone: (336) 734-7764
Fax: (336) 734-7752
Email: [email protected]

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