Date of Award
2003
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Education
Department
Doctor of Higher Education Leadership
Advisor
Nancy Gadbow
Committee Member
Joan Murry
Committee Member
Barbara Packer
Keywords
adult education, assessment, basic skills, business and industry, business plan, Chamber of Commerce, community college, computer software, course cancellation rate, critical thinking, development methodology, employers, evaluation methodology, Fredericksburg Regional Chamber of Commerce, Germanna Community College, implementation process, literature review, local employers, mathematics, needs assessment, ongoing evaluation, open-enrollment training courses, problem solving, professional development, quality training, quick response process, reading, research methodology, soft skills, strategic business plan, survey, teamwork, timely training, training delivery, training needs, training requirements, Virginia Community College System, workforce professionals, workforce training
Abstract
The purpose of this applied dissertation was to develop a plan for a quick response process to provide timely adult education and training to meet the requirements of business and industry. The plan was developed to ensure that the principles and practices of adult education were included to enhance quality training.
There was no direct linkage at Germanna Community College between adult workforce training and the training requirements of business and industry. Evidence of this need came from two sources. The Fredericksburg Regional Chamber of Commerce conducted focus groups in 2001. These focus groups, along with a Germanna Community College regional needs assessment, were used to ascertain the training requirements of local employers. These assessments reflected a need by employees for “soft skills” such as teamwork, critical thinking, and problem solving as well as basic skills including mathematics, reading, and knowledge of computer software. This information was not used in a systematic manner to plan and offer training at the college. This was shown by a study of open-enrollment training courses offered by the college over the past three years, compared with a course cancellation rate exceeding 40%. This cancellation rate was an indicator showing that the training offered by the college was not the training needed by local business and industry.
The writer developed a comprehensive plan for working with business and industry in order to respond quickly to the adult education and training needs of business and industry based on the review of the literature and results of a survey completed by workforce professionals in the Virginia Community College System. The plan included (a) a comprehensive strategic business plan, (b) a step-by-step implementation process, and (c) a process for ongoing evaluation of the plan.
Three problem-solving methodologies were used in the development of the plan. Research methodology was used to design and implement a survey for workforce professionals. Development methodology was used to develop the product, a plan for the development and delivery of training in a timely fashion. Evaluation methodology was utilized to review the usefulness of the training plan and evaluation process.