exampleconference2024

Selected as one of ten colleges in the nation to run an academy under the Uniquely Abled Project, non-profit organization, South Central College's Uniquely Abled Academy connects our non-credit customized workforce education department with our credit-based Machine Tool Technology program. This program offers a specialized 12-week academy for young adults with Level I Autism, free for the students and their families, resulting in job placement for all participants.  Our session will highlight the local and State-wide problems encountered in setting up the academy, the successes seen by faculty and students, and the connections made with employers and state agencies along the way.

Session Objectives:

1. Identifying opportunities to create non-credit to credit pathways for adult learners typically alienated by higher education. 
2. Providing insight to CTE instructors on how to provide accommodations for students with various learning needs. 
3. Sharing successful connections with state agencies, regional workforce centers, and employers.

ROOM HOST: Crystal Svoboda

Workplaces want motivated humans who take initiative. People want to care about work and contribute to a bigger purpose. Rolling out engagement programs or adding new professional development tracks won’t help. The answer is developing work cultures and personal mindsets that embrace change, accountability, and risk.
 
In this talk, I inspire people and teams to change their perspectives on work. With humor, humility, and a lot of energy, I reframe hierarchy and power, and focus our attention on the mindsets needed for future-forward workplaces.

Session Objectives:
1) Understand the role of personal leadership and power in hierarchy.
2) Walk away with actionable plans to shape the work and classroom culture.
3) Implement strategies that humanize your work.

ROOM HOST: Phil Arellano

Through targeted investments in districts like Saint Paul Public Schools, Career Academies at the Greater Twin Cities United Way holds the vision to unite public education and employment systems so that all students in Minnesota have pathways to wealth-building and purpose-driven careers. In this session GTCUW will share more about their work across 17 districts to build cross-sector career pathways centered on students of color. Saint Paul Public Schools will share their journey to develop district-wide career pathways in partnership with local industry and post-secondary institutions while maintaining a focus on equity, student voice and wealth building. Session will include opportunities for Q & A, input and active participation.

Session Objectives: 
1. Participants will gain knowledge to strengthen their cross-sector partnerships with secondary, post-secondary and industry stakeholders.
2. Participants will identify new practices and approaches to their curriculum that integrates community and student voice and centers equity in the design
3. Participants will be inspired to create sustainable change in their community

ROOM HOSTS: Maria Vittone

South Central College (SCC) and area education, chamber and healthcare leaders formed a partnership, High School to College and Career (H2C), to create a dual enrollment pathway for youth, particularly those in underserved populations, to acquire the academic, technical, and workplace skills that employers need. Utilizing a variety of dual enrollment delivery methods provides the opportunity for students to earn more credits prior to high school graduation. H2C prepares learners for college and career opportunities in six healthcare areas including earning certifications along the way that enable them to make a good wage as they gain valuable working experience in the healthcare field. A similar model has been developed for Manufacturing, Engineering, and Construction careers and will be launching during the 2022-2023 academic year.

Session Objectives:
1. Implement a high school to college pathway, public-private partnerships and other collaborations to establish relevant pathway programming.
2. Obtain the resources and strategies needed to begin brainstorming how this model could be adapted for their communities, including developing an outline of a draft business plan.
3. Engage in discussion about relevant challenges, as well as best practices for recruiting and retaining underrepresented students or integrating work-based learning experiences.

ROOM HOSTS: Michelle Kamenov

Work-based learning doesn't just give students the opportunity to try on a career and build industry-relevant experience.  When work-based learning is developed in an ecosystem supportive colleges and employers, students can also leverage work-based learning to gain professional guidance in college and career next steps for success after high school.  This session will highlight student case studies where college and business partners have collaborated to support student success after high school. Hear from Minnesota College staff and local businesses partnering with the Hennepin West Education Consortium on their personal experiences of guiding students. Information will be shared on how to build a work-based learning ecosystem to replicate these results.

Session Objectives:
1) Participants will better understand how to identify college and industry training organizations to offer post-graduation guidance to students.
2)Participants will be equipped to talk with work-based learning business partners about coaching students on their post-graduation plans.
3) Participants will leave with tools to help students understand the broad range of options for connecting jobs and education to achieve college and career success

ROOM HOST: Shelli Sowles

Over the past year we have worked to design and prepare to deliver two programs partnering Minnesota State and Xcel Energy and other Minnesota Utilities.  In this session we will discuss the challenges and successes we have experienced along this path, including some tips on navigating and understanding how our structures create barriers and potential bridges.

Session Objectives:
1) Contrast corporate educational structures to college systems.
2) Clearly define objectives in program design and potential barriers.
3) Gain "buy-in" and shared purpose in college and industry partners.
4) Incorporate student and academic affairs in early discussions.

ROOM HOSTS: Amy Landers

Our strategies for attracting high school students to CTE was built on developing personalized relationships and real human connection. We knew from the research that students need a support network of professional adults to listen and guide their career decisions. We're sharing two models we piloted in high school programs at Southeast Minnesota and Southwest Metro. Come and learn about what we did and how you can replicate these strategies in your school.

Session Objectives: 
1) Participants will learn to pilot their own high school recruitment program to attract high school students into CTE programs.
2) Participants will learn to engage and partner with local business and industry partners.
3) Participants will learn to develop a learner/student centered strategy for recruiting students into CTE programs.

ROOM HOSTS: Yingfah Thao