National School-to-Work Learning and Information Center
To help all community colleges unleash their potential for workforce and economic development‚ the U.S. Department of Education‚ Office of Vocational and Adult Education sponsored the Community College Labor Market Responsiveness (CCLMR) Initiative in 2002. This project sought to develop and disseminate information and tools enabling colleges to keep pace with the needs of a diverse student body and a dynamic labor market and design programs and services that promote individual student success as well as economic competitiveness. In partnership with Westat‚ the National Institute for Work and Learning (NIWL) undertook this initiative.
Through a combination of literature review‚ 30 in-depth case study analyses in 10 diverse labor market areas‚ and strategic dissemination activities‚ the project: determined the characteristics of a "labor-market responsive" college; identified the policies and practices community colleges have put in place to facilitate and support labor market responsiveness; and pinpointed the steps colleges can take to improve labor market responsiveness. The resulting guidebook‚ The 21st-Century Community College: A Strategic Guide to Maximizing Labor Market Responsiveness‚ written by NIWL staff‚ is the main tool for the dissemination effort.
In addition to site visits and phone interviews with college personnel‚ researchers: interviewed representatives of employers‚ community-based organizations‚ and economic development groups; collected standardized data across all colleges using surveys and document review; conducted statistical analyses; reviewed the relevant literature; and consulted with experts. The Guide to Maximizing Labor Market Responsiveness‚ published by the U.S. Department of Education in November 2004‚ provides insight into strategies and best practices that have enabled community colleges in rural,‚ urban‚ high-growth‚ and low-growth regions of the country to establish labor-market responsive programs and assert themselves as the workforce trainer of choice‚ while encouraging college administrators to engage in a critical self-assessment process. The report consists of three volumes: Volume 1: "Unleashing the Power of the Community College;" Volume 2: "Promising Practices and Lessons Learned from the Field;" and Volume 3: "Self Assessment Tools and Resources," all available on the U.S. Department of Education’s website at http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ovae/pi/hs/factsh/cclmri.html and through the NIWL Resource Center. These volumes were mailed to every community college president and board chair in the country which includes approximately 1‚400 campuses.
In addition‚ NIWL has printed a summary document that was sent to program-level managers at community colleges‚ chamber of commerce executives‚ and business people around the country. Unleashing the Power of the 21st Century Community College: Maximizing Labor Market Responsiveness provides an executive summary of what labor market responsiveness is and gives brief examples of best practices in each of the seven areas that colleges should address to maximize their responsiveness.