Economic & Workforce Development Center: Impact Report 2017-19

VICE PRESIDENT’S OFFICE: ACHIEVING ECONOMIC IMPACT

DEAR COLLEAGUES AND STUDENTS: The pace of change has quickened within business and industry and this requires new ways of thinking about how workforce development is conducted. In alignment with these changes, MCC is investing in new models for workforce and career education. Some of our significant achievements have involved securing major investments for several innovative activities, projects and partnerships focused on strengthening the pipeline of future workers and supporting the upskilling of the incumbent workforce in the Finger Lakes region. Competitive grants and private funds. The Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation has funded a MCC pilot project to create an integrated Career Technical Education Pathways System. The system envisages a continuum of education services and labor linked secondary, non-credit programing, and postsecondary pathways to associate degrees. This framework will enable individuals to progress through a modular system of postsecondary credentials built one upon another, leading to both degree credentials and active placement within a relevant industry. The Defense Engineering Education Program in Optics (DEEP OPS) has awarded MCC $4.4 million to strengthen and expand the national precision optics workforce. This project is designed to extensively enhance precision optics technician training with innovative approaches that meet the needs of the optics industry and students; increase the number and diversity of optics technicians nationwide; and establish opportunities for student and faculty engagement with the optics industry. This award represents the latest substantial multi-year partnership by industry and faculty in MCC’s historic optics program. Public-Public partnership. We formed a public-public partnership between MCC and Monroe County’s Industrial Development Agency, Imagine Monroe. This unique program has leveraged funding from the county to create and implement industry-focused job training and workforce education leading to certifications and other professional credentials. The funding provides an economic incentive for businesses who are in need of trained workers, and supported students who might not otherwise been able to afford such training. In the first two years, over 800 individuals have been trained through this MCC/Monroe County partnership . New program areas and services. To meet a growing need for apprenticeship programs and new approaches to instruction, we have invested in a new program director to focus on curriculum development and apprenticeship programing. The director will create more modularized curriculum supporting our local career pathways, and students interested in pursuing an expanded offering of apprenticeable careers. We also created a new program area focused on entry level health care including the hiring of a new program director. This initiative within its first year, has trained and placed nearly 200 individuals within our local health care community. As one of the largest employment sectors, the health care industry provides several entry points for those seeking a new career. Over the next two years, we will be seeking to further develop additional fast track options for training and placement into these growing opportunities. Understanding that workforce development goes beyond just instruction , we have established a new Education to Employment function within the division and have incorporated the Career Services Office of MCC under the division’s oversight. Why? Because integrating active job placement, as well as paid work- based learning opportunities, directly into credit and non-credit programming represents 21st Century workforce development in support of students’ career and economic goals. This practice is so important we have established a goal to have active internship opportunities embedded within over 30% of division programming by 2022. Keeping pace with the changing workplace. The last 8 years of work will come together in early 2022 when we open a new workforce center – the Finger Lakes Workforce Development Center (FWD Center). This new facility will provide highly flexible career and apprenticeship training in support of the incumbent workforce, early college high school programming and career change needs of the regional workforce. Our focus at the FWD Center will be upskilling and retraining residents and workers for the proliferation of smart technologies that are transforming our high-tech workplaces. These technologies include robotics, automation, augmented reality and artificial intelligence as well as a dedicated floor to support skilled trades apprenticeship. As we enter the ninth year since the creation of the Economic Development and Innovative Workforce Services division, we look forward to further investing in new ways of serving our community and moving our workforce forward. Sincerely,

MCC IS WORKING TO INVEST IN NEW MODELS AND PARTNERSHIPS THAT ENABLE A BETTER RESPONSE TO THE CHANGING WORKFORCE

NEEDS OF INDUSTRY.

Todd M. Oldham, M.B.A., Ed. D. VICE PRESIDENT | Economic Development, Workforce and Career Technical Education

2 /