Colleges step up to develop work forces in rural communities.
To better prepare students for jobs in rural America and keep those communities vibrant, colleges must evaluate the needs of local businesses, bring a wider range of voices into discussions of work-force development, and be willing to take risks in pursuing new ideas, experts said in a recent Chronicle virtual forum.
Here are two takeaways from “Building the Rural Work Force,” which was moderated by Ian Wilhelm, a deputy managing editor at The Chronicle, and underwritten by the Ascendium Education Group as part of our series on student success.
Keep asking employers what they need.
- As simple as this may sound, colleges need to do a better job of “proactive listening” to businesses to equip students with necessary skills, said Julianne Dunn, senior program officer for work-force and financial prosperity at the Rural Local Initiatives Support Corporation. “We’ve heard a lot from rural businesses that the only time they’re ever asked their opinion is when they’re asked for sponsorship money.”
Zane State, a community college in Ohio, offers a digital-marketing certificate “perfect for somebody who wants to help companies with their social-media marketing,” as well as a restaurant-management certificate for students looking to start a food truck, said Marcie Moore, a dean of business engineering and information technologies at the college.
A new certificate in massage therapy is next up in programs, inspired by local economic needs, Moore added. “We’re talking to anybody who’ll talk to us. We listen to anyone. We’re really trying to help employers fill shortages. No idea is too crazy for us to explore.”
Get everyone who matters in the same room.
On “Work-Force Wednesdays,” employers from different sectors — like manufacturing, construction trades, and health care — discuss their needs with Patrick & Henry Community College’s Workforce, Economic, and Community Development division. The meetings further formal and informal relationships with business leaders in the area, said Rhonda Hodges, vice president for work-force, economic, and community development at the college.
“Relationships start at the grocery store, at the restaurant, at your child’s soccer game,” said Moore. “Never turn down an opportunity to sit at a table with someone. You never know what conversation will take place.” —Graham Vyse
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