College Tech Prep

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College Tech Prep

• Solving the Nations
• Quiet Dilemma
• Kenneth Gray
• Professor, Penn State University, USA

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The Nations Quiet Dilemma

• Shortages of technical workers trained at
• the postsecondary, pre-baccalaureate,
  certificate/associate degree level

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High Skills/High Wage Workforce
Semi-conductor Manufacturing
Ratio 1 to 2 to 7
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U.S. College Graduates
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The Nations Quiet DilemmaUnder-investment in
pre-baccalaureate technical education

• Associate degrees awarded nationally
• General studies/transfers 36
• Business administration 15
• Technical engineering 4
• Information Tech (IT) 1.5
• Precision manufacturing 1
• Construction trades 1
• Source NCES 2000-174

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Shortage of Technicians

• 230,000 more jobs for computer technicians than
  computer engineers etc.
• 48 of technicians hired in 1990s in IT and
  Manufacturing were non-native born.

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• A region that does not have a growing percentage
  of its non-professional workforce trained beyond
  high school level will have increasing difficulty
  in supporting the competitiveness of high-value
  business.
• Building a World-Class Technical Workforce, 1996
• Technicians, not engineers, are the key to
  economic growth.

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H1b Visas

• Over one million now in U.S
• 2001-2002 800,000 issued
• 43 of technical jobs were filled by non-native
  born workers in the 1990s.

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Jobs for the 21st Century

• The President's plan will expand opportunities
  for workers to access post-secondary education to
  get the job training and skills to compete in a
  changing and dynamic economy and fill jobs in
  emerging industries - including 250 million to
  fund partnerships between community colleges and
  employers in high-demand job sectors

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Occupational Groups Ranked by Earnings, Net
Openings

Earning Openings Managerial/Professio
nal 1 Technical
Support 1 Craft, Precision Metal, Repair
2 Operative, Laborer 2 Technical Support
3 Craft, Precision
Metal, Repair 3 Service
4 Service 4 Operative,
Laborer 5 Farming,
Fishing 5 Farming, Fishing
6 Managerial/Professional 6 Source
Compiled from Eck, (1994) Statistical Abstracts
U.S. 1994.
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The Nations DilemmaThe Quiet Part

• University enrollments at all time high
• University time to graduate at all time high
• University drop out rates at all time high
• University underemployment at all time high

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The Nations Quiet Dilemma Underemployment of
University Graduates

• 30 of grads in high school jobs
• 43 of grads in high school jobs two yrs later
• 43 in jobs with no career potential 4 yrs later
• 69 of arts and science majors in jobs with no
  career potential 4 yrs later
• Source BB 1st 2nd follow-up, NCES 93/97

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Employment Outlook for University Graduates to
2006
Supply of Demand for
Finding Graduates Graduates
Commensurate Employment Bachelors 1,
268,000 734,300 57 _________________________
____________ All employment requiring BA/BA or
higher 23 Source Monthly Labor Review
Projections to 2007, Silvestri, 1997
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Quiet Dilemma

• Certificate and associate degree programs are
  relatively EFFECTIVE.
• Of students who begin an associates degree 42
  earn a degree
• Of students who begin a certificate program 55
  earn a certificate or degree.
• Occupational technical programs have the highest
  graduation rates at two year institutions.
• Source NCES BPS 90/94

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Solving the Quiet Dilemma
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Solving the Quiet Dilemma

• Help the public understand that when the goal is
  high wage employment the key is skill not
  degrees.
• How does one get high wage employment?

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Sources of Labor Market Advantage
High Skill/ High Wage

Low Skill/ Low Wage
Other Ways to Win
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Effects of Skills on Productivity in Non
Clerical-N
12

10
8
6
Success in
Training
4
Productivity
2
0
Technical
Clerical
Compute
Math
Science
Verbal
Speed
Speed
Reasoning
Other Ways to Win
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Employers Priorities
1
6
9

40
29
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Priorities Ranked No. 1
Occupational skills
Work habits and attitude
Ability to learn new skills
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Aggressive Debate Importance of Pre-baccalaureate
Technical Education

• Ask industry to define their needs

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Solving the Quiet Dilemma

• College Tech Prep - Dual Enrollment Middle
  College
• In the not too distant future the senior year of
  high school will be the first year of college.

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High School CTE

• Students enrolled in the high school college
  preparatory curriculum are not interested in
  pre-baccalaureate postsecondary technical
  education.
• College Tech prep is the only high school program
  of study that addresses this shortage.

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Solving the Quiet Dilemma

• Develop four year degree programs for completers
  of technical associate degrees .

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Help Teens and Parents Make Better Decisions
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A New Goal

• Stop counting the number of teens who go to
  college and start counting how many are
  successful.
• Today Success Requires
• Academic Skills Career Direction

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All my life Ive always wanted to be somebody,
but I see now I should have been more specific.
Wagner, 1986
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Consequences of Indecision

• 78 high school seniors say they plan to go to a
  four year college. 18 mos later only 36 are
  enrolled.
• 50 seniors change their career goal in 18 mos.
• One quarter of those who start at a four year
  institution transfer.
• Many college now have prerequisites required for
  entering college majors
• Graduation rate 60, Underemployment 47

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Old Advice that is Now Bad Advice

• Postpone career choices as long as possible
• You dont want to close any doors.
• Don worry about career indecision you will decide
  that in college.

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Student Outcome Goals for Career Development
Efforts

• By the tenth grade all students will have
  participated in activities designed to help them
  identify several career options.
• In the eleventh and twelfth grades all students
  will participate in activities that allow them to
  verify these choices, using the results to
  develop postsecondary plans.

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Summary

• Remember 1-2-7
• Technicians key to economic growth and can not
  rely on non-native born in future
• Remember 57
• Help public understand importance of skills in
  getting high skills work
• Industry most define their needs better.
• Help parents and teens make more informed
  decisions.