Worcester Business Journal

www.wbjournal.com Worcester Business Journal Business Profiles 2015 23 O ne of the primary roles of a community college is to prepare students for pro- ductive and fulfilling careers. The Center for Workforce Development and Continuing Education at Quinsigamond Community College not only effectively fulfills this role, but also exceeds student expectations. Currently co-located with the Allied Health programs in the new downtown Worcester facility, the Center facilitates the career pathway for students in all academic disciplines through credit and non-credit products. Dean Kathie Manning says, "Many of our students are first generation. They think college is unattainable. These programs allow them to get their feet wet and boost self-esteem." For example, the Center provides students in a health sciences program the skills to become a medical inter- preter, certified nursing assistant (CNA) or personal care attendant (PCA) on a flexible schedule. "We serve a lot of single parent families. They don't have a year to get an education," Manning says. Many of the programs act as steppingstones to more advanced skill sets. For instance, when a PCA enters a CNA program, the student achieves a higher level of medical skills and may receive credit for work already completed in other courses. In response to a need and in cooperation with the state, the Center developed an overwhelmingly success- ful PCA program taught entirely in Spanish. Upon completion, these students will be able to communicate and provide home care services for non-English speak- ing patients, a currently under-served population. In addition to credit and non-credit certificate pro- grams, the Center offers professional development courses for teachers and other workers. "Many working professionals need to reskill, learn a new technology or close a skill gap," Manning adds. The continuing educa- tion credits they earn help them maintain licensure. The Center also puts together programs for corpora- tions that want to enhance staff skills. For instance, The Center created an electrical education program for assembly workers at IPG in nearby Oxford. QCC faculty examined competencies and delivered appropriate courses on-site. "Corporate programs are flexible. We can offer courses at the company location, on the QCC campus, online or a blend of all three." Another corporate endeavor involved a successful online medical terminology course for Partners Health Care in Boston. For the last two years, coaches from Partners have worked with QCC faculty to assist partici- pants in successfully completing the course. "We did a comparison and the students at Partners had high pass rates," Manning says. QCC, together with all Massachusetts community col- leges, is participating in a new initiative, the National Career Readiness Certificate (NCRC) and Job Profiling from ACT, which will certify skills needed for workplace success, specifically, Applied Mathematics, Locating Information and Reading for Information. Remediation through an interactive online Key Training program will help students who might need extra help to pass the NCRC. "Individuals with the bronze level NCRC certifi- cate will be able to show employers that he or she is prepared to fill 66 percent of the jobs in the United States," says Manning. The Center also conducts a significant amount of research in terms of industry trends. For example, the Southbridge campus will offer a certificate in casino gaming, slot machine repair and floor positions in preparation for the explosion of casino-related jobs in the state. In May and June, QCC will offer a wedding planner certificate and may implement a culinary arts certificate in the future. Focused on building lifelong learners ready for success in the workplace, QCC continues to develop relevant programs for today's business world. "We meet learners where they are," say Manning. "We are providing them with the skills not just for a job, but for a career." n QCC's Center for Workforce Development and Continuing Education: Providing Career Skills w o r c e s t e r , m a Quinsigamond community college Address: Worcester, Marlborough, Southbridge, Online Phone: 508-853-2300 Fax: 508-854-7525 Website: www.QCC.edu Product or Service: Quinsigamond Community College celebrates 50 years of servicing the community with high quality, affordable higher education in Worcester County. A regional leader in education and workforce development, QCC serves the diverse educational needs of Central Massachusetts by pro- viding programming leading to transfer, career and lifelong learning. Number of Employees: 1,211 Head of Institution: Dr. Gail E. Carberry, President Year Founded: 1963 P h o t o s / h J a s o n

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