Summer Fellowship Students

Sep 7, 2023

Friends in Both Places: Best Practices for Community College and Employer Partnerships

Updated: Apr 8

The Project on Workforce at Harvard Summer Fellowship Series


 
This report is a product of the Project on Workforce’s Summer Fellowship Program, a short-term research and policy opportunity for Harvard graduate students and recent alumni from the Harvard Kennedy School, Harvard Business School, and the Harvard Graduate School of Education. Summer fellows are placed in interdisciplinary, cross-school project teams over the course of the summer and complete projects focused on pressing policy or operational challenges at the intersection of education, labor markets, and workforce development. The Fellowship Program also provides students with opportunities for professional development and engagement with staff and faculty at the Malcolm Wiener Center for Social Policy, the Managing the Future of Work Project at Harvard Business School, and the Harvard Graduate School of Education. The views expressed in this report are the sole responsibility of the Summer Fellows and are not meant to represent the views of the Harvard Kennedy School, Harvard University, or the Education Design Lab. Find more Project on Workforce research on our website and on LinkedIn.


Contents

Executive Summary

Introduction

Data & Methodology

Case Studies

Key Findings and Recommendations

Further Research

Endnotes


Executive Summary

As community colleges nationwide grapple with declining enrollment and employers face an increasing need to streamline quality employee training, the call for college-workforce partnerships has grown louder in the past decade. Academic literature advocating for increased partnerships has expanded, along with a growing number of successful case studies. However, the formula for a successful partnership remains uncertain. This report aims to highlight similarities among successful college-workforce partnerships and contribute to the growing body of literature on the subject.

Through our research, we identified five key employer partnership best practices that have been central to successful community college initiatives:

  1. Foster symbiotic partnerships with employers.

  2. Emphasize collaboration with entire sectors rather than individual employers.

  3. Cultivate a workforce readiness mindset that extends throughout the entire college.

  4. Maintain regular and effective communication with a diverse range of workforce stakeholders.

  5. Prioritize data-driven decision-making and cultivate hyper-local partnerships.

The primary data collection method for this report involved conducting interviews with community college leaders. Additionally, a smaller yet significant number of interviews were conducted with funders, employers, and policy makers. In total, the research team conducted over 23 interviews over the course of 8 weeks. To complement our methodological approach, we conducted an in-depth literature review and case-specific research.

“At some point, students will seek gainful employment whether they transfer or not.” - Marcia Ballinger, President of Lorain County Community College (quoted in America's Hidden Economic Engines)


Introduction

Over the last decade, community colleges have seen a steady decrease in enrollment.[1] Some states have seen modest upticks in 2023, but the year-over-year trends are alarming nonetheless. Conversely, US employers are reconciling with record rates of turnover.[2] Most importantly, workers believe that they require more training to enter or move up within their field. They also believe that “employment has been rising faster in occupations requiring more preparation” and that workers themselves are responsible for finding and acquiring that training and preparation.[3] As such, all three parties are primed for cooperation. However, that cooperation is far from assured. A number of roadblocks, misunderstandings, and miscommunications are poised to stymie collaboration.

This report is written with the intent to understand how to better cultivate that collaboration to support New Majority Learners.[4] Findings are narrowly focused on the training phase within the larger career navigation framework. Our reasoning for this focus is that community colleges have the most input and control over this phase of the process as opposed to hiring, onboarding, funding, etc.

The report takes the form of five case studies, a review of findings, each outlining a key employer partnership best practice that proved central to successful community college initiatives at a given college. A review of these findings and recommendations will follow. The report will close with a brief discussion of further research and potential partners that the Education Design Lab might partner with to address unanswered research questions.

While the findings of this report are intended to be highly generalizable, our primary focus is on the Community College of Philadelphia (CCP). In collaboration with Citizens Bank and the Education Design Lab, CCP launched two new programs in 2023: an Electro-Mechanical Technology and a Computer Support Specialist Technician program. The authors of this report aimed to offer practical and actionable insights to support New Majority Learners who could benefit from increased employer collaboration with either or both of CCP's new courses. Additionally, the Education Design Lab provided valuable guidance and insight throughout the project, with many interviews centered on partnerships established through the creation of micro pathways, also known as micro credentials or stackable credentials.

Data & Methodology

This report was developed using the following sources:

  1. Interviews with 22 stakeholders between June and July, 2023.

  2. 9 interviews with Community College of Philadelphia leadership and single interviews with leadership from Alamo Colleges District, Austin Community College, Colorado Community College System, Community College of Aurora, and Northern Essex Community College.

  3. One interview with Citizens Bank.

  4. One interview with Procter & Gamble.

  5. Six interviews with Education Design Lab & Urban Manufacturing Alliance.

  6. Four interviews Harvard Project on Workforce Faculty.

  7. Review of latest research from leading independent research & policy organizations.

  8. Analysis of promising practices from community colleges across the United States.

Through our analysis, we aimed to understand what actions community colleges can take to make stronger and more fruitful relationships with employers with the intent to uplift New Majority Learners.


Case Studies

1. Foster meaningful partnerships with employers

Meaningful partnerships are symbiotic. The ideal partnership allows colleges to train workers to meet employers' needs, and employers, in turn, invest in the colleges' students' futures. Both parties contribute value to each other's mission. In an ideal partnership, employers offer on-site training, mock interviews, provide colleges with employment data, and commit to hiring or interviewing a set number of program graduates, among other value-adds. Similarly, colleges can attract employer commitment by tailoring programs to meet employers' needs, supporting them in training workers throughout their career navigation cycle, and helping them diversify their workforce and customize their value proposition to learners.

Finger Lake Community College

In conclusion, by aligning interests, investing resources, and actively engaging in program design and execution, colleges and employers can create a powerful synergy that benefits learners and the workforce alike. [5] [6]

2. Emphasize collaboration with entire sectors rather than individual employers.

Shifting the focus from individual employers to entire sectors has proven immensely beneficial for colleges seeking employer partnerships. By building pipelines for sectors instead of relying on a single employer, community colleges decrease their vulnerability to economic shifts and erratic employer whims, while increasing student exposure to would-be employers.

Granted, this then requires more time, energy, and engagement on the part of colleges. To facilitate streamlined engagement with employers, community colleges can establish a single, coordinated, employer-facing unit responsible for building and managing relationships. Placing this unit at the leadership level close to a President or Chancellor can empower the unit to make decisions quickly and efficiently on behalf of various parts of the colleges. If overlap is unavoidable, creating a cross department knowledge transfer system is helpful. Some crossover is inevitable. Career services, development, and workforce offices will all need to interact with the same partner in various capacities. Still the hunt for consistent, collaborative, and unified communication is paramount. Conversely, collaborating with regional industry organizations, rather than individual employers, can offer a broader and more stable foundation for workforce development initiatives.

City Colleges of Chicago

3. Cultivate a workforce readiness mindset

Mindset refers to a community college’s overall culture and mission. A school’s commitment to student workforce readiness is as important as the workforce programs themselves. The college is mandated to meet the student’s needs first and foremost, but the college must also view employers as equally important stakeholders.

This workforce-centric mindset however, cannot live within a single office, department, or program. In order to reach every student, a workforce-centric mindset ought to permeate from the President’s office down to the college’s most junior staff member.

Spurring a mindset shift is no small undertaking. It is an incremental process. But, there are predictable opportunities to spur that mindset shift. Putting workforce at the center of strategic planning is key for shifting mindsets. Furthermore, using learner hiring data as a benchmark for fruitful employer partnerships and impactful program creation can signal a commitment to workforce preparedness across a college. While not all employers need to touch every component of a workforce initiative, all staff should be aware of how their role plays into a learner’s work-readiness.

Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College

4. Maintain regular, diverse, and effective communication

Collaborating with employers necessitates ongoing and multifaceted insights. Often, leaders in the workforce domain lack a comprehensive understanding of their own challenges, hindering their immediate ability to create solutions (either alone or in partnership with colleges). Consequently, community colleges bear the responsibility of undertaking the diagnostic task, thoroughly examining these impediments, and formulating appropriate remedies. As such, a diverse range of perspectives will equip colleges with a comprehensive understanding of the pain points and the intricacies surrounding them. Strategies to diversity input include: Speak with as many parties as feasible; seek insight into all aspects of a program, from the curriculum to the location of a campus; and listen to voices outside of the college first to understand how the college’s offerings fit naturally or where new opportunities may be needed.

The Colorado Community College System

5. Prioritize data-driven decision-making and hyper-local partnerships

Employer needs vary significantly by region. To stay responsive to this need, community colleges need to think local when it comes to engaging employers and collecting labor market information. Decisions about new programs, classes, or pathways must be based on regional workforce data, employer needs, and internal resources and data. Community colleges are poised to be workforce data hubs, which in turn creates value, and more opportunities for funding and partnerships.

To develop a data-driven approach, community colleges should establish a structured methodology for data collection, define data needs, and ensure data integrity. Investing in a robust data infrastructure enables secure storage and effective analysis of the growing volume of data. Employing analytical tools and techniques, such as statistical analysis and data visualization, allows colleges to derive meaningful insights. Involving stakeholders fosters a culture of data-informed decision-making, benefiting from diverse perspectives. Monitoring key performance indicators aligned with goals enables adjustments to strategies, while providing faculty and staff with data literacy training enhances their ability to use data effectively for improved outcomes.

Northern Virginia Community College (NOVA)

Key Findings and Recommendations

In summation, research supports the claim that five characteristics and actions taken by community colleges can lead to stronger ties between colleges and employers. They are as follows:

  1. Foster meaningful partnerships with employers, where colleges and employers contribute value to each other's missions, resulting in successful programs with high job placement rates– Colleges can proactively engage with local employers through industry advisory boards, joint task forces, and regular networking events to identify skill gaps and align their programs with current workforce demands. Additionally, implementing work-based learning opportunities such as internships, apprenticeships, and cooperative education programs that allow students to gain practical experience and build relationships with employers will further strengthen these partnerships.

  2. Emphasize collaboration with entire sectors rather than individual employers, reducing vulnerability to economic shifts and erratic employer whims, and increasing student exposure to a broader range of employers– By establishing regional workforce collaboratives that bring together multiple community colleges, employers, workforce development agencies, and other stakeholders, colleges can collectively address regional workforce needs and promote sector-specific career pathways. These pathways can span across different community colleges and link to industries with high demand for skilled workers, providing students with diverse career options and enhancing their employability.

  3. Cultivate a workforce readiness mindset, ensuring that the college views employers as crucial stakeholders, and that commitment to workforce preparedness permeates from the President's office down to the college's staff– To achieve this, colleges should develop professional development programs for faculty and staff focused on understanding industry trends, employer expectations, and strategies for effectively preparing students for the workforce. Moreover, establishing a centralized career services office that collaborates closely with academic departments will ensure that career guidance and job placement support are integrated into students' educational journeys, further emphasizing the importance of workforce readiness.

  4. Maintain regular, diverse, and effective communication, involving a multitude of voices and perspectives, to gain a comprehensive understanding of employer pain points and the intricacies surrounding them– Conducting regular employer surveys and focus groups to gather feedback on the relevance of curriculum, the effectiveness of graduates, and areas for improvement is essential in this regard. Additionally, establishing employer-led committees or task forces that participate in program reviews, curriculum development, and ongoing evaluation will ensure that employer input drives continuous improvement in educational offerings and strengthens communication channels.

  5. Prioritize data-driven decision-making and hyper-local partnerships using labor market data, regional employer needs, and internal resources to make informed decisions– Creating data-sharing agreements with local employers to access real-time labor market information will enable colleges to effectively align their programs with the evolving needs of the job market. By collaborating with regional economic development agencies, workforce boards, and local chambers of commerce, colleges can leverage resources, share data insights, and collectively address the workforce challenges faced by the community, strengthening hyper-local partnerships.

Further Research

Understanding the employer side of this relationship would complement this report wonderfully. As would understanding the student perspective. Moreover, providing an in-depth review of unsuccessful attempts to implement the actions listed in each case study would provide further insights into roadblocks and pitfalls to avoid. Lastly, this report largely lacks quantitative findings. A complementary quantitative analysis of similar projects, drawing on data sets that could include the number, frequency, and subject of communication between parties, or the number of partners within a given sector that lead to a critical mass, would be helpful as well. No matter the research, the need for a quantitative review of the suggestions listed in the report would undoubtedly prove fruitful.


About the Authors


 
Hector Ortiz Domenech is a current MPA degree student at Harvard Kennedy School studying international development and economic policy. Prior to graduate school, Hector obtained a BA and MA in Economics and taught economics and mathematics at the University of Puerto Rico. Additionally, he was an analytics consultant focusing on government and health projects in San Juan, Puerto Rico. As a Project on Workforce Summer Fellow, Hector looks forward to better understanding, measuring, and improving job pathways for New Majority Learners.

Nandini Thogarapalli is a second year Master’s in Public Policy student at the Harvard Kennedy School. She is passionate about using data for good and has effectively leveraged data to solve a range of problems in the public and private sector. Prior to her time at the Kennedy School, she worked as a Digital Projects Fellow at Generation, an education non-profit that prepares, places, and supports people into life-changing careers. She also advised a range of non-profit and for-profit organizations as an Engagement Manager at McKinsey & Company.

Cole Wilson is a recent graduate of the Harvard Graduate School of Education where he studied college partnerships, academic freedom, and social engagement. Prior to enrolling at Harvard, Cole worked on state-level policy with groups such as Young Invincibles and in the Texas House of Representatives. Most recently he served as an educator at the Annette Strauss Institute for Civic Life at the University of Texas. Cole has devoted his life to uplifting and amplifying the voices of young people. That calling led him to Harvard and the Project on Workforce.

Acknowledgements

The research team would like to express their sincerest gratitude to the staff at the Project on Workforce, especially Ali Epstein and Kelsey Heroux for their time, energy, effort, and support on this project. Also, we would like to offer our thanks to the staff at the Education Design Lab, especially Minzi Thomas. This project would not have been possible without her vision, dedication, and hard work. Thank you so much, Minzi. To all the interviewees, faculty, and friends who contributed to this project– thank you. Furthermore, the Project on Workforce would like to thank the Capital One Foundation for their support for the Summer Fellows program. The views expressed in this paper are the sole responsibility of the authors and not meant to represent the views of the Harvard Kennedy School, Harvard University, or Education Design Lab.
 

Please direct inquiries to: Hector Ortiz Domenech at hector_ortizdomenech@hks.harvard.edu, Nandini Thogarapalli at nandini.thogarapalli@gmail.com, or Cole Wilson at james.cole.wison@gmail.com.
 

Suggested citation: Domenech, H., Thogarapalli, N, and Wilson, C. (August 2023). “Friends in Both Places: An investigation into Best Practices for Community College and Employer Partnerships.” Published by Harvard Kennedy School.
 

About the Project on Workforce at Harvard


 
The Project on Workforce is an interdisciplinary, collaborative project between the Harvard Kennedy School’s Malcolm Wiener Center for Social Policy, the Harvard Business School Managing the Future of Work Project, and the Harvard Graduate School of Education. The Project produces and catalyzes basic and applied research at the intersection of education and labor markets for leaders in business, education, and policy. The Project’s research aims to help shape a postsecondary system of the future that creates more and better pathways to economic mobility and forges smoother transitions between education and careers. Learn more at www.pw.hks.harvard.edu/our-work.

Endnotes

[1] COE - College Enrollment Rates. (n.d.). Retrieved July 19, 2023, from https://nces.ed.gov/programs/coe/indicator/cpb/college-enrollment-rate.

[2] The Great Renegotiation and new talent pools | McKinsey. (n.d.). Retrieved July 19, 2023, fromhttps://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/people-and-organizational-performance/our-insights/the-great-attrition-is-making-hiring-harder-are-you-searching-the-right-talent-pools

[3] Brown, A. (2016, October 6). Key findings about the American workforce and the changing job market. https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2016/10/06/key-findings-about-the-american-workforce-and-the-changing-job-market/.

[4] New Majority Learners is a term coined by the Education Design Lab used to encompass a wide range of learners. New Majority Learners is largely synonymous with other terms such as: historically marginalized, under-resourced, and nontraditional students. See more here: https://eddesignlab.org/newmajoritylearners/.

[5] Interview with Joe Davis, Senior Education Designer at the Education Design Lab, July 5, 2023.

[6] Betsy L. Tessler & Erika B. Lewy. (2022). Sectoral Training at Community Colleges: A Model for Postsecondary Career and Technical Education. https://www.mdrc.org/sites/default/files/Sectoral_Training_at_Community_Colleges.pdf.

[7] City Colleges of Chicago—City Colleges of Chicago At a Glance. (n.d.). Retrieved July 21, 2023, from https://www.ccc.edu/menu/Pages/City-Colleges-of-Chicago-Fact-Sheet-.aspx.

[8] Schwartz, R. B., & Lipson, R. (2023). America’s Hidden Economic Engines: How Community Colleges Can Drive Shared Prosperity. Harvard Education Press.

[9] Interviews with Jennifer Dale, Dean of Academic Success in Online and Blended Learning and Michael Macklin, Associate Vice Chancellor for Workforce Partnerships & Development, June 22, 2023.

[10] Suzanne Michael. (2018). Colorado Helps Advanced Manufacturing Program Digital Badging in Colorado. https://smlr.rutgers.edu/sites/default/files/Documents/Centers/EERC/Digital%20Badging%20In%20Colorado.pdf.

[11] Schwartz, R. B., & Lipson, R. (2023). America’s Hidden Economic Engines: How Community Colleges Can Drive Shared Prosperity. Harvard Education Press., NOVA Strategic Plan 2017 - 2023: Pathway to the American Dream (2018). Northern Virginia Community College. https://www.nvcc.edu/about/_files/strategic-plan2017-2023.pdf.