Angie Taylor, Ed.D serves as vice president of business and industry services at Gateway Community and Technical College.
For Kentucky, increasing accessibility to higher education is one of our greatest needs. Economic stability and the education level of our residents are directly correlated. Since Kentucky has one of the highest rates of born here/die here, our economic development issues are a direct reflection of how well we educate the populace
At Gateway Community and Technical College, our Business and Industry Service team serves approximately 3,000 people a year in customized training through local companies. Customized classes range from technical pursuits such as electrical and industrial maintenance to performance skills such as communication and team building.
More than 1,200 course participants receive their first college credits through these customized classes. Not surprisingly, participants are often initially nervous or skeptical. What is fascinating is the transformation that takes place once the training is implemented and people become comfortable with the learning environment. Often participants will say, “I immediately applied what I learned in the classroom at my job and it was great!” or “My kid helped me with my math this weekend and it was pretty cool!” Some request information about our degrees, diplomas or certificates for themselves or their children in high school, which is even more gratifying.
Increasing access to continuing education depends largely on ensuring that education is relevant and beneficial to both student and employer. In a perfect world employees could obtain tuition reimbursement from their employers. Employees, their supervisors and college academic advisors would collaborate to create academic plans that would support employees’ performance goals at work. Upon graduation, employees would become mentors for coworkers who might benefit from similar training.
In this way the Individual Learning Plan (ILP) required for all Kentucky high school students would become a living document that would help individuals – and those they would mentor -- advance not only in high school, but throughout their careers.
This plan puts equal responsibility on the college, the employer and the student/employee. With collaboration and equal responsibility, everyone wins and Kentucky becomes smarter and more economically solvent.