The process was a collaborative effort, developed with broad participation of college and community representatives. The team included Nashville State academic and career and technical (CTE) faculty, Deans of the technical programs, the Director of High School Programs, the Coordinator of Fast Path, the Director of the Center for Information and Technological Education (CITE), and Institutional Research staff, in cooperation with CTE administration and faculty of our seven local education agencies (LEAs), and the local Chamber of Commerce.

Our vision for expanding and enriching career and technical education at Nashville State Community College is based on the following three overarching initiatives:

• Increase graduation and improve retention rates in our CTE/AAS programs
• Increase the number of high school students from our LEAs that enroll in our CTE/AAS programs
• Increase gender non-traditional participation in our CTE/AAS programs.

Using these three initiatives as a guide for our 2-year plan, we developed strategies and activities for accomplishing each initiative.

Our plan calls for establishing baseline data and benchmarks over 3 years for each of the three initiatives. Occupational Therapy Assistant is the only AAS program in which students take a major field assessment that is aligned with industry-recognized standards. As part of this local plan, we will add Surgical Technology Technical Certification. The Surgical Technology Technical Certificate fully articulates into the AAS General Technology degree and students complete a major field assessment for certification.

We will have intervention strategies in place to assist students, such as practice tests, and help sessions, to help them gain proficiency in the technical skills necessary for the profession. The intent of these intervention strategies is to help students improve their grades in all AAS programs and ultimately contribute to greater success rates on the Occupational Therapy Assistant and Surgical Technology major field assessments.

Our three initiatives - to increase graduation and improve retention rates, to increase the number of high school students from our LEAs that enroll in our programs, and to increase gender non-traditional participation – are designed to strengthen the quality of our programs. We will identify the AAS programs with the lowest graduation rates. Our plan calls for providing help sessions for students in the identified programs to help them gain proficiency in the skills necessary for their profession. This activity will increase the graduation rates of students in these programs.

In a second activity, we will introduce students to professional organizations in their fields via networking events. For example, we will work with our program advisory committees to provide events for students to meet and interact with professionals in the industry.

As part of our plan, we intend to implement an ongoing process to identify reasons for non-returning sophomore students. Based on these results, strategies will be implemented to improve retention rates.

Strategies will include instructor-led help sessions, increased faculty professional development opportunities, and the offering of more online/hybrid courses to enhance accessibility of our programs through distance learning.

We will also provide faculty professional development opportunities designed to improve our programs, so that faculty can update and enhance their skills through training, education, and participation in conferences. Enhanced faculty skills will help improve program outcomes, and as a result, increase overall graduation rates of our students. All professional development activities that will be funded through Perkins will be in compliance with Section 124 of the Perkins IV Career and Technical Education Act of 2006.

In addition, we will provide activities that foster interaction among faculty, students, business, industry, and community representatives. Our college will continue to work with the local area Chambers of Commerce and their members to provide professional networking opportunities for students. For example, we will offer a College/Career Advising Day for the career and technical programs. Faculty will be accessible on this occasion to advise students and answer questions about academic and technical course requirements for the various programs of study and transfer opportunities.

We have identified four programs that have placement rates below 80 percent and will continue to seek ways to improve these rates.

By working with the Career Employment Center, program advisory committees, local area Chambers of Commerce, business and industry employers, and others, we intend to identify reasons for low-placement rates in these programs and seek possible solutions to improve these rates

Our commitment to increase gender non-traditional participation also aligns with our plan to increase the number of high school students from our LEAs that enroll in our CTE/AAS programs.

Activities planned to increase gender non-traditional participation in our programs include offering summer camps. Camps for female high school students will focus on programs such as engineering and technology while camps for male high school students will focus on programs such as nursing and early childhood education.

By collaborating with the LEAs in our service delivery area to improve the visibility of all programs in career and technical fields, we will be able to identify interested students for the summer camps. We will also promote our summer camps in the Middle College High School at NSCC.

Another activity will involve inviting professional organizations such as Women in Technology in Tennessee to NSCC to speak with prospective students to promote interest in our programs where one gender makes up less than 25% of any one occupational field. Many such organizations have programs that offer hands-on experience. We will identify these organizations and seek to engage and coordinate with them in this effort.

The strategies outlined in 5P1 are designed to increase gender non-traditional participation and will also increase graduation rates in those non-traditional programs. We will analyze and review data on a continuing basis to track graduation rates in non-traditional programs.

In the activities planned for our three initiatives, faculty will emphasize the general education core and its importance to all of the college’s programs of study. Since many of the general education courses are already offered as dual enrollment in the high schools, these will continue and will be expanded as needed.

AAS program faculty will participate in inservice activities provided by the college’s English, Humanities and Arts Division. These activities will focus on training the AAS faculty to integrate and assess students’ communication skills in the technical courses.

NSCC has focused its first Perkins year on reviewing, updating, and transitioning our Career Pathways programs of study. We have established the Fast Path program which provides formal structure for managing and facilitating articulation into postsecondary programs. We will continue to work closely with the LEA administration and secondary teachers to offer CTE high school students more dual enrollment and dual credit (i.e. transitioning) opportunities.

We will also continue to host Career Days on the NSCC campus specifically for CTE high school students. Our plan calls for adding summer camps for high school students that specifically promote gender non-traditional participation in our career and technical programs.

NSCC currently offers co-op programs and clinical experiences that give our students work-based learning experiences.

We also provide a Career Day, a time when we bring high school students to the NSCC campus and give them opportunities to meet community leaders in business and industry.

In addition to these activities, we plan to increase opportunities for networking through the career pathways by working with professional organizations to offer seminars,
informal gatherings and other events to foster student interest, awareness, and involvement.

NSCC is committed to maintaining the most up-to-date technology in our classrooms and programs. In addition, our college uses technology to increase accessibility (i.e. NS Online). We will continue to develop online and hybrid courses.

The college offers training in technology for faculty, but we will offer more professional development opportunities for faculty to update and enhance their skills and competencies.

In order to improve rigor, relevance, and relationships, Perkins funds will be used to provide more opportunities for faculty to receive professional development and training. All professional development activities that will be funded through Perkins will be in compliance with Section 124 of the Perkins IV Career and Technical Education Act of 2006.

Periodic reviews are required by TBR for all AAS programs. The three methods of review, in order of preference, are as follows:

1. External accrediting agencies such as Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) in Engineering Technology; Association of Collegiate Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP) in Business Management, Office Administration, and Computer Accounting; and American Culinary Federation (ACF)in Culinary Arts.
2. Academic Audit, a peer review process including a self-study and a site visit by peers from outside the institution, that encourages self-reflection and self-improvement, and
3. Program review, in which an external “expert” is brought in to evaluate the program and make recommendations.

Each of these review processes requires that competency- based objectives are specified.

In addition, we have advisory committees that review and provide input on program content and relevance.

Lead faculty in our programs will continue to work with our LEAs to evaluate and track our CTE/AAS programs of study (i.e. performance and progress of special populations).

Upon approval of TBR and THEC, we will have new CTE/AAS
Programs such as Paralegal Studies and Healthcare
Management. We will also apply to offer Logistics.

A new technical certificate in 3-D CAD will be offered in fall 2008. Also we have approval to start a new concentration in the Electrical Engineering Technology degree which will be Convergence Technology.

We have responded to changes in industry by moving from 4 concentrations to 2 concentrations in Computer Information Systems, effective in fall 2008. This is an attempt to focus enrollment to align with needs of the workforce.

We will continue working with Student Services in their efforts in recruiting, advising, and job placement.

Current activities include services from the Career Employment Center. This Center presently assists students in resume writing, job interview skills, and co-op placement. The Center also hosts activities, such as job fairs and Co-op Day, to increase job placement for AAS graduates.

Strategies designed for workers re-entering the work force include Career Employment Center activities such as resume writing, interview skills, and co-op opportunities.

By offering online and hybrid courses, we provide accessibility and convenience for special populations, such as single parents and displaced homemakers, who might not otherwise be able to complete the CTE/AAS programs.

These activities will help prepare students of special populations to obtain employment in high skill, high wage or high demand occupations.

We will continue to seek support and participation of business and industry in program advisory meetings, Career Day events, and job fairs.

A College/Career Advising Day for the career and technical programs will be offered. Faculty will be accessible on this occasion to advise students and answer questions about academic and technical course requirements for the various programs of study, and transfer opportunities.

NSCC offers co-op programs to CTE/AAS students. In addition, some faculty currently partner with business and industry to provide students with real-world challenges through problem-based case learning (PBCL) in the classroom.

Business representatives serve on AAS program advisory committees.

See Item #9 in “Required Use of Funds”.

We currently provide opportunities for students to participate in student organizations. Faculty members serve as chapter advisors for organizations such as Kappa Beta Delta, Tau Alpha Pi, Early Childhood Education Club, and Occupational Therapy Club. We will encourage faculty members to establish additional student organizations.

See Item #8 in “Required Use of Funds”.

NSCC will provide equipment, software, periodicals, technical publications, and professional journals to enhance student learning.

We will continue to pursue avenues for articulation for our CTE/AAS students into baccalaureate degree career/technical programs at other institutions.

The NSCC Curriculum Committee has approved an entrepreneurship concentration within the Business Management AAS degree program. Upon TBR approval, we will be able to offer this concentration to students in our program.

We will also provide a faculty development workshop for teachers in entrepreneurship education and training.

Pending approval of proposed new AAS programs of study, we will develop several new courses. These courses will provide dual credit/dual enrollment opportunities.

We are planning to provide support and training for high school teachers to learn new content in programs such as Culinary Arts and Early Childhood Education.

Refer to Section 5P1.

NSCC currently offers an AAS degree in Automotive Technology. To enhance this program, we plan to provide support and training for more high school teachers to learn new technologies such as hybrid-powered vehicles. We will also provide expertise and assistance in helping high schools to acquire National Automotive Technicians Education Foundation (NATEF) certification.

As reported in the attached “Transition Opportunity” worksheet (Attachment #1) submitted to TBR, one dual credit opportunity exists within each Local Education Agency. Additionally, associate to baccalaureate linkages exist between Nashville State Technical Community College and four-year colleges and universities.

All AAS programs require 15 hours or more in general education. The career/technical students select from the same list of general education courses as the AA/AS students. All programs require 60 credit hours and follow the same college requirements.

NSCC requires that all college credit courses are designed with a set of course outcomes and competencies. These outcomes and competencies must be satisfied each time the course is taught. Additionally, all NSCC faculty meet Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) qualification requirements.

Co-op opportunities and/or clinical experiences provide students with real-world experience. Problem-based case learning (PBCL) is also implemented to help bring real-world experiences to students in the classroom.

CTE/AAS faculty will be given opportunities to enhance their technical skills by attending in-services, conferences, and workshops. CTE faculty and guidance and administrative personnel will be able to take career advising/facilitator coursework to enhance their advising and/or career guidance skills.

Each AAS program at NSCC currently has an advisory committee. The committees are comprised of industry leaders in the field, who take an active involvement in the design of program curriculum and content.

The Perkins Director or Coordinator will attend all of the program advisory committee meetings to disseminate information about the Perkins requirements and activities that relate to their programs.

NSCC-accredited AAS programs regularly report to their accrediting body to assure compliance of accreditation standards. Programs in which accreditation is not available undergo program reviews or academic audits. Based on the recommendations of the on-site review teams, each program develops an action plan to make recommended improvements.

Program reviews, academic audits and accreditation standards will be used to continuously evaluate and improve performance in career/technical and other occupational programs. In addition, job placement rates, employer surveys, and feedback from program advisory committees will be used.

See Item #9 in “Required Use of Funds.”

NSCC will fund summer camps for high school boys and girls, to expose them to nontraditional gender occupations.

Students in the career/technical and occupational education programs are assigned faculty members as advisors within their programs of study. In addition, NSCC provides a Learning Resource Center to all NSCC students, including those in CTE programs.

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This data will be collected by Financial Aid and Institutional Research. Data will be used to track retention and graduation rates.