Showing posts with label Community college. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Community college. Show all posts

Wednesday, August 26, 2015

Governor McAuliffe Launches Governor’s Council on Youth Entrepreneurship

~ Council is latest Administration initiative to catalyze entrepreneurism in Virginia ~

RICHMOND – Governor Terry McAuliffe today signed Executive Order 47 establishing the Governor’s Council on Youth Entrepreneurship, which shall be responsible for coordinating and implementing youth entrepreneurship initiatives and fostering the growth of the entrepreneurial ecosystem for young people in Virginia.

“The foundation of the new Virginia economy rests on the strength of Virginia’s young people,” said Governor McAuliffe.  “This Council will work to grow the Commonwealth’s innovation ecosystem and ensure that Virginia is the best state in the nation for young people to innovate, create, and start a business.”

The Council, which will be co-chaired by Secretary of Commerce and Trade Maurice Jones, will include student entrepreneurs and leaders from education, business and startup communities. Working with higher education and other public and private sector resources, the Council will conduct a comprehensive assessment of current local, state and federal programs and services available to young entrepreneurs, connect local business leaders and job creators with young entrepreneurs to help grow ecosystems in their communities and provide recommendations to support the goals and priorities of the Council.

“Entrepreneurism is a vital strategy for job and economic growth in the Commonwealth,” said Secretary of Commerce and Trade Maurice Jones.  “In order to attract the best and brightest talent to Virginia, we need to create an ecosystem that fosters entrepreneurism and innovation.  This Council is another step in achieving that goal.”

The Council is the outgrowth of several roundtables and meetings Governor McAuliffe and his Administration held with student innovators and higher education faculty to learn about the challenges and opportunities facing young entrepreneurs in Virginia.  As a result of these discussions, Governor McAuliffe identified the following initial priorities for the Council:

  1. Expand students’ intellectual property (IP) rights – The Council shall work with Boards of Visitors, administrators and faculty at institutions of higher education to craft policies that give students more rights over their own research and IP. 
  2. Promote the formation of collaborative spaces for entrepreneurs and students to meet – Entrepreneurs consistently cite physical space as a priority in deciding where to start a business.  The Council shall work with partners in education and business to identify opportunities for expanded space for entrepreneurs and students to collaborate. 
  3. Encourage schools to offer courses in entrepreneurship that are easily accessible to all students and to integrate innovation into the curriculum – The Council shall evaluate strategies to further integrate entrepreneurship into classroom environments and curricula in higher education and work to ensure that entrepreneurship courses are accessible to all students regardless of their concentration of study. 
  4. Identify ways for colleges and universities to award academic credit to students for starting a business – The Council shall work with Boards of Visitors, administrators and faculty to determine criteria for awarding academic credit to students for starting a business, similar to existing policies awarding academic credit for an internship, independent study or co-op, to allow students to remain in school on a graduation track while still pursuing business ventures.   
  5. Remove unnecessary costs for students starting a business in Virginia – The Council shall consider ways to remove regulations and fees that create unnecessary burdens or obstacles for individuals who are starting a new business.

The Council will work closely with institutions of higher education and other state agencies to make progress toward achieving these priorities, while supporting opportunities to advance research, innovation and commercialization at Virginia’s colleges and universities.  

Expanding entrepreneurial enterprises in Virginia has been a top priority of Governor McAuliffe and his Administration.  Governor McAuliffe’s “New Virginia Economy” Strategic Economic Development Plan identified entrepreneurism as one of the five key pillars for growth in Virginia.  In June, Governor McAuliffe launched Virginia Velocity, a first-class business plan competition designed to encourage entrepreneurs in key sectors to bring their ideas and grow their businesses in Virginia.  The Council is the next step to further catalyze Virginia’s entrepreneurial ecosystem.

The initial report of the Council’s assessments and recommendations is due to the Governor no later than December 1, 2015.

The full text of Executive Order 47 is below:

NUMBER FORTY SEVEN (2015)
ESTABLISHING THE GOVERNOR’S COUNCIL ON YOUTH ENTREPRENEURSHIP

Importance of the Initiative
            Entrepreneurship and innovation are among the central pillars of Governor McAuliffe’s economic development platform.  The foundation for a new Virginia economy rests upon the strength of Virginia’s young people.  In order to stimulate future economic prosperity for all Virginians, young people must have the support and resources they need to become economically secure and successful.
In Virginia, the unemployment rate for young adults was 8.4 percent, double the unemployment rate for Virginians over age 35.  At the same time, the majority of new jobs come from startup firms (firms less than five years old), estimated at about 3 million jobs per year nationally.
Virginia is home to some of the best colleges, universities and community colleges in the world.  By investing in our young people, we can provide them the tools they need to thrive in the 21st century workforce.  We can ensure that they have the foundation to become creative and innovative leaders of the new Virginia economy.  In classrooms and businesses across the Commonwealth, our young people are already developing the ideas that will transform our future.  We have achieved great success in supporting young entrepreneurs, but we also have an outstanding opportunity for improvement and growth.  Virginia should work to strengthen the innovation infrastructure for young people by engaging with leaders in the public and private sectors, the education and business communities, and entrepreneurship ecosystems.   
Establishment of the Governor’s Council on Youth Entrepreneurship
            Accordingly, by virtue of the authority vested in me as Governor under Article V of the Constitution of Virginia and under the laws of the Commonwealth, including, but not limited to §§ 2.2-134 and 2.2-135 of the Code of Virginia, and subject to my continuing and ultimate authority and responsibility to act in such matters, I hereby establish the Governor’s Council on Youth Entrepreneurship. 
Governor’s Council on Youth Entrepreneurship
            The Governor’s Council on Youth Entrepreneurship (Council) shall be responsible for coordinating and implementing youth entrepreneurship initiatives and fostering the growth of the entrepreneurial ecosystem for young people in Virginia.  Specifically, the Council is charged with:
  • Conducting a comprehensive, statewide assessment of current programs, services, and local, state, and federal resources that support Virginia’s young entrepreneurs and innovators;
  • Developing a website that aggregates these resources to provide a one-stop location for young entrepreneurs, businesses and educators to easily access information;
  • Connecting young entrepreneurs to assets in their communities through a series of roundtables, town halls or other collaborative events to bring together local business leaders and job creators with young entrepreneurs to help grow these ecosystems; and
  • Providing additional recommendations to achieve the goals of this Council and reporting regularly to the Governor. 
Additionally, the Council will address five significant priorities related to youth entrepreneurship: 
  1. Expand students’ intellectual property (IP) rights – The Council shall work with Boards of Visitors, presidents, administration, and faculty at institutions of higher education to craft policies that give students more rights over their own research and IP.  In considering possible alternatives, the Council shall consider model policies of institutions that have expanded student IP rights with the goal of strengthening innovation ecosystems and stimulating economic growth. 
  2. Promote the formation of collaborative spaces for entrepreneurs and students to meet – The Council shall work with partners in education and business to identify opportunities for expanded space for entrepreneurs and students to collaborate.  Entrepreneurs consistently cite physical space as a priority in deciding where to start a business.  The Council shall consider model collaborative spaces across Virginia and the nation.  
  3. Encourage schools to offer courses in entrepreneurship that are easily accessible to all students and to integrate innovation into curriculum – The Council shall research and evaluate strategies for integrating entrepreneurship into classroom environments and curricula in higher education.  It shall explore best practices, such as entrepreneurs-in-residence and out-of-classroom curricular programs.  It shall work to ensure that entrepreneurship courses are easily accessible and available to all students at institutions of higher education regardless of a student’s concentration of study. 
  4. Identify ways for colleges and universities to award academic credit to students for starting a business – The Council shall work with Boards of Visitors, presidents, administrators, and faculty at institutions of higher education to determine criteria for awarding academic credit to students for starting a business.  In the new Virginia economy, it is critical to recognize the important skills and training that students receive from launching a new business venture.  Similar to awarding academic credit for an internship or co-op, awarding academic credit to students for starting a business provides crucial workforce development opportunities that allow students to remain in school on a graduation track while still pursuing business ventures.  
  5. Remove unnecessary costs for students starting a business in Virginia – The Council shall consider ways to remove regulations and fees that create unnecessary burdens or obstacles for individuals who are starting a new business.

Composition of the Council
            The Council will be led by the Secretary of Commerce and Trade and include leaders in higher education and business, innovators and entrepreneurs, and others with appropriate expertise, as appointed by the Governor.  In coordination with relevant state agencies, the Council will serve as a central coordinating entity to identify opportunities and develop recommendations for improvement, including but not limited to: 1) entrepreneurship education, 2) support from the business community for young entrepreneurs, 3) strategies for keeping the ‘best and the brightest’ young innovators in Virginia, 4) opportunities for strengthening institutional support for student creativity and innovation, and 5) the growth of entrepreneurial ecosystems across Virginia.  The Council will also collaborate with other entities as appropriate and seek participation from relevant stakeholders, including the business and education communities, nonprofit groups, and advocacy organizations.
Staffing
            Staff support for the Council will be provided by the Office of the Governor, and any other Secretariats, agencies or offices as designated by the Governor, including staff from institutions of higher education if appropriate. The Council will serve in an advisory role to the Governor, in accordance with § 2.2-2100 of theCode of Virginia.  The initial report of the Council’s assessments and recommendations is due to the Governor no later than December 1, 2015.  Subsequent annual reports from the Council are due to the Governor on December 1st each year.  In coordination with the Council, each public institution of higher education will report annually to the Governor on its progress towards these goals.
Effective Date
            This Executive Order shall be effective upon its signing and, pursuant to §§ 2.2-134 and 2.2-135 of the Code of Virginia, shall remain in full force and effect from its signing until superseded or rescinded.
            Given under my hand and under the seal of the Commonwealth of Virginia this 24th day of August, 2015.    


Thursday, December 18, 2014

Governor McAuliffe Announces New Work Readiness Modules Offered Through SkillsOnline

~ Modules to help workers get training to succeed in 21st century Virginia economy~ 

Governor Terry McAuliffe announced today the public launch of the new work readiness modules offered through SkillsOnline at a meeting hosted by the Peninsula Council for Workforce Development. Working with subject matter experts, WHRO is using instructional and online course development expertise to create the first five of 21 work readiness courses identified by the University of Virginia’s Weldon Cooper Center for Public Service as those needed by employees for career entry and advancement.  They include: (1) Applied Mathematics, (2) Reading for Information, (3) Locating Information, (4) Internet Use and Safety-Digital Citizenship, and (5) Understanding Health, Wellness and Safety.  These courses will be available through SkillsOnline and other venues free of charge by spring of 2015. These modules are partially funded by grants from the Hampton Roads’ Community Foundation and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting through the American Graduate program. Additional funding is being sought from foundations and other private sources to produce the remaining courses and collateral materials.

Speaking about today’s announcement, Governor McAuliffe said, “Workforce development is a key component for creating a new Virginia economy.  The work readiness modules are an example of the public-private partnership that is increasing access for Virginians to workforce training, will help employers put more Virginians to work, and will provide no-cost resources for educators and local government training providers.”

WHRO intends to make these career readiness modules freely available to every Workforce Investment Board, social services agency, K-12 school, community college, and employer in the Commonwealth to use in an instructor-led blended learning environment. Additionally, course content will be distributed through eMediaVa(SM), which WHRO operates through a contract with the Virginia Department of Education and serves more than 145,000 Virginia teachers in public, private and home schools across the state.

“Talent development is critical for catalyzing economic growth in the Commonwealth,” said Secretary of Commerce and Trade Maurice Jones.  “WHRO’s career readiness modules are an important tool for students of all ages to get access to the skills they need to succeed in careers of the 21st century.”

In partnership with four southeastern Virginia community colleges, including Thomas Nelson Community College, Paul D. Camp Community College, Eastern Shore Community College and Rappahannock Community College, the work readiness modules will be offered primarily through the new SkillsOnline portal created by WHRO. SkillsOnline is WHRO’s new professional development and workforce training portal that offers nearly 3,500 courses that are affordably priced in 19 different industry categories. 

“WHRO Public Media is experienced in creating engaging online learning courses currently used by pre-K to grade 12 teachers and students across Virginia for free, funded by the Virginia Department of Education,” said Bert Schmidt, President and CEO of WHRO. “We are a non-profit organization owned by the 19 school divisions of southeastern Virginia and use our broadcast and production facilities to create engaging modules which capture and hold the attention of today’s online media savvy students.”

Friday, October 3, 2014

U.S. Department of Labor Awards Nearly $14 Million to Support Job Training Programs at Virginia’s Colleges

Virginia State University
Virginia State University (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Because Colleges No Longer Prepare The Students:

~ Grant to help colleges expand capacity to provide training programs ~ 

RICHMOND – Governor Terry McAuliffe announced today that Virginia State University and four of Virginia’s community colleges will expand their capacity to provide innovative training programs in partnership with employers, thanks to a nearly $14 million grant award from the U.S. Department of Labor’s (US DOL) Trade Adjustment Assistance Community College and Career Training initiative. 

In Virginia, the  funding will  support the priorities of  Governor McAuliffe’s Executive Order 23, the “New Virginia Economy” Workforce Initiative, to increase STEM-H postsecondary education and workforce credentials, secure employment for veterans, align education with the needs of businesses, and diversify the economy.

“These five new grant awards will drive industry driven STEM-H credentials, apprenticeships and on the job training to help build the skilled, high tech workforce for Virginia businesses and industry sectors”said Governor McAuliffe.  “This is another step forward towards my vision of a new Virginia economy, and I congratulate each of the colleges on their success.” 

“The success of Virginia State University and our community colleges in securing these awards suggests the strength of regional public-private partnerships,” said Secretary of Commerce and Trade Maurice Jones.  “It’s encouraging to see our universities and community colleges working with employers, state agencies, non-profit organizations, and other partners to stand up new models of education and training that work for industry, job seekers, and for the Commonwealth’s economic development.” 

Virginia State University received $3,249,817 to provide training in the wireless industry for veterans, dislocated and underemployed workers, which includes the Warriors4Wireless program, one of only two such programs in the U.S.  The college will work to accelerate credential completion, implement new instruction models, bolster online and technology-enabled learning, implement apprenticeships, and offer Wireless Technician certificates and associate and baccalaureate degrees

Lord Fairfax Community College received $3,250,000 to create Knowledge to Work, a new type of educational search engine and online portal designed to help workers find free and low-cost learning resources tied to competencies and credentials, including badges, certificates, and degrees. These low-cost credentials will be targeted to high demand industries that align with the Governor’s STEM-H goals in healthcare, information technology and advanced manufacturing.

Danville Community College received $2.5 million to incorporate workplace experiential learning in advanced manufacturing in an educational setting. The new program, Retooling America, focuses on realistic, fully integrated training experiences in a full-scale manufacturing faciltiy , which will be housed at the college’s project partner, the Institute for Advanced Learning and Research.

Southwest Virginia Community College received $2.5 million to provide training in advanced manufacturing and carpentry industries through the college’s PluggedIn VA.  PluggedIn VA is a program, which provides expedited paths through a GED, postsecondary education and job training to a high demand job.

Thomas Nelson Community College received $2,476,840 to work with regional employers and workforce organizations to develop and implement an education and training system to produce multi-skilled technicians in advanced manufacturing.

“VSU is honored that the Department of Labor has entrusted us with federal assistance to develop this wireless infrastructure career training program,” said VSU President Keith T. Miller.   “The market demand for wireless network workers remains strong in our region and throughout the country.  This grant will help VSU stay at the forefront of helping to build Virginia’s economic and technological future.”

“Community colleges are at their best when they are bringing together employers and career-seekers from across the community, and that’s exactly what this grant will help us do,” said Glenn DuBois, Chancellor of Virginia’s Community Colleges. “Virginia earned the largest amount of funding awarded to any state.  We take that to be a vote of confidence in the quality of our work and a challenge to go even further. We’re grateful for the opportunities this creates in helping us serve people across Virginia.”

A full list of grantees including project descriptions is available online athttp://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/eta/ETA20141865.htm.

Tuesday, September 9, 2014

Governor McAuliffe Announces New Virginia Film Industry Workforce Development program

English: Tom Hanks and Ayelet Zurer outside of...
(Photo credit: Wikipedia)
~ Virginia Community College Workforce Initiative to provide training opportunities for film workers~ 

RICHMOND - Governor Terry McAuliffe today announced a ground-breaking new initiative created to train Virginia workers for jobs in the state’s film industry.  The Film Industry Training (FIT) is a pilot program created by the Virginia Film Office and the Community College Workforce Alliance designed to prepare workers for film, television and commercial projects in Virginia.  Numerous projects have been filmed in Virginia recently: the AMC spy series TURN; Ithaca,produced by Tom Hanks and directed by Meg Ryan;  Big Stone Gap from Virginia author Adriana Trigiani featuring Patrick Wilson; and David Baldacci’s Wish You Well; Point of Honor, an ABC television pilot created for Amazon Prime's streaming video platform; Steven Spielberg’s Lincoln; Captain Phillips starring Tom Hanks; and Killing Lincoln and Killing Kennedy, both for the National Geographic Channel.  

 “My recent Executive Order 23 is an initiative dedicated to equipping Virginia workers with the skills, training and education our workforce will need to sustain the New Virginia Economy,” Governor McAuliffe said.  “The success of the Virginia Film Office in efficiently utilizing our comparatively modest film incentive program has created a significant demand for workers.  This program will help to fill that demand. I commend this ground-breaking initiative as an exceptional example of the kinds of programs Virginia will need to continue to be the best."

“I am proud to be a part of the Governor’s New Virginia Economy Workforce Initiative, which is designed to increase postsecondary education and workforce credentials, secure employment for veterans, align education with the needs of business and diversify the economy,” added Virginia Secretary of Commerce and Trade and Chief Workforce Development Advisor Maurice Jones. “The FIT Program is a pioneering new initiative led by the Community College Workforce Alliance and the Virginia Film Office to help the Commonwealth create a world-class workforce and keep Virginia competitive.”

Virginia Film Office Director Andy Edmunds stated, “This industry creates high-wage jobs, and a positive economic impact in almost all sectors of our economy. The demand for content worldwide is on the rise and these jobs are essentially “content manufacturing jobs”. Virginia already possesses natural advantages in terms of providing a perfect palette of locations for filmmakers. If we seize the opportunity now with a competitive incentive program combined with a camera-ready workforce, Virginia can become a major destination of choice for this highly sought after industry.”

Louis (Mac) McGinty, Vice President of the Community College Workforce Alliance, stated “Twenty years of providing workforce services for Virginia’s Community Colleges has shown me that the ongoing training of our workforce is a critical element to bringing business and a positive return on investment.  We welcome the opportunity to work with this important Virginia industry.

The Film Industry Training course will be taught by Gary Romolo Fiorelli, an accomplished Assistant Director for film and television projects which include the television series Sons of Anarchy and ABC’s current drama Mistresses. His film credits include Pirates of the Caribbean, Blades of Glory and the Virginia-based Lifetime movie Unanswered Prayers. He is currently in Virginia working on the pilot for Point of Honor, a television series produced by ABC for Amazon.  In addition to working in film and television, Fiorelli has created the Production Assistant Training seminar, a course to provide training for people seeking entry level positions within the film industry. 

The two-day seminar will be held October 4 and 5 at the Workforce Development and Conference Center, 1651 Parham Road, Richmond (on the Parham campus of J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College.)  The cost is $125, with discounts for students, veterans and members of the Virginia Production Alliance.  For more information, visit the Community College Workforce Alliance website, www.ccwatraining.org/film

In 2012, the economic impact of the film and television industry in Virginia totaled $328.4 million and provided 3,061 jobs with $50.5 million in tax revenue.


Wednesday, August 13, 2014

The White House New Commitments to Improve College Opportunity

By Cecilia Muñoz

Last January, I listened to the President ask hundreds of college presidents to increase college opportunity for all Americans. He asked them to help because a college degree remains one of the surest pathways into the middle class in America, and is an especially powerful engine of social and economic mobility.

Over this decade, nearly 8 in 10 new jobs will require some postsecondary education or training beyond high school. And of the 30 fastest-growing occupations, half require a college degree. At the same time, college graduates earn an average of 77 percent more per hour than a high school graduate. President Obama set forth a goal early in his first term to guide our work in education -- to lead the world with the highest proportion of college graduates by 2020.

And yesterday, I had the privilege of joining Secretary Duncan in meeting with community college leaders who have made new commitments to ensure student success, because, in order to make progress on our goal to be first in the world, we need to address some of the foundational challenges to college enrollment, persistence, and completion.

Our nation's community colleges are the engines of our higher education system. As the largest part of America's higher education system, these institutions provide the education and training to prepare our 21st-century workforce and are an ideal place to raise the knowledge and skills of our workforce -- and to meet the academic needs of a diverse population of learners, from recent high school graduates to adults seeking new skills.

Following yesterday's meeting, today we are announcing several developments in our efforts to expand college opportunity for America's students.

  • The White House announces second College Opportunity Summit: The Administration is announcing that the White House will host another College Opportunity Summit on December 4, 2014. The goal of this conference will build on the work launched in the first College Opportunity Summit last January, while launching initiatives in new areas. This year’s summit will focus on building sustainable collaborations in communities with strong K-12 and higher education partnerships to encourage college going, and supporting colleges to work together to dramatically improve persistence and increase college completion, especially for first-generation, low-income, and underrepresented students.
  • New community college partners working to expand college opportunity:The Administration is announcing 14 new commitments by community colleges to expand college opportunity by strengthening college readiness for academically underprepared students, building on the more than 100 colleges and universities and 40 nonprofit organizations who made commitments in January.
  • New commitments from the field to strengthen college readiness: The Department of Education’s Institute for Education Studies (IES) is launching a new Center for the Analysis of Postsecondary Readiness (CAPR) led by the Community College Research Center (CCRC) at Teachers College, Columbia University and the social policy research organization MDRC that will work to strengthen the research, evaluation, and support of college-readiness efforts across the nation. In addition, Khan Academy is announcing new commitments that will focus on technology-based solutions customized to improve student success in developmental math. Lastly, the Great Lakes Higher Education Guaranty Corporation will commit $5 million, partnering with MDRC, the Ohio Board of Regents, and City University of New York (CUNY) to replicate CUNY’s successful Accelerated Study in Associate Programs (ASAP) to support as many as 2,000 community college students in Ohio to help more students graduate sooner. 
  • Continued progress on ongoing college opportunity commitments: In addition to new commitments, we continue to make progress on our previously announced efforts to expand access to college for all students, including efforts to improve the effectiveness of college advising and enhance support for school counselors, and increasing efforts to boost student achievement in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) and to broaden participation in STEM fields to women, underrepresented groups, and students from low-income or underserved communities. 
These efforts have inspired engagement and supported the progress of education leaders who are taking collective action in their schools, on college campuses, and in their communities to do all they can to help more low-income students prepare to enter and succeed in college.

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