| The Landscape of Lifelong Learning; What's Current, | | | | Motion picture production |
| New and Hot In Continuing Education, Workforce | | | | Broadcasting |
| Development And Community Education Across the | | | | Newspaper, periodical, book, and directory publishing |
| Country | | | | Leisure (arts, entertainment, and recreation |
| Executive Summary | | | | Hospitality (accommodations and food services) |
| Are Educational Program Planners still doing the same | | | | Truck transportation |
| thing? Are the familiar stand-bys still driving enrollment? | | | | Warehousing& Storage |
| Or, is there a definitive change in lifelong learning trends | | | | Retail |
| at both the community college and university? What | | | | Finance |
| makes for successful (enrollment and revenue) | | | | Insurance |
| continuing education and workforce development | | | | Automotive repair and maintenance (one of the largest |
| training deliverables as we close out the first decade | | | | growth sectors) |
| of the 21st century? | | | | Construction, specifically road, bridge, and tunnel |
| Are we on top of our game tracking employment | | | | construction |
| trends of the 21st century? Do we know what is | | | | Pharmaceutical and medicine manufacturingsource: U.S. |
| needed for working professionals in our service area | | | | Bureau of Labor Statistics, Office of Occupational |
| to stay current in their field? What new careers are | | | | Statistics and Employment Projections |
| coming down the pike that Divisions of Workforce | | | | Take a look at what your service area will support as |
| Development must prepare students for to be ahead | | | | well as what is anticipated by your region's economic |
| of the curve? What must Divisions of Corporate | | | | developers to determine what works best for your |
| Education do to sustain and ensure the viability of | | | | institution. Whatever direction you choose to take, |
| companies in the face of the global financial and | | | | expand, overhaul or improve, be sure the curriculum |
| accountability meltdown? | | | | meets today's standards for instruction for a particular |
| Are we in "synch" with the diversity of lifestyles, | | | | field, has clearly identified core competencies the |
| cultures and interests in our service area to know | | | | learner can expect to gain, and is delivered in such a |
| what kinds of course offerings the community wants? | | | | way (or ways) that technology is well-integrated into |
| What about age differences? Are Gen X and Gen Y | | | | both teaching and learning. |
| driving new courses? Are we delivering instruction | | | | II. Continuing Professional Education Trends |
| across The Great Technological Divide? Are we | | | | The staples-Project Management, Fiscal Management, |
| offering the same things in different formats? | | | | Executive Leadership Development, Supervisory |
| Continuing Education Program Planners and | | | | Training, Staff Development, Business Communication, |
| Workforce Development Training Managers are | | | | profession-specific certification and licensure renewal |
| challenged like never before... challenged by the New | | | | courses and "Lean" themes (doing more with |
| Economy; multiple generations at work; new career | | | | less)-continue to be well-represented at many |
| tracks; new technologies to deliver learning; reduced | | | | institutions of higher education, large and small, |
| funding; an adequate supply of well-qualified trainers-to | | | | university or community college. To keep current and |
| name just a few concerns-if they want their programs | | | | to appear fresh, savvy programmers are tossing into |
| to meet customer expectations and satisfy their | | | | the mix a variety of new and re-tooled products with |
| institution's demands to function without operational | | | | a little different "edge." Call it visionary, creative thinking |
| subsidies. | | | | or responsive, these "eye-openers" call attention to |
| Where is continuing education evolving as universities | | | | themselves either because the titles are "catchy," |
| and colleges program for the second decade of the | | | | relevant and/or very, very targeted to a specific |
| new millennia? What is the right formula for a sound | | | | customer. |
| framework of solid, stable programs blended with the | | | | The following list is a "sneak peek" of some of the |
| right amount-and kind-of innovative subjects? | | | | more inventive, interesting and very cool topics |
| Hold onto your hats! | | | | designed for today's professional workforce: |
| The panoramic snapshot is amazing. Catch a glimpse | | | | Ergonomic Interventions; The Fine Art of "Desking" and |
| of the landscape of lifelong learning based upon a | | | | Preventing Workplace Disorders |
| random survey of institutions of higher education | | | | Technical Communication in the Workplace; Protocols, |
| across the country. Note the "hottest" occupations | | | | Style, Skills and Techniques |
| according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. | | | | Digital Literacy in the 21st Century Workplace |
| Consider what other programmers are trying. Finally, | | | | Email, Websites & Content, Document Sharing, File |
| take note of what has become both our greatest | | | | Transfer, List Serves and Blogs ... Oh My! |
| nemesis in terms of competition in educational training | | | | 21st Century Communication Tools; Optimizing and |
| delivery as well as our best source for both | | | | Integrating Your PDA, Laptop and Cell |
| customers and marketing outreach-the Internet. In | | | | The New Economy; Managing Projects across |
| addition to the growth of proprietary schools, | | | | Cultures and Geographies... and Technologies |
| independent providers-both consultants and | | | | The New Ecology; Going Green at the Office |
| trainers-are also increasing in number and delivering | | | | Challenging the Script; Mindsets, Expectations and |
| many interesting opportunities for lifelong learning. They | | | | Corporate Culture for Gen X and Y |
| are doing so in person and across the worldwide web. | | | | Building Company Accountability," an executive |
| Their programs, prices and curriculum can be | | | | workshop, designed specifically for Presidents, CEOs |
| extraordinarily competitive. | | | | and Business Owners (a.k.a. Corporate Corruption, |
| Today's landscape of continuing education is not what | | | | White-Collar Crime) |
| it was yesterday. Neither is it likely to be a close | | | | Squishers, Squashers and Soothers: The Role of |
| reflection of what it will need to look like tomorrow. | | | | Emotional Intelligence in the Workplace |
| The Information Age is happening at warp speed. If | | | | Weapons of Mass Instruction: Preparing Teachers for |
| we, as providers, are to be successful at staying in the | | | | Tomorrow's Learners |
| game, it might be wise to embrace the words of the | | | | III. The Changing Face of Community Education |
| infamous Captain Kirk as he led his crew into places | | | | Community Education and personal enrichment |
| where "no man has gone before..." With everyone at | | | | continue to serve the general public with a multitude of |
| attention, he states quite clearly, "engage." | | | | course offerings which are enjoyable, offer social |
| Programmers won't be successful unless we are (1) | | | | opportunities and enhance our sense of self through |
| fully engaged with the needs and wants for | | | | music, art, dance, theatre, books, travel, sport, |
| information by the learners we serve, (2) fully engaged | | | | recreation and hobby. That being said, the landscape is |
| with our institution's technology capabilities to deliver | | | | also beginning to include many more serious topics that |
| instruction and (3) fully engaged with faculty and staff | | | | reflect some of the most challenging issues faced by |
| to keep us on point for what's coming around the next | | | | today's families. Subjects that were previously either |
| corner. | | | | unaddressed, altogether, or primarily spoken about |
| To innovate and collaborate must be Mission Critical. A | | | | within the context of a particular degree program (i.e., |
| forward-thinking captain leads the way. | | | | sociology, psychology, medicine) are evolving and |
| I. Workforce Development (Job Skills Training) - Some | | | | transforming into non-credit course offerings targeted |
| of the "Hotties" (in Technology) | | | | for the lay person who wants to know more about a |
| According to monster.com, (reference: Hot Tech | | | | particular subject-matter area without necessarily |
| Careers for the 21st Century by Sacha Cohen), the | | | | becoming a degreed professional. |
| key Buzz Work Word is technology-anything. This is | | | | Name a particular problem within a given community, |
| not to say that there are other job training skills that | | | | define it within the context of age (Gen X, Y, |
| Workforce Developers should consider less important | | | | Boomers), orientation (gender), role (parent, child, |
| - of course not. But, it is a prime example of the need | | | | teacher, doctor), race, religion, culture or political |
| for a major redirect to adequately prepare tomorrow's | | | | persuasion, find respected, well-educated people who |
| job force. Think Henry Ford and the invention of the | | | | can speak to that topic and voilá, a course is |
| automobile back in the 20th... before it was invented, | | | | born and with it, the opportunity for engaging new |
| who knew how to build them? The analogy holds true | | | | learners. In addition to pursuing an interest for the sake |
| today. However, the reality is that the training we | | | | of pure enjoyment, people want to know about all |
| provide for today's tech jobs may not suffice for | | | | kinds of topics, even if they are controversial (stem cell |
| newer jobs that are sure to quickly follow in response | | | | research,), scary (Internet predators), personal (child |
| to the rapid pace of technological advancements. | | | | alcoholism, work/family balance, eldercare, end-of-life |
| Today, trained workforce is needed to fill jobs like | | | | choices, plastic surgery), or challenging (reading for |
| these: | | | | comprehension, writing well, speaking in public, debt |
| 1. Network Experts -Also known as "Global Network | | | | management, weight management, goal management). |
| Architects," they will need to be knowledgeable in | | | | Community Education programs (in juxtaposition to |
| Internet, voice, data and cable. | | | | Continuing Professional Education, Corporate Education |
| 2. Information Architect - IAs are responsible for | | | | and Workforce Development job preparation training |
| learning how users find information in a site by defining | | | | classes) do not typically expect participants to meet |
| the site's organization, navigation and labeling systems. | | | | performance standards; showing up and participating |
| 3. Web Site/Database Integrator - Web site/database | | | | are generally the only "requirements.' This puts a very |
| integrators will need to know standard Web site | | | | different spin on things and offers the Program Planner |
| languages (HTML, PERL, C, JAVA, etc.), database | | | | a completely different arena for learning opportunities, |
| languages (DB2, Oracle, SQL, etc.) and, in the case of | | | | fun or serious. |
| legacy systems, some back-end knowledge of | | | | What follows are some Community Ed program areas |
| accounting packages, financial systems and inventory | | | | that reflect new and growing concerns of the day as |
| systems. This job also requires the ability to hook the | | | | well as some re-named titles for topics that seem to |
| database(s) to an Internet site or an intranet. | | | | transcend time and remain "constants." |
| 4. Web Programmers and Developers - These | | | | Anything and EVERYTHING to do with Personal |
| Internet "Mechanics" need to be well versed in a | | | | Health and Well-Being |
| variety of programming languages including Java, Cold | | | | MED-Speak; Understanding Your Diagnosis |
| Fusion, C++ and PERL. | | | | Prescription Wars; What You Need to Know Before |
| 5. Information Broker/Infomediary - These are | | | | Swallowing |
| third-party agents who broker client information to | | | | Alternative Medical Theories and Approaches; Myth, |
| vendors in exchange for goods and services for the | | | | Magic or Misaligned? |
| consumer. | | | | Acupuncture, Acupressure; Does It Hurt and Will it |
| 6. Information Security Specialists - A.K.A Internet | | | | Work? |
| "Cops," these are the folks that (web) hackers hate; | | | | Beauty & the Beast: Wrinkle-Free, Whiter Teeth, |
| kind of like what FBI counterfeit specialists are to | | | | and More Hair; A Consumer's Guide |
| banks. | | | | Cognitive Strategies for a Healthy Memory |
| 7. Web "Medics" - Loosely translated, these are | | | | Coming of Age |
| "doctors" of internet "medicine;" they fix viruses and | | | | Now That You Are 20 |
| immunize against e-illnesses like Trojan Horses, spam, | | | | Now That You Are 30 |
| and Phishers; they build protective firewalls and create | | | | Now That You Are 40... and so one |
| "vaccines" (programs) against internet espionage and | | | | Managing Chain-Yankers; Saying "No" When You |
| infiltration. | | | | Think You Should Say "Yes" |
| Find the right instructors to design curriculum and teach | | | | Personal Finances: Money, Money, Money |
| people how to do these kinds of jobs and you are well | | | | Getting There; A Consumer's Guide to Purchasing a |
| on your way to program success-if your employment | | | | Hybrid |
| sector supports the need. If your institution exists deep | | | | The New Economy; Recession Investment Protection |
| in the heartland of agriculture or areas where new | | | | Starting Over, Starting Sooner; Recovering from |
| technologies are not key economic drivers, don't | | | | Recession |
| abandon sound programs for the sake of what's | | | | Behind The Walls and Under the Dirt; Buying Your Next |
| popular. Where you are, who lives there and what | | | | Home |
| happens in the community should shape your | | | | Personal Relations |
| programs, first. If your college is knee-deep in cows | | | | U-Tube, FACE Book, My Space and More; What |
| and corn, cyber security is probably not going to be as | | | | Parents Need to Know - and Do |
| necessary as agri-technicians and biofuel mechanics. | | | | Parenting Your Parents: What Children Need to Know |
| Remember who you are-not what you think you | | | | The Warning Signs of Dementia and Senility |
| should be (or would like to be!) | | | | It's Your Life; Are You Prepared? |
| Workforce training still needs to make sense in relation | | | | Preparing for Children |
| to where it is geographically located. It also should | | | | Preparing for College |
| continue to provide programs to specific, | | | | Preparing for Your Profession |
| industry-driven skills as mandated by those with jobs | | | | Preparing for Marriage |
| for hire-regardless. | | | | Preparing for Separation and Divorce |
| What are the projected trends in workforce | | | | Preparing for Retirement |
| development? According to the Occupational Outlook | | | | Preparing for Death |
| Handbook, edition 2008-09, almost three-quarters of | | | | Lions, Tigers and Bears; Making Your Way Through |
| the job growth will come from three main groups of | | | | the Dating Jungle |
| professional occupations. These occupational | | | | Conclusion |
| projections are good indicators for program planners | | | | Take a look at what's out there. Ask your |
| to keep in mind when deciding what subject-matter | | | | counterparts what's working, what's not, what's old, |
| areas should be considered for a current and relevant | | | | what's "hot." Ask your companies where they might |
| product mix: | | | | go for employee training if you weren't there-and then |
| 1. Computer and Mathematical occupations | | | | go see what "they" are doing. Ask your community |
| Emphasis on software publishing, Internet publishing and | | | | what they would like to take-if they had more time, |
| broadcasting, and wireless telecommunication services | | | | more money, more energy; is there a way to meet |
| 2. Healthcare practitioners and technical occupations | | | | their needs? Ask your faculty and trainers what they |
| Emphasis on nursing, home health care aides | | | | are hearing that's up and coming in their field of |
| 3. Education, training, and library occupations | | | | expertise. What's out there on the Internet; who's doing |
| Teachers, Human Resource Specialists, information | | | | it and for how much and when? The sky IS the limit. |
| providers; the need exists today and shows no signs | | | | And while you cannot be all things to all people at any |
| of market saturation anytime, soon. | | | | given point in time, you can and should broaden your |
| Other noted areas where employment is projected to | | | | program deliverables to reflect some of the newest |
| grow includes: | | | | trends in continuing and professional education, |
| Administrative support | | | | corporate education, workforce development and |
| Waste management (water and sewage) | | | | lifelong learning. Manage to stay fresh, creative and |
| Remediation services | | | | interesting without foregoing existing program stability. |