< PreviousDURABLE SKILLS IN NORTH CAROLINA 38 WORKFORCE 2024 N ot all high school graduates continue their education at a two- or four-year college or university. Many choose to enter the job market or enlist in a military branch. Whichever path they choose, North Carolina intends for them to be not just successful, but in demand by employers or supervisors. In October , the state’s Department of Public Instruction (DPI) introduced the Portrait of a Graduate, a visioning process for ensuring that students graduate high school equipped with soft skills that increasingly are required by employers. Battelle for Kids, a national nonprofi t that works with educators and communities to improve learning outcomes, is the developer of the Portrait of a Graduate; it works with independent school districts across the country and increasingly with states, such as North Carolina. “A number of states are engaged in this kind of work,” says Dr. Karen Garza, president and CEO of Battelle for Kids. “But I give North Carolina and DPI Superintendent Catherine Truitt a lot of credit, because they’re leading the way in thinking diff erently about their education systems today. We have to expand our defi nition of success and equip our students in new and diff erent ways. is world is very complex and rapidly changing. e skills needed today are very diff erent than the skills required in the past.” Today’s In-Demand Skills America Succeeds, a nonprofi t dedicated to modernizing education systems, refers to these skills as durable skills. It notes that of million job postings from -, seven of the most-requested skills are durable skills. Moreover, the top fi ve durable by MARK AREND Durable Skills Are Today’s Human Resources Currency This story originally appeared in the July 2023 issue of Site Selection magazine. WORKFORCE 2024 39 skills were requested in job postings . times more often than the top fi ve hard skills. Durable skills, it maintains, are in demand for jobs across the workforce, regardless of educational attainment level, industry sector or geography. e skills identifi ed by DPI and its research partners in the business, workforce board, economic development and higher education communities that are the foundation of North Carolina’s Portrait of a Graduate are Adaptability, Collaboration, Communication, Critical inking, Empathy, Learner’s Mindset and Personal Responsibility. “Our traditional public system of K- education is not preparing most people for success in this economy,” says Superintendent Truitt. “Portrait of a Graduate for me was about trying to reorient public K- education to being more workforce aligned. We must make sure that we are preparing students not just for the fi nish line of graduation. Every student is on a career journey. In K- that may include a four-year residential college experience, or it may not.” Most educators would gladly teach durable skills, says Truitt, but those don’t get tested. “What gets measured gets taught,” she notes. Portrait of a Graduate is not a program that will be mandated and added automatically to curricula. “Right now, we’re working on rubrics and assessments to give teachers to use if they choose,” says Truitt. “We don’t ever want to move away from accountability that occurs through testing. But we need things in addition to academic rigor that we are using to defi ne what student success and school quality looks like. at’s where the Portrait comes in.” How Businesses Will Benefi t “One of our biggest champions is the North Carolina Chamber of Commerce,” Truitt notes, “and the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina has invited me to come to the table to speak with executives who are thinking about coming here. I would hazard a guess that most states are not bringing K- to that table. I want CEOs to know that we are digging down into middle school to get kids ready for what happens after high school.” Battelle for Kids’ Karen Garza points to the enormous challenge businesses face in hiring their workforce. “Business leaders are consistently saying they want to hire people with skills including collaboration, communication, problem solving and creativity,” she relates. “We can teach them the unique content knowledge and needs for a particular industry, but it’s still diffi cult for them to hire. If I’m a business leader, and this is my number one pain point, which is the case for a lot of businesses, I’m going to go where states or communities are prioritizing this. ey will have a greater chance of fi nding the best workforce they can hire in those communities.” Catherine Truitt, Superintendent, North Carolina Department of Public Instruction Dr. Karen Garza, President & CEO, Battelle for KidsTEXAS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CONNECTION INTELLIGENCE REPORT XAS 42 WORKFORCE 2024 e Sky’s the Limit TexasEDConnection communities are an important part of the workforce development fabric set to receive $5 billion in state higher education funding over the next two years. A mong the many qualities uniting the more than member communities in the Texas Economic Development Connection — small-town charm, aff ordability and collaboration among them — educating the workforce of tomorrow looms large. at focus is in keeping with a state whose funding for career & technical education (CTE) is times greater than its their Perkins V federal allocation. “ e Lone Star State is a top state for total state funding for secondary Career Technical Education (CTE) programs, totaling $,,, in categorical funding in fi scal year (FY) ,” says the recently published edition of “ e State of Career Technical Education: An Analysis of State Secondary CTE Funding Models” from Advance CTE. It’s all part of the state’s “Building a Talent Strong Texas” education plan which includes a goal of at least % of the working-age population having a credential beyond a high school diploma by . But the state looks at higher goals. “We put down a marker that we only want to count credentials of value toward our goal of , degrees, certifi cates, and other credentials by ADAM BRUNS INTELLIGENCE REPORT TEXAS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CONNECTION Home to the second largest canyon in the nation, Palo Duro State Park south of Amarillo is just a hop, skip and a jump from the Texas ED Connection communities of Muleshoe and Pampa. Photo by Jaime Hudson courtesy of Travel Texas44 WORKFORCE 2024 awarded every year,” said Texas Commissioner of Higher Education Harrison Keller in December . “Texas is the fi rst state to condition our goals for higher education on the value of credentials in the state economy.” He shared details: “Right now, multiple institutions are rapidly expanding workforce education programs, from semiconductor education programs at Grayson, Collin, Dallas, and Austin Community Colleges, to industry-led petrochemical and engineering programs at Del Mar and Lamar State Colleges, and of course, the continued growth of high-demand workforce programs through the Texas State Technical Colleges.” One progressive step in a state with many is a new course sharing pilot program making its debut this spring in coordination with the THECB. Course sharing enables students at one institution to cross-register in online courses at another. Made possible by the passage of House Bill in , the program allows schools to expand inter-institutional networks, partnerships and shared services while off ering students a level of institutional fl exibility commensurate with the workplace fl exibility of today. As described by Commissioner Keller, House Bill ’s impact goes well beyond that one pilot program and “includes a completely new funding model, where % of community colleges’ formula funding is tied directly to student outcomes. It includes new funding to stabilize small and rural-serving colleges, and more than a % increase in fi nancial aid for community college students.” It was part of the th Texas Legislature’s overall $ billion investment in higher education over two years. “Finding unique ways to meet our students’ needs allows us to better serve them and Texoma,” Grayson College President Dr. Jeremy McMillen said in a recent release about the course sharing program. Grayson, located in the fast-growing city of Denison, is one of institutions chosen for the pilot, along with North Central Texas College, another active institution across the TexasEDConnection family. “ is program allows Texas Community Colleges to strategically work together in ensuring students have access to the classes they need, when they need them,” said Grayson College Vice President of Instruction Dr. Dava Washburn. “Keeping students on track to credential completion is our priority.” at’s especially a priority when company projects and growth need to stay on track too: A Texas Workforce Commission release in December announced that employment in the state set new record high levels in each of the previous months and had added , positions since November , ranking No. in the nation in over-the-year increase of seasonally adjusted nonfarm jobs. As the projects generating those jobs fi lter out into communities across the state, whether they are resources for professional certifi cates or advanced degrees, educational gems await discovery across the TexasEDConnection landscape. Below are some highlights. For more, visit texasedconnection.com: Pampa Economic Development Corporation (www.pampaedc.com): In November , several colleges in the TexasEDConnection network — North Central Texas College, Victoria College and Clarendon College (which has a center in Pampa) — were among fi ve schools to receive the Recognition of Scaling Excellence (ROSE) award from the Texas Success Center at the November “Talent Strong Texas Pathways Institute: Mapping Pathways to Student Post-Completion Goals” conference. e award recognized the implementation and scaling of the state’s research- based Talent Strong Texas Pathways strategy. Since , Clarendon College has demonstrated the highest growth rate among Texas community colleges for the essential practices relating to Pillar of the strategy, “Keeping Students on eir Pathway.” Texas is the fi rst state to condition our goals for higher education on the value of credentials in the state economy.” — Texas Commissioner of Higher Education Harrison Keller , December 2023 Texas is the fi rst state to condition our goals for higher education on INTELLIGENCE REPORT TEXAS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CONNECTION WORKFORCE 2024 45 Boerne/Kendall County Economic Development Corporation (bkcedc.com): Serving more than 10,000 students, Boerne Independent School District was named the 2019-2020 “Best Small School District in Texas” by HEB Excellence in Education and is ranked in the top 4% of all school districts in the nation. Wayland Baptist University offers courses in Boerne. Among 40 universities and colleges within 50 miles of Boerne is the University of Texas San Antonio (UTSA), 18 miles away. Bowie, Texas Economic Development Coalition (bowietexasedc.com): The Coalition has joined with North Central Texas College and Texas Workforce Solutions to offer on-site training. There are 58 degree programs at NCTC, including coursework pursued at the $2.9 million Industrial Technology Center that opened in 2018 and is home to Welding, Machining, Industrial Mechanics, HVAC, and Electrical labs. Brenham Washington County Economic Development ( brenhamed.com /) and City of Brenham (cityofbrenham.org) : On December 11, 2023, The Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) presented the Blinn College District with its 2023 Texas Workforce Solutions All-Star College Award during its 25th annual conference in Houston. Among the reasons: the college’s wide range of technical programs in high-demand fields such as manufacturing, healthcare, information technology, skilled trades and transportation; and Corporate College, which engages with local employers and industry partners to develop and teach curricula that reflects current industry trends and demands. Among other programs, the Blinn College District is partnering with the National Customs Brokers & Forwarders Association of America (NCBFAA) and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Cross-Border Threat Screening and Supply-Chain Defense (CBTS) in a one-semester program directing students toward “high-wage, high-demand careers as customs brokers.” Blinn offers credit and non-credit welding courses at the A.W. Hodde, Jr. Technical Education Center on the Blinn-Brenham Campus and at the Agriculture and Workforce Education Complex at Texas A&M-RELLIS in Bryan.46 WORKFORCE 2024 City of Huntsville (huntsvilletx. gov ): Projects worth more than $124 million now underway from the likes of Zinc Point Manufacturing and Elliott Electric, in addition to major spec and government projects, indicate the vibrance of Huntsville, Texas. This city 70 miles north of Houston was not only the home of Texas legend Sam Houston, but today is home to Sam Houston State University. Since she became president of the university in 2020, Alisa White has seen SHSU receive $23 million in pledges and gifts in FY23 and a $32 million state investment from the Texas legislature for the College of Osteopathic Medicine (SHSU-COM). The funding allows medical school tuition to be reduced by more than half. In her address to launch the academic year in August 2023, President White highlighted new initiatives to embed micro-credentials and stackable credentials into degree plans, noting SHSU is the only school in Texas to have implemented a degree plan for students through EduNav, allowing students to create personalized educational plans based around their life and work demands. Denison Development Allianc e (denisontx.org) : Part of the Sherman- Denison metro area that is welcoming around $35 billion in semiconductor and related technology investments in North Texas (see Texas Instruments and Global Wafers), the Alliance aims “to create a highly productive ecosystem for semiconductor manufacturing — everything from production, packaging, supply chains, materials, marketing and product development.” The Alliance’s North Texas Logistics Park to attract companies in support of chip fabrication. The area’s workforce needs are supported by three colleges and universities, including the Austin College liberal arts campus in Sherman and Southeastern Oklahoma State University in Durant, Oklahoma, just 30 minutes from Denison. Two-year community college Grayson College’s assets include the Center for Workplace Learning, which delivers more than 220 courses “to students ages 8 to 80.” Fairfield Economic Development Corporation (www.fairfieldtx.com): Located on I-45 90 miles south of Dallas, the Fairfield ISD has partnered with Texas State Technical College (TSTC) to offer Career & Technical Education (CTE) to high school students. “All high school students in every school in Freestone County now have access to CTE courses with a curriculum from TSTC or Navarro College based on the individual high school program.” Sam Houston State University aims to become as legendary as its namesake in developing the workforce of tomorrow. Photo courtesy of Sam Houston State UniversityFairview Economic Development Corporation (fairviewtexasedc.com/) : In addition to boasting around . million workers within a -minute drive, more than % of citizens hold a bachelor’s degree or higher in this town north of Plano on the outskirts of the DFW metroplex. ere are also colleges and universities within a -mile radius, including Amberton University, Collin College, Dallas County Community College, Southern Methodist University, UT-Arlington, UT-Dallas, University of North Texas and Texas Christian University. Gainesville Economic Development Corporation (www.gainesvilletxedc.com/): Originally named Gainesville Junior College, North Central Texas College (NCTC) was offi cially established May , , meaning the oldest continuously operating two-year college in Texas celebrates its centenary this year in this town miles from the metroplex in North Texas. In October , NCTC was awarded $. million over fi ve years to help Hispanic and other low-income students complete college degrees through the Pathways to Completion program, part of the U.S. Department of Education’s Title V Developing Hispanic Serving Institutions (DHSI) grant. Of the colleges and universities across the nation selected for these grants, were from Texas with a total of $ million awarded to these institutions. Jarrell Economic Development Corporation (jarrelledc.org) : “Workforce Rich and Business Ready” is the slogan of this community on I- within minutes of Austin, Killeen and Temple/ Belton and within three hours of Dallas/Fort Worth, San Antonio and Houston. Among the workforce resources the community off ers is its connection to Workforce Solutions of Central Texas, which in June received the Workforce Excellence Award in the Workforce Board category from the Texas Economic Development Council (TEDC). Marble Falls Economic Development Corporation(www.marblefallseconomy. com): Axios Austin in August reported on a new Economic Innovation Group study that found counties across Central Texas saw the state’s highest increases in income thanks to new migration between and . Burnet and Llano counties rank at the top statewide with .% and .% increases in income from new residents. Central Texas College and Texas Tech University at Highland Lakes host a collaborative college campus in Marble Falls and Burnet leading to bachelor’s and master’s degrees in selected fi elds. CTC off ers basic fi rst- and second-year community college coursework. TTU-Highland Lakes in Marble Falls is part of the Texas Hill Country University Consortium that off ers degrees through several universities at facilities in selected Hill Country Communities. e Frank Fickett Educational INTELLIGENCE REPORT TEXAS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CONNECTION Next >