[NIFL-4EFF:2256] Re: EFF and workforce development

From: Diane Gardner (dgardner@utk.edu)
Date: Tue Dec 10 2002 - 10:07:46 EST


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From: Diane Gardner <dgardner@utk.edu>
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Subject: [NIFL-4EFF:2256] Re: EFF and workforce development
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Andy,

This sounds really interesting to me. I hope that you will keep us informed 
about how this initiative goes. It also seems to be an example of a 
business-education partnership that might be replicated elsewhere or used 
as a model for other communities.

  Are the classes open-ended or is there a certain length of time you have 
to cover the curriculum?  Have the hospitals agreed to hire these folks if 
they achieve the agreed upon competencies?

Diane

At 05:07 PM 12/9/02 -0500, you wrote:
>I've been working on a workforce development initiative for hospital
>workers (or those who would like to be hospital workers), using a
>curriculum development model that others might find useful. The
>initiative is made up of 2 hospitals and 3 community organizations that
>work with adults who are seeking employment. There are to be classes at
>each of these 5 sites - preparing the unemployed adults (at the
>community organizations) for entry-level jobs in the hospital and
>building the skills of workers (at the hospitals) so that they can move
>up the career ladder.
>
>The model we're using is anchored in the EFF Worker Role Map. All the
>necessary work competencies that were identified during the initial
>needs assessment are clustered by Broad Area of Responsibility (BAR): Do
>the Work, Work with Others, Work within the Big Picture, and Plan and
>Direct Personal and Professional Growth. Then each competency is linked
>to the related EFF standards that will be the focus of instruction. And
>finally, we will develop a set of performance tasks by which the skills
>and competencies can be demonstrated (and documented in a portfolio).
>
>For example, one of the pre-employment competencies under "Work within
>the Big Picture" is "Know the departments of a hospital and be able to
>find them." The primary standard required for that is "Read with
>Understanding" and it will be demonstrated by having students rely on
>hospital signage to actually find various departments and offices.
>
>Another competency, under "Plan and Direct Personal and Professional
>Growth," is  "Understand trends in health care occupations," for which
>students will work on the "Use Technology" and "Learn through Research"
>standards to find out where there is projected job growth and what
>skills those jobs require. Based on this information and some
>self-assessments, students will describe the jobs they are most
>interested in working toward.
>
>This initiative, which is primarily designed to serve the needs of
>employers, does not leave much leeway for learning and discussion that
>is not immediately related to those needs. It will be difficult, for
>example, to include important discussions about the work speed-ups in
>health care (which we may experience as rushed doctors' visits but which
>have also affected the pace of work for environmental service, dietary,
>transport, and other low-wage workers).  However, we will do the best we
>can to address all the "big picture" issues for health care workers.
>
>The partners in the initiative are pleased with this approach and see
>it as a way to bridge the learning of the unemployed and the employed.
>If you're involved in similar collaborative efforts (related to any of
>the roles), please share with us!
>
>Andy Nash
>NELRC/World Education
>EFF staff
>anash@worlded.org

Diane P. Gardner
The University of Tennessee
EFF Center for Training and Technical Assistance
Center for Literacy Studies
600 Henley Street, Suite 312
Knoxville, TN 37996-4135
865-974-9949



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