A new $10,000 grant will help Daytona State College design a system that recognizes work-based experience and non-traditional business and industry certifications for students to pursue an associate of science degree in Industrial Management Technology (IMT). The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) awarded DSC the grant to work with local industry to develop pathways for employee advancement through education, which mutually benefits employers.
Daytona State was one of 25 institutions to be awarded the grant out of 374 invited to apply. It is being funded through the SACSCOC by the Lumina Foundation for Education.
“We fuel the talent pipeline when we create opportunities, introduce clear and well-articulated pathway options and guide informed choices,” said Dr. Sherryl Weems, associate vice president of DSC’s College of Workforce, Continuing and Adult Education. “This initiative supports our faculty in defining curriculum in Industrial Management Technology that connects credentials and experiences with degree pathways. Students will emerge better prepared and guided toward informed academic and career choices, thus fueling the talent pipeline for our region.”
According to SACSCOC President Dr. Belle S. Wheelan, more than 20 percent of U.S. adults have completed a work-experience program that does not necessarily result in an academic credential, such as apprenticeships, co-ops, clerkships, residencies or clinical experiences. A similar proportion have a no-degree credential awarded by a government agency, professional association or certifying board.
The grant will allow DSC faculty to develop new rubrics to evaluate, integrate and align such credentials and work experiences so they can be converted into academic credits leading to the Industrial Management Technology degree. The IMT program gives graduates of certificate and registered apprenticeship programs additional technical and supervisory skills, as well as enhanced general education skills needed for success in entry-level management positions.
The program’s curriculum will be revised to reflect the expansion of regional workforce needs in manufacturing, construction and entrepreneurial fields, as well as address the growing demand for managers and supervisors in all industry sectors. DSC will prepare well-defined career-pathway maps articulating multiple entry and exit points, as well as certificates and other stackable credentials.
DSC utilizes the Assessment of Prior Learning Experience (APLE) portfolio evaluation to establish proof of successful achievement of required learning outcomes via documented work experience.
