Spring applications for the 2021-22 Career Academy Incentive Fund grant are now being accepted by the Iowa Department of Education. All submissions must be received by April 15.

The Career Academy Incentive Fund expands and increases equitable access to high-quality career and technical education (CTE) programs through partnerships between school districts and community colleges. Institutions that demonstrate these partnerships are encouraged to apply for the grant. Priority consideration will be given to applicants who focus on programming delivered through regional centers. Application materials can be found here. 

For more information, contact Jane Bradley, Administrative Consultant (jane.bradley@iowa.gov or (515) 689-4402). 

The community colleges have begun meeting to discuss current and future needs for a skilled transportation workforce, and more specifically truck drivers that hold a commercial driver's license (CDL). While most community colleges already provide this important training within their communities or partner with one another to provide it, there can be variances in the length, cost, and availability of training or program offerings. While this variability is common across regions to meet local business and industry demands, it can be confusing to the average person. This new CDL Workgroup is exploring ways to add consistency to CDL programs, opportunities to partner with groups like the Iowa Department of Transportation and Iowa Motor Truck Association (IMTA), and address industry or federal regulation changes such as the new Entry Level Driver Training (ELDT) and a Registered Apprenticeship pilot program that will allow younger drivers to participate in interstate commerce.

For more information or to get involved, contact Joe Collins, Education Program Consultant, (joe.collins@iowa.gov or (515) 419-5190).

The attitude of one-size-fits-all is rapidly becoming outdated in today’s world. Things are more tailored and customized to our own preferences and needs. As such, a have-it-your-way approach has prevailed, making it no surprise that professional development opportunities offered by Iowa’s community colleges are also becoming custom-made.

Community colleges provide ample opportunities for businesses in their communities to strengthen the skills of their employees. Through collaboration with each individual business, the colleges can provide trainings according to the specific needs and budget of the employer. Oftentimes, customized trainings can occur at a convenient location for the employees, such as directly at the worksite or a nearby centralized facility.

“There may be a misconception that community colleges can only serve individual students within the campus walls,” said Paula Nissen, administrative consultant for the Iowa Department of Education. “Customized trainings through the community colleges allow businesses to provide tailored professional development opportunities for their workers.”

At Southeastern Community College, customized professional development trainings are an important part of the college’s programming. They have worked with businesses on a variety of training topics such as safety, construction, CPR, confined space, electrical and more.

“We can customize a training for a company’s specific skill level,” said Brenda Rubey, executive director at Southeastern Community College’s Center for Business. “An employee with 20 years of experience doesn’t need the same training as someone who is newer to the field. We take that into consideration to provide a more focused and applicable training for the company.”

Editor’s note: The Iowa Department of Education, Iowa Association of Community College Trustees and the state’s 15 community colleges have joined together to form a new alliance that seeks to address challenges within Iowa’s community college systems. The “Aligning Credit and Non-Credit for Equity” workshop is a part of this collaborative effort.

At community colleges in Iowa and across the country, the word alignment is in the air, signifying a need for change and better experiences for all students. Aligning short-term, non-credit courses with the college’s credit-based programming can provide more equitable opportunities for students and increase efficiencies overall, and education consultant Annie Phillips is making the case for this movement.

Phillips, an associate director at the consulting firm, Education Strategy Group, will be featured in an upcoming online workshop sponsored by the Iowa Association of Community College Trustees. Scheduled for March 28, this four-hour interactive session, titled “Aligning Credit and Non-Credit for Equity,” will highlight the importance of alignment between the non-credit and credit functions at a college and how this can lead to more equitable outcomes for all students. All Iowa community colleges, no matter where they are in the alignment process, are strongly encouraged to attend this free workshop. 

As part of Education Strategy Group, Phillips has worked with community colleges nationwide on aligning their non-credit and credit programs and has provided a framework for getting started through the firm’s recent 2020 report, “A More Unified Community College.”

The Iowa Department of Education recently sat down with Phillips to get a sneak peek at her upcoming workshop and learn more about her philosophies on aligning non-credit and credit programs.

2022 is well underway, and prospective college students are already thinking about their plans for the fall. A top priority for any college student is securing financial assistance, and the annual Free Application for Federal Student Aid is a great first step in finding resources and ensuring access to education.

To help spread awareness of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and its upcoming submission deadlines, the Iowa Department of Education spoke with Ty Patton from Iowa College Aid. Iowa College Aid is a state agency that provides resources and guidance on available financial assistance opportunities. Below, Patton, the agency’s communications coordinator, shared his thoughts on why FAFSA is so important for Iowa students and their college and career goals.

What exactly is FAFSA, and who is it intended for?
The FAFSA is designed for prospective and current college students to determine federal financial aid eligibility to finance their postsecondary education. However, many states, colleges and other organizations also use the FAFSA to award additional financial aid. The financial assistance from completing the FAFSA can come in the form of scholarships and grants, work-study awards or federal student loans.

Getting ready for the next steps in a student’s college and career pathway – whether as a graduating high school senior, current college student or as an adult looking into graduate school – can sometimes be overwhelming, and another application can seem like a hassle. Why is it important to apply?
Completing the FAFSA should be the first step for anyone seeking to continue their education through further education or training. A completed FAFSA is key to accessing scholarships, grants, federal student loans and other resources to finance your education. Even if you don’t think you need or would qualify for financial aid, file the FAFSA. It’s free, and nearly everyone is eligible for some form of financial aid. Yet, every year, millions of dollars in financial aid in Iowa and billions nationally go unclaimed. Importantly, all grants and scholarships provided by the state of Iowa require a FAFSA, and most institutional aid requires the form. Filing the FAFSA can also open up other opportunities for financial assistance from institutions, such as child-care subsidies.

Iowa College Aid also has FAFSA-specific resources available that provide detailed, step-by-step instructions on completing the FAFSA and the process of receiving financial aid.

Connections. Linkages. Bridging the gap between two entities. No matter how you say it, Iowa’s intermediary coordinators are bringing school districts and industries together to build relationships and ensure career success for the future workforce.

Based out of Iowa’s 15 community colleges, intermediaries can help connect students and educators with a variety of work-based learning experiences, such as internships and job shadows, classroom speakers, professional skill trainings, worksite exploratory events and more. Intermediary coordinators are focused on providing students with opportunities for career awareness, career exploration and preparation and hands-on workplace learning. Students use these experiences to help discover what areas they like, build professional and technical skills and solidify their college and career pathways.

“Intermediary coordinators help enable students to openly explore a variety of careers,” said Kristy Volesky, education consultant at the Iowa Department of Education. “We have great careers available in Iowa, and intermediaries can help connect our students to these opportunities.”

As one of Iowa’s intermediaries, Terri Hungerford from Iowa Valley Community College – along with fellow coordinator Jessica Lara – assists 14 area schools with their career exploration opportunities. Intermediaries use their connections and dedicated time to match educational needs with industry partner interests. It’s a big job, and Hungerford fully understands how important the intermediary role is for both students looking to explore different career paths and for businesses needing to build up their talent pipeline.

“We are the connector for our educators and students to our business partners and vice versa,” she said. “We know who to reach out to make arrangements for quality job shadows or guest speakers for our students. On the other side, we also hear from businesses on what qualities they are looking for in future employees and how they can support us. It’s a win-win.”

The Iowa Work-Based Learning Coordinators’ executive board is excited to invite MOC/WEC coordinators, CTE teachers, work-based learning coordinators, school-to-work coordinators, business partners and interested colleagues to join us for our professional development conference on Thursday, April 14th at The Meadows Event Center in Altoona. This collaborative conference is a personalized learning and networking event for anyone interested in providing quality work-based learning for students.

This year’s breakout sessions and speakers will help you develop or expand the best work-based learning program possible by offering sessions covering the entire work-based learning continuum. This event also includes our annual business meeting and voting for new executive board positions.

REGISTER HERE.

For more information, contact Kristy Volesky, Education Program Consultant, (kristy.volesky@iowa.gov or (515) 971-0669).

Computer Science Curriculum and Professional Development Grants are available to help Iowa school districts and accredited nonpublic schools with the cost of providing high-quality computer science curriculum and professional development. In addition to the new maximum request amount of $50,000 and removal of grade band requirements, awarded funds may now be used for additional related expenses. Those expenses include associated equipment as well as stipends for teachers participating in professional development during non-contract hours and substitute pay when teachers participate in professional development during contract hours. Click here for more information.

For more information, contact Justin Lewis, Education Program Consultant, (justin.lewis@iowa.gov or (515) 669-7007).