Strategic Plan 2017-2018
Vision: Where passion meets Opportunity
Mission: Through an uncommon partnership with business and education, Pathways Rutherford empowers and inspires the current and future workforce of Rutherford County to become highly skilled, highly employable citizens to achieve a better life. We do this by matching educational opportunities with high demand, high wage jobs in Construction, Healthcare, Information Technology, Manufacturing, and Transportation and Logistics.
The Work
Stakeholders in Rutherford County are working to address the challenges of finding a technically skilled and job ready workforce by focusing on building grades 7-14/16 career pathways, aligned with the Pathways Tennessee strategic vision and the goals of Governor Haslam’s Drive to 55, which support residents in the county in attaining their education and career goals. Rutherford Works, the Economic and Workforce Development arm of the Rutherford County Chamber of Commerce serves as the intermediary for this work.
The Collaboration
The Executive Council is composed of eleven members representing the following segments:
- The chair (or designee) of each high demand / high wage sector council (total of five).
- One representative from the Rutherford County Chamber of Commerce.
- One representative from the Rutherford County Economic Development Council.
- One representative from Rutherford Reconnect.
- One representative from Rutherford County Schools, Career & Technical Education.
- One representative from Murfreesboro City Schools.
- One representative from the Tennessee College of Applied Technology.
- One representative from Motlow State Community College.
- One representative from Middle Tennessee State University.
- One representative from United Way of Rutherford and Cannon Counties.
- One representative from WIOA Partner Nashville Career Advancement Center.
- One representative from WIOA Youth Partner YouthCAN.
The purpose of the Executive Council is
1)To provide strategic vision for the deployment of Pathways Rutherford.
2)To identify and address gaps or needs that are critical to achieving the mission.
3)To establish goals, monitor progress toward achieving those goals, and intervene to change strategy when failing to achieve said goals.
4)To foster collaboration between business, education, and the community to provide career advancement opportunities for the citizens of Rutherford County and ensure a steady pipeline of talent available to business and industry.
The Strategic Levers
CAREER EXPLORATION –Students in the middle grades, supported by teachers, counselors and advisors, are exposed to a wide range of career options and the correlatingcourses of study in high school and local post-secondary education. Employers support career exploration activities at school facilities.
Goals:
1)100% of middle and high school guidance counselors participate in 2017 8th Grade Pathway Fairs.
2)Increase participation in focus sector related programs of study by ___% for 2017-2018 school year as a result of participation in an 8th Grade Pathway Fair.
3)Identify career exploration tool and have all 8th or 9th graders take assessment fall of 2018.
Action Items:
1)Obtain enrollment numbers for focus sector programs from RC Schools for 2015-2016 and 2016-2017.
2)Work with Dr. Anthony and principals to ensure guidance counselors participate.
3)Develop incentive opportunity for guidance counselors to participate.
4)Organize and market 4 Code Camps for summer 2017
EMPLOYER ENGAGEMENT—Employers are committed to providing a continuum of learning opportunities at the workplace throughout the 7-14/16 pathway. Employers and educators commit to sharing resources, such as equipment, expertise, and tuition assistance. Employers support students’ transitions into the workforce by providing a range of activities such as tours, career events, onsite training opportunities and mentoring. Employer engagement activities take place on or around the worksite.
Goals:
1)Increase donation of equipment and supplies from sector councils to high schools with respective programs of study.
2)Increase number of students participating in industry sector tours during September & October 2017 by 10%.
3)Ensure all focus sectors have at least 20 companies signed up as Pathway Partners by December 2017.
4)Increase educator awareness of STEM career opportunities and the need for tech savvy students by hosting 250 Rutherford County educators in the TEACH READY 2017 Conference on May 31 and June 1.
Action Items:
1)Identify what method RC Schools uses to track donations to programs of study.
2)Get baseline of equipment donations from RC Schools for 2016-2017 school year.
3)Schools develop wish lists once per semester to share with industry sector councils
4)Identify number of students participating in tours in 2016.
5)Recruit corresponding number of companies based on percentage increase goal to host tours for 2017 industry awareness weeks.Actively solicit companies to become Pathway Partners.
6)Actively solicit companies to become Pathway Partners.
7)Implement TEACH READY 2017 timeline/action plan.
How to Measure: Divide into 2016-2017 and 2017-2018 School years
Companies / Tours? / Donations? / Pathway Partners?Health Science
Manufacturing
Construction
WORK BASED LEARNING --– Students are translating classroom theories into practical application on the Job through relevant work experience provided by employers in our focus sectors. Experiences such as internships, apprenticeships, paid work experience and a high school capstone course, allow students to develop employability skills that prepare them for success in the workplace. Activities take place in both the school and workplace.
Goals:
1)Increase Work Based Learning Class participants for students in Construction, Health Care and Manufacturing programs of study by ___5___% by August 2017.
2)Increase number of companies from each sector council employing students in work based learning
3)50% of internship placements in focus sectors for summer 2018.
4)60 companies (with emphasis on focus sectors) participate in Blackman Hiring event April 2017.
5)50 students hired as a result of Blackman Hiring event April 2017.
6)25 % of 2018 high school seniors earn Work Ethics Distinction. 40% by 2019 and 50% by 2020.
Action Items:
1)Request 2016-2017 WBL baseline numbers from Rutherford County Schools CTE.
2)Keep WBL discussions top of mind at all industry sector council meetings to increase company participation.
3)Develop process/method for companies to connect with RC Schools to become a WBL site.
How to Measure:
School / WBL Placements 2016-2017 / WBL Placements 2017-2018Health Science
Manufacturing
Construction
Use CRM Includes RW Internship Placements
Companies / WBL Placements 2016-2017 / WBL Placements 2017-2018Health Science
Manufacturing
Construction
CAREER PATHWAY DEVELOPMENT – With leadership provided by focus sector councils, secondary and post-secondary education partners are working to establish seamless 7-14/16 career pathways with clear structures, timelines, costs, and requirements linking and integrating high school and post-secondary curriculum and aligning both with labor market requirements. The pathways include multiple entry and exit points along the way. Post-secondary partners are providing dual enrollment opportunities for the focus sector pathways and seamless articulation to post-secondary education, facilitating the opportunity for students to graduate from high school with an industry credential and some college credit.
Goals:
1)Students in the Manufacturing, Construction and Health Care Programs of Study at each Rutherford County High School where a program of study currently exists,will have the opportunity to earn an industry certification and early post-secondary creditby the end of their senior year (May 2018).
2)Articulation agreements and/or MOUs will be established between Rutherford County Schools and post-secondary partners by fall 2017.
3)We will begin development for IT and Logistics pathways as these industry sector councils come on line in 2017.
4)Help recruit 100% of needed TN Promise mentors by December 1, 2017.
5)Increase number of employers participating with Rutherford Reconnect team to include identification and training of an in-house advisor by June 2017.
Action Items:
1)Identify current gapsand work through industry sector councils toestablish needed certifications and early post-secondary credit.
2)Meet with post-secondary partners to identify dual enrollment opportunities
How to Measure:
Use pathway spreadsheets developed by CCTEStudents earning credentials
School / Industry Certifications Earned / EarlyPost-Secondary Credits Earned
Health Science
Manufacturing
Construction
ON RAMP CAREER DEVELOPMENT – With leadership provided by focus sector councils, the Rutherford County Chamber of Commerce is working with post-secondary education partners to develop non-credit training opportunities for adults that will facilitate the opportunity for them to gain education credentials that lead to employment with family-sustaining wages and provide employers with a more rapid response to workforce needs.
Goals:
Action Items:
How to Measure
The Work of the Rutherford Works Sector Councils
Rutherford Works Construction Council
Strategy: Increase the Number of Rutherford County Residents Trained for Jobs in the Construction Trades
Goals:
1)Develop adult/continuing education opportunity with first class held by August 2017
2)Support work-based learning by 25+ seniors from Oakland Construction and Ag Engineering programs for fall 2017
3)Finalize funding and implement If I Had a Hammer in at least 3 schools in 2017-2018 school year
Rutherford Works Health Care Council
Strategy 1: Increase Nursing Bandwidth
Goals:
1)75 4th year Health Science students from Stewarts Creek, Blackman and Siegel will sit for and pass the CNA certification by May 2018 Team Lead – Tyra Pilgrim
2)MOUs in place with Rutherford County health care providers to support both 4th year clinical rotations and 8 hour nursing home clinical rotation for CNA students by August 2017 Team Lead – Tyra Pilgrim
3)MOU’s and articulation agreements in place to support LPN to RN to BSN progression by May 2018 Team Lead – Pat Hendrix, Richard Meeks and Robert Pullen
Strategy 2: Expand Allied Health Care Offerings in Rutherford County to Include Early Post-Secondary Attainment and Industry Certification
Goals:
1)12 students enrolled in MLT program at Motlow by December 2017
Team Lead – Pat Hendrix, Denise Gaff, Elizabeth Fitch
2)Identify Next Allied Health Pathway by March 2017 (to be included in Motlow’s master building plan)Team Lead – Pat Hendrix, Elizabeth Fitch
Rutherford Works Manufacturing Council
Strategy: Develop a pipeline of skilled manufacturing professionals from entry level to advanced engineering that will decrease the current and projected shortages
Goals:
1)Grow a foot print for manufacturing education in 50% of our high schools by 2019-2020 school year.
2)The Manufacturing Community will guarantee a job interview to all manufacturing pathway students who graduate with an industry certification from a Rutherford County High School, Motlow College or MTSU.
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