Presented by: Courtney Doyle Chambers, Cengage Learning Companies are looking for students who bring skills to the employment table. By focusing on workforce readiness throughout college education, students can leave with skills to bring value to companies and themselves

1. Building a ThinkNation
Workforce Readiness:
Turning Learners into Workers

2. Agenda
• Overview of the industry, the legislation,
and trends
• What kind of skills drive workforce
readiness?
• Examples of implementation

3. Thought Leaders
Kathryn Jo Mannes
Business/Education Partnerships
Dr. Henry Johnson
Faculty Advisor/TeamUP, Cengage Learning
R. Scott Domowicz
Academic Dean - Schools of Business, Criminal Justice,
Hospitality & Culinary Arts
Pittsburgh Technical Institute

4. WHY Workforce Readiness?
• Trends
• Legislation
• Funding

5. Heard from the demand side:
• Give me someone who has a strong
foundation and is interested in building on to
that by continuing to learn and acquire more
specific skills
• “Soft skills” are hard… critical thinking,
teamwork, problem solving

6. All the “C” words…
Competency
Career Pathways
Credentials and Frameworks
Credit for Prior Learning and Experience
Cohorts
Cross-Campus
Collaboration
Customers
Community Colleges
Oh– and Cengage!

7. Critical vs. Creative Thinking

8. Active Learning
Here are some activities usually associated with
active learning:
Ice Breakers One Minute Paper
Think/pair/share Write/pair/share
Student Summaries Q and A Pairs
Focused Listening Two Column Method
Scenarios Case Studies
Reciprocal Questions Roundtable
Numbered Heads Problem-based Learning
Ten-two Strategy Peer Survey
Shared Brainstorm Jigsaw Teamwork
Note Check Rotating Chair Discussion

9. Synectic Exercises
Divergent thinking

10. & Pittsburgh Technical Institute

13. Thank You! Any Questions?
Contact:
Dr. Henry Johnson
johnsonhr@Verizon.net
Courtney Doyle Chambers
courtney.doylechambers@cengage.com
Heather Kramer
heather.kramer@cengage.com