All In: Student Pathways Forward
This podcast focuses on elevating community college student voices to shape inclusive higher education and workforce development policies, practice and partnerships that create economic mobility.
All In: Student Pathways Forward
NCWE 2025 Conference Live Student Panel Recording - "Meeting the Moment to Advance Workforce Education"; Follow Up Discussion with NCWE Executive Director, Kate Kinder
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This special All In episode was recorded live at the National Council for Workforce Education’s annual conference in Norfolk, Virginia in October 2025 and features a dynamic community college student panel that set the stage for this gathering of college workforce leaders and those from partner organizations from around the country. Three standout students—Jasmine Canty of Tidewater Community College, April Langhorne of Virginia Peninsula Community College, and Evan Hernandez of the Apprentice School at Newport News Shipbuilding—share their perspectives, insights and recommendations on important topics such as: stackable credentials, student financial supports, work-based learning, effective advising, flexible scheduling, and the value of recognizing prior learning. The student panel concludes with questions and answers from the conference attendees.
The episode follows with a short conversation with NCWE Executive Director Kate Kinder, who reflects on key themes from the conference, and discusses how NCWE elevates student voices alongside those of practitioners—and why that focus is essential in their collaborative work with colleges and partners nationwide.
Welcome to the All-In Student Pathways Forward Podcast, focused on elevating community college student voices, along with those of college executives, policymakers, and higher education advocates to help shape student-centered policies, programs, and partnerships. This is the host, Mark Goldberg, and it's an honor to speak with students and graduates who share their community college experiences, offer practical solutions to make colleges more accessible, and hear from college leaders and policymakers listening in and reacting to the students' recommendations that build on their solutions and calls to action. This is a special episode on the recent National Council for Workforce Education annual conference taking place in Norfolk, Virginia, that captures the live recording of a student panel discussion that kicked off the conference with three amazing students. Jasmine Canty from Tidewater Community College, April Langhorn from Virginia Peninsula Community College, and Evan Hernandez from the Apprentice School at Newport News Shipbuilding and Tidewater Community College. The students share tremendous insights on topics ranging from stockable credentials to work-based learning to important resources addressing the cost of college to strong advising, flexible scheduling, and credit for prior learning. The second part of the episode is a brief follow-up conversation with the Executive Director of the National Council for Workforce Education, Kate Kinder, who shares her own reflections from the conference and highlights the various ways that NCWE centers student voices along with college practitioners and why this is important in their work with colleges and partners across the country. Thanks for listening in. We are live here at the NCWE Annual Conference in Norfolk, Virginia, with a packed ballroom, hearing from three extraordinary students and individuals. And for listeners to get a sense of who is in the room, wanted to invite participants to say hello. All right, so a large group here, and a round of applause for the audience. And with that, I'm going to introduce our students briefly. So starting to the left is Jasmine Canty, who's a graduate of Tidewater Community College. Welcome, Jasmine. In the middle is Evan Hernandez, who is an apprentice with the Apprenticeship School with Newport News Shipbuilding, and also a student at Tidewater Community College and Old Dominion University. Welcome, Evan. And then last but not least is April Langhorn, who is a student at Virginia Peninsula Community College. Welcome, April. All right, and so I'm gonna start us off and ask Jasmine if you could share more about your background, how you decided to enroll in classes at Tidewater Community College, and what you studied.
SPEAKER_04Yes, I graduated high school in 2021. At that time, TCC was offering the LEAP program, where recent graduates were able to receive a free laptop as well as some free general course classes.
SPEAKER_06Excellent. Well, thanks for sharing that. And Evan, I wanted to ask you you found your way to Newport News Shipbuilding for employment, but with previous experience in higher education. So I wanted to ask you if you could talk about the apprenticeship programs that you've participated in and how both Virginia Peninsula and Tidewater Community College have both been part of this experience.
SPEAKER_01Right. So like you said, I needed a job, is the entire reason I went to the shipyard and started the apprenticeship. I got the call offering me the position as a pipe fitter. I had never heard of a pipe for I didn't know what it was. I didn't know any of the tools that I was going to be using my first day on the job. But I started the apprenticeship, they taught me how to do everything there is to do with it, and I became, in my opinion, a pretty good pipe fitter. Then I got the opportunity through the Apprentice School to go on to their advanced programs, where just like they trained me to be a pipe fitter, be a piping systems designer, making 3D models and designing the piping systems. So I started that, and that's where my community college experience started with the shipyard. They sent me to Virginia Peninsula Community College and Tidewater Community College to get my associate's degree in engineering while also I was having on-the-job training as a designer and actually doing production work for the shipyard. From there, once I finished at Tidewater with an engineering degree, I was up for selections for the engineering program and I got into that. And that's where I'm at now. I'm currently going through rotations in different positions in engineering at the shipyard, while they're also sending me to Dominion University to get my bachelor's in engineering.
SPEAKER_06What an interesting partnership program between the employer, the apprenticeship school, and these various higher ed institutions to support your pathway. And wanted to come to you, April, and ask if you could share more about your own journey to Virginia Peninsula Community College as a student and your connections to the institution as well as what you're studying.
SPEAKER_03So my journey to Virginia Peninsula Community College is a meaningful one. I actually have a personal connection to the school. My late sister attended VPCC. When I was younger, I remember visiting one of her classes for a project, and I was just enthralled with the whole classroom experience. So I knew that when it was time for me to attend college, that VPCC was going to be my option. I'm currently studying information systems technology, and I'm working towards my associate's degree. And what I love about VPC is that it's just such a supportive community, and it's flexible opportunities that make it easier for students like me to be able to grow academically and personally.
SPEAKER_06Thanks for sharing that. And so interesting that connection goes back to your sister and having a family member, and that made an impression.
SPEAKER_05Yes.
SPEAKER_06So wanted to stay with you, April, and go beyond with your family because you're a parenting student. So say a little bit more about being a parent at Virginia Peninsula Community College and what that experience has meant to both you and your daughter.
SPEAKER_03So, yes, me and my daughter are currently attending Virginia Peninsula. And honestly, it's one of the most beautiful parts of the journey. I never pictured us going to college together. It comes with its challenges being a parenting student as well, but having my daughter with me has made it feel that much more meaningful. We're walking through this chapter together, and I just couldn't imagine it being any other way. We pushed through the tough days together, and I feel like I inspire her when she sees me working hard, she sees me up late, and I'm doing various events as a presidential ambassador for the college. Like that inspires her.
SPEAKER_06That's super special. Thank you for sharing that. And what a remarkable story. So I wanted to come to you, Evan, and ask you if you could describe a little bit more how Newport News shipbuilding has supported your career progression. But also wanted to ask you what do you think other employers and their college partners could learn from Newport News in terms of attracting and retaining strong employees?
SPEAKER_01So I think for most people, the biggest thing that they helped with was the money part of things. Everyone can use the help in going to school and being able to pay for things. But past that, and especially for the retention side, I'd say the flexibility that they offer as an employer. Being able to structure my work around my classes and being able to know I'll have the time to get my homework done and to attend class and not have to miss or get in trouble at work because I had a test, that's huge. And the respect that they've shown me by being willing to work with me and help me grow, it's been a big part of making me want to stay with them for the long term. I know that they have my back and I want to have theirs. And I think that's a big thing is just respecting the time and having the flexibility.
SPEAKER_06Because it's a lot to be at the workplace as an apprentice working and then taking your classes. And so that flexibility going both directions makes a difference, and I think is an important takeaway as college leaders are engaging with their employer partners and opportunities like that. Thank you for sharing that. And Jasmine, from my understanding, the clinical medical assistant program that you were in is one of those programs that Dr. Gantther talked about. That's a fast-forward program. One of the state grants where there's financial assistance. And so you were able to complete the program and find a job. And so I wanted to ask you if you could share more about your job and then how the program, the workforce program you were in, prepared you for it.
SPEAKER_04Yes. My instructor, Mrs. Lattimore, she totally prepared me for the job plan. We did mock interviews, detailed hands-on learning. That was a requirement for her course. After completing this, I had numerous job offers. TCC does a really good job with following up with their students, sending them job offers after even completing the program. I'm currently working at an ear-nose and throat doctor. We deal with cancer patients, allergy patients, and Ms. Lattimore helped us a lot by practicing those skills in class.
SPEAKER_06That's awesome. Congratulations, Glad you're able to find work soon after completing your accelerated program. So the next question is for all of you, and we'll start with you, Evan. Sounds like you all have had very positive experiences at your respective community colleges and all been able to gain meaningful post-secondary and industry credentials along the way. And that's really a testament to your hard work and determination. And so I wanted to ask you what resources and supports have been or were most helpful to you in achieving your educational and career goals.
SPEAKER_01I think the biggest thing for career goals, at least, that the Apprentice School has done was the rotational aspect of the program. Being able to see all aspects of the shipbuilding for me is huge. I started as a pipe fitter, I moved on to being a designer, and now I'm working as an engineer. I can tell you where that pipe goes from beginning to end in the shipyard. And I know a lot more about the business than the average employee because of it. I think that having programs like this where you learn not just one part of the business, what you're going to be doing every day, but all aspects really makes for a really more well-rounded employee. And it's made me much better at my job. It's made me efficient because I I don't just have to go and ask someone what happens next. I've been there and I've seen what happens next. And it allows me to do a lot more without having to ask for help. So I think the rotations and being able to expose employees to more parts of their work than just what they're focused on is really helpful for career goals.
SPEAKER_06Yeah, thanks for sharing that and can give new employees a chance to see where they're most passionate about potentially and biggest interest and even where there's opportunity for growth. And I'm curious if you could also say more about the value to the employer when apprentices or workers are rotating around across different areas.
SPEAKER_01I've had a few times where I've gone to a new rotation where people assume that I don't know anything about the job yet because I'm new there. The first time seeing me, they know I don't even have my degree yet. But a couple days in, once I get the hang of how they do things, I can go to them and say, Have you guys tried this? And show them something I've learned in another part of the shipyard. In doing that, I'm kind of helping to spread knowledge around the shipyard, help other groups see these tips and tricks that can make them more efficient. So I'm not just helping myself, but I'm helping everyone kind of learn a little more about their job and how they can do better. There's a lot of things like that that I've picked up through the years, and there's always things I'm learning at every place still, and there's always things I'm able to teach at every place that I go.
SPEAKER_05I think that's really really helpful.
SPEAKER_06So, Jasmine, I wanted to ask you the same question. What resources and supports were most helpful to you in your program at Tidewater?
SPEAKER_04The top three things for me was first receiving the free laptop in 2021 that I am still able to use to this day. My close second is the reduced tuition costs. Being a Virginia resident, I qualified for the fast-forward funding that covered two-thirds of my tuition. Included in my tuition was a CPR class that is required for all healthcare workers. Lastly, the hands-on experience in class really helped me a lot in the job field. She totally prepared us to reach career goals with all the hands-on experience we did. She made it a requirement that we had both hands-on experience with clinical and administrative work.
SPEAKER_06There's a lot in there, right? So hands-on experience, addressing financial barriers, technology, strong instruction, and certifications. Those are a lot of resources and supports that I know colleges are really focused on. So I appreciate that. And the same question for you, April.
SPEAKER_03So absolutely. One of the things that made a huge difference for me is the support system that's in place for students. From the moment that I enrolled, I felt like people were invested in me and that they cared. And the biggest part for me were the advisors. I didn't know, I I just thought that I was going there and I was gonna just get my associate's degree. But I didn't know that there was a whole nother program where I could get a certification. And I just recently earned my certification in cybersecurity. And that didn't take away anything from my associate's degree. If anything, it added to it because it went right along with what I was majoring in anyway. So that has been huge for me. And another big part was that a lot of my credits from previous college experience, it transferred. And so it was like lots of classes. I didn't have to repeat or anything like that. It made the transition very smooth, and I was very appreciative of that.
SPEAKER_06So credit for prior learning, right? Stackable credentials, strong advising. I feel like between the three of them, we've checked a lot of boxes of what we know and hear from students as needs to accelerate pathways and the supports that can guide students there. So thanks to each of you for thinking about that question and being really open and honest about what resources and supports have been most helpful. And so as we all heard as the conference kicked off, the theme for this year's conference is meeting the moment through workforce education. And so can't think of a more important perspective than from students or recent graduates to consider this question. With leaders in attendance representing colleges, workforce partners, community-based organizations, funders, research and policy experts from around the country, what advice would you give to them on how best to meet the moment to support community college student success through workforce education? And we'll start with you, April. Okay.
SPEAKER_03And I want to be super intentional, so I'm gonna read it directly, but I wanted to make sure I got my point across. So if I could offer any advice to leaders on how to meet the moment, it would be to truly listen to students and meet them where they are. Every student's journey looks different. Some of us are parenting, some of us are full-time, some of us are returning to school after years away, and many of us are juggling all of that at once. What makes a difference is when colleges and workforce partners create flexible, supportive pathways that make students feel seen and valued. Workforce education is powerful when it's accessible and connected to real opportunities. Opportunities that especially let my past credits and experience transfer over to fulfill some of those requirements. That also means making sure programs align with actual job demands, but also that students have the wraparound support like childcare, financial aid, transportation, and mentorship that allows them to fully participate. Investing in personal connections matter too. Advisors, professors, and staff who take the time to guide, encourage, and believe in students can completely change the trajectory of someone's life. I know this firsthand. My advice is to keep students' voices at the center of every decision. Ask us what you need, involve us in shaping programs, and don't underestimate the impact of empathy and flexibility. When institutions and workforce partners together with that mindset, they don't just prepare students for jobs, they empower them to build their future.
SPEAKER_01So I'm gonna repeat myself a little bit and echo April a bit and say that I think flexibility is the biggest thing that both community colleges and employers can do to help their employees succeed. Community colleges already do a good job of it, but offering a diverse amount of times to offer their classes in and making sure that whether people work a nine to five or varied-hour night shifts, they'll be able to attend classes. And employers should be the same way. They shouldn't try to keep a rigorous schedule that people have to be at this exact hours every day. They should be understanding that if they really want an employee to get that degree, they need to enable them to get it by allowing them to have a little bit of flexibility in those hours. And the respecting a person's time is huge. You can't buy more time. I think that's also a really good point.
SPEAKER_06And appreciate you sharing it. It's that intersection of work and employment schedules with education and making sure that both sides are accommodating that create better access and support for individuals to complete their credentials and move forward in their careers. So thank you for sharing that. And Jasmine, the same question to you.
SPEAKER_04Yes, I'm gonna piggyback on what Evan and April said with the time, because when I did my program, I was able to do my clinical hours on Saturdays since I worked through the week, and I was able to do my online classes when I got off work. So that was a big help. As well as the free electronic devices and payment plans, they are very big factors that could help a student success.
SPEAKER_06There's a lot there from all of you that folks here can take away and bring back and appreciate you all reflecting on that question in overall sharing your time, your expertise, your insights, and your recommendations with this community. So would ask if you all could join me in giving a round of applause to our three months. So we have two microphones set up. And if you're interested in asking a question to any of the three students, come on up. It would be helpful if you could introduce yourself briefly, and then we've got a little bit of time.
SPEAKER_08Good evening. Thank you all for being here. The question would be: is there one decision point, epitome moment where you had to decide I'm gonna do this or not that uh somebody at the college supported you on?
SPEAKER_04Yes, I would say when I first got to TCC, Ms. Jordan, she was very helpful, she was very encouraging. I wasn't sure when I got there if I was gonna enroll, but after the conversation that I had with her, she encouraged me to enroll, and I did, and I was able to finish the course.
SPEAKER_03For me, like I mentioned before, my advisor, Mr. Darren, he was instrumental in helping me decide that I was gonna go full throttle with information systems technology. When he discussed that I could get the certification within the degree, I was like, yes, I duh. Like sign me up. I mean, honestly, that was my deciding moment was that basically it was a two for one. But I could get jump started in a career and still continue on my education at the same time, but why not?
SPEAKER_01I can't say that I had a single moment or single person who made me feel like this is what I'm going to do. I felt support every step of the way, every person I met along my journey felt like they were pushing me forward to continue on. But I can't recall a single one that stands out because there's been so many.
SPEAKER_07Okay, this question is for Evan because he has a unique perspective of being a community college graduate as well as an apprentice school. Can you tell us a little bit about the different aspects of each other?
SPEAKER_01So the community college aspect is entirely in a classroom, learning the concepts, and of course there's sometimes projects where are a little practical, but it's books. The apprenticeship has a little bit of book learning in it, but it's mostly on the job training. You're learning how to do the job that you could be doing for a long time, whether that is in the trades or in an office salary position, but you learn immediately useful information that you can use tomorrow to start working. The community college, you learn a lot of concepts, a lot of foundation that can take you on further educationally, the foundation to build upon for your future.
SPEAKER_06So I'll ask a question since no one's at the mic, and it's a quick one. So what's the next step in your education and career journey?
SPEAKER_01So I graduate in December, and I should be done with both my old Dominion degree and the apprentice program. I'll be done with my time for that. And I'll settle into a permanent engineering job at the shipyard. I get to make my pick by the end of my apprenticeship of where I want to go back to. So I have a decision to make there.
SPEAKER_03As for me, I will continue to work towards hopefully I'll have my bachelor's degree in that time, and I'll be working on my master's degree. So that's the plan.
SPEAKER_02Hi, thank you. So Nina, who I'm the vice president of Workforce Innovation and Strategic Partnerships at Howard Community College. First of all, thank you so much for sharing your journeys with us and sharing your stories. All three of you came from very different perspectives, but are on your way to being very, very successful. So thank you and congratulations. So the question is Dr. Gunter said, life be but lightning, right? All of you expressed that, how you came into this community college and your pathway. And especially I mean you said, I needed a job, right? And I think that's what we see with a lot of our students. They need these opportunities, but they need a job and they need to start making money. They need to contribute to their family and all of that. So if you were to speak to other students who may be in your shoes, first of all, I'm curious as to how you found out about these opportunities. And two, what would you recommend that we as community college leaders do to reach students who are where you are at at the start of your journey? Thank you.
SPEAKER_03Okay, I'll go first. So for me, I work full time, I work 45 hours a week. I'm an assistant manager at a retail store. I have my daughter, and I have two businesses that I run as well. My thing is if you really want something, you're gonna make the time for it. And I'm a presidential ambassador at the college as well. So if you really want to go after something, you're gonna invest that time in it and you're gonna go after it. Of course, there's times when I can't do everything, but I don't beat myself up over that. But my main thing is if you really want to go after it, you're gonna make time for it and make the way for it. And I tell my daughter that all the time. She's like, Oh, I'm so tired. I got this discussion board. I'm like, girl, I just worked 10 hours today. Like, what are you talking about? And I've got two discussion boards. So, what is your excuse? So I think that would be my main thing is I would tell them if they really want to go after it, the resources are there. You just have to open your mouth up and ask for the resources.
SPEAKER_01I would say the biggest thing you can do to end up somewhere you really enjoy is don't be afraid to get outside of your comfort zone. Like I said, I didn't know what a pipe fitter was when I started the shipyard, and I ended up loving every day of doing it. All of my rotations that I was the least excited for have ended up being my favorite. And you never really know what you're gonna enjoy until you give it a try. So if you're a student who hasn't settled on a degree path or someone looking for a job that they are hoping to stay with for a while, don't be afraid to try something that you had never heard of before someone suggested or never thought you'd like, because you might find you end up enjoying it and you might end up wanting to stay there a long time.
SPEAKER_04I would say a big thing is believing in yourself. I was very hesitant and very scared to enroll in the program, but when I start believing in myself and having academic advising with my instructor, she helped me out a lot after hours tutoring and just believing in myself, it played a big role in the program.
SPEAKER_06So I think this will wrap up our student panel and podcast episode. Just wanted to thank the students one more time, and if you could join me in giving them a round of applause. So thank you, Kate, for joining me here for a brief conversation and welcome to the All in Student Pathways Forward podcast.
SPEAKER_00Thank you so much, Mark, for having me and really looking forward to this conversation. And thank you for such a fantastic panel and moderating that and all the work that you do to connect with students and prepare them. It's a really great experience for them as well as the entire audience.
SPEAKER_06Well, thanks, and the students were incredible, and I really appreciate you and the NCWE Board of Directors and staff finding a multitude of ways to center student voices at the conference and even further this year to record the student panel and to bring it into a podcast episode so folks who weren't able to join us in Norfolk could hear the tremendous insights and recommendations from the three students. So, with that, I wanted to ask you why it's important to NCWE to center and elevate student voices in the work that you do.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, so for those who aren't familiar with NCWE, why don't I start there? We are a national nonprofit and stands for National Council for Workforce Education, and we support the advancement of workforce education, excellence, and innovation at the nation's community colleges. We're a member-powered organization and partner with a broad network of stakeholders to really advance student-centered and practitioner-driven solutions and ideas, and peer learning is a big part of what we do. And so, given that we are focused on advancing workforce education excellence, we can't do that if we don't listen to students, those with the deepest expertise. And that is why we really wanted to start the conference with students. Too often we really aren't asking the right questions or listening to the right people. And so for NCWE, centering students is key and listening to our practitioners. So I am a big believer, and our board is that those who have lived expertise and are closest to the issues and impacted by the issues will have the most nuanced and in-depth understanding of the solutions that are needed. And so listening to Jasmine, April, and Evan really highlights what colleges are doing well and what we can do better. And so it informs our day-to-day work, it informs our systems work, it informs our policy work. And how can we continue to learn and lift up the success and opportunities?
SPEAKER_06Thanks for sharing that. And since this podcast episode is only audio, it's hard to capture clearly the visual, and all of the attendees in that ballroom during the student panel were as captivated and listening attentively to the students as any point in the conference. And I would say too, having that student panel on the first day to add to your point, hearing different presenters throughout the full conference reference back to points that Jasmine and Evan and April made just demonstrates how powerful it is to center students at a national gathering. And looking back to the conference, I did want to ask you if you could share your overall thoughts and reflections from the recent conference last month in Norfolk.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, I agree. I think the student panel was certainly a highlight and was always one of the highlights. And to me, what Jasmine, April, and Evan lifted up really aligned with the topics we were covering in the conference. So they all talked about the importance of having support. So someone at the college, whether it was a faculty or a staff person that really provided those holistic supports. They talked about the importance of financial assistance. So looking at what are the ways we can cover the cost of college and make it accessible, particularly for working students, parenting students. They talked about credit for prior learning. They talked about how to make sure that their past experience and their learning and their skills counted. They talked about really how to authentically meet students where they're at. And so I think all of those themes that the student talked about was content that was covered in the conference. And so we had a number of plenary panels where we were able to cover the power of partnerships. We were able to cover what's ahead for higher ed from the presidential perspective, from policy perspectives from national partners. We dove into what Workforce Pell will look like and really key considerations at the policy and implementation level, but also in the operations level and what it means for students, how it can drive great systems change at the colleges. And then the other big part of the NCWE conference and what we're about is really focusing on connection, creating community, and centering practitioners. And so we had a lot of opportunities for networking, for unstructured connections, and a growing network of people who can support their work or who they can go to for questions.
SPEAKER_06I really found the conference to be meaningful and engaging and thought-provoking. And in fact, one thing that I always appreciate is the emphasis on place and the local community and being in Hampton Roads, Virginia, really getting a chance to hear from different leaders about how they've moved forward collaborative work to improve economic vitality in their region from different perspectives.
SPEAKER_00Agreed. We do really try to lift up the place that we're in. And Hampton Roads and Virginia had exceptional examples of what it means to really advance workforce education, invest in your community, center your learners, center their expertise and ideas and needs. So it was really great to hear from so many leaders. And I'm really excited that you're doing a part two so we can get more information from those leaders connected to Jasmine and Evan in April. So chance to hear in part two from Dr. Letitia McCain, the Director of Education at the Apprentice School, Dr. Porter Brannan, the president of Virginia Peninsula Community College, and here from Dr. Marcia Constant, president of Tidewater Community College. So really dynamic leaders and get to hear their side of why they center students and student voice and then how that translates into the dynamic programs and career pathways that they create in their local community.
SPEAKER_06And will be a way similar to the student panel to bottle up some of their remarks and discussions at the conference. And it also follows the format of regular all-in Student Pathways Forward podcasts, which always begin with student interviews and then have follow-up conversations with college presidents, executives from employer partners, or state and national policy leaders to reflect on the student conversations and share more about the ways that they are improving student success through workforce partnerships and policy work. So I'm really looking forward to those conversations and a really dynamic part two after this great student panel from the conference as well.
SPEAKER_00Yeah. And that really follows what NCWE is really about and tries to do is which is really listen to and center students and listen to and center our practitioners in our network who are doing the work every day and that really importance of arriving at innovation and excellence by listening to those who are doing the work and impacted by it.
SPEAKER_06Yeah. Well, speaking of that, I did want to ask how beyond that conference NCWE is continuing to center student voices in your work?
SPEAKER_00So one thing I'm really excited about, and the board is really excited about, is a new project that we just launched in collaboration with the Education and Employment Research Center at Rutgers University. So we are launching a student voices informing practice and non-credit workforce education project. So really wanting to hear from students who are enrolling in completing non-credit programs, non-credit being professional credit, career-focused credit, professional skills training, cross-credit. So the myriad of names that colleges use, but really looking at making sure that we're listening to those students who are often missing from our research. A lot of the community college higher ed research focuses on students who've been enrolled in credit or especially credit transfer pathways. And so really want to make sure we're hearing from students who are core to our workforce education efforts and understanding what worked for them, what didn't work for them, and what policies, programs, systems can improve to boost their outcomes in terms of their college completion, progression, career opportunities, and wanting to really make sure that we are also asking students what does success look like for them? Are we measuring what matters to them? And then on the flip side of that, we want to really hear from the college staff and faculty who are overseeing and leading those programs. So, what do they want to know about how we are serving non-credit students nationally? What do they want to know about the systems that are working? And so we are going to be launching the project with 15 colleges. So doing surveys with students and with college staff and faculty. We are going to create a peer learning community. And in that peer learning community, really listening to college partners to hear from them what are the research questions that we really need to center in understanding what needs to happen to improve our education pathways from non-credit to credit, from non-credit to careers, from all the progression and the different ways people are learning right now to create more economic prosperity.
SPEAKER_06That's a fantastic project. And having led many of those workforce programs that historically were called non-credit, it has always felt like because they are not traditional programs, the data systems may not align. Many colleges historically haven't prioritized those programs, which means the students are also not prioritized. So to really lean in and capture student experiences specifically for workforce education programs will really help our field, I believe, in a deeper understanding of student goals, like you said, student needs and future opportunities. And know Rutgers University has done so much related work supporting career pathways, non-credit workforce students, in addition to NCWE in different ways. So thank you for sharing more on that. And I know that a lot will be gained from this project.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, this project will let us both lift up individual stories and hear individual expertise while also looking at scale. So I think one of the things that's really important to think about when doing work and centering student voice is to be careful about doing it too broad where you're looking at averages, because we know that averages can hide a lot of experiences, right? So if you're just looking at student outcomes and you improve your student outcomes for who and where. And so it's really important to dive in to look at the individual impact. And at the same time, I think there's a danger in focusing too much on individual stories and experiences, too, because that becomes very easy to extrapolate to the collective and things that might be unique to that person. So I think that's what's really going to be powerful about this project is it's an opportunity to make sure we're looking at individuals and the power of their individual stories and through focus groups listening to them and doing broad-based surveys with as many non-credit students at 15 institutions as we can. So we can also look at collective, where are things working, where are they not, and that combination. And to me, that is when you get really good policy and really good programs, is that you need both and you need researchers, like we're very fortunate to work with, who do a really good job asking the right questions and listening to the people, both the colleges and the students, so that we can really understand the issue in depth and from different angles. And so I think that's one of the things that's really unique about this project that's exciting too.
SPEAKER_06Yeah, across 15 colleges and through the methodology you described, it sounds like this project will really capture the breadth and depth of a multitude of non-credit workforce students and learners. And I would imagine too that those 15 institutions will be diverse in terms of geography, size, location, rural versus urban economies and industries and programs and that, as you said, builds that scale.
SPEAKER_00Exactly. That's what we're really aiming to do is make sure we do as much as possible reflect the different communities, sizes, locations, geographies, and just the different ways colleges are structured so that the research can really inform transformations at the system and policy level and also really tee up workforce Pell and those considerations of how do you make workforce Pell implementation work for students? And I think that's a big question. And so we'll get at what financial supports we'll get at what program offerings, we'll get at outreach, we'll get at the student services system data, all of that, and so can really be a support for the field and institutions to improve the seamless integration of credit and non-credit and make sure that all students count and all learning counts.
SPEAKER_06Sounds awesome. I look forward to following the project and the research. And I wanted to ask you one last question for individuals listening who may not be as actively involved in NCWE as an organization. How can they stay engaged with NCWE throughout the year?
SPEAKER_00That's a great question. So we welcome anyone joining any of our activities. We are a member-powered organization, so it is really helpful to have colleges, individuals or collective join and be part of our network. We will have a number of different projects launching this year. So there will be opportunities for colleges to participate in different focus groups or studies around what the leadership development needs are facing our field right now. Certainly, we are still taking applications for colleges interested in being part of the Student Voices project. And then we will be back in Palm Springs, California next year for our annual conference, October 20th through 22nd, and really welcome and encourage as many people to attend or submit a proposal as possible, more information on our website. And just stay tuned as we continue to look for ways to support peer learning in colleges and would encourage people to reach out if they have ideas of how we can support them in their local and collective work.
SPEAKER_06That sounds great. And thanks again to you and NCWE's board for centering student voices at the conference, deciding to capture the student panel in uh podcast format, and the follow-up conversation with some of the executive leaders in the region there in Hampton Roads to reflect on the student panel and share more on the great work that they're leading across their institutions and collectively across the region. So thanks for joining me here following the student panel and for your leadership in continuing to center learner voices throughout the work that NCWE leads.
SPEAKER_00Thank you so much for having me, for the opportunity again for moderating such a powerful panel that really set the tone for our conference and really just elevating the voices that matter the most, our students, and for all the work that you do, really to shine the light on the good work that is happening around the country, at colleges, and where there's opportunity for improvement. And really looking forward to part two of the podcast and hearing what the dynamic Hampton Road executives have to say as well.
SPEAKER_06Thanks, Kate. Well, that will do it for this episode of the All-In Student Pathways Board Podcast. There will be a part two in the special NCWE podcast mini-series coming out in the next few weeks that includes conversations with the president of Tidewater Community College, Dr. Marcia Constant, the president of Virginia Peninsula Community College, Dr. Porter Brannan, and the Director of Education for the Apprentice School at Newport News Shipbuilding, Dr. Leticia McCain, all who spoke at the recent NCWE conference and share their own reflections from the student panel and beyond. This is the host, Mark Goldberg, and thanks for listening in and being all in on student success.