(Back to the index) (Back to the beginning of this issue) © 2010 CORD	Strong partnerships between educational institutions and employers have long been recognized as pillars in effective technical/occupational education programs. These partnerships ensure community ownership and build local support, commitment, and resources. In recognition of this fact, the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities Office of the Chancellor, Division of Academic and Student Affairs, embarked on a project in 2004 that was designed to reinvigorate program advisory committees in the state of Minnesota. In 2010, this project was revitalized to incorporate Perkins IV changes, resulting in the 2010 handbook and corresponding professional development. Advisory committees are groups of local employers and community representatives who advise educators on the design, development, operation, evaluation, and revision of career and technical education programs and their corresponding career pathways. The workplace knowledge and resources provided by committee members help to ensure that all aspects of the career pathway reflect the needs and current conditions of the workplace and that program graduates are capable of performing in the occupations for which they have been educated and prepared. The purpose of the Minnesota Program Advisory Committee Project 2010 was to prepare faculty and administrators at two-year colleges and high schools in Minnesota to select, work with, and make optimum use of technical/occupational education program advisory committees. The intent of the handbook is not to dictate policy but to provide guidelines. The three main project tasks were: To establish a 2010 project working group. To revise the previous Minnesota Program Advisory Committee Handbook to include: Perkins IV requirements, Programs of study, Information on joint secondary and postsecondary advisory committees, and New technologies for communication with advisory members. 3. To lead and facilitate professional development workshops. The technical assistance of the nonprofit agency CORD was enlisted to execute the project tasks. A major component of the project consisted of three regional training workshops focusing on the training of secondary and postsecondary CTE educators and administrators covering all 26 Perkins consortia. CORD staff members, in collaboration with the Minnesota workgroup, developed content for the workshops. The workshops focused on selecting committee members, facilitating effective meetings, and adopting a systematic process for working with committee members, including new communication technologies. The workshops were structured to address the needs of all participating faculty and teachers regardless of whether they had previously facilitated advisory committees. Various models for establishing local or regional committees and systems for ongoing electronic communication were provided. In addition the workshops emphasized building common (secondary/postsecondary) CTE program advisory committee structures along the lines of programs of study/career pathways. Back to the index     © 2010 CORD	JoAnn Simser is Systems Director and State Director for Career and Technical Education, Minnesota State Colleges and Universities. Dan Smith is Supervisor of the Center for Post Secondary Success, Minnesota Department of Education. Debra Mills is Vice President for Partnerships at CORD. For more information, contact JoAnn at joann.simser@so.mnscu.edu or 651-201-1650, Dan at dan.smith@state.mn.us or 651-582-3880, or Debra at dmills@cord.org or 217-247-9930.